OutlawDrifter
Long Roof K2500 Driver
Just thought I'd ask for some 2 cents on this.
We have a 98 Tahoe with about 120k miles that's getting a bit old (drivetrain great, seats, body, little plastic things not so much).
We bought it to tow a light trailer, but now we have a larger 18ft tent trailer - (2k empty/3500lbs max) and that plus the kids, gear etc - it's still great for local camping, but we are planning on some longer trips, so I was thinking of getting something newer/fresher and with a longer wheelbase.
The catch is I don't want to spend too much as we don't use the truck that often.
I was looking at at 2006 Crew Cab GMT800 Sierra with the 4.8, and a Crew Cab 2010 2WD Sierra GMT900.
Is it worth upgrading to a longer wheelbase GMT800 or GMT900 Suburban or Sierra/Silverado Crew Cab? Is the 4.8 good enough for our needs?
I also was looking at a 2006 Ford F-150 with the 5.4 Triton, but I don't know Fords as well and I've read some less than rave reviews about that motor.
Stay away from the 5.4...too many issues that WILL happen. (I have owned one)
You are on a GMT400 site, 97% of the people here will tell you to stay with the 400.
Having owned everything from a squarebody to a GMT900, I'll give you my 2 pennies.
If it doesn't see much mileage, keep the 400. The seat can be recovered, the paint can be fixed, and you can add air bags or helper springs to the back. A weight distributing hitch and 10 ply tires will make it more stable towing.
The debate between the 5.7l and 5.3l towing is a wash. The 5.7 has low end grunt because the torque curve starts sooner, the 5.3l needs higher rpm to get into its curve. Took me a while to realize the 6.0l I was driving needed some rpm and couldn't be "lugged". Interior, I prefer the GMT400 looks, but my GMT800 Vortec Max is very comfortable to travel in, but cheap looking. Brakes...here is the one place the GMT400 CAN NOT (in stock form) touch the GMT800! GMT400 brakes (non hydroboost) suck, period, GM engineers will even admit that!
In the end, it's your money, do with it what you please. I've got 3 out of 4 kids left in the house, when I'm down to 1 or 2, I'll pull the drivetrain out of the Vortec Max and put it in a RCSB 2WD Sierra....