Avalanche/Suburban 2500 with 8.1 towing mpg

Sweet, congrats on finding one! I looked for a year and gave up because I was too picky on color/features/condition. Wish I had an 8.1L in mine!

Leadfoot, you're right on the money, mine scaled at 6700 lbs with full fuel and me in it. I have the LT but no moonroof, rear captains chairs, or adjustable pedals, so that's about the diff right there.

THANK YOU!!!!!!

But know will not even dent the idea that the door labels are based on
the 'curb' vehicle weight....therefore bogus unless you have the 'curb'
or 'stripper' vehicle. These folks won't bother to go out and actually
weigh their TV to confirm this position whether the door labels are
based on 'actual' or 'curb'/'stripper' weights

Have book marked this for future reference to an actual weigh in
vs 'curb' basis on the door label

leadfoot_kc wrote:
Reviving an old thread and answering my own question from a few posts back. It may benefit someone who searches for this later. I really appreciate the responses I got when I posed my question in this thread last year.

I bought a 2003 K2500 8.1L Suburban LT early this year. When I took it to the scale it was ~6,800 lb with full fuel but no occupants. It is an LT 4x4 with sunroof, movable pedals, dual heat/AC, etc. so it is probably about as heavy as they get.

EMPTY...fill all the seat belts and it's going to be 8 x 150lbs = 1,200
as a MINIMUM more

Mine weighs in at +7,200 lbs with me (180), toolbox (+200) and misc
stuff (+50) and full liquids.

So both your GMT800 and my GMT400 are about the same weight with options

Over the last couple of years, I towed the same tall trailer over similar terrain with my 1996 C2500 Suburban with the 5.7 and the new(er) K2500. I got about 7.5mpg with the 2WD 1996 (about a 62mph average), and about 6.5mpg with the 4x4 8.1L (about a 68mph average). Both trucks had the same rear end gears and basically the same 4 speed transmission. I'm very happy with the towing performance of the larger engine--much more capable and relaxing. BTW, I know all about tire weight and speed ratings, so please don't bother to comment on the average speeds listed above. :-)

My GMT400, 3/4 ton Suburban, 4x4, big block 7.4L and all orderable options
(SLT) and can't imagine what I'd have to unbolt to get it back down
to the listed 'curb' of 5,250 lbs (below SMOG test sheet, passed and
note the curb weight form an official Calif report)

Thanks for the update and comparison.

Glad you are happy with the 8.1L. I love the 8.1L with 3.73 and I get slightly better towing mileage and still plenty of power for my 7500#-8000# TT.

Reviving an old thread and answering my own question from a few posts back. It may benefit someone who searches for this later. I really appreciate the responses I got when I posed my question in this thread last year.

I bought a 2003 K2500 8.1L Suburban LT early this year. When I took it to the scale it was ~6,800 lb with full fuel but no occupants. It is an LT 4x4 with sunroof, movable pedals, dual heat/AC, etc. so it is probably about as heavy as they get.

Over the last couple of years, I towed the same tall trailer over similar terrain with my 1996 C2500 Suburban with the 5.7 and the new(er) K2500. I got about 7.5mpg with the 2WD 1996 (about a 62mph average), and about 6.5mpg with the 4x4 8.1L (about a 68mph average). Both trucks had the same rear end gears and basically the same 4 speed transmission. I'm very happy with the towing performance of the larger engine--much more capable and relaxing. BTW, I know all about tire weight and speed ratings, so please don't bother to comment on the average speeds listed above. :-)

My 2500 suburban is the 8.1l with 4.10 gears. I pull a 10,000 pound Sprinter and get roughly 8 mpg towing. Not sure the 6.0l would deliver any significant difference in mpg when towing, so I wouldn't even consider the 6 liter.

I have never understood the comments other posters make when they say "you can't even tell you are towing". The 8.1l is a beast at 455 lbs torque, but I can DEFINATELY feel the trailer back there. Even the mightly 8.1l labors under that weight. And when I hit the grades she will still downshift. Even more reason to go with the 8.1/4.10 over the 6l. If GM had any common sense, they would offer a duramax in the Suburbans

I can tell you that the NADA is not a 2500 with the 8.1. I am trying to recall, but I believe that I was just over 6600 lbs on mine.

According to this (ain't saying it's accurate) - 5760 lbs.

2001 Suburban specs at nada.com

Leadfoot, the 2001-2006 Burb with 8.1L weighs a little more than the 2007+ design. I would still expect 1800+ pounds of payload on 2001-2006 big block. My 2011 loaded LT 4WD has a payload of 2051 pounds, so about 6550 pounds with a full tank of fuel.