Hello

[needlenose]

Apparently I am the new owner of a relatively well-kept 99 Suburban. So I will be here on the forum scouring for information. This is the first Chevy truck I've owned.

Is there an idiot's Start Here With Your New Truck guide/thread of things to check? Commonly neglected stuff, weaknesses in the design to be watched, things the community has learned they wish they knew earlier, etc. I looked through the "Stupid questions" sticky, but there are a *lot* of random questions with a lot of answers.

I've already deduced that I have the clunking slip-yoke problem.

Thanks!

 

[kennythewelder]

Welcome to the forum, and congrats on the new Burb. These trucks (GMT 400s) are some of the best GM ever built. There is no certain problem that plagues them. The engines are good for 300.000 miles plus, and the trans for around 250,000 miles. This is just speaking as a whole, in general. I saw a GMT 400 with just over 400,000 miles on it the other day.

 

[sewlow]

Welcome!
Fuel pumps have a tendency to die. Use the Delphi's when replacing.
Stock brakes are iffy. As a matter of fact, Consumer Reports has posted a bulletin about that. Not a warning as such, 'just' a bulletin, which basically says that if you buy a GMT400 to be aware of the braking issues. A swap to Hydro-boost is a great upgrade. If not, at least install the GMT800 master cylinder.
While these trucks haven't achieved the collectibility & resale value of the previous generations, ('67-'72, '73-'87) they're getting there. But that also means that they're still reasonable in initial purchase prices, although some stuff hasn't started to be produced as far as restoration goes, particularly interior parts, such as door panels, dashes, seat skins & the foam. There are some parts out there, but there's not enough to bring the prices down due to competition among manufacturers. ($250.00+ just for the driver's seat cushion foam? Ouch! And that's the only foam part being repro'd! By only one Co.)
But...there is a ton of them in the wreckers for parts.
G80's are called 'The Gov-Bomb' for a reason!
Bad/old ground wires cause weird & wonderful probs that don't seem to be related to such.
Use Delco plugs, wires & coils when doing tune-ups. Any other stuff, particularly aftermarket, is a waste of $$$ & some are known to create their own set of probs.
4l60e's & NV3500's are somewhat weak if any kinda power upgrades are thrown in front of them.
There's probably other stuff, but at the age these trucks are now, they've become an entity among themselves & each truck has it's own personality. All depends on how previous owners maintained their upkeep.

 

[twomanymontes]

Welcome Aboard!!

 

[1ATony]

Thanks for joining

Tony

 

[jkeaton]

Welcome!