K2500 crew cab...

[dirtautoguy]

I hope this is atleast the semi correct area for this I apologize if it’s not.

Well I think the time is coming that we are going to need a bigger rig. My K1500 sbrc just isn’t big enough for The family for various reasons. From need a better tow rig to needing more cab room.

I remember one time I saw a 4 door gmt400 pulling a newer 5th wheel camper that looked like a mansion and ever since then I loved the crew cab gmt 400s. and always thought it would be awesome to build one into a family vehicle.

The other day while half hazardly looking at crew cabs I came across a 1999 crew cab k2500 that spiked my interest.

It has a camper shell, newer tires, suspension air bags, 454, trailer brake controller, I personally hate the rims on it but that’s not a huge deal, 160,000 miles and they are asking $6500 obo.

Iv been pondering it for a week now and can’t decide if it’s worth Looking into. so I figured I’d ask some people with some experience.

1. is anyone using one of these trucks as a family rig? Does it work well?

2. Do they get fair mpg? Like I’d hope for atleast 15 ish

3. do they tow decent? I don’t ever plan on hauling a mammoth of a camp trailer but I’d like to get something like a 25 ft toy hauler for our next camper.

4. are there some good mods to bring the performance up?

5.what are some things to watch out for? I know this era of trucks had issues with intake gaskets ect

6. would you have rather saved more money and got a newer truck?

Probably some other things I’m forgetting but if I remember them I’ll ask.

At 160000 miles I’d expect the front suspension would probably need some attention But I would hope some things have been done. I certainly would not be against building it some with upgrades but it might be a little bit before I got to it in the event I were to buy it.

what’s your thoughts?

 

[Supercharged111]

I use my crew cab dually as a family rig and it works great. I'm not sure if the muffler I put on was an upgrade, but exhaust and tune are significant upgrades. That said, without the blower performance wasn't that great. I had the 411 with upgraded cam with no blower, but stock manifolds with the restrictive front section of down pipes. Still need to get after that. I get high 10s for fuel economy empty on the highway. With 29" tires and 4.10 gears it spins.

 

[SUBURBAN5]

Got any pics?

 

[b454rat]

While not a crew/dually, I had a 97 ECLB 2500HD 4wd with a 454 auto and pulled like a freight train. I was well over 12k with everything, pulling hills it never dropped a gear doing 70. I would lite the tires up just stompin' the gas. But I did have a 99 GMC CCSB, had the 350 auto, but was tired. It pulled a trailer most it's life, and could tell. It didn't like hills at all, even empty. Only trailer I used was a sled trailer pulling my 4 wheeler. Not even 2k, but felt like 20k. I loved it tho. I wish I kept it, but not long after I sold it the motor went. It had a back rack, and if didn't have that I would have put a tonnue cover on it for stuff. Whenever went shopping and had both kids, and of course rain, I had to pile the groceries around them cause couldn't put them in the back. I sold it to get another Tahoe/Yukon, IMO best of both worlds. Room for 5, plus room in the back for crap. plus can tow with it. MUCH easier parking too. The CCSB needed couple K turns in some spots. Pull into any spot with a 4 door Tahoe/Yukon. I have a lifted 4wd 4 door Yukon, and soon to be lowered 4 door 2wd Tahoe.

 

[Supercharged111]

While not a crew/dually, I had a 97 ECLB 2500HD 4wd with a 454 auto and pulled like a freight train. I was well over 12k with everything, pulling hills it never dropped a gear doing 70. I would lite the tires up just stompin' the gas. But I did have a 99 GMC CCSB, had the 350 auto, but was tired. It pulled a trailer most it's life, and could tell. It didn't like hills at all, even empty. Only trailer I used was a sled trailer pulling my 4 wheeler. Not even 2k, but felt like 20k. I loved it tho. I wish I kept it, but not long after I sold it the motor went. It had a back rack, and if didn't have that I would have put a tonnue cover on it for stuff. Whenever went shopping and had both kids, and of course rain, I had to pile the groceries around them cause couldn't put them in the back. I sold it to get another Tahoe/Yukon, IMO best of both worlds. Room for 5, plus room in the back for crap. plus can tow with it. MUCH easier parking too. The CCSB needed couple K turns in some spots. Pull into any spot with a 4 door Tahoe/Yukon. I have a lifted 4wd 4 door Yukon, and soon to be lowered 4 door 2wd Tahoe.

Were you enclosed or open deck with that weight? I'm enclosed and here in CO, the dually with no blower would downshift way more than the 1500 with blower with around 9000# of enclosed trailer, 24'.

 

[ZRoe]

I hope this is atleast the semi correct area for this I apologize if it’s not.

Well I think the time is coming that we are going to need a bigger rig. My K1500 sbrc just isn’t big enough for The family for various reasons. From need a better tow rig to needing more cab room.

I remember one time I saw a 4 door gmt400 pulling a newer 5th wheel camper that looked like a mansion and ever since then I loved the crew cab gmt 400s. and always thought it would be awesome to build one into a family vehicle.

The other day while half hazardly looking at crew cabs I came across a 1999 crew cab k2500 that spiked my interest.

It has a camper shell, newer tires, suspension air bags, 454, trailer brake controller, I personally hate the rims on it but that’s not a huge deal, 160,000 miles and they are asking $6500 obo.

Iv been pondering it for a week now and can’t decide if it’s worth Looking into. so I figured I’d ask some people with some experience.

1. is anyone using one of these trucks as a family rig? Does it work well?

I've got a k2500 Suburban and love it. Pretty small family but lots of friends and two dogs.

2. Do they get fair mpg? Like I’d hope for atleast 15 ish

Mine is lifted with 34" tires and 4:10 gears and I get 10.5mpg as a DD and 12mog highway. Highway tires and gears as well as a good time and injectors should get you close to 14-15mpg if you keep your right foot out of it.

3. do they tow decent? I don’t ever plan on hauling a mammoth of a camp trailer but I’d like to get something like a 25 ft toy hauler for our next camper.

I tow a 22ft boat on a tandem axle trailer just fine. Still has plenty of get up and go.

4. are there some good mods to bring the performance up?

If you are going to address the possible intake leaks throw in some better injectors and get a Black Bear mail order tune.

5.what are some things to watch out for? I know this era of trucks had issues with intake gaskets ect

Lifters going bad are another possible problem with the 454. Also the factory distributor base was plastic so that can break when changing the cap and rotor. Other than that regular maintenance sure helps keep them going a long time.

6. would you have rather saved more money and got a newer truck?

I prefer my old truck. It is cheap to maintain and honestly it's hard to justify the payments of a new truck for the mpgs.if you really need the bells and whistles of the newer trucks you can add the necessary stuff to these pretty easily (Bluetooth, possibly a backup camera, better mirros). After that if you need anything else you probably don't need a truck [emoji1787]

Probably some other things I’m forgetting but if I remember them I’ll ask.

At 160000 miles I’d expect the front suspension would probably need some attention But I would hope some things have been done. I certainly would not be against building it some with upgrades but it might be a little bit before I got to it in the event I were to buy it.

what’s your thoughts?

Thoughts in line with questions above

Sent from my moto e5 supra using Tapatalk

 

[SUBURBAN5]

My input "chevy builds the most capable longest lasting trucks" lol sorry couldn't resist. Seriously any truck with 160k or 21yrs old is gonna have its issues. That being said there not hard to work on or repair since gmt400 was a serviceable vehicle compared to today's. New world we live in a replace era. My suburban not apples to apples because of the drive train, and we got it brand new. But it's been a good truck for 471k miles. Your talking about 160 on a 3/4 ton. Heavy duty platform but the 454 had its issues. If your ok with buying the truck and putting in some $ to make it reliable then it's a good truck. If you want to buy it as is and drive cost to coast different story. Your at the mercy of the previous owners keeping up with maintenanc . Oh and I like to look over around under and inside a old truck when we talk money. That's why I cant help with price or what it could be worth.....

 

[dirtautoguy]

Well atleast I’m not crazy for thinking about it haha I’m not to worried about more modern Amenities... my dd truck right now is manual everything windows, doors,locks and it’s just fine for me. (Very hard to lock yourself out of a manual lock truck.)

Iv thought about a suburban but they just don’t do it for me in the nether region but they could possible grow on me.

what are some options/benefits of injectors?

ultimately I would love to put a cam in it and blower with a 411 pcm and tune. But that would be a while later down the road.

 

[dirtautoguy]

From what I can tell it looks decently clean. I did contact the seller but haven’t gotten a response yet

 

[SUBURBAN5]

If it's good body no rust then that's better news. I wish I had more knowledge on the 454 but dont have much. My 5.7 all I know. If your a truck guy stick to truck. If your into suvs hands down suburban lol.. there's a reason they got the 5.7,7.4, and 6.5 as well lol