1999 K2500 Automatic Transfer Case

[overlander64]

I special ordered this Suburban in 1998 and took delivery on April 21, 1998. Today, it has covered 199,000 miles with a good portion of those miles towing my 6,100 pound Vintage Airstream travel trailer. Some basic facts about this truck:

• 7.4 Liter VORTEC V8 motor
  
  [*]Timing Gear and Chain replaced at 188,000 miles.
  [*]Rear Main Seal and Flywheel replaced at 190,000 miles.
  [*]Regularly serviced by GM Dealer at 3,000 mile intervals.​
• Automatic (Push-Button) Transfer Case
  
  [*]Lucas Electric Transfer Case Control Module First Replaced at 35,000 miles.
  [*]Lucas Electric Transfer Case Control Module Replaced at 8 to 14,000 mile intervals thereafter.
  [*]Most Recent Lucas Electric Transfer Case Control Module Failure 198,000 miles (was locked in 2-Hi).
  [*]Diagnosed with Failing Transfer Case Requiring Replacement.
  [*]Transfer Case Totally Failed today at 199,000 miles.​
• Differential Gearing of 4.10 from factory
• Limited Slip Rear Differential.

This is my third vehicle with four-wheel-drive and the second that I purchased brand new. It is equipped with what is most certainly the most troublesome four-wheel drive mechanism. The $750 Lucas Electric Transfer Case Control Module has been replaced close to one dozen times and has meant that the four-wheel-drive has only been operational four times when it would have been helpful.

When four different repair shops concurred that boh the transfer case and control module need to be relaced at this time, my reaction was absolutely not -- remove the thing entirely and make it a two-wheel drive. The shops discourage this, but I can't imagne that it would cost much more than the lowest estimate of $4,385.00 to replace the transfer case (remaufactured) and control module (new). A new vehice is out of the question at this time, so I must get this one repaied -- the body and chassis has virtually no rust and both the motor and transmission perform flawlessly. My question is: "What would be involved in disabling/removing the transfer case making the truck strictly two-wheel-drive??

Thank you for your input!

Kevin

 

[happy 2011]

i would not make it a two wheel drive tk. but if you did there would be some custom work needed to do so.

What i would do is get a low milage USED transfercase with the motor on it and install that. 1k tops for parts and labor. Should only be around 800 bucks if it was at my shop.

Shop for a used one install it your self it's only 2 drive shafts, a few wire plugs, 1 vent hose and 6 bolts, thats it o ya 1 gasket too lol. Then you would only pay for the t case and no labor. I replace the t-case in GM tks in a hour or so sometimes an hour and a half max.

Good luck

 

[overlander64]

Greetings happy 2011!

Thank you for the suggestion. Given my history with used parts (the part expires either 2 months or 2,000 miles after the warranty expires) and the existing history with the electronic transfer case control module, I have come to the conclusion that the only viable decision, financially, is to pull the plug on further four-wheel-drive related expenses. I figure that even if a used assembly could be installed for under $2,000, it would be less than 12,000 miles before the truck would need another $750 to $1,000 to replace the electronic control module -- I am ready to cut my losses on those moduels and eliminate the 4 X 4 feature. If the GM four-wheel-drive mechanism was a reliable as my 1984 Jeep Grand Wagoneer, I wouldn't hesitate about the rebuild (in 184,000 miles, I never had any expenses directly related to its four-wheel-drive system -- I sold it only because its cruising range when towing my Airstream was only 180 miles); but the system in my Suburban has been nothing but trouble since 36,000 miles. Three different, well-established (30 or more years in business), GMC or Chevrolet dealers have addressed this problem and the part continues to expire at 8,000 to 15,000 mile invervals.

This truck was my dream tow vehicle, and it has been everything that I wanted and expected with the exception of the four-wheel-drive mechanism. I suspect that the expense of converting it to two-wheel drive will pay for itself in less than 45,000 miles ($2,250 saved by not needing to continually replace the electronic control modules).

Kevin

This is the Suburban performing its usual task -- pulling one of my two Airstreams:

The coach above is its smallest partner at 3,200 pounds. The coach below is its largest partner at 6,100 pounds: