Hey guys, I have an 03 and like the truck quite a bit. Wonder what everybody’s opinions on the previous generation with the 350? I do like the older body style. Just curious as to what people see as the major chants and upgrades with the 800.
Opinions on the previous generation of tahoes or Yukons?
- Thread starter 03yukXL
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For me not a fan of the GMT 800's.
I like the GMT 400's better. Way better body lines, Cheap parts, Easy to work on, last forever.
GMT900's Better body lines. Better creature comforts then an 800, Not a cat eye, I think 800's are UGLY, Uncomfortable to drive, More prone to rust. Just not a fan.
My last GMT400. What's not to like, 454.
I like the GMT 400's better. Way better body lines, Cheap parts, Easy to work on, last forever.
GMT900's Better body lines. Better creature comforts then an 800, Not a cat eye, I think 800's are UGLY, Uncomfortable to drive, More prone to rust. Just not a fan.
My last GMT400. What's not to like, 454.
Having had both I like the older ones for simplicity, parts can be cheaper to buy, and a lot of parts are more durable.
I like the look of them and the 00-06 Yukon about the same.
Driving goes to the newer one by a long shot. The OBS ones drive like the old truck they are compared to the 2000s ones. They're clunkier, steering and braking is worse but not bad, worse gas mileage and obviously lack some of the options. The seats are more padded and comfortable in them tho.
Rust wise they are both the same but people have been fixing up OBS trucks longer so decent replacement body parts are cheaper and more readily available.
I like the look of them and the 00-06 Yukon about the same.
Driving goes to the newer one by a long shot. The OBS ones drive like the old truck they are compared to the 2000s ones. They're clunkier, steering and braking is worse but not bad, worse gas mileage and obviously lack some of the options. The seats are more padded and comfortable in them tho.
Rust wise they are both the same but people have been fixing up OBS trucks longer so decent replacement body parts are cheaper and more readily available.
strutaeng
Full Access Member
If you are used to the GMT800, I would say you may not like the GMT400. At least I didn't, going from an 800, then buying a 400.
They each have issues, of course. But the things I really dislike on the previous generation are:
Busted dashes, literally 99% of them are falling apart,
Mediocre door hinges that cause the driver's side door to sag, then it binds and you break the handles,
SBC Vortec engines with the goofy spider injectors (injectors and FPR are under intake and make diagnosing and replacing very difficult. It's a horrendous design),
Intake manifold gaskets leak,
Rear drums are woefully inadequate on the 1500s. I've got a buddy that says drum brakes are for losers (he's a young kid...go figure.),
ACs are kinda weak and the compressors don't last,
I've learned to hate distributors because they wear out and have left me stranded a few times.
I've got a 2000 K3500 and in addition on the 8 lug, the brakes are a nightmare to replace. The rotors are not a slide-out design. You have to press out the rotors from the hubs AFTER removing them off the truck. WTF.
A while back my brother's BIL was looking for an old Chevy and we even did a comparison. It's for trucks, but there's plenty of information on suvs well. Here: https://www.performancetrucks.net/f...neral-discussion-130/gmt400-vs-gmt800-560602/
An LS-swapped OBS would be a decent truck tho.
They each have issues, of course. But the things I really dislike on the previous generation are:
Busted dashes, literally 99% of them are falling apart,
Mediocre door hinges that cause the driver's side door to sag, then it binds and you break the handles,
SBC Vortec engines with the goofy spider injectors (injectors and FPR are under intake and make diagnosing and replacing very difficult. It's a horrendous design),
Intake manifold gaskets leak,
Rear drums are woefully inadequate on the 1500s. I've got a buddy that says drum brakes are for losers (he's a young kid...go figure.),
ACs are kinda weak and the compressors don't last,
I've learned to hate distributors because they wear out and have left me stranded a few times.
I've got a 2000 K3500 and in addition on the 8 lug, the brakes are a nightmare to replace. The rotors are not a slide-out design. You have to press out the rotors from the hubs AFTER removing them off the truck. WTF.
A while back my brother's BIL was looking for an old Chevy and we even did a comparison. It's for trucks, but there's plenty of information on suvs well. Here: https://www.performancetrucks.net/f...neral-discussion-130/gmt400-vs-gmt800-560602/
An LS-swapped OBS would be a decent truck tho.
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My biggest gripe with that generation of GM trucks was mentioned above: the brakes suck big time. Not just in a b*tch to replace sense but in the brakes were truly inadequate for the weight of the vehicle sense.
I never had any major problems with mine and it was high mileage. Interior was very comfortable, rode great, visibility great, and super easy AND cheap to maintain.
The main thing I believe that benefits that generation of trucks is the quality of materials. The 90’s were a strange time. Automakers had focused so long and hard the past decades on luxury and workmanship and still wanted to make a hefty, quality vehicle that could last. The big SUV boom was brewing up and I think they were still spending a bit more on raw materials.. carpet maybe 1/16th in. Thicker, stuff like that, ya know?
In a way, as mentioned, it technically *IS* a downgrade from the GMT800, but depending on if it’s earlier model or later model may be more or less very similar to the GMT800 and be more of an aesthetic/stylistic difference more than anything else tbh. I think the earliest models were still pretty primitive, like for example, and someone correct me if I’m wrong, but i think the first few years of GMT400 did not come standard with airbags. My ‘98 did.
I never had any major problems with mine and it was high mileage. Interior was very comfortable, rode great, visibility great, and super easy AND cheap to maintain.
The main thing I believe that benefits that generation of trucks is the quality of materials. The 90’s were a strange time. Automakers had focused so long and hard the past decades on luxury and workmanship and still wanted to make a hefty, quality vehicle that could last. The big SUV boom was brewing up and I think they were still spending a bit more on raw materials.. carpet maybe 1/16th in. Thicker, stuff like that, ya know?
In a way, as mentioned, it technically *IS* a downgrade from the GMT800, but depending on if it’s earlier model or later model may be more or less very similar to the GMT800 and be more of an aesthetic/stylistic difference more than anything else tbh. I think the earliest models were still pretty primitive, like for example, and someone correct me if I’m wrong, but i think the first few years of GMT400 did not come standard with airbags. My ‘98 did.
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Marky Dissod
Full Access Member
GMT400 front brakes? Or GMT800 front brakes?
Is the GMT900 front brake kit as plug'n'play for a GMT400, as it is for a GMT800?
strutaeng
Full Access Member
Negative on the 1500s.
Although Lawrence Tolman did a front brake upgrade to a 8 lug suburban GMT400 a few years ago...I think he used a lower control arm and other brake parts from a GMT800 8 lug?
Marky Dissod
Full Access Member
This is the kind of stuff this forum should prioritize:
flexible definitions of GM OE that make the GMT400 GMT800 & GMT900
even easier than GM originally intended to maintain and upgrade
with stuff that anyone can order from RockAuto's parts menu
for the foreseeable future.
I mean, front brake upgrades are AWESOME, but that's all?
Still fantasizing about frankensteining my Z71 into a sort of Tahoe 2500 ...
Yeah sorry, for clarity I was referring to GMT400 brakes that suck. Though the 800’s aren’t that much better…
Spearhead the movement !
Never understood the hate for GMT400 brakes.
The brakes on my GMT400 K2500 suburban were fine even when towing. Cant remember ever having one i thought had bad brakes after rebuilding.
I think HydroBoost makes the difference. Never had a GMT400 with vacuum booster though. I have had 6 or 7 GMT400's.
My current GMT900 has vacuum boost and it's no better or worse than GMT400's
The brakes on my GMT400 K2500 suburban were fine even when towing. Cant remember ever having one i thought had bad brakes after rebuilding.
I think HydroBoost makes the difference. Never had a GMT400 with vacuum booster though. I have had 6 or 7 GMT400's.
My current GMT900 has vacuum boost and it's no better or worse than GMT400's
Marky Dissod
Full Access Member
GMT400 1500 front brakes are egregiously undersized.
Personally I can't speak on the 2500 front brakes.
Ever bother to compare the front rotors?
'cause if I had to choose between
bigger front rotors with vacuum assist, or
smaller front rotors with HydroBoost,
I'll take the larger front rotors, thanks.
Marky Dissod
Full Access Member
I have the mindset, but not any of the other logistical advantages that would let me.
Maybe, I never had a 1/2 ton till now.
The brakes are fine and have no problem stopping but once again they are like typical GM truck brakes of the time and there's a big difference in pedal feel compared to newer vehicles. You definitely notice it if you haven't driven those vehicles in a while.
latvius
Full Access Member
Never had a gmt400 but there is a reason for that - butt ugly. I have 05 Tahoe and Denali love the lines, ride nice always get compliments on the ride quality. Don't like 07 and up seriously ugly headlights on the 07 series, the line after that got better looking not sure what year but they all cost to much. I'm keeping mine it'll be part of the estate sale and if/when we want something newer I am going to lease a car since I already have pickup trucks and SUVs to drive.
07-14 Yukon's sure do have ugly headlights but I love the rest of the body lines. Would rather have a Chevy front end.
Marky Dissod
Full Access Member
Front fenders, hood, headlights, grille, bumper cover, don' think it's much more complicated than that.
Pops946
TYF Newbie
Had an 02 LT, 5.3. It left the family last year. Wish I still had it. Great vehicle, very few maintenance issues, and still looked great. Was the charcoal gray with the fender flares. Still cleaned up nice and looked almost new until a deer committed suicide on it one night. Never any rust. My wife now has a 23 Premier, 5.3. About 25k miles now - great road tripper.
Coveman
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I have a 99 gmt400 1/2 ton 4wd and a 13 gmt900 3/4 ton 4wd. The 99 has been a reliable and useful utility vehicle. The brakes were shameful (my favorite comparison is the size of my front brake rotors being just smaller than those on a mazda 3). I did the nbs brake swap and it made a big difference. The 99’s visibility is much better, the 2nd row seats fold much flatter for hauling, the tail gate is awesome and man do I like swapping components without having to worry about the computer rejecting them. Biggest problem I have had with the GMT400 is my kids like it and it followed one of them into the Navy and now lives on the west coast. Cause of that, I tracked down my 13.
The 13 is kinda claustrophobic inside (the actual opening of the rear window is at least 30% smaller than the 400s), the rear liftgate is a minivan thing that I find utterly useless and makes hauling long stuff a challenge. Seats dont even try to fold flat, in fact they designed it so you need the 3rd row installed folded down to haul things flat over the second row seats that also fold about a foot above ‘flat’. I really like the 6.0, the 6 speed is awesome on the highway, and the 3/4 ton is more tank-like than the 1/2 when pulling.
I never owned a 800, but it did seem like the pickups rusted through their rear bumpers in short order and that was a little concerning to me. Wish all the trucks had better corrosion prevention
The 13 is kinda claustrophobic inside (the actual opening of the rear window is at least 30% smaller than the 400s), the rear liftgate is a minivan thing that I find utterly useless and makes hauling long stuff a challenge. Seats dont even try to fold flat, in fact they designed it so you need the 3rd row installed folded down to haul things flat over the second row seats that also fold about a foot above ‘flat’. I really like the 6.0, the 6 speed is awesome on the highway, and the 3/4 ton is more tank-like than the 1/2 when pulling.
I never owned a 800, but it did seem like the pickups rusted through their rear bumpers in short order and that was a little concerning to me. Wish all the trucks had better corrosion prevention
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