Suburban Maintenance 1500 vs 2500

[Haley]

Shopping tow vehicles; late 1998-2004 ish Suburbans. In my area the 2500's are not that much more expensive. Does standard maintenance service on a 2500 cost way, way more than a 1500?

I would think the truck is heavy duty so may break less but am curious if maintenance is very different.

A neighbor mentioned the HD trucks are very difficult to work on ut he may be talking new.

Thanks

jh

[Trackrig]

We had a 3/4T Suburban. It ran great and hauled great. The only increase in operating expense over a 1/2T that you would notice is tires and that's not enough to worry about. Buy the 3/4T.

Bill

[APT]

Haley wrote:
Shopping tow vehicles; late 1998-2004 ish Suburbans.

I recommend a 2003+ 8.1L. The trans was improved a bit for 2003. The 8.1L is one of the best gas engines ever offered by anyone. A bonus of the 3/4 tons are the larger fuel tank.

[bmanning]

Haley wrote:
Interesting about the brakes, heavy duty. So a 2500 with high miles (all other things being equal) may still be a younger truck than a 1500 with same mileage.

True, but it must be considered that likely the original owner chose a 2500 over a 1500 because working it hard was in his/her plans.

It gets overlooked a lot; someone will see a 3/4ton anything with 150k miles and assume it's going to last much better than a 1/2ton anything with 150k miles.

150k miles of hard use, even on a truck "built" for it, is a different animal than 150k miles of taking kids to school and driving to see grandma on weekends.

[BenK]

Haley, thanks for the nice comment on my truck...going to keep it till the wheels
fall off.

Always like that since a kid (keep'm a looooooooong time), but
re-enforced by today's overly complex vehicles that some has to have
the body removed or lifted off the frame in order to work
on them. Think that is what your buddy is talking about

Several here have denied that and even some say they did it without...but the
fact is that the 'shop manual' (not the glove box, nor the auto supply store
level of manual, but the one mechanics buy...I always try to get the set..even
for used vehicles...they cost in the hundreds of bucks)

Or that a proper tooling set (that included computer scanners and software) can
run into the tens of thousands of bucks for 'one' vehicle...they do have tooling
good for several, but not all models

PS...my Sub and for that matter, all my vehicles have my own super tunes

My Sub has outstopped a BMW 5 series and on another thread folks boohooed me,
and not worth my time on that thread to explain that, that BMW kept up both
in acceleration on the boulevard from stop lite to stop lite...but at the last
one he went into ABS...my Sub has super high performance brakes and he nailed
my rear bumper.

Going into ABS has LESS braking than one not into ABS, bot of similar
or same braking traction. It was dray asphalt. I still have more
braking performance before going into ABS...of which folks should
initiate ABS often...like once a month to keep them in good order

I consider braking more important that 'go' factors...though 'go'
factors important. Like having to stop on an insanely steep incline.
Getting it going again is all about GCWR and GCWR is boohooed by most
here on this forum(s) as not of importance.

That kind of stuff is unknown to most folks (non-boy racer and non-gear heads)

That mud hen, freebie pads that comes with rebuilt calipers can skid the tires
But they can NOT match the braking curve shape that mine has

Modulation of the braking is king on braking well. Mud hen stuff has no clue
what that means, as they are engineered for folks looking for 'cheapest'...

Anyway, sounds like you wrench and a good thing in my book...as better situated
to handle whatever 'out there in the boonies' when Mr Murphy strikes.

Glad you are willing to take the time to educate yourself on the topic, of which
I consider life and limb matters...

[Haley]

And Ben, just looked at your picture. That is one nice truck.

[Haley]

Great information here; and a few questions coming back:

The neighbor mentioned that HD Chevy PU's are tough to work on as far as getting at the part that needs fixing. Mentioned dropping the frame (!?!) to get at bottom of engine? Not the same for his same year Chevy half ton PU. So that is what I am curious about. Yes - bigger brakes cost more but is the labor involved in servicing them similar. I figure the heavier duty parts cost more but last longer (as was mentioned) so that is a wash. Unless the labor (mine or shops) is twice as many hours.

Also longevity. I diesel with 189k on it is not as intimidating to me as a 1/4 ton with 189k. Not sure where the .5 ton falls in there.

What am I towing? Have not purchased it yet. Still looking. I've learned a lot on here about the safety of staying well below the complete picture provided by numbers (ex: add about 1k to UVW; factor in passengers; stay below 85%; find a scale; proper WD hitch w/ sway control - you guys have taught me well). Current trailer of interest has a UVW of 4800lbs and is 28' long.

Thank you for sharing your wisdom and experience.

[BenK]

OBTW...both the smaller Suburban and the bigger Suburban both uses the exact
same body

The differences are underneath that body

Frame...one is smaller and the other is bigger

Ditto tranny...one is smaller than the other bigger one...differential, one is
smaller than the bigger one...suspension, one is rated less than the bigger one...and an etc, etc, etc, etc

Even the wheels are higher rated vs the other one

[BenK]

Haley wrote:
Shopping tow vehicles; late 1998-2004 ish Suburbans. In my area the 2500's are not that much more expensive. Does standard maintenance service on a 2500 cost way, way more than a 1500?

I would think the truck is heavy duty so may break less but am curious if maintenance is very different.

A neighbor mentioned the HD trucks are very difficult to work on ut he may be talking new.

Thanks

jh

Yes and no....as you are comparing a small apple to a large apple

Context is what you are missing

The 'bigger' TV will tow more and haul more

'Haul more' meaning that if you load up the +7K GVWR Sub (half ton)
with 8 people and luggage...you many not have any more weight rating
for the trailer tongue and hitch. This can also happen to the bigger
Sub, but not as easily over loaded because it has more rating

Sine the 'bigger' Sub has 'bigger' components, sure thing...they cost
more both to buy new and sometimes to fix. Or that the repair bill
will be a 'bit' more for the bigger component/systems.

Like others mentioned on tires. The smaller Sub comes with 'P' class
tires (passenger) and they need to be de-rated a min of 9% when used
on trucks (the OEM has already done that with the "p" class tires it
came with). Next higher class tires are "LT" (light truck) tires.
Take two tires of the same size, same OEM, same model, same tread, etc
and the 'P' class will weigh less and cost less than the 'LT' class

Ditto the automatic also mentioned. The smaller Sub will have the
smaller automatic and the bigger Sub will have the bigger automatic.
Since smaller, costs less new...but the repair cost typically is only
a small difference between fixing the smaller one vs the bigger one

On MPG, sure the smaller one will get better MPG, but it wont' haul
nor tow as much either.

There is no 'HD' Suburban. Just a half ton and next higher class
or bigger GVWR Suburban

What are you going to tow? That is the big question on whether to go
with the smaller Sub or bigger Sub

Personally always want more than needed. Called safety margin, but that
is just me...so many weight MPG/ride quality/etc much higher than
capability and that to me, boils down to safety

[Gale_Hawkins]

Starting in 92 the 1500 .5 ton had 4L60 transmission vs 4L80 in 2500 .75 ton

[Haley]

Interesting about the brakes, heavy duty. So a 2500 with high miles (all other things being equal) may still be a younger truck than a 1500 with same mileage.

[TucsonJim]

One of the best things about that period of 2500 is the braking system. I had an '04 2500, and I was still on the original brakes when I traded it at 140k miles. I discussed it with the GM parts guys, and they said they were seeing 2500s come in with more than 200k on the brakes. They said to just flush the brake fluid every 50k, and you shouldn't have to worry about brakes for a long time.

As for other maintenance, it was pretty much a wash between that one, and my 02 1500.

[Gale_Hawkins]

If the 2500 has the 4L80/85 transmission vs the 4L60/65 that would be a plus. Like Donn states the less you max out a machine the better to a point in my view.

[donn0128]

The biggest expense difference is probably tires. You can buy some pretty cheap "P" metric tires. Whereas a decent LT tire will cost you more money. Get a 2500 and go happy in the knowledge that you are not going to be maxed out with just passengers.