99 Silverado with 4.8 engine any good?

[JOESELLSVW]

I'm looking at buying a very nice condition but high mileage Chevy truck as my tow vehicle. It's a 99 Silverado 1500 4x4 Short Bed Regular Cab with 113,000 miles on it. I can buy the truck for $7000. It hasn't ever towed and has a tonneau cover and the bed is near brand new and has never had a bedliner! It was mainly used for highway driving. I'll be towing an open trailer with my GTI on the back. Car 2300 lbs, trailer probably 1400 lbs plus a weekend full of race gear. I think that this motor is rated at 2oo hp and 255 ft lbs of torque, but I've seen the hp quoted at 255 also. Anyone have any experience with this powertrain? If I buy I'll be flushing all fluids for synthetic asap. I'm also looking for brake pad recommendations for towing, any suggestions? Joe

[JLawton]

I had a 97 with a 5.0L. Rated at 230 HP. I think you should do fine even with 200 HP. May slow a little on the long hills.... Try a perf exhaust and a K&N.

I used Performance Friction in the 97. Worked great but I had to get new ones every year (they are guaranteed for life, so I never had to pay for them)

In my 02 Supercrew I use Hawk pads. They also work great!! Haven't had them long enough to know about longevity.......

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Jeff L
#74 ITB GTi

[joeg]

Joe--That price seems a bit high.

Double check on kbb.com or wherever.

Good luck!

[handfulz28]

If it's loaded with all power options (an LS model), has the aluminum wheels and tow package, it's not a bad price.
In '99 the 4.8 was rated around 265hp/285lbft or thereabouts. Should pull your setup just fine. What gears does it have? Glovebox sticker will have "GT4"=3.73 or "GT5"=4.10. If it has the 3.73s, you might need to run it in 3rd for hills.
I've been using the factory pads on my '99. Still on the first set after 80k miles and I drive it like a sports car :-) I do use a brake ctrlr and my trailer has single-axle brakes.
Your first "upgrade" should be a reprogrammed PCM from an '01-02.
Check out:
www.ls1tech.com/forums
www.pcmforless.com
www.ststurbo.com when you need more power

Michael
'01 Yukon XL 2500 w/8.1L
'99 Silverado w/5.3L

[seamus88]

Joe-- Get a extended cab instead you will be glad you did. Not sure about 4 x 4 either. 99% of the time it is just extra weight and parts to break.

Sean

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Sean Christie
# 88
ITA Civic Si
Phila Region

[ITANorm]

Originally posted by seamus88:
Not sure about 4 x 4 either. 99% of the time it is just extra weight and parts to break.

Until you paddock in that nice grassy spot, and then the monsoons come - then it's priceless.

[zooracer]

as a multi-time pick em up owner, I can say that the regular cabs are very hard to deal with. An extra cab is worth it's weight in gold, or even a four door...

[bsholden]

Joe-
Check the wheel base on that truck. I now tow a 14' open trailer, carrying a Miata, with a Durango (117" W and it is a little more nervous than my old 4.3L Chevy S-10 extended cab (122" W.

Bart

[JOESELLSVW]

Well, I drove that truck and decided to wait for something else. It didn't have a tow package and I think I'd be happier with something with a little more wheelbase and more cabroom. I think I'm going to look for an Avalanche. As goofy as those things are they're a lot of truck for the money! We traded one in on a MINI... extra nice truck with everything but the sunroof. They don't hold their value too well, but that's just fine by me...

[Roy Dean]

<font face=\"Verdana, Arial\" size=\"2\">Joe-- Get a extended cab instead you will be glad you did. Not sure about 4 x 4 either. 99% of the time it is just extra weight and parts to break</font>

I disagree:



I, too, thought 4wd would be a waste. I've already been pulled out of my backyard twice... once by an avalanche, once by a cherokee.

[This message has been edited by Roy Dean (edited February 05, 2005).]

[Bill Miller]

Joe,

I'll echo what others have said about a crew/extended cab, and 4WD. I've pulled more than one fellow racer out of the paddock at Summit Point! When it was time to replace my old truck, I wouldn't even look at a standard cab. Didn't want a full crew cab, and ended up w/ a '98 Sierra K2500 HD extra cab. It was tha last year of the old body style, and since it was the HD (8600 GVW, 8-lug hubs), it didn't have the 3rd door for the back seat. It also didn't have airbags. Vortec 350 w/ a 4.10 rear. Gas mileage is a bit tough, but any gas truck is going to be.

It rides nice, is comfortable, and has enough 'creature comforts' (nice interior, power windows, CD, etc.) Plus, it tows that 24' trailer w/o a problem.

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