Why did front end parts need to be constantly replaced? Is that inherent in those particular trucks or is it just your situation?

I usually only post in the morning but dang...


Not much difference between a single wheel GMT400 3500 and a GMT800 2500 in capacity. Keep reading.


Air bags are easy to install but is this the issue? Keep reading.


Look above. The 1999 is a GMT400 and the other one is a GMT800. They are not the same body style and nothing interchanges readily. The frame is different. So is everything else really. The GMT800 in HALF TON came out in 1999. The 2500 and 3500 didn't change until 2001...when the 8100, Allison (5-speed) and first Duramax came out. Once again, nothing about a 350 or 454 3500 in 1999 is related to a 2001+ anything.

AND!!! The 1999 3500 is an 8' (long) bed. The GMT800 featured is what is generally called a crew cab SHORT bed (shortest of two bed lengths on the GMT800 2500)...the other being an 8'. Yes, GM made GMT800 2500's in crew cab LONG (8') bed configuration but they are as about uncommon as EITHER a GMT400 OR GMT800 single wheel 3500.

Make sense?


I agree...unless it's cheaper to find an unmolested GMT400 long bed one ton. Not likely...plus you'd have the old 350 or 454.


The only thing similar to all those is the steering and the idler and pitman arms are usually only good for 100-200K miles, sometimes less when abused. The outer tie rods are a little less prone to getting sloppy and the ball joints usually stay in them for a while. On oilfield trucks, the idler and pitman are 50K items and the ball joints are 100K items. BUT...if it's never on the paved road at 60+ MPH, might not matter.


See above. Hope that helps.

The 8100 gets 8 MPG all the time no matter what and you'll hate the crank sensor if it goes out but otherwise, they're fine. Glad I haven't changed one of those CKP's in 20 years. Each generation is stronger (higher capacity), taller, more complex, and more difficult and expensive to fix but they have better "stuff" too. I don't see myself ever buying a new truck nor anything newer than about 2018 for the rest of my life.

My perfect fall from the heavens truck if I were to replace my 2007 Sierra is a 2015 1500 Sierra 2WD 6.2 6-speed crew cab. That should say a lot.

Gasguzzler, im gonna pm you.

Had that truck in an 01 model w/duramax, great truck and one of the few I should have held onto, never a problem in 6 years.

Im down a new rabbit hole on this deal. I really think this 02 2500 is worth trying to make it work.
***My new thought is to just leave the existing factory bed on it.***
There are evidently some really efficient tool boxes of various sizes and shapes out there that would allow me to get all my “stuff” in them within the shorter bed. The boxes wouldnt be cheap but may be cheaper than the alternative of dealing with the flatbed changing out or buying. Then I need to figure out the upper rack which I could cut down/modify or just build a new rack.
Thoughts?
Im about to research but Im thinking a tool box running longways behind the cab that slides out to the side. Then in the bed one that’s real low profile that slides out. Then just normal small boxes on the side that sit on the bed rail.
Thanks for tagging along on this.

They are "supposed" to upgrade the front end on SOME of the new HD GM vehicles ( on the AT4X the A-Arms are much stouter looking than the other models ) but I've always had issues with the ball joints on just about any GM vehicle I've owned. I have issues with them on Fords as well with oversize tires, but on Super Duty's I don't have many issues with the front end, likely due to the straight axle and beefier components.

Toolboxes make sense to me. 'Course, without the flatbed and the required little Yeti strapped down, pacing/hanging on for dear life blue heeler optional, you're not gonna fit in around my place.

If I get the 02 2500 and leave the factory bed these are my first thoughts on tool boxes.
I’ve always liked the low profile ones in back of bed that slide out while still allowing use of the bed.
The other I’ve never heard of but I think I like. It would run the length of both sides and have a lid that flips up with a shallow compartment. Then on the end it’s a drawer that slides out.
Any thoughts?

I dont know if anyone is still following along but I have new info.
It’s a 1500 HD and not a 2500. A quick Google tells me it’s almost exactly the same truck. It has 8 lug nuts which I thought denoted 3/4 or one ton. I’m not pulling anything but I have a lot of weight in it at all times and I’m in tough terrain. I’ll research more but thought some of y’all may know. I’m driving it now to my fabricator to talk tool boxes and rack and it drives great.

From what I remember, 1500 HD’s had heavier (3/4 ton axles), usually 3.71 gears vs 4/10 as a 2500 HD, and half ton trans and transfer case…..

3.73:1 or 4.10:1 choices were based on 2/4WD, engine, etc. and both were available in almost all configurations 1500HD and up. Remember when duallys had 4.56:1 as an option? With 8 to 10 speed automatics they have 3.42:1 in many cases now.

The 1500HD should have the "small" 2500 axle (9.5"), the factory "body lift" style frame of a 2500, and bigger front hubs. Pretty sure it's a leaf or two short of 2500 spring-wise. They were all 6.0L and 4L80E from what I remember..NOT a 1500 transmission and therefore not a 1500 transfer case.

Please do not forget GM made non-HD 2500's in 2001 and maybe 2002. The real confusion is the difference between a 1500HD and a 2500 non-HD. The 1500HDs were all crew cab short bed. The non-HD 2500 could be regular cab, extended cab, or maybe crew cab with appropriate choices of bed length (couldn't get regular cab short bed boviously).

The 2500HD added the ability to get the 8100 or Duramax and the first generation Allison transmission. 2500 non-HD jsut had a 6.0L which was not a choice in the HD as I remember.

Reminds me of the early 80's Heavy Half. Remember those?

Thanks for the responses guys. Gasguzzler seems to really have the first hand experience so Im listening close.

Ive learned a lot in a few days so Ill summarize where my heads at now.
1. I do not think I need anything with a flatbed as I originally thought. With the right tool boxes I can get everything on a regular bed along with the overhead rack and get to everything better than I can now.
2. Im convinced this particular truck is a very good truck and worth the money. The question is it "heavy duty" enough to handle all the cargo weight and bounce around on ranch roads with same weight.
3. After doing research it appears that this 1500 HD is almost the identical truck to the 2500(non HD) they had at that time.
4. My question now is rather to look into a 2500 "HD" and likely a much newer one to get one with relatively low mileage. A truck like that will likely cost me 3 times as much as this one and I wont know the history like I do on this 02 1500 hd.

So, not completely back to the drawing board cause Ive learned a lot and narrowed down a lot. Just not home free quiet yet. If anyone can convince me that this truck can handle the weight then Im ready to buy it right now and start the conversion.

4) If you choose to look for a 2500HD from that era, remember you'll be stuck with a diesel or an 8100. There are advantages and disadvantages to both choices but neither is my choice. If I were towing at speed I would pick the diesel regrettedly because the unloaded MPG of the 8100 is the same as loaded ... 5-8 MPG.

Gas, thanks for the info. I will NOT be towing at all and I will NOT get a diesel. It will strictly be on ranch roads with a lot of weight on it all the time. My concern with the 1500hd(with added air bag) is the payload carry capacity and not the towing capacity.
Im not sure what you mean by "that era". If I get anything besides the one Im looking at (02 1500 HD 157k for $8k) then I would look newer and less miles in 2500HD. My top budget would be about 20K and what im seeing is the 2500hd for that price may have to be somewhat older and more miles.

OEM max payload for a 2002 1500HD is just under 3000 pounds. After reading up on it, air bags don't add payload ability, only keep the springs in the middle of their mechanical limits (my creative description). I can't say (nor can anyone else) if it will work because we don't know how much weight you are planning on carrying in the bed (payload). The non-HD 2500 from 2002 can carry 3100 in the bed. The difference for the OP in the truck he can get at a good price and a truck that may not exist is 150 pounds. The payload of a 1999 3500 is 3200. So now that we have all the numbers EXCEPT the actual weight he is carrying, we can see the 1500HD is rated about 250 pounds less than the current truck ... which is NOTHING. The bed you have/had on the 1999 model is no doubt heavier than an OEM bed and therefore was already using up a good chunk of the 250 "extra" pounds of payload. Tool boxes will take away from the proposed number too...

My 8.1 L gets 9.1 MPG unloaded and a little less pulling 3,000 pounds, which isn't much considering.

What about the 6.0 L? That engine never interested me. Maybe in a 1500HD though. Never could find one I liked enough. They all seemed to be run down pretty good.

Have a 2004, 2500HD, 6.0, 4x4 extended cab with about 109.000 miles. Only trouble I have had is two water pumps, which I changed my self along with all maintenance. Oh. Did have all the gauge stepper motors replaced at Chevy dealer (only time it was in a dealer shop). Gets about 12-14 mpg, depending on how heavy my foot is. Pulls my 4x4, M5700 Kabota with FEL and 6’ bush hog on 18’ flat bed with no trouble. Oh, and it’s not for sale!

Im getting good feedback from yall as well as a couple members I have communicated with off the forum.
Gasguz is one that has kept up with the details so I will address some of his. His comments about payload capacity is where I am concentrating my decision now. Im really surprised that there is so little difference in the payload capacity of these different trucks. I just found out basically the same thing as Gasguz on my own research. I "want" to ask why the big fuss over the "stouter" trucks but I dont think I want to get off on that tangent.

QUESTION...How much "cushion" is there on the rated payload capacity and should I push that????
If my rated payload is 3000#s then how much more than that do you think its safe to carry on a fulltime basis?
A friend talked to a GM service manager and said the 1500hd could carry close to 5000# even though rated for 3000. Im not sure if he thought that extra weight was a parttime thing or fulltime or if he knew it was on rough roads a lot.

NEW INFO....Im not sure if this matters but Ive done some thinking. I estimate putting about 1600 miles a year on the truck going forward and thats on the high side. There will be much less ranch road miles than I originally was assuming.
Very rough estimate I plan...
-Blacktop going to town 400 miles a year
-County Road (well maintained gravel) 800 miles a year
-Ranch roads (half are decent and half rough) 400 miles a year.

Going forward....Pending new feedback from yall, my plan is to try and figure out how much weight (tool boxes, tools, overhead rack, winch, road feeder, corn, ice chest, people, guns, misc) I will be adding to the factory truck. Right now a semi wild guess is 3000# so if yall agree theres a big cushion from the rated 3000 specs then I may not bother to actually go up to lease and try to actually weigh everything.

BOTTOM LINE question for the entire thread....Will I have a fairly trouble free truck for the next 10 to 15 years? Its a 02 1500hd gmc with 157k miles from a one owner that never abused it all(street used, garage kept). The next 20000 miles will be as described above and with 3000 to 4000# of payload on it at all times. Ill likely have about 180k miles on it when Im too old to push it around much more.

I committed to buy the 02 gmc 1500hd today. Should have in hand tomorrow.
Now I’ve got to firm up exactly how to outfit it.
I really appreciate y’all that tagged along with your advice.