Picked up a '99 Suburban -- Some questions for my build..

[awash242]

Hey everyone -- been a long time lurker here and finally got myself another truck and joined. I Picked up a 99 Chevy Suburban 1500 LS. It’s a really solid truck. I had a 2000 Tahoe limited years ago, but sold it in 2011. This truck will basically be used for camping, beach driving/surf fishing, fishing in the mountains, and some off road trail driving. It’s a 4WD truck with the auto 4x4 option, so I’m assuming it has the Auto Trac feature – if someone could help me out with identifying that it would be great.



I haven’t done much yet besides a major tune up, changed all the fluids, new battery, new rad and water pump, fuel filter, etc… I’d like to do the Rough Country 6” lift but had a few questions:

1. Is the Rough Country kit my best option for a 6” inch lift? Recommendations?
2. If I do have Auto Trac, I have read that I will also need a new drive shaft to do the Rough Country (or other) lift kit. If that’s the case, what are my options here as far as drive shafts?
3. Is it worth upgrading to the 2.2 shocks for the extra $100?

I’m also looking into new front and rear bumpers. The closest I have found to what I’d like is from Blue Lake Offroad -- http://bluelakeoffroad.com/pinnacle/index.php?p=product&id=95&parent=77 … They’re pricey but I’d rather not make them. Can anyone suggest other options other than fabbing them myself?

Other plans are:
New LH & RH side mirrors
Replace Carpet
Custom MDF center console
17x8 wheels
35” Tires – Recommendations?
Dual Batteries (Is the Painless dual battery iso kit the best option for this?)
CB Radio
GPS

Thanks in advance for the help! I’ll be starting the console build as soon as my new carpet gets here.

 

[mallthus]

I would pick a wheel/tire plan before selecting a lift. I'm a firm believer in the idea you ought only go as high as necessary to clear the tire/wheel you need. In fact, I might even consider a body lift and/or fender trim before doing any suspension lift.

But I'm pretty hardcore on the whole low COG thing.

 

[1meanz]

If you have a button on your dash that says 4Auto, you have the Autotrac t-case, also known as the NP246.

I did a Rough country lift and would do it again. I would DEFINETELY go with the 2.2 shocks, I did on my truck and it rides like it did with the Bilstein HDs I had before. You will need a new front driveshaft, RC offers one or you can have one made. You'll also need to re-route the driver-side exhaust pipe from the manifold to the oil pan. It will be right in the way of the driveshaft.

This is my truck on 35s. Total lift in front and rear is about 4.5" or so. (I already had add-a-leafs in back for pulling trailers, cut the RCX block to 3" and very slight crank in the front to level it out and clear the tires). Do a search and you can see my tire carrier. Planning to fab a front bumper this winter and a set of rock sliders as well. I mainly use this truck for pulling, hauling, camping, and mild trails. But I like to fab and build. This truck has 4.56 gears (a must for 35s IMO) an NV4500 manual trans, and a 9.5" semi float rear axle. It also has an NP241 manual transfer case, and a Posi Loc system to engage the front diff, so I have full manual control over the truck now. I do all my own work.

 

[mike the welder]

I would also change the heater hoses, bypass valve tee fitting and y fitting all located in the heater hose system. I also have a 1999 Suburban and changed the radiator, hoses belts tune up etc. Two weeks after I finish all that the tee fitting in the heater hose cracked from age. I lost all the coolant in less than 2 min. They are all plastic and only last about 10-15 years. I got all the parts on amazon except the tee and heater hose. The whole job cost me about $55. Not allot for a little piece of mind.

Assembled ready to go in.


As soon as I grabbed the hose it broke in half.


The y connector also broke while removing clamps.

 

[AA1PR]

not trying to be a jerk but steer clear of blue lake aka Tag

here's a thread you might find of value ~ http://www.gmc4x4.com/topic/2659-blue-lake-off-road-bumpers/?hl=+blue++lake++offroad#entry42257

you have a solid platform for whatever direction you go with this rig

 

[awash242]

Really nice Tahoe, 1meanz.
Thanks for the help so far guys. It looks like I definitely do have the NP246 with Auto Trac.

I would also change the heater hoses, bypass valve tee fitting and y fitting all located in the heater hose system. I also have a 1999 Suburban and changed the radiator, hoses belts tune up etc. Two weeks after I finish all that the tee fitting in the heater hose cracked from age. I lost all the coolant in less than 2 min. They are all plastic and only last about 10-15 years. I got all the parts on amazon except the tee and heater hose. The whole job cost me about $55. Not allot for a little piece of mind.

Thanks for that. Would you mind PMing me the part numbers if you have them. Thanks!

not trying to be a jerk but steer clear of blue lake aka Tag

here's a thread you might find of value ~ http://www.gmc4x4.com/topic/2659-blue-lake-off-road-bumpers/?hl=+blue++lake++offroad#entry42257

you have a solid platform for whatever direction you go with this rig

Good to know. I'm glad I asked before placing an order. Thanks -- I'll see what else I can find.

 

[82fb]

Sucks about having the 246. The front drive power is transmitted entirely by clutches, which as you can imagine, can burn up with taller tires and rough use. 241 swap?

 

[awash242]

Sucks about having the 246. The front drive power is transmitted entirely by clutches, which as you can imagine, can burn up with taller tires and rough use. 241 swap?

Yeah, that's something I am considering. I'm still in the process of deciding what my best options are. What all is involved in the 241 swap? Are there other benefits?

 

[mike the welder]

Thought I would post them here for anybody else who needs the heater hose parts. The tee fitting was just a standard 3/4 I bought at Autozone along with a few feet of 5/8 and 3/4 inch hose(it takes both sizes). My expansion tank was also cracked so I bought a replacement on Amazon. I bought hose clamps, but the factory clamp seemed stronger so I reused them. I didn't replace the hoses going to the rear heat, but they were in good condition and there is like 20 feet of it. Maybe later.

Y fitting
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00A19MIAU/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Bypass valve
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000C9DDIA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Expansion tank
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0044A3XT2/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[mike the welder]

I see your going to replace the carpet. I just received my carpet from LMC. It was about $70 more than some other places but I know what I'm getting from LMC. It is OEM quality. I was just going to take out the carpet and power wash it, but it fell apart while removing it. It was in pretty bad shape. I'm going to use the peel and stick window flashing from Home Depot on the floors before putting the carpet in for some sound deadening. Before anybody jumps in about the peel and stick, I have used it in 2 other cars and in my opinion it works as or near as good as Fatmat, dynomat etc at about 1/5 the cost and no it doesn't smell.

Sounds like you have a plan. I got lucky and my Burb already had allot of stuff like the lift kit, stereo, etc. I think if I ever have a problem with the 246 I may consider A SAS, depending on my budget at the time.

Good luck

 

[82fb]

I looked into a 241 swap for my 2001. IIRC some people had issues with dash lights. There are swap write ups online if for when you get serious about it!

 

[1meanz]

Yeah, that's something I am considering. I'm still in the process of deciding what my best options are. What all is involved in the 241 swap? Are there other benefits?

I think if I ever have a problem with the 246 I may consider A SAS, depending on my budget at the time.

LOL, well I wouldn't do a SAS just because the NP246 bites the dust. An SAS will cost a bare minimum of $3500 if you do it yourself. It also transforms the way the truck rides and drives. Plus the way the frame rails on these trucks are made, they don't arch much in the front, which makes it a must to lift the truck significantly to get any suspension travel with a solid axle. There are some kits to SAS but keep the truck at about a 4-6" lift, but they don't offer much travel from what I understand, I've not seen one in person. If you don't need major articulation, and you're going to stay at or below 35" tires, I'd stick with the IFS. I don't love IFS, but a SAS requires more lift than I want to run, and I don't use my truck hard enough to justify the expense, and I'd be surprised if very many expedition guys do either.

As for the NP241 swap, there are good writeups over on www.fullsizechevy.com, but I can give a brief few comments here. The difficulty of the swap largely depends on if you want to keep the electronic front diff actuator or not. If you want to keep the electronic diff actuator, then the wiring gets a bit more involved, but still doable. I despise electronic 4x4 systems, so I got rid of the electronic front diff actuator and installed the Posi-Loc. At that point, all I had to do is unplug and remove the TCM (transfer case control module), unplug and remove the dash buttons and cut a hole and mount the shifter and shifter console. Other than the shifter, the NP241 is a bolt-in swap mechanically. There is a shift position switch on the transfer case that goes to ground when the t-case is shifted in to 4Lo. You need to connect that terminal to one of the wires on the TCC harness so the ECM knows when you're in 4Lo so it can adjust the shift tables. I didnt do this because I swapped in a manual trans at the same time, so I can't give any more details than that, but again you can find all the info over at fullsizechevy.com

Here is a crappy cell phone garage pic of the inside of my truck. I blocked off the 4x4 buttons with blockoffs from the junkyard. The black thing above the gas pedal is the trailer brake controller. The red knob to the left of that is the actuator knob for the front differential. The rest of the levers are self explanatory. :smiley_drive:

 

[mike the welder]

Good to know. Why is everybody all hot to do the SAS. I just assumed it was better because everybody wants to do it and the square body 4x4 have a solid axle in the front. The only ones I've driven where in the Army and they seemed to drive ok.

Which standard did you put in your suburban? I want to get an earlier Suburban and want a manual after reading Larry's thread. I found an 88 standard with the manual trans, but it's ruff, really ruff. He only wants $600 for it though.

 

[1meanz]

Not that it matters, but mine is a Tahoe. I'm running a NV4500, same as Larry is running in both his trucks. It's a heavy duty cast iron 5speed with overdrive used mostly in 1-ton chevy and dodge trucks in mid to late 90s.

The '88 burb you mention will have the older SM465 4speed manual trans without overdrive.

People do the SAS for lots of reasons, but mostly for better durability using larger than 35" tires and for better suspension articulation in rocks, deep ditches, etc. It is not a simple swap, it's expensive, and is overkill for what most of us are doing I think. Well let me clarify, I live in the midwest, and we don't have the rock crawling that some guys get out west. We have mud, ditches, hills and more mud. For what I'm willing to do with my truck, the 35s and IFS have so far gotten me where I needed to go.

 

[4D55 Performance]

1meanz, when you did the NV4500 swap did you swap out the cluster and column? What was needed to do this swap and how entailed is it if I want to make it look factory?