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Looking at a 'Burb - suggestions?

M

meanboyjr

1/2 ton status
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South Sound, WA
Ok, so I'm needing a little more room for my stuff (work tools, mainly) than my K5 has at the moment. I was fooling around with the idea of getting a work trailer, but parking one on the streets around here is an absolute PITA. So, I've been thinking about a Suburban. I've got a few months before work kicks into the crazy phase (summer) so I'll probably take my time and try to find something decent. My only two requirements: 4X4 and barn doors.

I'm partial to the square bodies ('73-'91), but have also been considering the GMT400 series. My initial thought is to find a reasonably nice '82-'91, and maybe rock a 6.2 if I can find one in my price range. The local craigslist seems to have a bunch of mid-80's stuff that is priced comparable to the mid-90's stuff, which makes the '92-'96 'Burbs look mighty tasty from a price standpoint. I know the '92-up model were IFS, but this is probably going to become a DD/work truck /take it camping rig, so I'm not really looking at any suspension mods.

I'm curious what the brotherhood has to say. If you were spending your cash on a DD/working 'Burb, what would you be looking for?
 
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Man I'm excited to see how this turns out. I have been thinking about the same things. Hope you get the burb that you want. Good luck bro. I will be watching
 
Buy mine fly down and drive it up will make it no problem:thumb:
Good luck I have 3 burbs and love them.
DSC01435.jpg
 
1) 3/4 ton 2) diesel :waytogo::waytogo:


wish I'd thought it through when I bought the 86 I have....:doah:

I still love it though:pimp:
 
IFS Rigs aren't too horrible and you can get them cheap. Just depends what you want to spend and how much you will go off road. I'm.partial to the solid axle burbs myselfx but also have a IFS burb for everyday family stuff.
 
62 fat guy said:
1) 3/4 ton 2) diesel :waytogo::waytogo:


wish I'd thought it through when I bought the 86 I have....:doah:

I still love it though:pimp:
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I've never owned a diesel before, but I'm definitely open...it's just a matter of finding one. And yes, you're right, the 3/4T should probably be on my list of requirements. A 6.2/TH400/NP208 wouldn't be a bad setup for my purposes.


63chevyll said:
IFS Rigs aren't too horrible and you can get them cheap. Just depends what you want to spend and how much you will go off road. I'm.partial to the solid axle burbs myselfx but also have a IFS burb for everyday family stuff.
Click to expand...

A lot of the '92-'96 'Burbs (and Tahoes) that I've seen locally are right in my price range. I actually had a '96 a few years ago, as a company vehicle, and I really liked it even though it was a little plush for a work truck. An IFS 'Burb would probably fill 95% of my needs.
 
After two years of searching...

Bumping this old thread back to the top, as I need some quick info on early-80s 'Burbs.

I found a very nice 1983 in my area. It looks clean, it's a 3/4t, with a 350, NP208 and barn doors. I was searching online for drivetrain specs and I couldn't quite figure out what axles would be under her. I know that the corporate 10-bolts were in play on 1/2 tons by '83 but I'm not sure what axles were under the 3/4 tons. Were they just 10-bolts with different axles shafts and wheel bolt patterns?

TIA :thumb:
 
meanboyjr said:
Bumping this old thread back to the top, as I need some quick info on early-80s 'Burbs.

I found a very nice 1983 in my area. It looks clean, it's a 3/4t, with a 350, NP208 and barn doors. I was searching online for drivetrain specs and I couldn't quite figure out what axles would be under her. I know that the corporate 10-bolts were in play on 1/2 tons by '83 but I'm not sure what axles were under the 3/4 tons. Were they just 10-bolts with different axles shafts and wheel bolt patterns?

TIA :thumb:
Click to expand...

Front will indeed be a 10-bolt with 8-lug outers and larger brakes (and maybe a numerically higher gear ratio.) The axle shafts and everything from the spindles in are interchangeable with the 1/2 ton 10-bolt.

Rear will be some flavor of 14 bolt. Could be a semi-float, could be a full-float, I think depending on the GVWR of that specific truck. Only way to tell for sure is to look...

http://coloradok5.com/axleguide.shtml

-- A
 
Thank you sir. Appreciate the link (and don't know why I didn't see it initially).

Now I just have to cross my fingers and hope I can get my mitts on the thing.
 
I've never seen a later model 3/4 ton Suburban with a full floater, so my guess is that it is a semi floater.

Also a 3/4 ton should have a TH400, not a TH350.

Martin
 
82355 said:
I've never seen a later model 3/4 ton Suburban with a full floater, so my guess is that it is a semi floater.

Also a 3/4 ton should have a TH400, not a TH350.

Martin
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Yeah, that wasn't clear - the 350 I was referring to is the engine, not the trans. My bad.


It's a manual, btw. :whistle:
 
Well, the seller wasn't available to show it this weekend, so I'm going to see it Monday afternoon.

Keeping my fingers crossed...
 
82355 said:
I've never seen a later model 3/4 ton Suburban with a full floater, so my guess is that it is a semi floater.

Also a 3/4 ton should have a TH400, not a TH350.

Martin
Click to expand...

It seems the 4x4's got the semi float and the big block 2wd's got the full float.
 
If the burb doesn't work at look at a Astro van. Truck suspension can hold a 4x8 sheet of plywood flat in the back.
 
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