EnzoColorado
Colorado
Full Member
Joined: 10/23/2016
View Profile
 Offline
|
After towing with the 1500 Suburban for 6 years, we're upgrading to a 2500 Suburban. Finally found a mint 2012 in Georgia, no rust, with less than 100K miles.
We debated between upgrading to a 3/4 truck vs. the burb. Finally settled on continuing with the burb so we can keep the dog in the back in comfort. Dog in the back seat of a truck is bad since kids are constantly snacking on road trips and there is hardly room for the dog.
We also need the ski gear stays warm in the back instead of frozen in the truck bed. Never put on ski boots when they're frozen LOL.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/N7yJbCiwtt9sfa169
https://photos.app.goo.gl/nSCnBWhn53Y8sfdU9
2017 Starcraft AR-ONE MAXX 20BHLE
2012 Suburban 2500 LT 4WD
|
JBarca
Radnor, Ohio, USA
Senior Member
Joined: 12/16/2004
View Profile
Offline
|
You found a good one! The 2500 Burb used within its ratings, is a great tow vehicle. We had a K2500 Burb with the Quadrasteer rear steering. What a great truck. I miss that truck, but the next camper we bought had too much tongue weight and GVW for the Burb. Thus the F350 crew cab came.
Your new burb will do well with your current camper. Have fun!
John
John & Cindy
2005 Ford F350 Super Duty, 4x4; 6.8L V10 with 4.10
CC, SB, Lariat & FX4 package
21,000 GCWR, 11,000 GVWR
Ford Tow Command
1,700# Reese HP hitch & HP Dual Cam
2 1/2" Towbeast Receiver
2004 Sunline Solaris T310SR
(I wish we were camping!)
|
Grit dog
Black Diamond, WA
Senior Member
Joined: 05/06/2013
View Profile
Offline
|
Perfect vehicle! LS and 6 speed trans…..
And folks say they wouldn’t sell if someone made a HD suv again….
2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5” turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
2017 Heartland Torque T29 - Sold.
Couple of Arctic Fox TCs - Sold
|
opnspaces
San Diego Ca
Senior Member
Joined: 12/22/2004
View Profile
Offline
|
Nice looking Suburban. I didn't even know they made a 2500 that recently. I thought they stopped around 2006
2001 Suburban 4x4. 6.0L, 4.10 3/4 ton
2005 Jayco Jay Flight 27BH
1986 Coleman Columbia Popup.
|
PAThwacker
East Stroudsburg, PA
Senior Member
Joined: 07/24/2009
View Profile
Offline
|
Burb that generation has 1000lb max hitch weight capacity. That capacity is what killed the 2500 series. You could not tow more than a 1500 sub. That’s the bad news.
2015 Keystone Springdale Summerland 257rl
Tow vehicle: 2003 GMC K1500 ext lb
Previous: 14 years of 3 popups and a hybrid tt
|
|
|
JBarca
Radnor, Ohio, USA
Senior Member
Joined: 12/16/2004
View Profile
Offline
|
PAThwacker wrote:Burb that generation has 1000lb max hitch weight capacity. That capacity is what killed the 2500 series. You could not tow more than a 1500 sub. That’s the bad news.
Hi,
You are absolutely correct on the 2007 re-designed Suburban, 1500 or 2500 both had the 1,000# WD receiver. And it stayed that way.
As to towing, 1500 had the 5.3 V and 2500 had the 6.0 V8, towing wise 2500 had more tow rating.
I don't have a 2012 manual but I have a 2013 manual. It seems they had 3 tow ratings on 1500 with the 5.3 V8.
3.08 rear axle = 5,500# tow rating, and 11,000# GCWR
3.42 rear axle = 6,000# tow rating, and 11,500# GCWR
3.42 rear axle with the HD cooling package = 8,500# tow rating, and 14,000# GCWR
They only offered one rating on the 2500,
3.73 rear axle = 9,600# tow rating and 16,000# GCWR
2500 offers better brakes, a beefier truck, a higher power-rated transmission, more payload, and more tow rating. But you are still on a 1,000# loaded tongue rate limited receiver that no aftermarket receiver company will touch, which on a travel trailer can be a very limiting factor on a 2500 truck.
If you have kids and their "stuff", the 2500 allows more weight in the truck before you reach the GVWR or the GAWR-RR. The 1500 with kids and stuff can go over the GVWR and the GAWR-RR quickly with an 800 to 1,000# TW
And yes, when GM changed the receiver to a 1,000# limit and stopped the 2500, they made the big statement, If you want to tow a heavy trailer, get a pickup or HD van. Ford caved in 2006. The Excursion ended in 2005.
I do not recall when the last 2500 Avalanche was made, I think it may have been dropped in the 2007 lineup. The Avalanche and the Burb are the same wheelbase/setup, just the back of the truck cab is different. My son has and still uses a 2001, K2500 Avalanche with an 8.1 L and a 3.73 rear axle. It handles his 8,600# TT just fine, with the 1,200# TW. But we had to deal with GMT-800 receiver issues. I had to do the same receiver upgrade on my 2003 K2500 as I had a 1,200# TW camper back then.
Sad to see the Suburban now watered down in capability.
|
JBarca
Radnor, Ohio, USA
Senior Member
Joined: 12/16/2004
View Profile
Offline
|
double post error.. deleted.
|
Bionic Man
USA
Senior Member
Joined: 04/03/2009
View Profile
|
Looks like a nice rig. There are days I regret selling my 03 2500 Burb.
2012 RAM 3500 Laramie Longhorn DRW CC 4x4 Max Tow, Cummins HO, 60 gallon RDS aux fuel tank, Reese 18k Elite hitch
2003 Dodge Ram 3500 QC SB 4x4 Cummins HO NV5600 with Smarty JR, Jacobs EB (sold)
2002 Gulf Stream Sea Hawk 29FRB with Honda EV6010
|
Grit dog
Black Diamond, WA
Senior Member
Joined: 05/06/2013
View Profile
Offline
|
Bionic Man wrote:Looks like a nice rig. There are days I regret selling my 03 2500 Burb.
GMT 800s are quickly becoming my next favorite simple reliable bulletproof line of trucks.
But 6.0 6 speed is about the best of the “lineage”. With the 6.0 LS truck motor, none of the AFM/DFM issues of basically all the newer smaller LS vehicles engines combined with none of the drawbacks of the 4l60/4l80.
Been a big fan of the little 800s 1/2 ton stuff for a few years now.
Got the boy an old 01 Tahoe last year for a DD. Found one with what appears low miles.
For reasons I’ve now decided that thing is just going to live its life without the complete care and attention I give most all other vehicles. And it’s doing it.
For years if I needed a on old truck/suv on a budget, GMT 400s were the way to go. 100%.
Can’t beat a Chevy 350, right?
Well early LS motors are usurping the og small block for me now.
|
EnzoColorado
Colorado
Full Member
Joined: 10/23/2016
View Profile
Offline
|
We haul 4 of us, a dog, stuff, 4 to 6 kayaks on the roof rack, etc. The trunk area is usually pretty full. Yeah the payload increase is the biggest benefit, not so much the extra tow capacity. The additional stability in cross wind (we live in Colorado and usually travel to Utah) will be nice too.
|
|
|
|
