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Considering a Suburban Tow Rig

If I stumble across some I'll post them up. I saw a killer half ton burb in North Dakota that had a raised roof like a conversion van. and a whole bunch of 90s graphics, but I didn't take a picture.

Arg. Ideas, man, ideas.

I need ideas for my evil camper schemes. You're not the only one wanting to do something like this. :deal:

:haha:
 
I'm particularly interested in what you wind up with as switching to some newer (Suburban?) platform is one of the many ideas that we've considered. If you find some amazing solution I may copy it. :popcorn:
 


Thanks, I've seen that. He's unwilling to move on price. I know it's real clean, but there are lots of late model 6.0 burbs at that price point. I could try him again. That truck has been up on and off for almost 6 months. Any thoughts on its actual value?

I do really like that the dually above has airbags. Interestingly it uses dually front hubs which the other truck did not. I wonder if it would be considered more of a 1 ton? Will it have upgraded brakes with those hubs?

Before I drove to look at the one last night the guy had implied he was dreaming a little with his eBay numbers.
 
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Man, I don't even feel right saying it's worth $15k. Around here 15k would buy you a decent Duramax.

Yea, I just called on it. It sounds like an old man who has had the truck since new. He kept repeating, it's really something special, you should come see it. I told him there was another online for 15k and he said I should go look at that one.....

I haven't seen a duramax that doesn't have over 200k miles on it for below 20k by me. Most have been used for plowing too.
 
D-max burb is really cool.

6.5 unless it has the mods done is going to need them done.

Dually is cool but not needed.

8.1 would be awesome if you can find a decent one.

I just bought mine 99 with a 454 7 passenger with a sunroof. Never made from the factory that way, it is a ChooChoo custom. Paid $3500 for it no issues so for with it.

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Those 3/4 ton burbs are really cool!! Sweet rig!

Don't under-estimate the L29 Vortec 454. Its a really good motor and can suit your needs just fine. I have had mine loaded pretty heavy (pic below). Probably the heaviest I had it loaded was coming back from blazer bash last year when I had pretty much my whole garage in the back (tools, spare parts, camping gear, 42" spare, ext) towing my blazer on 44's and I was still surprise how well it towed it. Sure when I started going up the back side of Vail and Loveland pass, I slowed down quite a bit, but both of those passes are some of the longest and steepest in the country, so I didn't feel so bad.

I bought this truck 5 years ago for $5000. I did have to do injectors on it (they are kinda pricy on the L29 motors) and I installed some high end drilled and slotted rotors and pads on the front (I will second @campfire about the brakes thing), and I have a airaid intake and exhaust system, but other than that it's been a fantastic truck. Finding my same drivetrain combo in a burban (just like @kgblazerfive burban above) would be a really nice rig!



 
I don't need to be speed racer up the hills. I also don't mind doing a few well known modifications on an older truck. I'm sure even a newer used truck will need work, but I definitely prefer the cosmetics of the gmt400 over the 01-06 era trucks.

I do want to be able to travel at reasonable highway speeds loaded through the less aggressive grades that are pretty constant on some of the roads out here.
 
Speaking of duramax burbs, have you seen dhcomp's build thread?
https://ck5.com/forums/threads/duramax-suburban-dual-battery-problems.322154/

Honestly I think a duraburb would give you everything you ask for and more. Great power, factory reliability, and decent mpg. If you really are going to be putting 20k miles on it a year the jump from 10-12mpg to 16-18+mpg would be a huge savings in fuel. You might really want to consider one.
 
Honestly I think a duraburb would give you everything you ask for and more. Great power, factory reliability, and decent mpg. If you really are going to be putting 20k miles on it a year the jump from 10-12mpg to 16-18+mpg would be a huge savings in fuel. You might really want to consider one.

yes and put that savings in a piggy bank for injectors

the @dhcomp burb is bad ass
 
Speaking of duramax burbs, have you seen dhcomp's build thread?
https://ck5.com/forums/threads/duramax-suburban-dual-battery-problems.322154/

Honestly I think a duraburb would give you everything you ask for and more. Great power, factory reliability, and decent mpg. If you really are going to be putting 20k miles on it a year the jump from 10-12mpg to 16-18+mpg would be a huge savings in fuel. You might really want to consider one.

Glad you brought this back up. I just came back to this thread to make sure this was given a fair shake.

That one on eBay right now is sweet, but a bit higher mileage than mine, and no info on builder.
I had mine build for under $20k. Hard to finance, but other than that, it was a no brainet for me.

Mine dominates the tasks you are talking about, puts you in a newer style rig, and gets you a reliable truck.
 
I don't want to take on that build right now. I might consider a swap a few years down the road. I'm not sure I'd trust a "duraburb" that came from the internet.

The markup on the 2500 burbs is a little tough to swallow. You can get into a comparable 1500 burb or Tahoe for 3-5k.

Here are a couple trucks that may be getting close. Should I be ruling out 6.0 liter burbs?

https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/detail/669211455/overview/

https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/detail/676587543/overview/

I also stumbled across this truck that I like a lot. It's off the burb train, but seems like a good deal if its in decent shape. Of course being in decent shape around here at that age is seeming impossible.

http://www.oconnorautopark.com/Used-2006-GMC-Sierra-2500HD-Augusta-Maine/vd/37422416
 
Speaking of duramax burbs, have you seen dhcomp's build thread?
https://ck5.com/forums/threads/duramax-suburban-dual-battery-problems.322154/

Honestly I think a duraburb would give you everything you ask for and more. Great power, factory reliability, and decent mpg. If you really are going to be putting 20k miles on it a year the jump from 10-12mpg to 16-18+mpg would be a huge savings in fuel. You might really want to consider one.



I'm surprised he that truck cost 19k. That would put it in the ballpark for me. The truck seems to be treating him will with the exception of a few small things.

I think I'd rather try to find a clean burb for cheap at the moment. If I did a swap later I would have to weigh the option of a Cummins with a 6 speed manual versus a Duramax.



Edit:

Man Glenn, now all I can think about is Duraburbs....

I read a post from the fellow in Florida that he only is working with dealerships now. I don't know if that is the case or not. I'm still reading lots more.

I found this one.

http://www.davismotorco.com/invento...0-4x4-2500-4WD-SLT-4x4-Quadrasteer-Lubbock-TX
 
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Haha sorry didn't mean to get in your head.

I'm thinking if you find a clean suburban to do the swap with you could easily have the shop swap in a ZF6 while they're at it. :deal:

This shop in Nebraska does a lot of conversions, although their pricing seems very steep. http://duramaxsuburbans.com/index.html
 
I don't want to take on that build right now. I might consider a swap a few years down the road. I'm not sure I'd trust a "duraburb" that came from the internet.

The markup on the 2500 burbs is a little tough to swallow. You can get into a comparable 1500 burb or Tahoe for 3-5k.

Here are a couple trucks that may be getting close. Should I be ruling out 6.0 liter burbs?

https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/detail/669211455/overview/

https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/detail/676587543/overview/

I also stumbled across this truck that I like a lot. It's off the burb train, but seems like a good deal if its in decent shape. Of course being in decent shape around here at that age is seeming impossible.

http://www.oconnorautopark.com/Used-2006-GMC-Sierra-2500HD-Augusta-Maine/vd/37422416
You remember my Tahoe? I bought it for $3500 and was pristine. I definitely miss it. Half ton burbs and tahoes can be had for almost half the price because there's soooo many of them. GM didn't make nearly as many 3/4 tons.

I wouldn't discount the 6.0L. It's a solid engine and will do the job you ask it just with a little more revs. Plus being unloaded all winter the slightly better mileage will be a big plus.

That regular cab 6.0L/NV4500 truck is pretty cool. I love the color.
 
The Holy Grail there...91 2500....
 
I don't think a 6.0L is all that bad but I don't think I would enjoy towing cross country with a 8-10K lb load behind it. Those couple 8.1 burbs you posted have low mileage, probably the main reason why they're priced so high. There's one here local for $6,500 but it has a 195K on it. There was another for $9K with 120K miles on it but it must have sold, don't see it listed anymore.
 
That regular cab 6.0L/NV4500 truck is pretty cool. I love the color.

Correct me if I'm wrong here, but that is an 06 truck single cab...shouldn't that be the ZF6 behind that as they didn't put NV4500's in those trucks in those years?

And to echo what others are saying...the 6.0 is a really good motor. And the aftermarket is ridiculously huge for them, so if you want to throw some goodies at them, there are a plenty
 
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