New "Old" Daily - 8.1L

[Craig 85]

Here's the final look. I need to re-install my aux back up lights. Snuck in a shot of the K30.

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[bucket]

It's interesting that you just installed a nice heavy hitch. I'm looking to do the same on ours, mostly because the hitch is completely rotted out. I planned to just get this one from Jeg's:

https://www.jegs.com/i/Curt/229/15324/10002/-1

But it says it only fits back to '03. I'm not sure what the heck would be different with the '00-'02, but I was fixin to find out.

 

[Craig 85]

It's interesting that you just installed a nice heavy hitch. I'm looking to do the same on ours, mostly because the hitch is completely rotted out. I planned to just get this one from Jeg's:

https://www.jegs.com/i/Curt/229/15324/10002/-1

But it says it only fits back to '03. I'm not sure what the heck would be different with the '00-'02, but I was fixin to find out.

The only problem with that hitch is it still bolts to the OEM locations. The third photo in post #15 shows the last bolt hole for the OEM hitch. You can see how much longer mine is. I was worried about my truck looking like the white one I posted. I had to drill two 1/2" holes to fit the hitch, but that was it. I got my hitch delivered with tax for $176 on eBay.

There are some guys on the Suburban 2500 FB page that are towing 35' trailers with these rigs.

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[bucket]

The frame bending issue is a new one for me, hadn't seen it yet. Our camper is 30ft but only weighs around 5k. My car trailer can give a tow rig a workout though, it's around 5k empty. I'll look into getting the same hitch you did.

 

[Craig 85]

A few updates. Had to replace the P/S as it was leaking. I also replaced the sway bar end links and got my aux back up lights mounted. These bushings are hollow with some cross shaped webbing on the inside. Weird...

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[mcarlo86]

What an awesome Suburban. We had 2 trucks with 8.1's in them and loved them. One was an '03 Chevy 1 ton 4x4 cab and chassis with the 6 speed manual and the other was an '04 GMC 1 ton 4x4 cab and chassis with the Allison. Both were set up with gin poles and winches for the oilfield. The GMC with the Allison was the cat's meow. Those two trucks were so much nicer to work around compared to the Dodge and Ford diesel tonners that we had at the time also. Much quieter, smoother, and pulled just as well. They really didn't do too much worse on fuel economy either. Probably 8-10 mpg on average compared to 10-12 for the diesels.

 

[77 K20]

I use that fuelly program to track all tanks of fuel thru my vehicles.

Some statistics on my old 2003 8.1L 2500HD with the ZF6:

104 fillups
12.0 average MPG (this was empty and towing)
16.5 best MPG *this was on the stock tiny 245 tires and before I leveled the truck.
2,138.33 gallons used
$3.15 average price per gallon (had it programmed by Blackbear tuning to run on 91)
$0.255 average price per mile
$3,582.54 spent on fuel
25,660 miles traveled

 

[Craig 85]

Finally got my front seats recovered. What a huge improvement. I got these from The Seat Shop.

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[yevgenievich]

Been looking at the seat shop for covers, but bit expensive. Looks good

 

[Craig 85]

Been looking at the seat shop for covers, but bit expensive. Looks good

After I posted mine on a 2500 Suburban forum, someone mentioned L Seat. They are half the price.

https://www.lseat.com/

 

[yevgenievich]

After I posted mine on a 2500 Suburban forum, someone mentioned L Seat. They are half the price.

https://www.lseat.com/

Was excited to order from lseat, but they do not show gmt400 seat covers. Might email them and see if they can still make them. Thanks for the link

 

[Craig 85]

Some more updates. I tuned it up (plugs and wires). I think it had the OEM wires, only 169k miles on them. The name Packard was on it. The plugs were shot too. Gap on an 8.1L should be .060, well mine were about .075! No photos, everyone has seen spark plugs.

I got my back up camera and replacement DVD player installed. The truck came with a 5" DVD all in one unit in the center console, but it didn't work and it was hooked into the OEM radio. I got the new one installed and hooked into my JVC head unit.

I dislike how most people just throw on their aftermarket back up cameras. I put a notch in the rear bumper trim so the camera was recessed under the hatch door and out of the way from being kicked.

Old DVD player - closed

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Old DVD player - open

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New DVD player hooked up to new head unit

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Video feed from B/U camera

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B/U Camera location

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[DoubleDingo]

Some more updates. I tuned it up (plugs and wires). I think it had the OEM wires, only 169k miles on them. The name Packard was on it. The plugs were shot too. Gap on an 8.1L should be .060, well mine were about .075! No photos, everyone has seen spark plugs.

I got my back up camera and replacement DVD player installed. The truck came with a 5" DVD all in one unit in the center console, but it didn't work and it was hooked into the OEM radio. I got the new one installed and hooked into my JVC head unit.

I dislike how most people just throw on their aftermarket back up cameras. I put a notch in the rear bumper trim so the camera was recessed under the hatch door and out of the way from being kicked.

Old DVD player - closed

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Old DVD player - open

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New DVD player hooked up to new head unit

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Video feed from B/U camera

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B/U Camera location

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Oh man, I was hoping to see your title in that last pic, not a whited-out license plate number. Sheesh!

 

[gotyourgoat]

Oh man, I was hoping to see your title in that last pic, not a whited-out license plate number. Sheesh!

Yeah really. We are also going to need the names of all your neighbors, first born, and mother's maiden.

 

[Craig 85]

Yeah really. We are also going to need the names of all your neighbors, first born, and mother's maiden.

Trust me it would be easy enough to find me. California is nice enough to post the salaries of any public employees. I'm glad I'm retired now.