Worth upgrading to GMT800?

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letitsnow

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I like the 6.0 also. It is an adequate replacement for the 5.7 vortec.

If I ever find the "right" gmt800 with the 8.1, my gmt400 will become our plow truck.
 

RDF1

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The biggest issue with the 6.0 is the factory tune is pitiful. Turn off all the torque management and give it some fuel and spark, pretty big difference pulling 10,000#.
 

Supercharged111

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The biggest issue with the 6.0 is the factory tune is pitiful. Turn off all the torque management and give it some fuel and spark, pretty big difference pulling 10,000#.

Or lining up with another truck. I did just that to my neighbor's 6.0 truck before my 1500 had a blower. With him stock, we were neck and neck. I only made ground during upshifts. After I tuned him he left me in the dust.
 

stutaeng

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Did we ever hear back from the OP? He was asking about 4.8 CCSB, so he was thinking 1500. Everybody is now comparing 5.7 Vortec to 6.0 HD, lol.

I will say that the early GMT800 are nicer than the GTM400 as far as body, brakes and interior goes. 4 disc brakes are nice. The door hinges on gmt400 suck! However, on the trucks they went to rear drums in '03, and other stuff got cheapened. I don't think that applied to the SUVs.

My brother had a '06 CCSB with 4.8 for some time and always said it was gutless. A guy at work has a '03 Tahoe with the 4.8 and always wished he had the bigger engine...he recently bought a newer Silverado with the 5.3, but his Tahoe has made it to nearly 300k miles.

Towing I would give the slight edge to the 5.7 over the 4.8/5.3. I think that's why GM had to add more displacement to the 5.3 on the 2500+, whereas the 5.7 worked just fine before for HD applications. Aside from the '99-'00 Silverado 2500 LD (regular and extended cab only,) the 5.3 never made in into the HD models. The HP may be there, but not the TQ, at least not where it's needed for towing.

LS are nicer because of distributer-less ignition reliability and leak less oil than SBC.


...and of course, rear axle ratio matters a lot for towing.
 
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HotWheelsBurban

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Here's my two cents. My family has has many different Suburbans, going back to square bodies, all 350s except for one 3/4 ton 77 with a 454. Previous owner of that one used it to tow a large trailer loaded with shop manuals and magazines all over the country to swap meets etc. Truck did the job great ,but when we got it it needed a LOT of work done to it. The truck started rusting really bad while we were rebuilding it, so it ended up in the junkyard.
The 400's we've had were 5.7 vortec, 4L60E, first one lost the transmission at around 225,000, got it built, the truck was totalled 4 months later. We towed small and medium size Uhauls with it ,did just fine. Second 400, the one we DD now, has done even better. 182,000, runs so smooth you can barely feel it. Looks like a 20 year old truck, but he gets us where we need to with minimal maintenance.
We also have an '06 Yukon XL Denali with the 6.0, and when it was younger, would pass everything but a gas station. But the results when you hit the gas...wow! It would slap you back in your seat ,in a 6000 pound truck that's cool! But it's an old truck, needs too much work now. Trans temperature sensor is crazy, the oil pump is worn out, it leaks everywhere, a lot of the fancy Denali stuff is made too cheap and it doesn't work anymore.... Towing with it was good the first couple years, until the coil springs and air shocks wore out. Don't know that l would want another 800 unless it was really low mileage or in very good shape. Leaf springs are so much better for towing and hauling loads IMHO. My 99 has some things l need to tend to, but it's been much more reliable than the newer one.
 

DonF

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I picked up an 01 Suburban with an 8.1L today. It will be hard to part with the 96 C2500 7.4 but I think I may do it. I am not sure. The trucks seem closer that I would have guessed with a load behind them, but the 01 seems to do it all slightly better. They both have around 110K so miles are not an issue. The suburban sure was not cared for like the 96 was though.

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1997

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very nice looking 96, you must have some big toys if you need the 8.1.
What would you be asking for the 96?
thinking you should keep both,,,, in case the sub's down for repairs or maintenance....
 

DonF

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very nice looking 96, you must have some big toys if you need the 8.1.
What would you be asking for the 96?
thinking you should keep both,,,, in case the sub's down for repairs or maintenance....

I think you are right at least for a bit. They both have advantages and disadvantages. I like the tow/haul and the brakes better on the 01, but the 96 is a pickup and it's not that underpowered or underbraked when they have the same load behind them. I think the Suburban may be heavier, so the bigger engine seems like a wash when compared to the 96.
 

97 bowtie

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Keep then both the 96 you have there is beautiful and you will be sorry if you let it go, and besides there’s nothing better then having a truck bed !!!
 

Old77

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I picked up an 01 Suburban with an 8.1L today. It will be hard to part with the 96 C2500 7.4 but I think I may do it. I am not sure. The trucks seem closer that I would have guessed with a load behind them, but the 01 seems to do it all slightly better. They both have around 110K so miles are not an issue. The suburban sure was not cared for like the 96 was though.

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I'd have a REALLY hard time letting go of that 96 considering how clean it is! What is the upside for the move? I can't picture how it's an upgrade to let go of the 96 in favor of the 01.
 
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