GMC Yukon XL and Yukon XL Denali

heatwave3 · December 2001

b4z: is it possible you were comparing the heights of a new 4wd Sub vs an older 2wd Sub? The heights would have been ceratinly different simply beacuse of the 4wd. I owned 2, 4wd 3/4 ton Subs before my current Denali XL and the previous Subs were definitely taller.

The DXL does come with Michelin 265's on 17" rims which I believe fills out the wheel well more than a Sub with 245's which I believe is standard. In fact I've heard of 275's actually fitting and not interefering with the front wheel well on turning.

Has anyone else installed 275's and did you have to have the computer upgraded to accomodate the speedometer?

heatwave3 · December 2001

TIP: for those of you with Yukon XLs, Subs and Denali XLs, the third row seat overhead light does not have on/off reading light switches. This can be easily upgraded by ordering the second row light with switches from . The part #s are 15765710 for the Tan interior, 15044370 for Shale and 15765711 for Pewter. The light runs about $21.00 plus shipping.

To install, turn off the overhead dome lamps at the dash. The old lamp is easily removed by using a small screwdriver to open the lens of the existing lamp (look for the small notch to pry the lens open). This will enable the light to simply be pulled down from the ceiling. Disconnect the wire plug from the old lamp.

Next take a pair of strong scissors and simply cut the ceiling along the lines impressed into the ceiling by the original lamp (the old lamp is smaller than the new lamp). Plug the wire connector into the new lamp and test the lamp briefly by turning on the overhead lamp switch at the dash. Reinsert the new lamp into the larger opening with the lens open. Once the lens has been closed, the new lamp with switches will be locked into place.

Its an inexpensive upgrade that will enable your third row passengers to do some reading or coloring on any long trips at night. Unfortunately, you can't perform the same upgrade on the cargo area lamp unless you run a ground wire from the third row lamp and change the wire connector to incorporate this extra ground wire.

b4z · December 2001

They were both 2wd. Of course on the 70's model the springs have sagged so the vehicle was sitting pretty low. The height difference was startling.

It seems to be a trend. Getting vehicles taller and taller. I do not like it and think that there is a center of gravity penalty, and a gas mileage penalty.

boone924 · December 2001

B4Z,
I think the extra height is great. I like being up high so that I can see what is going on in front and around me. I checked out your profile and see that you currently own a 2001 Impala and post to to Cadillac board. Looks to me like you are spouting sour grapes and may be one of those who do not like those of us who drive SUV's because they are too big. My 2001 Yukon XL is great and yes there is about a foot clearance between the top of the tire and the body. I love it. I can look down into those Impalas and see everything going on. Most of us that own SUV's are not into lowriders.

b4z · December 2001

Sour grapes? You are not judging someone by the kind of car they drive? Are you?

Merry Christmas!

brikp · December 2001

Hello -- I have a 2002 z-71 sub, you know, the one with the funky roof rack. It seems the roof rack was designed to accommodate some type of auxiliary lights. Does anyone know what I would need to add this feature? Anyone else with a 2002 Z-71 sub doing any after market add-ons? If so I would love to discuss. brian@peppel.com

adplusone · December 2001

My 2000 2WD LT (with stock suspension) is nearing 30,000 miles and the ride is getting a bit weak. What are good replacement shocks?

ryanbab · December 2001

bilstein

http://www.offroadwarehouse.com or autozone has them the cheapest

I replaced the stock tenneco (Z71) shocks on my silverado at 21K with bilstein HD's and they are a good shock. Paid $49.99 a piece

nudieblues · December 2001

Proud New Onwer here of a 2001 Yukon Xl SLT (Pewter).
Does anyone know [where and if] there are
"Bra's" available for the side mirrors ????
Im gonna be adding a Nice tinted bug deflector also and would really appreciate if anyone here has a Manufacturer suggestion on those also.
The first one I looked at today was made by "EGR" and the EGR's hace two little holes
[One at each end] to keep the tips of the deflector from flapping in the wind.
I'm really not sure if I like that feature - so I'm looking for suggestions.
My next question for anyone who knows - Is - Will the front grill of the Yukon Denali fit
and can one be mounted on the Yukon XL.
I like that purforated grill so much I'd kinda like to one day consider putting one on my
Yukon XL.
Oh yeah & BTW - I still haven't figured out where GMC put that Sub-Woofer they talked about in the Brochure
Anyone know where it's located ?
I obviously didn't get the Premium Sound System.
I've found out real quick that you have to turn the Bass On full and then take the Treble down almost on the low side of it's Zero settings to start getting that mysterious Sub-Woofer to get in.
One problem I see with the ability to put a good sound system in these vehicles - is the front dash design.
To get music up to your head height - you almost always have to bounce it off the front window via a dash mounted set of speakers.
You'll notice one side of the Yukon XL
Dash board is Cupped and not very suitable to mount a set of speakers on the front dash.
I mean what would the alternative to getting music up at head level in these SUV's ????
Overall I'm really pleased with the vehicle and looking forward to adding a few finishing touches.
One word of advice !
Go out to your garage "If you have garage doors"
and check to see if you have a "spring arrestor"
kit on those large springs hat assist your garage
doors to lift them.
I've had first hand experience with one letting go. The first thing it attacks is the side of your car's paint job and will gouge the vehicle down to the bare metal.
I'm putting on new ones this weekend over my New Yukon and adding a Spring Arrestor kit - so if they do break the arrestor system hold them
at bay.

Looking forward to dropping by in the future!

Later On

bigfamilyinsj · December 2001

At 7K miles, my Burb mysteriously wouldn't start one morning after driving fine the previous day. After opening doors using remote, I tried to start the truck. Nothing. No dome lights. No power door locks. No dash lights. Everything was dead like the battery was shorted. Jump starting didn't work, although connecting external 12V power brought back all accessory power. It was towed on a flatbed to the dealer by Chevy roadside assistance. They charged up the battery and tested everything for 3 days. Couldn't find a thing wrong with it and couldn't duplicate the problem.

Anyway, I'm now considering a product called PriorityStart which is supposed to remove the load whenever the battery voltage falls below 11.9V. Has anyone had any experience with this product on their Burb or Yukon?

jgmilberg · December 2001

The Denali grill will fit, but you have to buy the lower turn signal lights, they are different, the headlights are the same shape so those will work fine. There is also an aftermarket company,DJ Motorsports that has a grill that is almost the same, but no GMC logo part number is HG-1000. You can check it out here: http://store.yahoo.com/djmotors/hg1000.html, look up the dealers near you and call around for pricing, some places are a lot more than others. Summit Racing carries them for $249.95, summit's part number is DMT-HG1000.

As far as the speakers go I use the auto tone to get the best sound from the stock system. The sub woofer is on the left side of the Yukon in the rear cargo wall, it's where the spare tire went on the old ones. Now for the front speakers I would look into getting some A-pillars form the dealer for a Denali, they have the tweeters built into them. That should bring the sound field up to ear level.

gotthesubbug · December 2001

I'm new to Edmunds, so if there's a way to search on old messages to find the answer from history, or if I'm on the wrong board, please let me know.

1. In the Dallas area, what's the best price you've seen on a Yukon XLT w/ luxury pkg (compared to dealer invoice)?

2. Sewell sells a "dual vision" or "double vision" tv/vcp/dvd system with 2 screens mounted from the ceiling. Anyone seen this, have an opinion, or know where to find it aftermarket?

3. How hard is it to install a wood trim kit? They're $350-$400 online vs $700 from the dealer.

4. How hard is it to install a billet grill?

4. Where's the best place online to buy aftermarket wood trim, grills, tv's, etc.?

Thanks

tidester · December 2001

Welcome to the Town Hall!

At the moment, our search facility leaves a bit to be desired but Edmund's is working on improving the system! Meanwhile, enjoy the boards!

tidester
Host
SUVs

ryanbab · December 2001

Best place online i found for billet grills is

http://www.coolwheels.com

ryanbab · December 2001

for even more info on gm vehicles check out

http://www.gm-trucks.com

pvorwerk · December 2001

I'm on my second Suburban, and I have notice a few problems/differences from my first 'Burb

I leased my first Suburban, a '97, which I had planned to keep at the end of the lease, but was unable to negotiate a decent price for a buyout. I wasn't ready to buy new again, and found a '98 LT that was loaded and with low miles. Since the drivetrain supposedly hadn't changed between 97 and 98 I expected the performance and mileage to be the same. It hasn't been.

1.) First thing I noticed was different mileage. My 97 would get 17+ on the highway and around 14 in town. Towing would drop the mileage 2 to 3 mpg. The best mileage that my 98 has yielded has been 15 on the highway and about 12 in town. Towing drops the mileage into the single digits. My dealer said that it was probably the autotrac that was dropping the mileage, but I've monitored the mileage long term now, in warm weather and no autotrac usage, and the mileage hasn't improved. The engine in the 98 doesn't seem as strong, either. Same 5.7 Liter, same 3.42 rear end.

2.) The ride quality is not as good. The 98 came equipped with the touring suspension (46mm Bilstein shocks) and wheels seem to get an excess of hop over bumps, and I will get rear wheel hop sometimes if the rear wheels are slipping in snow. The 98 still only has about 32,000 miles on it, and this was present from the early 20,000 mile range. Could the factory shocks really wear out that quickly? Or could it be the cheesey Firestone tires? I noticed that the specs for these tires show a much higher psi requirement.

3.) The engine knocks when it's cold. The dealer said it was normal, and handed me a TSB for the big block engines. I found the correct TSB for the 1998 5.7 engine that stated some engines had miss bored main journals, and the noise was caused from crankshaft flex. Anybody else ran into that? My dealer can't give me the same explantion twice, from "they all do that", (no they don't; my 97 didn't), to the wrong TSB, to finally he was going to have to call GM about that one.

I really loved my 97, but I didn't really want to make the investment in such a large, expensive to operate vehicle again. I tried to find something else when it was time to trade, but found I couldn't get by without a Suburban. 4 kids, a 100 lb yellow lab, 24' cabin cruiser in the summer and a 4 place enclosed snowmobile trailer in the winter made me rule out just about everything else.

By the way, used Excursions are a hell of a value right now. Just looked at 2001 XLT premium with 19000 miles for only $25,000. Vehicle was in excellent condition. I'm just too attached to the 'Burbs to make the switch, even though I'm not as happy with the one I have right now.

nudieblues · December 2001

www.autoeverything.com
They had the Black Vinyl Fabric Style
{i.e. Le Bra] with flannel linings.
$34.95 a pair (includes shipping)
The site check out basket says [quantity-1]
and that does mean - 1 pair

teamroper · December 2001

Hi, First time poster here. I am looking into buying a Yukon XL and have been reveiwing some of the post's,it sounds like I can't go wrong with this one. My question is has anyone expierenced any problems with one (i.e. noise, vibration, handeling). Any help and/or advice would be appreciated.
Jim

minikin · December 2001

are a hell of a value right now." No they aren't; they're cheap -- and for good reason. Think ride and mileage in your sub are bad........
-- don

tidester · December 2001

Welcome to the Town Hall, teamroper, and Happy New Year to ALL!

tidester
Host
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dbbn · January 2002

The same happened to my 1997 GMC Suburban several times before I finally found the problem. Local dealer couldn't find anything either as it was intermittent. In my case (your issue may certainly be different from mine) the problem was the relay(s) that controlled the rear fan speed. This happened both summer and winter, using heat or a/c. The rear fan would continue blowing air even when the ignition was turned off. I wouldn't notice the fan was still on when I left the truck and upon return the battery was dead...no surprise as the fan was on for an extended period of time usually overnight sometimes even several days. Jump start didn't work for me either but this was because of my theft alarm. Try to monitor rear fan when turning ignition off and exiting your truck...you may eventually find it still blowing air. Hope this helps. By the way I just picked up my 2002 Chevy K2500 LT with the 8100 vortec (2 miles on the odo). WOW!!! I thought my 454cid 1993 and my 7400 vortec 1997 were peppy. By comparison the 8100 is incredible. Good luck with your truck.

jgmilberg · January 2002

Check here:

http://www.woodtrim.com/

peppino2 · January 2002

I have a 2001 Yukon XL LT purchased new in November 01. Currently I have 1700 miles on it.
I live in upstate New York and am considering a remote starter for it. Does anyone have any experience with this accessory on new Yukons? The dealership does not install this equipment and said if a problem was diagnosed that was traced to the remote starter it would void the warranty on this system. Any advice? Thanx.

plrod · January 2002

yielding the better mousetrap. I'm in the market for a 97 - 99 Sub and just wandering if it's just a luck of the draw on getting a good one. I know to stay away from the diesels and the 5.7 is fine for our needs; I'd like a 4X but not critical as most use will not require it.

jgmilberg · January 2002

I have used DEI products such as Viper, Valet and some of the other brands like Hornet. I would back them 100%, in the past 11 years I have not have any problems with any of DEI's products one of the cars is still family owned and 0 problems to report with the alarm or the other related systems. The real trick is to find a qualified installer, not just some backyard flunky with a pair of wire cutters. Ask around at the shops near you, you want a shop that skins the wire insulation and solders the wires onto the existing, this way none of the original wires get cut, saving countless hours trouble shooting a faulty connection done with a crimp on connector. My wife has a '97 S-10 not a single problem with her remote start, and I have a '01 YXL with remote start no problems. One thing I must tell you so they don't give you a surprise is that your SUV will need a passkey work around module that bypasses the factory starter kill when activated by the remotes. The cost for this add on is between $30 an $50 depending on brand and the area you live in. Enjoy the already warm vehicle in those cold NY winters!!

Before I forget, check with your local Police Dept to find out if there is an ordnance that prohibits leaving a running car unattended. In my ares there are several cities that have these old laws and they are now capitalizing on them to make money by writing tickets.

Please use this add on responsibly, if you park in a garage, especially if it's attached to the house DO NOT RUN THE VEHICLE IN THE GARAGE!! Even with the door open, save yourself and your family the health problems.

all4 · January 2002

Hello Folks,

I am a newbie at this site, just got a 2002 yukon XL and am wondering what type of engine oil to use. Not sure whether to go for the synthetic type or regular petroleum.

I posted this the other day in the wrong area so sorry for the repeat message. Have to look over us new folks.

Thanks

minikin · January 2002

with a PF-59, UGPF-59 or Mobil-1 filter every 5K miles and you and your truck should have a long, happy life. Also wouldn't hurt to have Blackwoods to an oil test every 20K - 25 K miles.
-- don

soccer11 · January 2002

We have been very disappointed in the wear on the leather seats on 2000 Suburban delivered in April 2000. Became noticable after six to eight months. It is NOT due to kids climbing over. Any one had, or heard of, similar problems, and any fixes by Chevy. (Moderator, If this has been ediscussed earlier, can you refer me to message numbers?)

eibling · January 2002

Thanks for the suggestion on the third seat light - I'm on it! Sick of the kids asking for the dome lights to be turned on so they can "find something."

ftldiver · January 2002

Help! I'll bet this has already been addressed, but where?

Which to buy?

Need Large tow vehicle, trying to decide between bottom level 4x4 'burban vs yukon xl.
3/4 ton ver. 6.0 liter.

will get 4.10 rear gear, lock diff, few comfort features, dont like leather (too sticky in So Fla).

dont need/want 3 row seat, leather, confort features,

looks like yukon is a little cheaper?

comments ? thanx! (and GO CANES!)

gastank · January 2002

Any news on the subs getting a larger tank? One a '96 with a 42 gallon tank but now see the 2000+ models have about a 31 gallon tank (due I think to the spare tire placed undercarriage). Would prefer to have the larger tank - any ideas, options, retrofits available. In my opinion, The extra 170+ miles is the difference maker on the suburban vs. other SUV for road trips. Thanks.

drej · January 2002

ref,post #1826 of 1881 1995 Yukon Lost "Cruise Contrl" 5.7L 75Kmi by drej
Has anyone had a DIY fix of tracing or repairing the Cruise Control.?
Thanks in Advance.

heatwave3 · January 2002

ftldiver: I don't really think you'll find much difference between the two choices other than the aesthetics of the front end grill/headlight assemblies and a few interior "touches". The prices should be relatively comparable if you are comparing equally outfitted vehicles.

I do think however since you have decided on the 3/4 ton chassis that you might want to consider the 8.0L engine instead of the 6.0L. Nothing wrong with the 6.0L and in fact its a tremendous engine. I own a Denali XL (which comes standard with the 6.0L) and love the pulling power but I prefer the comfort of the 1/2 ton chassis.

I've owned two previous 3/4 ton Subs before the DXL and chose the largest power available with 4wd.

Given your needs for heavy towing, I would go with the max power available which would be the 340hp and 455ftlbs of torque with a 12,000lb tow rating. There is nothing rated higher and if heavy towing is the requirement, nothing with 4 tires can match the towing capabilities of a 3/4 ton Sub or Yukon XL with the 8.0L engine.

mikeki · January 2002

Hi All - New to the board as I'm getting ready to purchase a 2002 XL - Black. I was looking at the Denali also but can't justify all that extra $$$. I do howerver like the bumper covers that come on the Denali that match the truck. Any info on if you can purchase these and where. I have seen some Yukons that had the bumpers painted but wanted to see if there was an easier way.

Thanks
Mike

tidester · January 2002

Welcome to the Town Hall, mikeki - looking forward to more of your input!

tidester
Host
SUVS

chloeann · January 2002

I have a 2001 Yukon XL 3/4 ton with the 6.0L engine. When I start the engine in the morning there seems to be alot of lifter noise. I was wondering if anyone has heard anything about this or is not a problem.

Mark

heatwave3 · January 2002

chloeann: I have the 6.0L in a 2001 Denali XL and have had no lifter noise even from the moment of startup on some of our recent mornings in the high teens. I know that doesn't help much however I have not seen anyy other lifter noise issues regarding this engine. What weight oil are you using and how cold has it been?

If the oil is too heavy a grade on a very cold morning there will be limited oil reaching the heads and lifters until the oil "thins" out from heating.

sgj55 · January 2002

OK! I'm ready to join the ranks of Sub/Yukon XL
owners. I'm going down on Monday to order a new
2500 Yukon XL, God willing. This is the deal I was offered: Invoice, plus $500, plus .5% advertising fee.

I need answers! And I know you guys have them!

How long for a truck to be delivered from the time of order? Is it possible it could be here within 8 weeks; want to get the $2,000 incentive.

How can I check progress on the production of my truck? And the shipping?

Is there anything I should be asking the dealer or having him do to stay on top of things and speed things up?

What about restrictions?

Any and all advice is greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance for your help.

Stan the Car-buyin' Man (my daughter's weird sense of humor)

jgmilberg · January 2002

The 3/4 ton models have a 38.5 gallon tank, actually it's 2 tanks the regular 31 gallon tank and an auxiliary tank with a pump to transfer the fuel from one tank to the other. As of yet I have yet to see a retro fit kit for the 1/2 ton model.

jgmilberg · January 2002

I hate to rain on the parade but it took me 5 months to get my 2500 YXL. I ordered in October delivered in March. You may get lucky and it will get preferenced right into production. If you really need the 3/4 ton it's worth the wait, TRUST me!!! If you really want to try to speed up the deal have the dealer do a search of the area where you live and see about a dealer trade. You might get lucky!! I always say don't waver on what you want because you will never be happy with the it in the end. So get EXACTLY what you want!! I would only change the color on mine if they could find one, but no luck and I couldn't be happier with what I ordered.

The dealership can give you all the information on where your order is in the build process. Once it gets a build date assigned to it, it usually takes 3-5 days for assembly/testing. From there it depends on where you are in relation to the plant the truck is built at. Mine was built in Mexico and it took 1 week to get to Detroit,MI. Somewhere in this topic someone posted a way to track your vehicle on the railroad using the vin #.

The dealer sales manager gets a list of thing on restrictions, so if you are concerned about that ask him about it. Remember the list is a weekly list and what's on this week might not be on next week, and vice versa. I had problems with the rims, and liftgate.

heatwave3 · January 2002

sgj55: Welcome aboard. Having owned two previous 3/4 ton Subs and now the owner of a Denali XL, I think you will be particularly pleased. I assume you tow a heavy package since you bought a 3/4 ton. What motor did you get?

Sounds like you got a fair deal. My DXL took about 4 months from the close of the deal to delivery but that was at the launch of the Denalis. The distribution system has likely caught up with demand and should result in a much shorter delivery time. Eight weeks seems possible.

peppino2 · January 2002

TO jgmilberg: Thanx for the advice.

sgj55 · January 2002

I had the dealer do a search. There are very few 2500's out there, Seems they don't sell as well as the 1500's and they're afraid to stock them. One dealer sat on one for over six months, he was advertising the truck at invoice. Besides, all the ones that are out there are loaded to the hilt, almost carrying the same price tag as a Denali.

I went into two show rooms and got that deal at the second one. On
Saturday I remembered what one of the web sites said on buying cars; not to go down to the dealer but to use the fax or phone. So, I called all the dealers on Long Island, and offered to pay invoice with no advertising fee. Well, two dealers accepted my offer, and said come down Monday and buy the car. So, we'll see what happens tomorrow........

Most dealers are saying 12 weeks to delivery. Some say possibly 6 to 8. Maybe GM will extend the rebate offer. The sales people said no
restrictions at this time. I now have to decide which one to go with.

I tow a travel trailer about 6,000 lbs. loaded. I want the extra power and durability of the 2500. I'll be ordering the 6.0 motor with the 373 rear end. Most of the people on this site are
happy with the performance of that truck. I think I will be too.

Although the 6.0 is more powerful it is offset by the extra weight of the 3/4 ton truck. The 5.3 has 18 lbs. per H.P., and the 6.0 has 18.3 lbs per H.P. If you look at the gearing in the transmission the 2500 has longer gears in 1st & 2nd which will further help reduce power, the same 1 to 1 ratio in 3rd and a slight advantage in 4th. The 6.0 "should" out perform the 5.3 once it gets rolling up to highway speed. We'll see.

boone924 · January 2002

I need some help here. I installed a set of the Westin nerf bars on my Yukon XL 2001 tonight. Everything went great with the exception that the middle support bars have a self tapping screw to secure the bar to the step. One of mine stripped out and will not tighten, it just keeps turning. My question is, does anyone out there know if that support is really necessary? I know the older burbs did not have that. They only had the support at the front and back where the connection is. Thanks.

everhart · January 2002

I'd say yes, why else would they go to the trouble of puting it there. You know everthing is made cheaper but here they added a support, they probably had some problems with flexing or something. Just go to the local hardware store and get the next size larger sheet metal screw. IMO Brent

naylor99 · January 2002

Does anyone know how to drop the overhead console on the 2001 models? I woudl really appreciate any help. Thanks!

gottagetaburb · January 2002

Has anyone seen the Tahoes/Silverados with the small external (roof mounted) antenna above the driver's head? Anyone know what it's for, and if it will be showing up on later 2002 Suburbans (or 2003's)?

If I had to guess, I'd say it was for the OnStar system....

campo57 · January 2002

Yes, you're correct. That's the new OnStar antenna. Much better than the one on the side but I think they should have positioned it in the center of the roof.

Campo57

mgdvhman · January 2002

no time to sift thru posts....

what are Burbs getting for MPG with the 8.1 and 4:10's..

thanks

- Tim

ryanbab · January 2002

so your not looking for a 2500HD anymore? Say it aint so. haha

GMC Yukon XL and Yukon XL Denali

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