99 Suburban LT K1500 - Slow build

[mistaake]

Not enough splines; going down to 4.88s makes each tooth too thin for him to guarantee it. If I had the 8.6 10b, which is 30 spline, he may have. But ours is the 8.5 28 spline.

At least I believe that's the case, or its 30 vs 32 spline.

Makes sense and a completely reasonable explanation. Thank you

 

[99'Subourbon]

Install is done, $1975 out the door. Still need to break it in, so can't really tell the difference yet (grandma'ing the $hit out of it). But I"ll be done with the break in by afternoon tomorrow.
ABS light is on and I have almost zero brakes, and something is rubbing for about a 1/8th of the rotation of the front driver side tire. Other than that, so far so good!

 

[hybrid1]

Sounds like a brake issue to me! I would get that figured out ASAP. Did that noise go away after you got it back from the shop?


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[99'Subourbon]

Well I'm home from the valley, their break in procedures are done (5 x 50 mile trips with 2 hrs of cooling at least in between, unloaded and under 55mph). Oil doesn't get changed till 1500 miles.

I haven't gotten on it yet, or even really went 50% throttle - but initial impressions are very underwhelming.

Other than the fact that the speedo is now off by 12 mph, and the ABS light turns on after moving forward within 10ft, I honestly wouldn't even be able to tell there is 4.56s in there.

 

[twomanymontes]

Yeah, I agree! Get the brakes fixed! Did you have a good brake pedal before the gears? The ABS light?

 

[99'Subourbon]

Brakes issues appear to have corrected themselves, along with the rubbing sound.. it just went away during one of my 50 mile trips I guess. When I first got the truck back, the pedal went to the floor with the engine off... but after a few times of turning it on, traveling, and having the ABS light come on, they are firm again (well firm in the context of a gmt400 - they still suck).

ABS light has to do with the gear change, from what I gather.

Could I do it over again; I'd throw the warranty out the window and go with 5.13s.. at least that's how I currently feel.

 

[hybrid1]

Perhaps the drum shoes were out of adjustment and needed to adjust themselves back to the drum. They prolly had to back them off in order to get the drum off and didn't reset them.

Also, my burb has 4.56s and no abs issues and I desire a lower gear as well cause it's still gutless. I would scan the computer and see if there is an abs code.


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[99'Subourbon]

So my driver side mirror started bronzing over this last week. So next is up is tow mirrors.

Come February or so, I'll be putting in a built tranny and 2500 stall. Then I'll be saving to rebuild the motor.

 

[mistaake]

So my driver side mirror started bronzing over this last week. So next is up is tow mirrors.

Come February or so, I'll be putting in a built tranny and 2500 stall. Then I'll be saving to rebuild the motor.

Is it really that underpowered?

 

[99'Subourbon]

Is it really that underpowered?

Yeah, sadly.

I dunno... Just very underwhelming. I took it out on some dirt roads today, and I can't even really get it to break loose. Maybe the tires and the truetracs just give me really great traction, but outside of turn the wheels sideways and slamming on it... Its sad.

I'm hoping it's my transmission/motor, and they are just really tired/slipping... But I'm disappointed. I just don't share the same experiences as others with our trucks.. I've never been able to chirp my tires, stock or otherwise.

Other thoughts, I know it's just my disappointment speaking, but I wonder if I actually got 4.56s. I spin ~2350 rpms at 65mph. The truck just feels like it's being held back, like it can't breath. It doesn't want to really go any faster than 70 comfortably. It didn't feel this way before the gears.

My wife's 5.3 Envoy has more torque off the line.