This has suburban badging, shop claims it's a 2025 but doesn't have the 2025 infotainment that I can see if you zoom in.
Curious as to how this show got a true 3500 or if this is a conversion.
2025 8 Lug Suburban
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This has suburban badging, shop claims it's a 2025 but doesn't have the 2025 infotainment that I can see if you zoom in.
Curious as to how this show got a true 3500 or if this is a conversion.
Tonyv__
Full Access Member
I remember seeing a headline a while ago about gm making government issued 2500hd suburbans. So they do exist as far as I’m aware but not for just anyone to get their hands on it.
They are supposed to be built by GM Defense and should technically not have any consumer GM badging.
GM like all companies likes money, just like the 3500HD I bet dealers can order them as fleets such as ComEd here in IL has a few of the 3500HD burbs under their own SKU. I'd assume this will also eventually leak out to a few dealers for private sales.
basketballmail2
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Marky Dissod
Full Access Member
Gubbuhmint would get more bang for their unlimited bucks from a 6.6L V8, whether petrol L8T or turbodiesel L5P.
Interesting.
As I remember GM stopped building the Yukon XL/Suburban 2500's for "consumers" - when the GMT900 line ended in 2013. Pretty sure the were using the old "weren't selling enough of them" excuse.
Duraburb has a video up on Youtube where they pulled apart one of the 2015-2020 generation Suburban 3500's - and showed how the frame under it - was pretty much the exact same frame as was used in the 2007-2013 2500s and in the 2000-2006 2500s. I had a 2003 Suburban 2500 - and have a 2010 Yukon XL 2500 now - and can attest to the fact that the frames underneath each are pretty much identical. Duraburb had a govt. contract I believe - to up-engine some of the 3500s - to Duramax 6.6L power.
It was my understanding that - the current generation was never going to be made into a 2500 or 3500, because of the independent rear suspension. Obviously if you throw enough money at the problem you can do anything - so I guess GM figured out how to make a 3500 Suburban from the new gen using that government money.
It would be pretty cool if they brought back the 2500 Suburban / Yukon XL for the consumer market - by cross pollinating that .gov paid for HD frame/suspension setup back into the "civilian" product line. It's been more than ten years since the 2500 has been commonly available , there must be some pent-up demand.
As I remember GM stopped building the Yukon XL/Suburban 2500's for "consumers" - when the GMT900 line ended in 2013. Pretty sure the were using the old "weren't selling enough of them" excuse.
Duraburb has a video up on Youtube where they pulled apart one of the 2015-2020 generation Suburban 3500's - and showed how the frame under it - was pretty much the exact same frame as was used in the 2007-2013 2500s and in the 2000-2006 2500s. I had a 2003 Suburban 2500 - and have a 2010 Yukon XL 2500 now - and can attest to the fact that the frames underneath each are pretty much identical. Duraburb had a govt. contract I believe - to up-engine some of the 3500s - to Duramax 6.6L power.
It was my understanding that - the current generation was never going to be made into a 2500 or 3500, because of the independent rear suspension. Obviously if you throw enough money at the problem you can do anything - so I guess GM figured out how to make a 3500 Suburban from the new gen using that government money.
It would be pretty cool if they brought back the 2500 Suburban / Yukon XL for the consumer market - by cross pollinating that .gov paid for HD frame/suspension setup back into the "civilian" product line. It's been more than ten years since the 2500 has been commonly available , there must be some pent-up demand.
Marky Dissod
Full Access Member
My educated guess involves studying the differences between a 1500 Suburban and a 2500 pickup truck with an identical wheelbase.
From there figuring out how to remove the IRS subframe and swap in a live rear axle and its commensurate suspension should not be too hard.
I seem to remember reading somewhere that GM added more interior space to the latest gen of Burb/Yukon XL - because they didn't need to use up as much space to fit in the independent suspension rear end. That seems like a solveable problem though - by just adding a little more height to the suspension ( lift it), maybe they could fit in a live-axle rear end.
The thing I like about the 2500 series Suburban/Yukons - is their towing rating. You get an SUV with all of the interior space - plus more towing. I'd love to see a 3500 Suburban with like a 12K tow rating.
Marky Dissod
Full Access Member
Think the same applies to the Tahoe / Yukon.
With a live axle, the pumpkin must have as much freedom to move up / down as the tires.
With an indy rear, everything inboard of the tires moves up / down less and less as you approach the center, which does not move up or down at all - leaving some more room for 3rd row riders.
Would keeping the leaf springs on top of the axle be enough?
Putting the axle on top of the leaf springs would let the pumpkin get very close to the body.
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