Hey everyone! New here, and I have a couple of questions. I have a 2002 suburban with a 5.3. I take this pig to some sand dunes regularly and plan on making it my designated dune truck when I purchase a new vehicle. The truck has a rebuilt transmission (4l60e) with supposed "heavy duty parts" but hell if I know, and a new rear end. The problem is my truck just bogs out with any hill incline in the sand, when my buddy's Silverado, also a 5.3 will downshift and keep ripping through. The motor is stock from what I know aside from a CAI and some exhaust (I wish I knew more about what's in it, it sounds great and has two pipes coming out of the back, but I suspect it was done cheaply) so how can i waken this thing up just a bit? Possibly while maintaining the reliability? I don't want to sink a ton of money into it as i just put about 4K into it after the transmission, rear end, and all new suspension parts. Thanks in advance!

 

Re-gear it. I bet it has 3.42 or 3.73's in it. Some 4.10's would surely help. A higher stall converter would help too.

A tune would help you gain a little bit of power and make it less of a slouch but you'd really want to invest in a camshaft upgrade to gain a lot down low. Some headers would help with power up top.

 

I know you don't want to hear this since you just had the trans rebuilt but......you are on borrowed time romping on a 4l60 in a suburban. If you truly plan to beat on it a bit your going to need to swap in the stronger 4l80 transmission. Do this along with lower gearing as stated above (I would even go to 4.56 or 4.88 if its not going to be a daily driver) along with a tune. That would be your most robust setup I think.

From there you can do headers/intake, stall converter, cam/heads, etc. just depends on how much money you want to throw into it......

 

Agreed...that 60e will continue to give up under the weight of a Burb. Even my light stepside ate two built versions...in the end the 80e swap is the way to go. Better soon than later.

 

I agree, ditch the troublesome trans...

 

FYI - going to an 80 will make it even more doggy.

I agree, a solid gear change and a tune will wake it up.

 

Yup... if you think the thing is a butt slug now install a 4L80E.... that inefficient, undergeared power sapping pig will make your truck even more unbearable. Guys with really light trucks don't notice it as much as something heavy. If you start making a ton more power... sure.... but a stockish 5.3.... yikes..... it will be awful lol.

Gearing is your friend and whatever it has obviously isn't deep enough.