2004 Suburban Reality Check

That should be a good match. I had an 03 2500 Burb with the 8.1. Good engine, even if it was not very fuel efficient.

Yup. You're GTG.

And I'm jealous. The 8.1 2500 is the King of the Hill SUV tow vehicle.

RWiederhorn wrote:
I own a 2004 Suburban 2500 with the 8.1 gas engine, tow package ......I'm looking to purchase a Rockwood Signature trailer with a GVW of around 10k.

Is my Burb up to the job?

In a nutshell......yes.

If it were my vehicle I'd do a couple of safety factor upgrades.

1) Change the OEM receiver.
The design of the OEM receiver in that era of truck was very poor. Basically, this hitch uses the bumper mounting hardware causing your WD hitch to get horrible transfer of weight to the front axles. Also, the metal was thin with poor welds and some members have had them fail. A well made Class V square tube receiver can be purchased for well under $200 and installed in an hour.

2) Brake Lines...
I would strongly encourage you to replace your brake lines with a stainless steel set. Your location of 'North East' tells me this truck has seen it's share of salt and that is bad JuJu for these lines. I used to have an '04 2500HD truck and the line from the master cylinder to the ABS module just ruptured one day. I knew of these issues so I purchased a complete replacement kit for all of the metal lines for about $125. It was a chore to replace them, but as I inspected each old line it was apparent more ruptures were on the way. I barely bent the old tubing and it would buckle where there was heavy corrosion.

After those safety upgrades I'd say you're all set.

KJ

I have the same truck (2006), with the same configuration. Our trailer runs about 8,500 loaded, and I would go up another 1k or so without too much concern. If you are at 8 or below, dry, I'd say you will be fine - unless you are loading an especially large family or a ton of gear.

KJ,
Thank you for the excellent advice and the link for the receiver.
I will do both of your suggestions.

I'm doing a total rebuild on this vehicle, so the brake lines will be replaced. I replaced the power steering cooler and lines and all other coolers will be replaced as well. I am also planning to rebuild all four corners with wheel bearings, heavy duty rotors, pads and calipers. I retire in 2021 and plan to full time in a TT for a couple years. I have a few years to get the Burb in shape.

This vehicle has kind of a cool history. I bought it this year on EBay. It was listed by a dealer in Philadelphia. The original owner was the FBI and this Burb spent all it's time in the Quantico VA area. I figured it got all it's scheduled maintenance and was well cared for. The undercarriage is spotless.

http://www.autoquid.com/car-detail/suburban/2004-Chevrolet-Suburban-2500-4WD-2004-Chevrolet_142409660407.html

I was gonna buy that truck!(assuming it's the same one from back in august)...... but the wife wanted a van instead. Good luck and enjoy. it looked to be in great shape.

Scratch that, its not the same one. It is the same seller though. I was looking at a blue one, i believe a 2006. It was also a FBI vehicle.

A lot of the 2500 'Burbs I saw on the east coast were FBI. I ended up with a privately owned one (fewer miles), but I looked at three government units in the process back in 2012!

I think you are good to go with that rig. Get your set up right between the truck and the trailer and you should not have any problems. 3/4 Ton sub is a very capable SUV and the 8.1 has torque galore. Keep an eye on the oil. Many users report that the 8.1 can eat about a quart of oil between changes.

Thanks!

Jeremiah

Nice truck and 4WD!!! I had to click on the link to see if it was black.