The rear end will fit but the 2001 having disc brakes may be an issue but I am not sure. I do know that disc works on different pressure than drum brakes do. I put a master cylinder from a 2001 Suburban on my 97 Silverado. It firmed up the brake peddle. It is a popular swap, and I have had no issues due to the swap. Some people who do this, don't like it, but I find it works good on my truck. The pressure in these trucks, is controlled by the proportioning valve, and that valve is inside the ABS control box under the hood, where the brake lines go into. Another thing is that your 99 burb will be 5 lug and a 2001 will be 6 lug, so you will need to swap rims. My carrier bearings went out in my truck in 2012, while I was battling throat cancer ( cancer free sense Jan 2013). A friend of mine helped me rebuild my rear end. We pulled the axles, and the carrier. Then replaced the bearings. We had to have the carrier bearings pressed off of the carrier, and the new ones pressed back on. The axle shaft bearings we did in his shop, but is was hard to get the old bearings out, and we broke his slide hammer doing it, but we got it done. In the long run, you are better off rebuilding your rear end, because that way you have new parts. By changing the rear end, you are installing old parts, but it is your truck.

 

According to Little Shop Manufacturing's Tech Support folks, the ABS system monitors the speed of the individual wheels and sends out brake pressure accordingly. However since I am by no means an expert, I will take that with a lot of salt... This being said, since I can get this assembly for less than half of what they want to charge for just changing the brake shoes much less the wheel cylinders and the outer wheel bearings, it works for me. But more than anything, I just want to see if it works. It seems stupid to me that there isn't an option to get discs WITHOUT paying $500-$1000 for a kit.

 

Just out of curiosity, what price did they quote?

Changing a rear wheel bearing is not an expensive repair.

 

I didn't even bother with getting a price for that, if the bill 4 hours labor for doing the brakes I can just imagine what they would bill for the wheel bearings

 

If you do the swap, and it works well, let us know. You may want to get the front rotors and brake set up as well. That way you will have 6 lug rims all the way around.

 

$640 for new shoes n wheel cylinders, I hope that incudes all the other hardware as well, it seems expensive to me but iv never had brake work done at a shop. maybe get a second opinion?

 

I don't know the shoes and wheel cylinders on these GMC's but on my other rig 'Black Betty' she's got an old school Bendix brake setup and even visually it's easy to see how things work. I may have to get into this at some point myself as time and kazooks allow. Having to take one thing at a time so working on electircal for the time being, something I do have some knowledge in.

 

The suburbans use the same Bendix style brakes

 

That brake work sounds suspiciously high, did you check around some?
Also while they have the brakes off it isn't much more to press in New bearings and seals, everything with brakes and bearings/seals should run about $640

 

The cost of doing the shoes/cylinders is so high because "the book" says it is 4 hours work @ $140 an hour. Now everyone who has ever done brakes knows it doesn't take anywhere near that long, even if you have to turn the drums. But that is the story I got from 3 different places.

 

Kennythewelder, out of curiosity, How did you get high and low beams to come on at the same time? oh and how did you end up with both markers lighting up, my truck only has one light per side. I just noticed it in your picture... :}

 

its called the 4 hi mod. with the use of a relay when your high beams are turned on it powers the low beams back on with the use of a relay. one of the best mods in terms of lighting done to our trucks. you can also take this one step further and make the low beams a lot brighter when they are the only lights on with the use of another relay. heres a pic of mine, soon to be much better when I get the new glass lenses!

heres a kit available on ebay for $20, I used this seller before and was great to deal with. or you can roll your own for even cheaper. however I like this kit cuz its already done.

http://m.ebay.com/itm/4-HIGH-BEAM-H...EAM-HEADLIGHT-MOD-KIT-88-98-CHEVY-GMC-YUKON-TAHOE-FULL-SIZE-TRUCK-/302121113140

 

Ok, on the 4 high beam on, you have to add a relay that will turn on you low beams when the high beams are on. When I saw how much brigher the light are, I added another relay on the low beams. I used the supply wire for the lowbeams as my switch wire. I simply cut the wire and used it to activate the relay. The catch on this is, you have to disable the day time running lights. When you use a relay straight off of the battery, it supplys much more power for the headlights. It makes a huge difference in how bright the lights are. The low voltage for the DRLs, is enough to switch on the relay, so that is why it needs to be disconected.
As for the top corrnor marker lights. I added another bulb to the top refelector. Here are some videos on these mods. The headlight mod is the same for most trucks and cars.

 

I like the 4 high headlight's suggestion, thanks guy's I'll be doing this! This is why I came here, let the folks with hands on keep me up to speed,,, Thanks again!

As for the the rear axle conversion I was going to mention the difference in suspension, and mention if 4WD making sure the gears were interchangeable or compatible!

But I also was wondering why the wheels concern w/ 5 and 6 lug?? I thought all 1/2 ton burbs had 6 lug wheels at least between 1996 and newer? I know my 96 did as does my 99, I know even the newer Suburbans with 17", 18" and even 20" will bolt on, but I know my the 99 is 16" with the same 6 lug pattern the 96 had, and like I said both can use the newer 6 lug wheels.

Saying this I do have the heavy payload option and heavy duty tow package on both them trucks, and both had the G80 locking diff, is this why they are both the modern 6 lug pattern?

Are some of these 1/2 tons in these years 5 lug??? If so what determines which 1/2 ton has 5 lug and which has 6 lugs,, thanks for any clarification!

 

5 lug is 2WD 1500,,,,,,,6 lug is 4x4 1500 on all GMT 400s.

 

In 1999 when GM came out with there new truck body style (the GMT800) They went to all 6 lug . It doesn't matter if it was 2 WD or 4 WD on a 1/2 ton or 1500.

 

ah,,, I forget they do still make a 2wd, ya my first 2 were 2wd but they were 8 lug, and actually the 91 2wd was the best vehicle I ever owned in the snow on the roads, it did drive better and track truer in heavy snow than my 4x4 1500's. Thanks fer the clarification,,,, but,,, does that hold true with the Suburban since the body styles didn't change, or has it got to do with more than just body style?

 

I had a co worker who had a 2000 3/4 ton crew cab. He had the same 5.7L I have in my 97 1/2 ton, and his truck looked like a crew cab version of my 97. He had to ask for parts for a 98. In 99 when GM introduced the new body style (the GMT 800s) in there 1/2 ton truck line, they still made a 99 classic. The classic was the same truck as a 98, It was still a GMT 400. The Burbs, 3/4 ton and 1 tons changed to the GMT 800 platform in 2001 I think. When GM introduced the GMT 800 line in 99, it was a total new truck. The only GMT 800 to use the old engine from the GMT 400 platform, was the 4.3L V6. That engine has been updated a lot through the years, but it still available in 2017. The whole reason GM quit making the 5.7L (350) was gas millage. The 5.3L LS engine gave about the same performance, but better gas millage. The 5.3L has more horsepower, but the 5.7L has more torque. So the first pic is my 97 1/2 ton C1500 Silverado. The next pic is a 99 GMT 800 1/2 ton C1500 If you look at the body lines, you can see the differences, Also the grill , headlights, tail lights door handles, and much more. I have always been a fan of rally strips. When I had my truck repainted in 2013, it was only $100 more to add the strips.

 

Wow what company wanted to charge you that much?

 

I had the whole truck repainted for $863 with the strips. It would have been $775 without the strips, but then it woud have just looked like any other GMT400 out there.

 

My truck had no body work. The clear coat was peeling. It was just sand and repaint, and add the strips.

 

Not even a door ding to repair?

 

No nothing, but sense it has been painted, it has about 4 or 5 very small dings now. White is such a good color for not showing dings though. It is my daily driver.

 

I really hate those people that create door dings!

 

Even with the few very small dings it has now, the is no chips or scratches in the paint even now. The inside is near perfect as well

 

If you click on my avatar, then my pictures, then on my 97 Silverado 3 door you can see how good of shape my truck is in.

 

Looks great!

 

So I"m curious, Which rear axle's can we swap in the 99 suburban?

 

Did you find out which is interchangeable?

 

You have to look under the rear wheels if your suburban has leaf springs or coil springs.
Year 1999 is the transition period for old and new body and suspension styles.