1999 GMC Suburban K2500 DD

[OutlawDrifter]

Just for your reference, there's no need for an aftermarket pan with a bung in it, for the trans temp sensor.

4L80E's have a pressure test port directly above the shift sector, remove the plug and the autometer 1/8" NPT sensor screws right in and reads accurately.

I did actually know this, but wanted one in the pan...just because I'm picky

 

[OutlawDrifter]

Still not much going on with the 'burb other than driving it at least once a week.

I did have to replace the water pump last week. It wasn't leaking out the weap hole, but had just a touch of play in the shaft and was squeaking. I went ahead and replaced the fan clutch and hoses while I had it all apart. New fan clutch is Severe Duty as opposed to the OEM Heavy Duty, but is smaller in diameter. Noticeable difference on first start with the new clutch in place on fan noise. Should be an upgrade in the Summer when running AC.

Still need to get those front brakes done , everything is still collecting dust on the shelf.

 

[PolarBear]

Still not much going on with the 'burb other than driving it at least once a week.

I did have to replace the water pump last week. It wasn't leaking out the weap hole, but had just a touch of play in the shaft and was squeaking. I went ahead and replaced the fan clutch and hoses while I had it all apart. New fan clutch is Severe Duty as opposed to the OEM Heavy Duty, but is smaller in diameter. Noticeable difference on first start with the new clutch in place on fan noise. Should be an upgrade in the Summer when running AC.

Still need to get those front brakes done , everything is still collecting dust on the shelf.

You're definitely one up on me! My GMC doesn't get driven but once a month if that, anymore. I should drive it to lunch. LOL

 

[OutlawDrifter]

Well, after years(not even kidding, like 2-3) of the parts sitting on the shelf. The front brake project is now complete.

Everything from the soft lines out has been replaced with new parts. Raybestos for the calipers/rotors/pads, NAPA for the soft lines, and USA Made Timken for the unit bearings.

This project would have been done a couple of weeks ago, but somebody hit my left hand with a 3lb sledge while driving in the wheel studs

Had to weld a nut on 1 of the unit bearing bolts that was rounded off from the previous person/owner who serviced the brakes, and ended up turning another into liquid after the welding trick would not work. Other than that, the job wasn't nearly as bad as I had worked it up to be.

Used the Element3 pads again, these have an HH rating, should be good for friction. I don't remember ordering the "racerboi" s-groove rotors, but according to Raybestos they are better. I would bet they were on sale when I bought them and cheaper than the straight Element3 Rotors that I have on everything else.

My scan tool did the autobleed on the ABS system with no issues, a nice little surprise. Did the process twice and hand bled the screws twice all the way around.

Still need to go out and bed the pads in, but after 18"+ of snow and then a few inches of rain and some above freezing weather, my road is a complete mess, so it will have to wait a few days for things to dry out.

Old stuff, pads were in okay shape, but both rotors had high spots:

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The one that fought me until the bitter end:

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All new and ready to stop:

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[8Bucksagallon]

That's a great truck, and has the same wheel, and tyre combo as mine, though mine is a 1997. I get on avg(over 60,000 miles, 14.69MPG (imperial) and about 12 when towing an aerodynamic trailer, max gross 3500KG,wonderful truck ive owned from new. If it's your first, if it's using oil, check oil sensor for a leak, it's a pain to change, and even worse to clean up afterwards! I am going back to the steel wheels, and trim rings, does anyone know a part number? Generic ones should fit but all vendors say they won't. Anyway good luck with it, lovely.

 

[Supercharged111]

Jolly good fun these 8 lug brakes are, yeah? I've done both ends now on the dually, but now the plow truck is calling my name. It's getting some Hawk LTS pads I have on the shelf with some TBD rotors and the hubs are an unknown for me. They were still serviceable on the dually. Were yours toast or did you swap them out as a preventative measure?

 

[OutlawDrifter]

Jolly good fun these 8 lug brakes are, yeah? I've done both ends now on the dually, but now the plow truck is calling my name. It's getting some Hawk LTS pads I have on the shelf with some TBD rotors and the hubs are an unknown for me. They were still serviceable on the dually. Were yours toast or did you swap them out as a preventative measure?

125K on the 25 year old Rotors/unit bearings...didn't want to chance a redo in the near future. Rotors were probably serviceable, but for $35-$45/side I'm good with new. 20 years ago, I would have had them turned. It was nice to just pull everything old off and go back with new stuff and new hardware. This is my rig that is always full of fuel and ready to roll, so it gets a lot of preventative maintenance(some probably premature) to keep it that way.

Tundra is getting an alternator(bearing has a squeak when cold) and new radiator this spring, radiator is original and apparently they like to mix coolant and tranny fluid when they crack...I'll just avoid that situation and roll another 20+ years on a new OEM Denso unit. I saw a post on IG the other day that fit me to a "T":

"I no longer care about how new my vehicle is, now its just a game to see how many miles I can put on what I own."

Every time I've strayed from my "old" stuff and buy a late model vehicle its underwhelming or disappointing. Whizbangs, technology, and gizmos are cool...until they don't work and need serviced. My old 1979 K10 that I drove from the time I had a farm permit through my first job after college, always started, never left me stranded, and required the bare minimum of maintenance. No overdrive, no cruise control, only power option was brakes, and no AC...but it didn't matter if it was 100* or -30*, it started. Full disclosure, the only new thing I miss is the heated steering wheel my 2017 F150 had , that was a game changer in the winter!

 

[BNielsen]

Oof, seeing all the struggles everyone has had with their K2500 front ends make me even more eager to do the NBS knuckle mod.
I know sooner or later I'm going to have to roll in a set of new rotors, two bad calipers have pretty much trashed my fancy power stop rotors.
Had a chance to drive it with the Raybestos equipment? It's the exact route I was looking only with GMT800 stuff.

 

[OutlawDrifter]

Oof, seeing all the struggles everyone has had with their K2500 front ends make me even more eager to do the NBS knuckle mod.
I know sooner or later I'm going to have to roll in a set of new rotors, two bad calipers have pretty much trashed my fancy power stop rotors.
Had a chance to drive it with the Raybestos equipment? It's the exact route I was looking only with GMT800 stuff.

Not yet, but I've got Raybestos on 3 other vehicles with great results, including my DD Tundra.

 

[Supercharged111]

Oof, seeing all the struggles everyone has had with their K2500 front ends make me even more eager to do the NBS knuckle mod.
I know sooner or later I'm going to have to roll in a set of new rotors, two bad calipers have pretty much trashed my fancy power stop rotors.
Had a chance to drive it with the Raybestos equipment? It's the exact route I was looking only with GMT800 stuff.

I wouldn't go so far as to call it struggles, they're just more involved. Fingers crossed I have slip on drums out back! Does this rig have slip on drums @OutlawDrifter?