2004 Yukon XL K2500 LBZ

  • HTML tutorial

BigDogYJ

Rank II
Launch Member

Enthusiast III

473
California, USA
First Name
Jamison
Last Name
Donato
!!! CAUTION -- Picture heavy post !!!

So I've been living on the diesel forums for the last 15 years or so and figured its time to get back into the camping/overlanding/offroad forums again. It's been a few years but I have been known to do some serious rock crawling on trails such as the Rubicon, Dusy-Ershim, Slickrock, Fordyce, KOH, etc with my old Jeep. Life gets busy and found myself less and less apt to go beat up my rig on those trails. Fast forward a few more years and now I'm married (no kiddos yet) and have a dog that loves road trips. Since we still love to go camping, I've decided to start making our favorite road trip vehicle more capable for the dirt/fire roads and overlanding trips. This thread will serve as a record of projects and upgrades I've made to our 2004 Yukon XL K2500 with a 2006 LBZ Duramax conversion.


We started with a bone stock 2004 Yukon XL K2500 with 181k miles on the 8.1L V8. Picked it up in Colorado and drove it back to California. This thing was pretty clean for its age and mileage. The PO took very good care of it.
IMG_0714.JPG IMG_0710.JPG

I rebuilt the front end with new Cognito UCA's with the intent to level it in the near future. All new bushings and wheel bearings up front were replaced with factory ACdelco components. All steering joints and hard parts were replaced with Rare Parts tie rod ends and idler/pitman arms as well as a Cognito Pitman/Idler support kit. Put a few more miles on it and it was time to hit the road.
IMG_1816.jpg IMG_1561.jpg


Took it on a couple 2-3k mile road trips with the wife and dog and after netting 11.2MPG it was time to do something serious if this was going to be our long term road trip rig...
IMG_1092.jpg LND_12C0065E-101D-40DB-819B-306F4A0E1634.JPG


I did some research and came back across a guy that did duramax conversions on NBS suburban's. I originally heard about him nearly 10 years ago, while I thought it was cool -- it wasn't a necessity. So now 10 years later I no longer need a 1 ton dually diesel for towing/hauling and get far better use out of the suburban than a pickup but need need better MPG and would LOVE the power and torque of a diesel. Since the acquisition cost of the suburban (Yukon xl) was relatively cheap (compared to a new rig) and I currently owned a 2006 Chevy 3500 Duramax which was in great shape (I just never drove it), it was determined that I'd pull the powertrain from the 3500 and put it in the suburban and then sell of the rest of the truck and the 8.1L powertrain. A few talks with Eric @ Duraburb and we had a plan hashed out and a scheduled start date.

Prior to doing the conversion I did a few prep things (dynamat and insulation -- since the diesel engine would be noisier) as well as some cleaning in the cargo area and tinted windows, etc.
IMG_1592.jpg

Then it was time to hit the road and bring both my Chevy 3500 and the Suburban out to Apopka, FL. We of course has to stop by the Duck Commander warehouse (unfortunately we got there too early and they hadn't opened up yet)...
IMG_1888.jpg IMG_1974.jpg

We dropped off both trucks and flew home while Eric and crew got to work....
IMG_2013.jpg IMG_2498.JPG

A couple months later and we headed back to Florida. LBZ is in place and it's ready to roll.
IMG_2640.JPG IMG_2715 (1).JPG

The wife and I made the trek north to Niagara Falls with several stops along the way to visit with family... And eventually back home (5003 miles on its maiden voyage from FL to CA).
DSC_0625.JPG IMG_3179.JPG IMG_3205.JPG

End of Chapter 1....
 
Last edited:

BigDogYJ

Rank II
Launch Member

Enthusiast III

473
California, USA
First Name
Jamison
Last Name
Donato
So now we've had the rig back for about a year and we've made a few more trips (Albuquerque, Yellowstone, Colorado) and then some jack wad decides to entertain him/her self by smashing a window with a rock (so juvenile) and make a mess of the interior:worried: and steal my owners manual and an expired national park pass:laughing:, LAME!

IMG_4691.JPG IMG_4690.JPG


So I have good insurance and they end up paying us a pretty decent amount to take care of everything. And we had some $$ left over to put towards a few upgrades....
IMG_4714.JPG IMG_4541.JPG IMG_4720.JPG IMG_4737.JPG

Shortly after I found a set of Hummer H2 wheels so I found a decent 285/70R17 tire to match....
IMG_4852.JPG IMG_4871.JPG

Along the way we got a set of used AMP research steps which made the wife happy and now we are ready to get back out on the road.
We've done a few smaller trips in California, but next month we'll be headed back to Albuquerque and back thru Nevada and back home. There won't be much camping on that trip but I'll try and get a thread going to document that one.

Any questions, feel free to ask. I'll continue to keep this thread updated as things change.
 

BigDogYJ

Rank II
Launch Member

Enthusiast III

473
California, USA
First Name
Jamison
Last Name
Donato
I figured I'd share my list of all part numbers I've acquired over the years that pertain to my particular vehicle. Might come in handy for someone else as these trucks share a lot of common parts across the GMT-800 platform.
If you have any questions, I'll do my best to help/answer...


Parts List:

AC Delco Part Numbers
Part #: Description:
1573952 Blend Door Actuator; Left; A/C FRT Auto (CJ2)
1572956 HVAC Control Panel Front (CJ2)
1572971 HVAC Temp Mode Valve Actuator
1572972 HVAC Temp Valvue Actuator
1572953 HVAC Panel Mode, door Actuator
1581646 HVAC Blower Motor with wheel, Front (CJ2)
1581773 HVAC Blower Motor Resister, Front or Rear
15832319 HVAC Rear Control Module
2133826 Engine Camshaft Position Sensor
10367690 Factory Replacement BCM
12T55D 180F Coolant Thermostat with Gasket
743G OE Spark Plug Wires
8006 Spark Plug wire heat shield, ea
41-983 Platinum spark Plug, ea
AF10043 Delphi Mass Air Flow Sensor
CRK44-OE OE Crankshaft Position Sensor
580465 ACDelco OE Front shock Autoride
580460 ACDelco OE Rear shock Autoride
2142017 EGR Valve ACDelco OE, incl gasket
2131162 O2 Sensor, Down L
2131161 O2 Sensor, Down R, Up R, Up L
26089140 Steering Column Cover Kit (Top/Bottom)
RC98 15PSI Radiator Surge Tank Cap
21997127 Key FOB Remote
15136883 TPMS Sensor
19244683 Rear Windshield Washer Pump
15761496 Wiper Arm, Right
15761467 Wiper Arm, Left
15218077 Denali Projector Headlight Housing, Driver
15218078 Denali Projector Headlight Housing, Passenger
12575049 Accessory Belt Routing Label, Underhood
10388864 A/C Refrigerant Warning Label, Underhood
19301980 Rear Passenger Window Regulator without motor
FW338 Front Wheel Hub and Bearing Assembly with Speed sensor and studs
1573594 RSA and HVAC Control Panel for Rear Seats
D6378D Rear Wiper/Washer, Front Fog Light switch
15763226 GT230 Diesel Fuel filler cap with tether
15835666 Front Control Arm Bump stop
15195017 Wire Harness, Front Right Door
10398017 Wire Harness, Front Left Door
97361353 Bosch Diesel Fuel Rail, Left
97361352 Bosch Diesel Fuel Rail, Right
97361355 Bosch Fuel Injector, LBZ, NEW
15926026 Rear Hatch Door Latch, LEFT
15113135 Transmission Mount, Allison



Aftermarket Part Numbers:
Part #: Manufacturer: Description:
GF111 Hastings Fuel Filter
KG2089 Fairchild Window wiper kit, front D/P
KG2091 Fairchild Window wiper kit, rear D/P
G3085 Fairchild Door weatherstripping on body Front, need 2
G3094 Fairchild Door weatherstripping on body Rear, need 2


Moog Suspension Parts:
Part #: Description:
K150383 Leaf Spring Shackle
CK620053 Front Upper Control Arm w/BJ (2 Deg offset + Metal Gusher bearing)
K6654HD Pitman Arm (HD High Strength Stud)
K6535HD Idler Arm (HD High Strength Stud)
K6658 Lower Control Arm Bushings (rubber)
K201426 Control Arm Bump Stops
K6693 Lower Control Arm Ball Joint (oversized Stud)


Receiver Hitch Platform:
15324 Curt Class 5 Xtra Duty Hitch 17,000lb
58000 Curt Easy Mount Electrical Bracket


Body Mount Cushions:
Dorman 924-130 Radiator mount
Dorman 924-135 body position 1
Dorman 924-134 body position 2 (though part 924-135 will likely work here as well)
Dorman 924-135 Body position 3
-or-
GM 25994881 Mount cushion (upper)
GM 25791032 Lower cushion
GM 15854745 Lower retainer/washer
GM 11562587 Mount bolt
--> ACDelco has discontinued the replacement body mount cushions for the GMT-800 trucks. They had different part numbers for different positions along the frame. It seems that Dorman has determined that a single part number is sufficient to replace all body mount cushions as the new part will most likely be better than the worn/deteriorated part its replacing. I have not confirmed this yet. <--
 

BigDogYJ

Rank II
Launch Member

Enthusiast III

473
California, USA
First Name
Jamison
Last Name
Donato
Haven't made too many changes in recent months, a few minor things and a couple small trips. Made it to King Of the Hammers this year after a 4 year hiatus. Got to tow my old JK down for a friend. Truck pulled like a champ. Avg 14MPG over 900 miles. Upgraded by ball mount/shank for the WD hitch and installed my VHF radio (sorry no pics of the VHF yet -- I'll work on that).

I'll be working on upgrading the fog lights to the Baja Designs setup I acquired while down at KOH. Also plan to replace the body mounts throughout and maybe shackles/bushings (i've got an occasional clunk in the rear -- either body mount or shackle bushings or both). Hope to update once those are done soon.

This Shelter in place stuff is wearing on me and I'm itching to get out once we are through this.
 

Attachments

JDP1093

Rank III
Launch Member

Contributor III

570
Vinton, Va.
First Name
Jimmy
Last Name
Poindexter
Member #

23209

Ham/GMRS Callsign
KM4PJN
So now we've had the rig back for about a year and we've made a few more trips (Albuquerque, Yellowstone, Colorado) and then some jack wad decides to entertain him/her self by smashing a window with a rock (so juvenile) and make a mess of the interior:worried: and steal my owners manual and an expired national park pass:laughing:, LAME!

View attachment 112491 View attachment 112492


So I have good insurance and they end up paying us a pretty decent amount to take care of everything. And we had some $$ left over to put towards a few upgrades....
View attachment 112494 View attachment 112497 View attachment 112495 View attachment 112496

Shortly after I found a set of Hummer H2 wheels so I found a decent 285/70R17 tire to match....
View attachment 112493 View attachment 112498

Along the way we got a set of used AMP research steps which made the wife happy and now we are ready to get back out on the road.
We've done a few smaller trips in California, but next month we'll be headed back to Albuquerque and back thru Nevada and back home. There won't be much camping on that trip but I'll try and get a thread going to document that one.

Any questions, feel free to ask. I'll continue to keep this thread updated as things change.
I figured I'd share my list of all part numbers I've acquired over the years that pertain to my particular vehicle. Might come in handy for someone else as these trucks share a lot of common parts across the GMT-800 platform.
If you have any questions, I'll do my best to help/answer...


Parts List:

AC Delco Part Numbers
Part #: Description:
1573952 Blend Door Actuator; Left; A/C FRT Auto (CJ2)
1572956 HVAC Control Panel Front (CJ2)
1572971 HVAC Temp Mode Valve Actuator
1572972 HVAC Temp Valvue Actuator
1572953 HVAC Panel Mode, door Actuator
1581646 HVAC Blower Motor with wheel, Front (CJ2)
1581773 HVAC Blower Motor Resister, Front or Rear
15832319 HVAC Rear Control Module
2133826 Engine Camshaft Position Sensor
10367690 Factory Replacement BCM
12T55D 180F Coolant Thermostat with Gasket
743G OE Spark Plug Wires
8006 Spark Plug wire heat shield, ea
41-983 Platinum spark Plug, ea
AF10043 Delphi Mass Air Flow Sensor
CRK44-OE OE Crankshaft Position Sensor
580465 ACDelco OE Front shock Autoride
580460 ACDelco OE Rear shock Autoride
2142017 EGR Valve ACDelco OE, incl gasket
2131162 O2 Sensor, Down L
2131161 O2 Sensor, Down R, Up R, Up L
26089140 Steering Column Cover Kit (Top/Bottom)
RC98 15PSI Radiator Surge Tank Cap
21997127 Key FOB Remote
15136883 TPMS Sensor
19244683 Rear Windshield Washer Pump
15761496 Wiper Arm, Right
15761467 Wiper Arm, Left
15218077 Denali Projector Headlight Housing, Driver
15218078 Denali Projector Headlight Housing, Passenger
12575049 Accessory Belt Routing Label, Underhood
10388864 A/C Refrigerant Warning Label, Underhood
19301980 Rear Passenger Window Regulator without motor
FW338 Front Wheel Hub and Bearing Assembly with Speed sensor and studs
1573594 RSA and HVAC Control Panel for Rear Seats
D6378D Rear Wiper/Washer, Front Fog Light switch
15763226 GT230 Diesel Fuel filler cap with tether
15835666 Front Control Arm Bump stop
15195017 Wire Harness, Front Right Door
10398017 Wire Harness, Front Left Door
97361353 Bosch Diesel Fuel Rail, Left
97361352 Bosch Diesel Fuel Rail, Right
97361355 Bosch Fuel Injector, LBZ, NEW
15926026 Rear Hatch Door Latch, LEFT
15113135 Transmission Mount, Allison



Aftermarket Part Numbers:
Part #: Manufacturer: Description:
GF111 Hastings Fuel Filter
KG2089 Fairchild Window wiper kit, front D/P
KG2091 Fairchild Window wiper kit, rear D/P
G3085 Fairchild Door weatherstripping on body Front, need 2
G3094 Fairchild Door weatherstripping on body Rear, need 2


Moog Suspension Parts:
Part #: Description:
K150383 Leaf Spring Shackle
CK620053 Front Upper Control Arm w/BJ (2 Deg offset + Metal Gusher bearing)
K6654HD Pitman Arm (HD High Strength Stud)
K6535HD Idler Arm (HD High Strength Stud)
K6658 Lower Control Arm Bushings (rubber)
K201426 Control Arm Bump Stops
K6693 Lower Control Arm Ball Joint (oversized Stud)


Receiver Hitch Platform:
15324 Curt Class 5 Xtra Duty Hitch 17,000lb
58000 Curt Easy Mount Electrical Bracket


Body Mount Cushions:
Dorman 924-130 Radiator mount
Dorman 924-135 body position 1
Dorman 924-134 body position 2 (though part 924-135 will likely work here as well)
Dorman 924-135 Body position 3
-or-
GM 25994881 Mount cushion (upper)
GM 25791032 Lower cushion
GM 15854745 Lower retainer/washer
GM 11562587 Mount bolt
--> ACDelco has discontinued the replacement body mount cushions for the GMT-800 trucks. They had different part numbers for different positions along the frame. It seems that Dorman has determined that a single part number is sufficient to replace all body mount cushions as the new part will most likely be better than the worn/deteriorated part its replacing. I have not confirmed this yet. <--

What front bumper did you install? We have an 03 1500 that I am planning some changes for and a front bumper is one of them. Thanks for the list, it has helped.
 

JDP1093

Rank III
Launch Member

Contributor III

570
Vinton, Va.
First Name
Jimmy
Last Name
Poindexter
Member #

23209

Ham/GMRS Callsign
KM4PJN
Cool. Thank you. How do the 285's do? any issues? That's the size I'm bumping up to.
 

BigDogYJ

Rank II
Launch Member

Enthusiast III

473
California, USA
First Name
Jamison
Last Name
Donato
I really
Cool. Thank you. How do the 285's do? any issues? That's the size I'm bumping up to.
They work really well. It’s a good balance of larger size without being too big that performance suffers. I do notice that rpms are down a bit but 1600 rpm at 70 with the torque from the diesel is still perfectly drivable with stock 3.73’s. Otherwise if your loaded a lot with less motor then a regear might be in order.
I’ve never ran a continental tire but these have been really nice for 90% highway. Haven’t done much Offroad a few dirt roads but no snow yet. Super quiet and great handling and I can still pull off 18-19mpg. I’m pleased so far.
 

JDP1093

Rank III
Launch Member

Contributor III

570
Vinton, Va.
First Name
Jimmy
Last Name
Poindexter
Member #

23209

Ham/GMRS Callsign
KM4PJN
Great! Thanks for the info and have a good evening. I'll post a pic on this thread once I get finished. It may be a month or two.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BigDogYJ

BigDogYJ

Rank II
Launch Member

Enthusiast III

473
California, USA
First Name
Jamison
Last Name
Donato
This was from back in February on our way home from King of the Hammers. I just liked this pic of my rig with my buddies. That’s all.
 

Attachments

  • Like
Reactions: RoarinRow

tjZ06

Rank V
Launch Member

Advocate I

2,268
Las Vegas/Palo Alto
First Name
mynameisntallowed
Last Name
Adams
Member #

20043

It's hard to beat a Suburban or Yukon XL for Overlanding space and comfort. Gotta love the 2500 version as well for stouter parts you can depend on as you add weight.

-TJ
 
  • Like
Reactions: BigDogYJ

BigDogYJ

Rank II
Launch Member

Enthusiast III

473
California, USA
First Name
Jamison
Last Name
Donato
Cognito Motorsports have made a good name for themselves. Several others have copied their designs but it works well for the mild lift. Personally I think a 6” lift is a bit much unless you really need that much clearance. It’s a big truck so the biggest tire for the least lift should be your goal. I personally have the cognito upper control arms and some steering goodies. I replaced the front lower bumpstops with sumo springs. I have a 1.5” body lift at the front which tapers back to 0” at the rear. This was done to clear the intercooler for the duramax swap. I cranked the front torsion bars ever so slightly to account for the heavier drivetrain. The rear is still stock height and I can clear the 285/70R17 (32.6”) just fine. I plan to move up to the 285/75R17 (33.3”) next time I’m due for tires. I do have a different front bumper which makes room for the larger tires and I had to trim the lower edge of the rear of the plastic fender liner for the front wheel wells. But that was all and I just took it on the Bodie/Copper Mt run last weekend. No rubbing and had plenty of clearance for the 100+ miles of trails we ran. I’m happy with the setup. If I had to go any bigger I’d probably opt for the Cognito 4” NTBD kit and leave it as low as possible and trim to fit a 35” tire if I find I really need a 35”. Otherwise I’m happy with where it’s at now.
 

Attachments

tjZ06

Rank V
Launch Member

Advocate I

2,268
Las Vegas/Palo Alto
First Name
mynameisntallowed
Last Name
Adams
Member #

20043

I have a Cognito 4.5-6" lift on my '11 2500 pickup. I know it's a different platform, but I've been very happy with it. I just sold my 5th wheel, but I was towing over 16k lbs with this kit. I've also taken it deep in the Glamis sand dunes to recover broken sand rails, and taken it "Fool Size Overlanding": Fool-size Overland Trip: Tamarack Lake in Shasta-Trinity National Forest and to my family cabin way out in the woods in Idaho (4+ hrs down wash-boarded dirt roads) many times. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend their stuff.

-TJ
 

BigDogYJ

Rank II
Launch Member

Enthusiast III

473
California, USA
First Name
Jamison
Last Name
Donato
so $1200+ just to level it and fit 33s?
all in with shocks, thats about right. Yeah they aren't cheap but Cognito does it right. To do a 4-6" kit correctly its about $2500-3k If you go cheap your handling and ride quality will suffer as well as other components wearing out prematurely. It's unfortunately the nature of the beast. Cognito is probably top of the line. BDS and RCD are decent quality kits as well and can be a little cheaper. You get what you pay for.