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99 Suburban rear end assembly, potential swap

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22K views 34 replies 11 participants last post by  bazar01  
#1 · (Edited)
Hello folks. Found out today while I was getting an estimate for rear brakes ($640.00 just for new shoes and wheel cylinders.) that one of my rear wheel bearings is going out on my 99 suburban My thought is it would be cheaper to by a whole used assembly than to get the repairs done. I found a 2001 Tahoe that I can get the rear from (With disc brakes no less,) but cant find anything to tell me if it will fit without major modifications. Does anyone know if it will work, or what issues I might run into?
 
#2 · (Edited)
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.
 
#3 ·
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.
 
#12 ·
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
 
#7 ·
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.
 
#10 ·
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.
 
#9 ·
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... :}
 
#14 ·
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!

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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
 
#15 ·
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.
 
#18 · (Edited)
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!
 
#21 ·
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?
 
#22 ·
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.
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#35 ·
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.