BC

I wish I'd seen that! I already ordered an updated piece that dorman makes - which many say works.... I will try that first since its 65 bucks instead of 225.

disasterman

I just purchased a 68K mile, 2004 8 liter suburban 2500, two wheel drive from South Florida for around 11k plus paid $800 to ship to Michigan. I do not intend on driving it much in the winter and wanted the additional capacity of the tow wheel drive. Perfect vehicle for me, towing a 3,400 pound featherlite with car and "stuff" taking me up to about 7,000 pounds. It's nice to have the extra seating for friends and wife's stuff at the track. These trucks with the 8 liter are good for an easy two hundred thousand miles.

BC

I couldn't find many 2wds.

U4EEAH

Go 2500 no matter what you tow, especially in a high milage vehicle. The heavier diffs, brakes, transmission, etc. will be bulletproof. The nearly double coolant capacity, bigger radiator, and trans. cooler insure that it was never stressed before you got it. My 8.1 Avalance 2500 has been flawless

Edward

Wow. Really?!! I don't find much difference in purchase price between the 1500 and 2500 (MY 2001-02, or thereabouts, 2WD). But what I am concerned with is MPG and, as you mention, reliability ...especially as miles accumulate, preferably toward 200K).

Is it really worth getting the 2500 for longevity? And I read the ride suffers with the 2500's leaf springs over the 1500's more comfy "regular" boingers ...true or negligible difference? Thanks!

Edward

Manny Alban

I rode in a 2500 and didn't like it as a daily driver. I'm sure it towed very well, but without a load, it was very bouncy. When I was buying my 02, I don't think they offered a 6.0 in the 1500, at least in the Chevy brand, maybe GMC. Think the Denali came with it, but that was AWD, right? Not something I wanted.

BC

The autoride changes how the 2500 rides, in my experience of driving several of them. I think the ride trade off is well worth the fact that everything under the car is beefed up.

Mike Buck

My gf's dad just sold his '01 2500 4x4 Suburban (6.0L, 4.10s, autoride). Best mpg he ever saw unloaded was 15.5mpg highway. 85k mile truck, original owner. He is a long time auto repair shop owner and over maintained the crap out of it, so no problems even though he tows a 30' RV from time to time. But as mileage goes up stuff happens, so he always starts looking for a new vehicle around that 80k mark. Not a big fan of an kind of autoride or air suspension stuff, since every time something goes wrong it is $100's in just parts. Glad his new Sequioa doesn't have it.

BC

1500 sub has air pump and auto leveling. Many problems with pumps, leaks, etc.

On the other hand, the 2500 has no pumps. No air lines. Simple electrics go to shock for adjustment. Mine are working at 130k miles. Pretty cool in turns and quick stops. You can feel it as though the sway bars are stiffer in turns than normal - but its the shocks. They are 250 each.