limits of 1999 GMC suburban 1/2 ton
Hello, I have a 1999 GMC suburban half ton with towing package. This is the old body style with the Vortec 350 / 4L60E. It has factory tow package stuff like trans. cooler and 3.73 gears. I also ha...
Forum Discussion
Your trailer is 6500 dry, so maybe 8000 loaded.
I tow a 7000-7500 lb TT depending on how much I load it. At first I was towing with my 99 Tahoe which is identical to the burb minus the length. The burb will be a bit more stable.
As for power, brakes, transmission, etc.......NO effin way.
The brakes on these trucks are barely adequate for just the truck. Power is ok until you hit an 8% grade for a few miles, the transmission torque converter does not lock up in 2nd gear (which you really need since it will be in 2nd on every decent hill) and the overall feel will be that you need a beefier truck.
I had all these mods going from about 255 hp to 300hp and I had to do custom tuning and add lockup to 2nd gear (tuning on the side of the road with laptop at the base of hill) to make it without blowing something apart.
1999 LS 4X4 four door, 3.73, 4l60e, NVG 246 EAU, 140 amp overdrive alt, Vmax intake spacer, MPFI spider upgrade, 0411 PCM swap, Scorpion 1.6 roller rockers, EFI Live and BB Tune, ported t-body, MagHytec trans pan w/temp ga, MagHytec Diff Cover, wideband O2 ga, added tow haul mode to PCM , K&N drop in, Stainless long tube headers ceramic , custom 3" exh Flowmaster 50 series, 05 E-fans, 180 thermostat, Optima, 20's, Denali 120 mph gauges, slotted wave Rabestos rotors, Hawk pads, Rancho RS5000's, 30F A/C cycle switch, Big 3 wire upgrade, Ultra-Gauge , 7" DVD NAV, prodigy P3 brake ctrlr, rear air bags.
It runs like a real raped ape by itself, but up an 8% grade towing 7K for 10 miles at WOT in second with lockup, bareley holding max speed of 45 mph. Just get a more capable truck.
PS, avg mpg was about 8, without mods maybe 6.5
With the 7.3 its 11.5-12 mpg.
Then when I had saved enough money I moved up to the 7.3 diesel dually and well the previous was just a bad dream.
Pics and specs in my profile sig.
I tow a 7000-7500 lb TT depending on how much I load it. At first I was towing with my 99 Tahoe which is identical to the burb minus the length. The burb will be a bit more stable.
As for power, brakes, transmission, etc.......NO effin way.
The brakes on these trucks are barely adequate for just the truck. Power is ok until you hit an 8% grade for a few miles, the transmission torque converter does not lock up in 2nd gear (which you really need since it will be in 2nd on every decent hill) and the overall feel will be that you need a beefier truck.
I had all these mods going from about 255 hp to 300hp and I had to do custom tuning and add lockup to 2nd gear (tuning on the side of the road with laptop at the base of hill) to make it without blowing something apart.
1999 LS 4X4 four door, 3.73, 4l60e, NVG 246 EAU, 140 amp overdrive alt, Vmax intake spacer, MPFI spider upgrade, 0411 PCM swap, Scorpion 1.6 roller rockers, EFI Live and BB Tune, ported t-body, MagHytec trans pan w/temp ga, MagHytec Diff Cover, wideband O2 ga, added tow haul mode to PCM , K&N drop in, Stainless long tube headers ceramic , custom 3" exh Flowmaster 50 series, 05 E-fans, 180 thermostat, Optima, 20's, Denali 120 mph gauges, slotted wave Rabestos rotors, Hawk pads, Rancho RS5000's, 30F A/C cycle switch, Big 3 wire upgrade, Ultra-Gauge , 7" DVD NAV, prodigy P3 brake ctrlr, rear air bags.
It runs like a real raped ape by itself, but up an 8% grade towing 7K for 10 miles at WOT in second with lockup, bareley holding max speed of 45 mph. Just get a more capable truck.
PS, avg mpg was about 8, without mods maybe 6.5
With the 7.3 its 11.5-12 mpg.
Then when I had saved enough money I moved up to the 7.3 diesel dually and well the previous was just a bad dream.
Pics and specs in my profile sig.
