Suburban advise/opinions

[ccarley]

After having a 1989 1/2 ton 4X4 Suburban for a few years now myself, I'll share my thoughts:

3/4 ton would be my preference; if you are lifting it anyway you should be swapping all the springs. Stock ride quality doesn't matter too much.

OD trans is nice, but my transmission buddy asks all the time why a (weak) 700R4 was used even in the 1/2 ton. Mine has been built by him now and is holding up nicely.

Tailgate window gets dirt inside and outside, and hopping up on the tailgate with a 4" lift and 35" tires isn't fun all the time. Barn doors I think would be nicer; there's not much to see out the rear view mirror anyway. I mostly use the side mirrors.

When I was looking for a Suburban, I looked at both a gas one and a diesel one. If the diesel one had a cleaner interior, I would have gotten it in a heartbeat. I'll tell you it had tons of torque, but getting on the freeway was not anywhere near the same as getting on the freeway with my gas version. But, I'm in no rush However, my wife like the gas one better, so that's what we've got. Yeah I have to smog it every 2 years, and that sucks, but with the recent head work, new trans work, and new exhaust, it actually passed just fine this year.

Good luck in your search!
Clay

 

[izzy1776]

Where's the original poster?

Will someone thinking about driving down from Alaska to buy this truck convince you its a good buy?

Oh I'm convinced all right. The problem is the money for a burb went into some unforeseen house repairs. Time to sit back and save some more all the while keeping my eyes open.

 

[dhcomp]

Oh I'm convinced all right. The problem is the money for a burb went into some unforeseen house repairs. Time to sit back and save some more all the while keeping my eyes open.

Just giving you a hard time.

Cause if i had a bit of extra cash, that black one would be sitting in my driveway.

You'll get there in due time!

 

[AKbigsub]

I am so torn! That rig is sooooo nice that it needs to be preserved. It is a cherry classic and it would be a shame to not be appreciated. I want it, want it bad. But, my reason for getting another burb is to retire the bigsub and replace it with something with a decent body. I would really hate cutting up this black beauty. And I don't need rig that size for just two of us. I really hope this rig goes to a good home.

That being said, if it is not sold within the next couple weeks, I think I will offer the guy two grand and have my brother take it to San Francisco and park it at his house until I can go get it next summer. It will run me $3000 to go down and haul it back up. But that thing, if it as nice as it looks in the CL ad, is worth $5000.