96 GMC K2500 Suburban Restoration (with a couple of mods)

[South VA]

As part of the pre-trip prep, I checked tire pressures on the Subdivision yesterday and discovered that one of the fronts was 8# low. Since yesterday was Sunday, no shops within a reasonable distance were open. I aired it up, and continued on through my checklist.

I'm thinking it's a slow leak, as I hadn't checked pressures since just prior to our last trip three weeks ago. Of course, I don't really know that it's a slow leak. I easily could have picked up a nail or whatever when I drove it to Jim's last Thursday. I'll check it again this morning when it gets a bit lighter, to more easily spot any snakes that might be out and about.

I hate to admit this, but I briefly considered just going on with the tire as-is, and periodically topping it off with our tire inflator along the way. Fortunately, it didn't take long to come to my senses as I thought it through: if the nail or whatever that made the hole decided to suddenly come out while towing the camper, we could easily be in a world of hurt. At that point, a delay would likely be the least of our problems. And at a minimum, a slow leak will result in more tire wear.

No matter; I'll be at the shop where I bought the tires just before they open this morning at 8.

 

[termite]

As part of the pre-trip prep, I checked tire pressures on the Subdivision yesterday and discovered that one of the fronts was 8# low. Since yesterday was Sunday, no shops within a reasonable distance were open. I aired it up, and continued on through my checklist.

I'm thinking it's a slow leak, as I hadn't checked pressures since just prior to our last trip three weeks ago. Of course, I don't really know that it's a slow leak. I easily could have picked up a nail or whatever when I drove it to Jim's last Thursday. I'll check it again this morning when it gets a bit lighter, to more easily spot any snakes that might be out and about.

I hate to admit this, but I briefly considered just going on with the tire as-is, and periodically topping it off with our tire inflator along the way. Fortunately, it didn't take long to come to my senses as I thought it through: if the nail or whatever that made the hole decided to suddenly come out while towing the camper, we could easily be in a world of hurt. At that point, a delay would likely be the least of our problems. And at a minimum, a slow leak will result in more tire wear.

No matter; I'll be at the shop where I bought the tires just before they open this morning at 8.

Good call considering potential ramifications of ignoring it. Hopefully its just a case of temperature related pressure change and no issues arise. Hope the shop is quick in getting you turned around so you can head to the mountains.

 

[South VA]

Good call considering potential ramifications of ignoring it. Hopefully its just a case of temperature related pressure change and no issues arise. Hope the shop is quick in getting you turned around so you can head to the mountains.

Not sure what happened with the tire pressures, because the shop couldn't find a leak in either front tire. So we departed, and I checked it at a couple of points on the trip and found it to be normal. Go figure.

The only explanation I have is that I had started to air down the tires after the last trip, to get them to the non-towing pressures. I must've started to do it and then somehow got distracted, fully meaning to get back to finishing the job later. That's my story, anyway.

 

[South VA]

Got back yesterday from what just might have been our best camping trip thus far. The park itself is beautiful, with tons of hiking on some pretty challenging trails, a small lake where one can fish and rent boats, and a camp store with a decent grille. The individual sites were recently redone, and the campground wasn't quite full. We liked it so much that we booked another 4 night trip next May, in the same campsite. No neighbors on either side, on the edge of the campground yet still close to the bathhouse, and the camp host is right across the road. We were also able to hike right from our campsite, as two trailheads are with 100 yards.

You must be registered for see images attach

The lake is a couple of miles upstream from our campsite. We're not into boating, and didn't have our fishing gear with us, so we didn't spend much time there.

You must be registered for see images attach

Vehicle-wise, this trip wasn't quite as hard as the last one, where the coolant and trans fluid temps were to the point where I was getting nervous. But it was hard enough to push the Subdivision. There were some pretty good grades, and on the return trip the air temp was in the mid 90s. At a couple of points I shifted down into first and several times into second to keep the rpms up. However, throughout the trip coolant temps hung mostly around 200º, and occasionally going up to 210º, even when climbing. Transmission temperatures varied, but stayed mostly around 212º, and only a couple of times went as high as 221º. Significantly cooler than before.

Prior to this trip I don't recall hearing the fan much, if at all. At least it wasn't as as loud as it is now when the clutch engages. With more blades the fan itself is noticeably louder; now there's no mistaking it. The new fan and clutch appear to be doing the job of keeping things cool.

Knock Sensor counts exceeded the normal range (0 - 255) by a just a little on the trip out. On the trip back, after one half tank of 93 octane and another quarter tank added later on, it seemed to do a bit better, but I'm not sure. I'll try a different gauge type, as the one I currently use is not all that easy to read. Plus, rather than trying to put all of the gauges on one page in the app, I put the KS Activity gauge on a separate page, and added a gauge to show how much timing is being retarded in response to knock. Plus made them both larger.

You must be registered for see images attach

I may make both of them the same type, but you get the idea.

We're done until September, as I'm having minor surgery Monday and won't be able to lift more than 20 pounds for a month or so. Our next trip to Stone Mountain State Park, NC, will be a good opportunity to see what effects switching to premium will have had while towing.

In any case, there was no audible knock from the engine at any point. It purred.

I'm also happy to report that the Redarc trailer brake controller worked as it should; I believe it's finally dialed in. While Jim had it to install the fan and clutch he ran a new ground wire from the unit to the battery, which I think helped. Formerly it was grounded to the metal bar that runs underneath the dash, which I understand is a no-no. The process of disconnecting it to hook up the new ground caused the unit to lose its previous programming, so it reverted to calibration mode. I could tell that it was adjusting, as the trailer brakes seemed a bit grabby at first. After maybe 100 miles it finished calibrating; and I have to say that I can't imagine it working any better. Stops are easy and confident, with the Subdivision brakes and trailer brakes working flawlessly together. Much better than the old brake controller we had, and even better than the Redarc prior to the new ground being installed.

While we were camping, several folks stopped by our campsite to compliment the Subdivision. I've seen very few of this vintage since we've been camping. Most folks we've seen camping have much newer rigs. But yesterday morning, when checking out the other campgrounds in the park before leaving we saw a 2500 Suburban that looked to be in really good shape. Maybe even sporting a recent paint job. Unfortunately the the folks were still inside their camper, or I would have stopped to visit with them about it.

You must be registered for see images attach

Anyway, it was a great trip all around, and my confidence in this beast as a tow vehicle continues to increase.

 

[HotWheelsBurban]

Properly set up, a 400 2500 Burb is a great tow rig. It's pretty much what they were designed for. But trailers have gotten bigger in the last 25-30 years, and trucks have too. In the time we've been living in this RV park, I've seen lots of newer trucks, not too many older ones. Some of this is people retiring, or moving to Texas from other states, and selling their houses and buying an RV to travel in.
When we first moved here, there was someone here with an older 400 Burb half ton, and a medium sized bumper pull trailer. I never got the chance to talk to them about their truck/trailer before they moved on. A couple of years ago, a guy came into the park, towing a big fifth wheel trailer with a '93 GMC dually, with a 454. He said he'd towed that trailer with that truck frequently with very few issues, and had just come from Florida with it! We were getting ready to leave for the Lone Star Roundup car show, being gone for almost a week, and he was gone when we got back. But I did get a picture of his rig....
Great to hear successful towing/after action reports from our 400 group!

 

[Road Trip]

Got back yesterday from what just might have been our best camping trip thus far.

I'm so happy that you outlasted an extended debug session last year, and that
you are looking for trouble/following the data and identifying/resolving the pinch
points in your vehicle's ability to perform for you. Your rig really has a timeless
curb appeal in that campsite photo. No doubt your rig has cost more than you
hoped, but then again I was thinking about your journey while watching a recent
YT video.

In the video we have a Canadian who's walking a Jeep/Ram (Stellantis) lot, and he's
expressing his concern over the MSRP of these new vehicles. In particular, if you
would like to show your girl what a brand new 2500 series tow vehicle could cost,
go to this video, skip to the 14:05 mark, and watch for a couple of minutes:

xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media

Disclaimer(s): I don't know if he's speaking in Canadian dollars. And previously he
was looking at Jeeps on the same lot for $45K. So obviously he's trying to make
a point by choosing a top of the line Diesel 2500. But still, everything on that lot
is really pushing the price/value envelope?

Wow. Folks, this is unaffordable to the point of being unsustainable. Something's
gotta give. Seems that the new mantra is to do less work (sell less vehicles) but
maintain the same overall profit by not building the low-option stuff, and instead
build mostly maxxed out vehicles will all the profitable options. Only problem is,
most normal folks are priced out of the market as a result.

****

In English, I am no doubt positive that you have been questioned on more than one
occasion as to why you would put more time/effort/money into your vintage 8-lugger
Suburban 'than it's worth'.

(I run into this all the time with my own stuff, especially in the land of audio.)

But you are savvy. And you get it -- it's all about the 'price per use'. And your
Subdivision has serious curb appeal & nice interior, so it's not like you are torturing
yourself in order to save a buck. Looks like we have a winner. :0)

Continued cool running --

 

[South VA]

I'm so happy that you outlasted an extended debug session last year, and that
you are looking for trouble/following the data and identifying/resolving the pinch
points in your vehicle's ability to perform for you. Your rig really has a timeless
curb appeal in that campsite photo.

Thank you! At a couple of points it seemed interminable. This trip marks an increase in my level of confidence; I’m finally feeling that this beast will do every bit of what we can reasonably expect it to do, and do it in reasonable comfort. Much of this came about because I had lots of help, thank you very much!

Quite a contrast to this time last year.

No doubt your rig has cost more than you
hoped, but then again I was thinking about your journey while watching a recent
YT video.

That’s a fact. I underestimated what it would take to get this vehicle ready to tow reliably and look good while doing it. I tried to be rational, which in turn informed the budget. A few surprises, including the transmission rebuild, blew the budget. Still, my total outlay is well below that of even a newer (not new) 3/4 ton Suburban. Of course I haven’t looked at it lately.

In the video we have a Canadian who's walking a Jeep/Ram (Stellantis) lot, and he's
expressing his concern over the MSRP of these new vehicles. In particular, if you
would like to show your girl what a brand new 2500 series tow vehicle could cost,
go to this video, skip to the 14:05 mark, and watch for a couple of minutes:

xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media

Disclaimer(s): I don't know if he's speaking in Canadian dollars. And previously he
was looking at Jeeps on the same lot for $45K. So obviously he's trying to make
a point by choosing a top of the line Diesel 2500. But still, everything on that lot
is really pushing the price/value envelope?

That’s a sobering video.

Jim, the mechanic, is fond of reminding me that replacing my Suburban with a new 3/4 ton truck would basically cost me $100k. That’s nosebleed territory.

Wow. Folks, this is unaffordable to the point of being unsustainable. Something's
gotta give. Seems that the new mantra is to do less work (sell less vehicles) but
maintain the same overall profit by not building the low-option stuff, and instead
build mostly maxxed out vehicles will all the profitable options. Only problem is,
most normal folks are priced out of the market as a result.

Me included. I don’t know where I’d come up with the money to buy a new tow rig. But even if I could, I probably wouldn’t.

****

In English, I am no doubt positive that you have been questioned on more than one
occasion as to why you would put more time/effort/money into your vintage 8-lugger
Suburban 'than it's worth'.

(I run into this all the time with my own stuff, especially in the land of audio.)

I haven’t been asked this directly in quite awhile. But I’ve caught some looks by folks that seemed to say “why on earth would you do such a thing?” And I sometimes ask myself that question.

Which leads to occasional, but infrequent musing about a newish tow vehicle, and all of the safety and convenience goodies that would come with such a thing. The volunteer fire department where I serve as a support member, has a newish Ford F350 Super Duty Diesel pickup with a camper shell that we use to tow some fairly heavy (maybe 10,000 lbs) trailers. I’ve towed with it a few times, and like some of its features; it’s a serious tow vehicle.

Surprising to me is that as far as pure towing goes, the F350 doesn’t feel all that far removed from the Subdivision. It’s not like the feeling of having a trailer behind the truck goes away. Sure, it gets better fuel mileage and has more bottom end torque (at least it seems to), but the main effect of driving that truck on me is that I see the Subdivision as a solid, capable tow rig. Last year I wasn’t so sure.

But you are savvy. And you get it -- it's all about the 'price per use'. And your
Subdivision has serious curb appeal & nice interior, so it's not like you are torturing
yourself in order to save a buck. Looks like we have a winner. :0)

Thanks, again. But more often than I’d like I don’t feel particularly savvy.

Once a few remaining elements of this beast are brought up to spec, such as the leaking A/C condenser that will get replaced this winter, the now not-quite-so-new sound system components awaiting installation, the ragged-looking sun visors replaced, and new headlight bulbs installed, I’ll have most of the functionality of a newer vehicle, at a far lower cost. And far from spartan, it is plenty comfortable, and will get moreso as the interior is finished off. And as you point out, there’s the aesthetic enjoyment of having a decent-looking GMT400 Suburban. Which generally makes me smile when I see it, and when I think about it.

 

[South VA]

We cancelled our August camping trip, since I had abdominal surgery last week and need time to recover. Until mid-September, I’m not allowed to lift more than 20 lbs. Fortunately it has been a very low pain experience. A few rounds of ibuprofen and acetaminophen did the trick; pleased to report that I haven’t needed anything stronger.

With everything going on around here, and my part time consulting gig finally starting up yesterday, I’ve decided to farm out my sound system installation in the Subdivision. I met with the manager and head installer at the shop this morning, and liked what I heard and saw. They have a well-equipped shop with plenty of room. It’s clean and well-organized.

It’s more money than I’d like to spend, but I’ve had the components since I bought them on sale on Black Friday in 2022 (!), and have little motivation to do the job myself. I might be more motivated if it weren’t for having another source of revenue; maybe not. Regardless, it needs done. Time to pay the man.

Based on the shop’s online reviews and comments, and spending a half hour or so with the manager going through my stuff and his explaining what they would do and what they might run into, I’m satisfied that they’re competent. Pretty sure I won’t find a significantly better price elsewhere. And I believe they will do a better job of it than I could.

It goes in to the shop on Monday afternoon, and I’ll have it back on Wednesday.

 

[fancyTBI]

Wishing you a speedy recovery! Sometimes farming out those jobs is the best route.

 

[South VA]

The sound system and backup camera install is finished. I have to say, having a backup camera is great, but the sound is... underwhelming.

Now, I don't listen to music at high volumes, and don't need massive amounts of bass. But I do like a full sound, when turned up loud enough to overcome the road noise of this vehicle.

In fairness, the shop manager did advise me, when looking at that gear I'd bought nearly two years ago, that I might not be entirely happy with the sound. The amp I chose is marginal for driving all six speakers plus tweeters, and the sub is meant for a much smaller car.

And he was right. The highs and midrange sound ok, but the bass just isn't there. The compact powered subwoofer I bought on sale - an Infinity 6" x 8" 100W - simply wasn't up to the task in a vehicle this size.

One of the reasons I chose a compact powered sub in the first place is that it fits nicely under the rear (middle, actually) seat, whether the seat is up or down. I normally have the seat down and the third row is stored, and will be converted to a couch for the garage. Eventually. Having all that uninterrupted cargo space has spoiled me.

At his suggestion, we tried swapping out the Infinity sub for a Rockford Fosgate 8" 150W unit. It definitely sounded better, but after driving it home I realized that it still isn't enough. I called him and told him what I thought, and asked him what can be done to get more bass. He said that he could refund me the money for the Rockford sub and install a larger sub enclosure and amp somewhere in the cargo area. Problem is that it would take up some cargo space that I'd rather not give up. I wouldn't be able to load a 4 x 8 sheet of plywood, for example. Or all my carpentry tools, if need be.

Another alternative is to install a second Rockford 8" powered sub under the other side of the rear seat. That would add bass while maintaining uninterrupted floor space in the cargo area. It would be more expensive than the first alternative, for the unit and the additional power run. My question is, will it provide enough bass? The shop manager seems to think so. I'm leaning in that direction.

Then, in an increasingly rare moment of clarity, I remembered that I already own an identical Rockford 8" powered sub, currently installed in my HHR SS. It sounds great, and may even be more than I need in that car. So now I'm wondering if I could take the sub from the HHR, have it installed in the Subdivision, and use the infinity 6" x 8" 100W unit in the HHR. Hmmm.

I'll give the shop a call this morning and see what they have to say.