Let’s Settle This: Which Mega SUV Is Best? Ford Excursion vs. Chevy Suburban 2500 0-60 & Off-Road
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- čas přidán 16. 05. 2022
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In this video we compare two SUV legends: The Ford Excursion & GMC Yukon XL!
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I might be a Ford guy but any GM product with a 8.1 is a beast.
I have an 8.1 2500 HD. So many people rag on 8.1 gas mileage… You can tell those people have never towed with one… They are super Beasts🤘. If you’re not looking to tow more than a half ton truck capacity don’t buy it…And no of course I do not daily drive it… I have a $5000 beater that gets 26 mpg for that
@@the_truck_farmer the gas mileage is terrible as would be expected, but the biggest issue is the oil consumption.
@@alexs3187 I believe the 8.1 is actually more fuel efficient than the 454 it replaced in these GM trucks and SUVs.
@@jamesbeaman6337 I’ve had one. It got about what I expected for a big block. Nothing earth shattering. Oddly enough the best I ever got was 23 mpg from Heber City, UT to Ogden UT. Hand calculated. Overall stretch drops about 1000 ft in elevation. Typical was about 10-11.
I think GM called the 8.1 ‘the beast’ if I remember lol
As an Excursion V10 owner, I must say, it tows fine. This said, but I can acknowledge that 8.1L from GM. “No replacement for displacement.”
Too bad that 8.1 is a gutless underpowered turd 👎
@@CoyoteFTW they're built to last. Not for mpg or power. A 1969 car makes double the hp this thing does
@@SuperSnakePlissken yeah you're mistaken let's hook up 20,000 lb to the 8.1 l in whatever you think has power and that b**** will run circles around you it has 500 foot pounds of torque off idle. Okay so it only made 360 horsepower all of the time.
What year model excursion was used for this test? They did eventually get the 362 hp version of the 3valve 6.8L V-10, did they use the two valve version of the Triton V-10 for this test?
Nevermind, I just found out that the excursion never got the 362 hp version of the V10!! What a shame as that version with the optional 430 gears would have smoked the Suburban or Yukon XL. I had both the 8.1 vortec and 6.8v10 Triton (the 2V and 3V engines). Loved em both but that 3V with 430 gears was a STUD!!
my 04 excursion says in the manual it can tow 16500# wonder why its different?
I used to plow with a 02 chevy 2500hd with the 8.1l and allison trans with 4.10 gears. It would smoke the tires off a dead stop. It had an intake exhaust and tuner. Still runs great to this day with over 220k miles
Yea, they're bananas.. I think they look so similar to the 1500s that people that haven't checked one out, have no idea of the level the 2500 8.1s are at, especially with the 4.10 locker rear ends. Really, they are a marvel of machinery. Literally the only compromise made, was fuel economy- not a corner was cut.
I had a 2005 Lincoln Navigator with the 32v 5.4 engine. It was great until I was T-boned one day, but it got 9mpg on 87 octane and 11 on 92. What did your 8.1get? I'm inclined to believe it was worth the extra torque.
@@holdover8199 averages around 10 whether its pulling or not.
@@kylefitzherbert9381 and if anyone claims otherwise, they are lying lol. 9 when towing a heavy load, 10.5 empty at 70mph.
Damn my old 5.3 it's pushing 660,000 and still chugging along they don't make them like they used to that's for sure
I have a 2002 Yukon XL 2500 with an 8.1 and this video is an accurate rundown. Took mine across the country towing a 30 ft trailer at 170,000 miles, and about to drive across the country at 205,000 miles. These were well made trucks
that and its pretty hard to stress it just driving it
i have same... 650,000km but it looks like i need new headers cause it leak exhausts and its not the gasket
What was your average mpg for that trip?
I heard somewhere that the block head and internals on the 8100 are capable of up to 1k HP. It's seriously over built.
Mate where did you got it from? i saw one excursion for sale in Canada for 13,000. IT had 617,000 kms on it.
I would love to see a max tow up the IKE with both of these.
Yes we need to see this
I don't think they will ike anything too old, I believe Tommy mentioned it in a previous video... for safety. Of course, I would love to see the V10 ike, they are built as a workhorse
I've been asking for them to do an old vs new ike gauntlet
Seriously!
Pretty simple, the V10 loves to rev so it will do a good run. The 8.1 will bog down, them the tranny will overheat. It may even run out of oil!
My 8.1L GMC Yukon is same as the one here.
On 33” tires and a 2” leveling lift I’ve taken it on the mining roads in Ouray CO at 13,000 ft with ZERO issues. I’ve ran it up Silver Cloud Mine on blast rock roads like it was no big deal. More than a few brodozer lifted Jeeps gave me the side eye as I passed them by on Engineer Pass, and the trails near Animas Forks.
Plenty of low end torque, great towing, 40 gallon gas tank, and enough room to sleep comfortably with both back seats out. Never gonna sell it.
Same, have a 02 8.1 4x4 with the locker. I drove around stuck jeeps and pulled them out. Not sure what makes it so good off-road but for a big rig, it does the job. I've owned jeep cjs, Cherokees, 1/2ton pickups and f350s etc. 8.1 is a keeper.
That thing puts the "pass everything but the gas station" mantra to shame sending prayers for your billfold
@@wildbill23c growing up with the fam had a 97 gmc burban with the 5.7 we hauled the boat up north filled with beer coolers and seven people's week worth of luggage noooo problemo but damn we made quite a few stops and that's with the 20 something gallon tank lmao
@@wildbill23cooof then you gotta cry twice at the pump too 😂😂😥😥😥
In my opinion K2500 Suburbans aren't given nearly enough credit. Granted it is by no means a serious rock crawler but my '95 has always got me where I wanted to go. Short of almost, ALMOST getting stuck once on an unmarked trail off a forest service road in a couple feet of snow. Even that was because it was surefooted enough that I got overconfident. That's with stock-sized tires and a 350 too. I've got a 454 in the garage right now that I'm building for it and I'd love to do a solid-axle swap as well. But even as it is I have no complaints at all about its off road performance.
The 8.1 496 is the only engine to survive the "marine dock test" , wide open throttle for 300 hours !! Enough said !
WOT for 300 hours? Do you know if it was stopped, oil changed and then kept going? That’s insane.
Would do great as a boat anchor Too I’ll take the V10,
@@guitarfreak2105 I believe it's run wot for 55 min. then idle for 5 min. then back to wot for 55 min. and so on , no stops .
Also the only engine to attempt
@@CoyoteFTW intelligent comment. Bolt ons and heads the 8.1 makes 525hp and 580tq. A more aggressive cam/lifter setup with pistons and rods makes 610hp and 640tq, no boost. You won’t see a V10 make those numbers.
I was working at a GMC dealership when that engine came out in the yukon 2500's I was blown away with the almost instantaneous torque throughout the entire rpm range they sounded like it had a larger than stock cam as well
I was watching another video about it apparently it makes like 80% of its torque at like 1200 rpm
A stock engine had a larger than stock cam....???
@@workct4102 yeah don't read too deeply into that comment
I may be mistaken, but it was my understanding the Ford Excursion was just too big. Hard to park, used to much gas etc. Bout the best place to sell them was the middle east.
It was like the US building battle ships. And then Russia built larger ones. On the end the little smaller worked better and is still standing.😊😊
I still prefer the 6.0 LQ9 over the 8.1l. Cadillac Escalade definitely has more bang for your buck.
The GM 8100 is legendary. It was also used pretty heavily in offshore power boats.
So legendary that it lasted.....5 years?
@@workct4102 C.A.F.E. regulations...
@@richfarfugnuven6308 Adapt and overcome, oh wait it's a Chevy, they don't do that.
@@workct4102 yes they can go over million mile. Cadillac dealership here in town had a service one over million.
@@lmCIoudz I want a new F350 with the 7.3L big block. Dealership told me 8 months. This crap has become dumb. Yes, Chevy needs an HD truck with a big block and a 10 speed "Allison". Allison doesn't actually make the transmissions anymore for GM, it's just a branding deal. Bring back the 8.1L updated and throw 4.30 gears in it and a 10 speed and it would be a monster that could actually compete with Ford's new 7.3L.
My family had an 05 8.1 suburban for a 13 years. Used to haul the family around and a 26ft boat from SLC to lake Powell weekly during the summer. It was an incredible vehicle with plenty of power, never felt like it struggled to pull anything and quite a bit of luxury for the time. Lots of fond memories with that vehicle.
My Chevy crew cab dually has the 8.1 big block and the Alison transmission. Has hauled my 3 horse LQ Elite horse trailer across, up and down the US to the tune of 116,000 miles. NEVER left me sitting on the side of the road. Great comfortable interstate hauler hauler
I mean that’s not really impressive maybe for a Chevy.
@CoyoteFTW Typical ford dick rider goddamn. My mans is just stating his experience. You legit are attacking anyone in the comments who says anything good and GM get a life.
G80 for the win! Would love to have either a 7.3 Excursion or an 8.1 Suburban, they are both awesome.
I have the 7.3L Excursion. I love it.
@@Toxically_Masculine_Crusader I’ve had both and both are great! Prefer the seats in the suburban to the excursion though.
I would love to see these two do a Super Ike! I can't recall seeing an 8.1 powered truck run the gauntlet...
Never had one on it .be cool though
I grew up with a 7.3 excursion, and my friends parents had the 8.1 suburban. They both were awesome but him and I had our Ford vs Chevy wars. Man what a time.
You dragged him around the lot didn’t you? Lol
@@robertwilk-WabbieWasabi666 we had to help them tow stuff when their suburban struggled too much
Just saw recently that Matt (MORR) is going to use an 8.1 to power the off-road wrecker. Looking forward to seeing it go.
I've been watching and keeping track of that too, I still think he should have used a diesel inline 6
I have an 01 2500hd with the 8.1. I love Matt's off road and I'm really looking forward to seeing how a well built and fresh 8.1 runs.
@@danielhershman6538 Big Block gas makes way more sense for an off-road tow truck
@@danielhershman6538 It was a foolish decision.
@@theyeetus1428
Lol....build your own truck and show him how it's done.
But ill give you a little hint:
Gearing can easily make up for less torque....weight isn't as easy to compensate for.
I'm certain he'd rather have 500 pounds less in deep silt....but he'll check with you next time.
Nothing can beat a 7.3 excursion that hasn’t been roached or rusted. Solid build trucks. Most people that still own them aren’t trying to sell. I’ve been looking for one for years now.
Fb market
I love both of these vehicles, but I know from witnessing it that those V10’s have no issues pulling stuff around and lasting a long time with only regular maintenance.
We rented an RV two years ago, they are still using that V10, at least up to 2019
Lol. Right....as long as you consider spark plugs blowing out or breaking off in the cylinder head and fuel pump drivers falling off the truck as normal maintenence...
@@bdd1469 V10’s after 02 didn’t have the spark plug problems. And I have never heard of whatever fuel pump issue you are talking about.
@@Powerman2417 all engines have piston slap. Some just have less.
@@workct4102 the new 6.8 v10 has over 400bhp and like 500lb feet torque in commercial grade!
I have an excursion. The previous owner didn't need to convert those. They convert themselves. The vacuum activated hubs stop working, and then they are just manual.
That’s why most owners switch to Warn hubs….myself included
Replace the seal on the back of the hub and they should start working again
Yeah, they really haven’t been entirely “converted” as they would’ve come with a manually selectable “auto” and “locked” settings from the factory. I assume they built them that way in anticipation of failure lol. This has not gone away, either. 2022 super duties still have selectable hubs.
@@denniswobbe3157 I could, but they just fail again. I just treat them as manual.
@@denniswobbe3157 it’s usually the control solenoid under the hood that fails more than the seals at the hub. I’ve replaced it on my 2008 F450’and many customers trucks. $80 part
I had a 8.1 Yukon XL before. I had to say overall it drove much better than Excursion with the IFS. Also felt lighter on its feet. Excursion drove like an old bus. And the 8.1 actually got decent MPG for what it was (14MPG)
I’d love a new production/designed Excursion with the 7.3 gas/10 speed. A SUV is ideal for my needs but I also have to tow 10K. Don’t feel comfortable doing that with the newer Expeditions/Yukon XLs. I’m a full float axle/heavy duty frame fan. Wish GM still made the new 2500 Suburban/Yukons available to the public…
Yes I own one and am holding onto it forever!
Thank you for accepting the criticism and admitting the 'mistake' on your first comparison. The 8.1 was the king of the hill for gas SUVs. GM wins on gas engines, interior, and the G80. Ford wins on the diesel option and the tailgate.
The interior is where I disagree. Ford has always been just slightly ahead of its interior choices i feel.
Early 2000s GM vehicles just have this incredibly cheap look and feel. Not to mention the terrible quality that has shown up with cracked dashboards and peeling dashes as well.
@@RandomHeroGames lol the interior of this generation f250 was worse than the dash of a school bus.
@@cinder9950 having dealt with F250s and Excursions, I respectfully disagree. The interiors of GM vehicles are cheap and ugly compared to Ford.
@@RandomHeroGames man you might want to get your eyes checked because the Super Duty interiors look like a Playmobil set of "My First Interior by Ford™" GM's sucks too but def not as bad
@@RandomHeroGames i respectfully disagree with you . I find the plastics seem nicer on the early 2000s chevs . I just have to compare the econ vans compared to the express and the fords just seem to me like they have aged alot worst for style. I dont really like the balloonish roundish kids plastic style that they put commercial light grey color on. The steering wheel is bubbley and the switches are all bubbles also.
Back in 2001 I actually had a fully loaded 2500 Chevy Suburban with that 8.1L, was such a beast! In the snow 4 wheel donuts came easy. Drove an Excursion with the V10 before buying the Suburban, didn't need the extra space.
Wow donuts in the snow. The ultimate measure of power.
Oh wait I’m pretty my grandma does donuts in the snow in her wheelchair. It’s not even an electric one
My 1.8L golf alltrack will also do effortless 4 wheel snow donuts, though you certainly have one up on interior space. With 4.5x more displacement the 8.1 only has 1.5x more power and torque (i do have a stage 1 tune).
I would rather take a 6.0 or 8.1 burb over a V10 excursion though. Except for the newer lariats, Ford truck interiors suck.
I had an '02 2500 Avalanche with the 8100. By far my favorite vehicle that I've owned over the past 28 years.
Fuel mileage was surprisingly good, reliability was top notch.
Now that’s just cool
I had one also. I miss it
The Yukon XL looks so great. No overly aggressive styling, it just looks handsome and timeless
Sure wish someone would bring back an HD SUV! Great for towing!
I never believed the tow ratings on the 2019 Suburban 3500. It's at least the same as the 2016 Suburban 2500.
GM has a Suburban 3500, 1ton, govt only. But terrible tow rating
@@RatchetTrashPanda it wasnt for towing but for specific payload capacity for gov use. Some agencies use them for up armor and some use them to carry specific payloads/equipment.
@@csh000 why? They weren't made up or fake. Vehicle was made for carrying specific payloads. Ever see a gov 3500 towing anything behind the pres or important officials? Ever see one doing specific tasks towing a trailer? No. With that being said, it simply wasn't tested/certified for towing as it was unnecessary for it's purpose.
@@MichaelLawrencem3 you're correct it likely was not tested for towing. That's the only reason why it's rated towing is 'made up'.
It's the only vehicle I would tow 3x it's rated limit and not worry about.
I have the 03 Excursion with the 6.0L Powerstroke. Spent as much money getting it bulletproofed as I did on the vehicle. Runs great now...
That's better: turbo diesel engine
The 6.0 was one of the worst engines ever put into a vehicle. Not that it's bullet proof it'll be a good engine, but the fact that it had so many problems out of the gate, just not ok
@@denniswobbe3157 the 6.4L 08-10 was worse...
@@richfarfugnuven6308 I said one of the worst, not it was the worst!
@@denniswobbe3157 Supposedly the 05 on up 6.0s were a lot better. Bunch of minor improvements. Only having 4 head bolts per cylinder didn't help.
I know of a good number of guys that have had minimal problems on the 6.0s.
I own a 6.0 PSD Excursion and a 6.0 gas 2500 GMT800 Suburban. The Suburban is hands-down the better vehicle. It’s absurdly reliable (it’s even towed the Excursion home after an inevitable 6.0 Powerstroke break down), the seats are ridiculously comfortable, it rides great, it tows great, it looks great- I LOVE it. But… I’m selling it. The Achilles heel of the GMT800 Suburban for me is that it’s always managed to feel cramped inside, even though it’s huge. With 3 kids loaded up with luggage, camping gear, etc. it just never feels “enough”. I took the fam on a long road trip in the Excursion a couple months back and it’s just so bloody cavernous inside. All the room in the back seat, cargo area, etc PLUS vastly more knee, elbow, shoulder and head room. The seats are nowhere near as good, but I’ve got room to shift around in my seat and find a comfortable position!
How much are you selling it for and what year is it?
@@dougiefresh3767 2001 and I'm going to advertise it for $9k obo. It's an extremely clean west coast truck with 180k miles.
@@casselts1 I can only imagine how clean the outside is due to no snow. My 02 is pretty rusty due to salt in winter which I would have clean off but I bought it that way.
Same here! The space in the X is amazing! I’m selling my Yukon
I have an 03 Avalanche with the 8.1L and I got to say. I do love me some old fashion "No replacement for Displacement!"
I've got a 2001 8.1L 4WD Suburban and it's the greatest fking truck. What an absolute monster.
00 ford excursion XLT V10 real monster!!!!!
Got to second the love of the recliners in the gmc. I've had my 2003 duramax for 15 years and it's my favorite road trip vehicle mostly because of how comfortable the seats are.
The 6.8 v10 triton is one of the most durable engine I have ever worked with.We had one at the job I was working at 5 years ago in construction with 700 000 kms and it was still running like a champ towing a 10 000lbs trailer everyday of the week.
I bought my 8.1 from Tyler too, such a great guy, love mine. I took the back seat out and put in a fridge and such. Easily my favorite towing vehicle I have ever owned.
Many 8.1L generator engines run day in and day out using natural gas. Big torque at low rpm.
The touch screen wasn’t available until 2005. Someone added it. Even my 04 Platinum ESV was nonTNR (non-touch). I currently own 2 2500 Yukon XL GMT800 and 5 1500 GMT800. It’s the best platform ever produced. The GMT800 went through an update in 2003 (electronics and aesthetics) and again in 04 (all models went to returnless fuel system) then again in 05 (electronics only).
Also, all excursions had that style locking hub. They act as auto for forward motion when “unlocked” and obviously lock all the time when in “locked”.
I have a 2004 and 2007 classic 2500HD what where the difference in electronic components? I haven’t been able to find any yet…
@@LotsOfPaypa cluster programming, amp draw sensing, variable charging (2 wire alt vs 4 wire on the 04), different BCM programming, are all different between yours. And more differences been the 1500 models.
@@joeculpepper2235 wow that's very interesting stuff...
The suburban/Yukon 1500 in 04 also got the Hydro boost brake system
Well, I have one of both sitting in my driveway. A 2002 V10 excursion 4x4 and a 2003 suburban 8.1 4x4. There is no comparison in pulling power or comfort. The Chevy is miles ahead in both departments. When we are taking a family trip with the travel trailer we always take the suburban. There is just something about the excursion though that makes me keep it. They just have a better ‘cool’ factor. And I do love to hear that v10 moan. I still want a set of Banks headers for mine but I just can’t justify the cost. I actually prefer the v10 to the diesels in every situation other than towing. They are just zippier around town.
What gearing do you have on the Excursion?
Put the JBA shorty headers on your excursion. Straight bolt on to existing system. 30% HP increase, 0-60 in 9 seconds.
@@kentwilkens3435 BS, shorty headers offer nothing over regular manifolds
@@rustyrutledge9094 Well, having owned mine for 22 years, I disagree. The stock triton solved the expansion contraction differential of the cast block with aluminum heads blowing the bolts/gasket after about 200k on my Tbird, but having the block and heads from aluminum, but the issue with the cast iron manifolds on the aluminum block remained, notably the end bolts blowing off, then the possibility of the manifold warping and needing to be ground to fit again, simple solution was to bolt on the JBA shorty headers, the steel attachment has enough give in it that it no longer blows the bolts, and allows the engine to breathe much better. You could immediately feel the difference in the power, and as I tested the pig when I bought it, 0-60 in 12 seconds, then after putting the headers on, 0-60 in 9 seconds.
The cast manifold blew about 70k, I now have 340k on it.
Another advantage of the JBA shorties, is they are a straight bolt on between the engine and the Y exhaust.
Who asked?
Another thing to consider, after 2005 ford introduced the 3 valve head into the v10 increasing it to around 360hp and 460lbs. This only applies to ford trucks facing the vortex, the excursion didn’t get the v10 after 2005. The 3 valve head also dealt with the spark plug issue in the modular line. I have a 2006 f-350 with the updated v10, it’s powerful, thirsty and makes sweet ten cylinder music
I have a 2001 Silverado 2500hd, ext. cac, long bed, 8.1L/Allison, 4wd, 4.10:1, G80 diff.
My wife has a 2002 F250 SD ext. cab, short bed, V10/4R100, 4wd, 4.30:1 gears (4x4 off road package).
On paper, the 6.8 is the more "efficient" of the two; having more HP & torque per cube then the 8.1. But, there is no comparison, the 8.1 blows it away. This is actually the second 8.1 truck I've owned, and Haven been without one in 16 years. I've driven a G2500 van with the 8.1/4L80E and didn't really care for that combo, but I don't know what the gear ratio was. I do know that if I owned an 8.1 Suburban I would do an Allison swap.
Is the Allison a 4 speed also back than?
@@jameshowey9958 5 speed. 2006 was the start of 6 speed Allisons.
I’m being honest, Yukon for me.I do own 04 Tahoe and really like that generation body style. I do prefer the Yukon nose over the Chevy.
We have a 05 Hummer H2 with 6.0l. Great riding truck!
The GMC's definitely have nicer noses, 2005 Sierra 1500 owner.
For these SUVs, torque is king. Nothing you can do about the gas mileage other than to deal with it
My dad's 2002 8.1 L Suburban is still running great and driven most weeks. That vehicle is absolutely wild, especially after the full on hot-rod style rebuild of the engine.
Nailed it on all accounts! Great series. Love it, gents🤙
I owned a 2002 Suburban with the 8.1. Loved it!
Love these old late 90's early 2000's truck video's please make more video's with these truck towing mpg etc would be awesome 👌
Great vid. I bought a new Avalanche 2500 in 2004 with the 496ci. One of the best trucks I’ve owned. Should’ve tucked it away.
I remember this very same car review and comaprison in the popular mechanics magazine back when i was still in highschool.
Just to clear that up at 16:10 about the navigation screens, someone has updated that 2003 to the 2005 style. The reason your 03 escalade doesn't have a touchscreen is because that style radio didn't come out until 05, someone has upgraded from the 03 nav.
My foster parents hated their excursion more than I knew anybody could hate a vehicle, they needed it for everything and they hated the fact that they had to have it. They complained about the gas mileage the ride the utility, the size and weight, The fact that they had room for their friends kids but couldn't legally carry them in any given situation, everything. They also absolutely hated their kids even more than their foster kids.
I have 2006 Suburban 2500 with the 6.0 V8.
4.10 rear and Bilstein 5100 shocks. Averaged 16 mpg road trip Seattle to Banff to Glacier and back. Had no trouble off-roading. Now has 180k. Will keep it forever.
My dad has a 2000 excursion with the v10 and about 250k miles. The back glass was shattered years ago by a tree branch and it has been parked for probably 3-4 years at this point and is sinking into the dirt it is parked on. He gets regular offers placed under his windshield wiper yet he stubbornly refuses to part with it.
Don't let it fall apart. Sitting does horrible things to a car
@@bldontmatter5319 I let one of my cars sit a month or 2 and it causes all kinds of fits. Don't let a vehicle sit due to broken glass.
The 8.1 was the duramax killer in its day!
Haha maybe a LB7 with failed injectors
I’ve been in one Excursion and it was awesome! That was about 15 years ago maybe longer. I wish they would have kept going with it and maybe it’ll come back one day
Been towing a 13K # 5th wheel since new in '03 with our 8.1 2500HD Silverado. Still going very strong. The Silverado with the 8.1 was available with the Allison 1000 tranny. The 8.1 was used also in I/O marine applications. A very stout engine.
I'm not a ford guy, but I can say that the excursions are pretty Cool,
Although that GMC is just a friggin tank
I've got a 2005 GMC sierra slt 2500HD 8.1 vortec that just rolled over 60,000 miles. When I bought it it only had 47,000 2 years ago.
My best friend’s family growing up had multiple excursions and hummers (before they went bankrupt thanks to 2008). Made me always have a soft spot for massive ridiculous SUVs, but the Excursion was always my favorite. V10 or 7.3 powerstroke for the win!
The family went bankrupt buying Excursions and Hummers😉😂? Sorry. Sometimes I can't help myself.
@@willb3018 that sure didnt help, especially when you add expenses of speed boats, sports cars, and a 5000 sq ft house
From 2000 to early 2007 was the best years for trucks. You still see a bunch driving on the road today.
Thanks for shooting the RPO codes on the GMC it also has the GT4 = 3.73 gears. Which means lower towing capacity, but I also wonder how that would effect the 0 - 60 time. For nearly 300k that is a very nice truck!
Towing capacity is irrelevant because you will run out of payload well before you run out of towing capacity. Payload is about 2k which is eaten up fast by passengers, cargo and the tongue weight of the trailer (this alone will be more than half if you’re pushing the upper limits of towing capacity) I
@@toddsickinger3934 You could add a weight distributing hitch for about $1K from etrailer and add a couple thousand pounds on the tongue (transferring more to the front).
There were 3 trim levels on the Excursion, XlT, Eddie Bauer and Limited. Both GM and Ford were based on 3/4 ton trucks.
All though ford won in suv (with 7.3) the avalanche 2500 is badass
@@3katd the Ford won with the solid front axle and 7.3 if they would of had a d Maxx option for the suburban it would of been sweet the gm also wins with the Alison transmition they put behind the 8.1 if they would of offered a d Maxx with the suburban it would be a real even match
@@jjlawnservice5229 i agree
@@3katd I would like to refraze a little bit it would of been real even match up with the 6.6 and 7.3 both of which r bullet proof from the factory the 6.0 not so much
I owned my burban2500 8.1 for 8 years. 201000 miles on it. Never missed a beat. Towed 9800lbs camper and it towed just fine. Now I own a f350 with a v10. It does have tons of power but it seemed that the low end torque isn’t as much as the burban8.1. It’s hard to pick a winner.
I love both but the GMC suburban will always hold a special place in my heart because my grandfather bought his first one in 1982 as he needed a 4x4 to get to the hospital in wisconsin winters as he was an OBGYN. He would buy the next generation everytime it came out until his last one which was a 2011 1500 Denali which he custom ordered with every option. He owned that truck until he died. Then it was sold to my uncle who's house burned down with that suburban in the garage and totaled it out. I miss that suburban and my grandpa so much, so many memories were in the passenger seat of that truck.
I’ve owned 2 excursions. The 4x4 has 3.73s and the 2wd has 4.10s. The 4.10s are way faster in the 0-60.
I thought you can get them with a 4.30 rear end as well
@@BrownBomber92181 I think you are right about the 4.30s. I’ve been shopping Marauders with 4.10s and they threw me off! Thanks man.
@@HammerWrench no prob man. I know those are really sought after for people that tow
What gears came in diesel‘s? I have a 6.0 excursion
i feel like both will get the job done. so id choose the one that costs less
I have a 2001 Chevy suburban 2500 with the 8.1 I’ve towed a 28ft equipment trailer with my 1975 ford 535 skip loader, did great, also took it from So Cal to Denver then up to Montana then back thru Idaho in the winter driving through a snow storm averaging 12 mpg. Love this truck
I've never owned a Ford personally, but we had the v10 in our work vehicles, but also converted to propane for the tax perks. It did a good job and we had several in the fleet with over 450k miles. Both of these do the work!
Love seeing Brendan on the channel, such a solid guy!
Keep up the good videos! Tommy I wonder how many of the 5.4 and 6.8 triton excursions get picked up for the intentions of being Cummins swapped.
Yes sir , there is one here locally, first time I heard it , had me confused for a second..
I have an 2002 Suburban with 8.1 but no 4x4 it's rear wheel drive only, but the limited slip rear differential is great! 9 passenger with the bench seat up front. It has taken my family and I across the country a few times. I love this truck! It pulls our 30ft travel trailer with no problem and has so much power even for how big it is. After watching this video, I now want a 4x4 version. I also would like to drive an excursion just to try out the size difference.
Just retired our f250 with the triton......220k miles of hard construction work with a utility bed since new. Only retired it had 387k miles and the seats were toast along with the rear end. Loved it enough to buy another
Great Video! Need an Excursion with 4.30 gears to get that acceleration! I believe yours has 3.73s There were also 4.10s available in diesels. My 2wd v10 was optioned to 4.30s and is quicker than you would expect. Keep these videos coming!
Yeah, but then you option the 8.1 with the available 4.10’s and the 6.8 still gets smoked.
@@rustyrutledge9094 the gm is quicker because the suburban is a lot lighter, not because it makes another 20hp.
I think it's awesome that the Excursion still had a leaf spring solid front axle with manual hubs, a reliable set up for going off the beaten path
except it wasn't any of the standard Dana 60 Axles. It was this garbage dana 50 with little interchangabality with a standard D60, and little to no upgrades available. still stronger than Chevy's IFS, but also not a D60. The Chevy IFS still drives better on the highway, and for seriuous offroad you'd still have to swap a proper D60 into the excursion, so it's no solid winner IMO.
@@cavenderandrews9098 I wouldn't call the Dana 50 garbage, it'll handle 37-38 inch tires with a locker, and even if you do swap it, a Dana 60 out of a F350 is literally a bolt in swap, where anything GM made after 1988 has to have serious fabrication done to be able to take abuse offroad.
@@hunterharrell7491 mostly solid points. I owned one 5 years ago, i switched to warn hubs. I couldn't find lockers.
@@hunterharrell7491 Solid axles after 2005 have the death wobble.
@@ramaswamynarayanaswamy4806 not the excursions, they kept the leaf springs on the front, the coil springs with track bar is more prone to death wobble
You have a real talent for camera. Keep it up!! Love the content
My dad bought a 8.1 yukon xl brand new in 2002. Still has it to this day with 247k on it. Pulled a trailer almost its hole life. Was a great rig. His got every option and chose some interesting choices lol. It has the 4.10 rear end gear, lift rear hatch, sunroof, second row captain chairs.
I guess depends on what you’re using it for, in most cases you’re going to want the suburban, I just love the look of the excursion, the size, and the amount of customization that can be done to it. And tank size is really nice when you’re on a trip.
The Excursion is awesome for my family of 5 and 2 dogs! I have the 5.4 and I tow my TT, it's not going anywhere fast, but it does just fine cruising at 65. I am very comfortable and safe while I watch the gas gauge....
@@workct4102 I have the 6.0L powerstroke Excursion and can just make it from my house just west of Denver to Flagstaff on a tank. It's great, except the price of diesel right now.
@@richfarfugnuven6308 hows the six blow
@@cesarurzua8234 600HP and 1100 lbs feet. More reliable than my 7.3L one ton now.
I see on your RPO codes on the GMC the GT4 code which means it comes equipped with the 3.73. Just imagine the 0-60 with the 4.10s! Both badass vehicles. Not going to lie, Tommy was not my favorite TFL member at first but he is quickly growing on me as he produces more videos, especially badass ones with these old monster SUVs!!
This comment just helped me realize I got the 4.10s with the GT5 code 😮
I'm shopping for a used class A motorhome right now and I'm trying to decide between both of these engines, so thanks for this video!
Great vid! I have an 03 8.1 dually with 80k miles and it tows and shifts like nothing else - can’t beat the vortex with the Allison. It’s still mint condition! I think about selling, but always come to my senses when I see how terrible the diesel emissions are and there’s def no other gasser that even comes close.
The 8.1L is a beast. I own a yukon that is spec'd same as the one in this video. Tow 6k lbs with it almost every day and it just shrugs it off. 8.1L burbs/yukons are a "unicorn" to those that know what they are... but the 8.1L burbs/yukons that also had quadrasteer? That's like finding a unicorn, bigfoot and a living megalodon all in the same day.
As for the ford v10s, I do fleet maintenance/repairs for an ambulance company that has a fleet of the ford v10s. My experience with them is that they don't hold up well to heavy abuse. Have yet to see one hit 200k miles. Most the ambulances seem to need an engine swap in the neighborhood of 150k miles due to low compression in a few cylinders.
not sure where you work most of the Ambulance around have 200 place with the same motor
So how many miles are on the engine if you add idle hours ??
What is it , something like 1hr = 34 miles?
We have a 2003 GMC 3500 dually with the 8.1 V8 and the Alison transmission. It was the predecessor of the Duramax. And I can tell you our GMC can haul anything. And I mean anything. I can dump 10 yards of much in the dump bed and you wouldn’t even know there was anything there. It is certainly the holy grail.
Cool information
Keep up the great work
The sparkplug issue was on 97 and 98 models. The 99 up weren't a problem. Had a 98f150 that blew a plug. Had incerts installed and that was it, the 99 up had nearly twice the threads and no problems! Never had the v10. But we've had 3 5.4s between my brother and I! They do an excellent job of towing in a 1/2 ton truck with the same transmission and basically the same huge rear differing as the the standard duty 250 while paying taxes and tags for a 150! That's why I drive them!!
That 8.1 is ridiculous, the Duramax diesels of the era tow the exact same 12,000lbs, while the Excursion maxed out at 11,000lbs and that's with the diesel....I'd take the 8100.
The V10 can pull the same 11,000 lbs. with the proper axle ratio, and it's some 700 lbs. lighter than the diesel, leaving you more payload capacity. I think the people clamoring for the diesel are just stuck in that diesel fanboy/fangirl mentality, because if you opt for the diesel in an Excursion, you only have about 1,200 to 1,400 lbs. payload capacity; but with the V10, 1,900 to 2,100 lbs. In a 1-ton pickup which can tow/haul significantly more, the diesel makes sense; but not in these 3/4 ton SUVs. The big-block gassers are definitely the way to go in these vehicles! Also, considering the fuel price difference from gas to diesel, and the more expensive, albeit slightly less frequent maintenance; I don't see a financial argument panning out either.
Also, you kinda gotta hand it to the Excursion for being able to come within 1,000 lbs. the tow capacity of the 8.1 while doing it with 1.2 liters less engine! 😉 LoL j/k. I would have loved to have either of these rigs for pulling my 38 foot travel trailer, but the Excursion won out for me simply because it was easier to find in a configuration that could actually do the job. Do you know how rare the 2500 Sub/Yukon XLs are to find for sale??? Then on top of that, it HAS to be the 8.1 to pull that much, which is even more rare! The only version of the Excursion that couldn't do the job was the 5.4 V8, which is rare one anyhow, and if an Excursion is 4x4, you know it has the V10 or diesel, seeing as they didn't offer the 5.4 in 4x4 models.
We had an 8.1 dually had a concrete saw that weighed 2000lbs and 275 gallons of water and it would do 115 no problem
Had the G80 on my S-10 SS back in the day, not a true limited slip, but it locks due to the rotational force when there is excessive wheelspin. When both wheels are going similar speeds it operates as an open differential. For a 2wd truck I could get around in the snow surprisingly well with just a set of studless snow tires.
Had an '89 7.4L burban back in the day. Old square body beauty. Big block beast easily pulled 25' boat even only being 2wd had no issue.
Well you're wrong about the previous owner converting the hubs to manual locking on the excursion because it came that way from the factory, he may have disabled the auto locking feature that they come with but didn't put manual hubs on it
Ya, my XLT came from the factory that way...
They came from the factory with vacuum actuated auto locking hubs. You can leave them in ‘auto’ or go to each one and lock them manually. However, over time the vacuum hubs would fail, and most people convert them to Warn locking hubs. That’s what I did with mine.
@@Tempsho ah ok thanks for clearing that up and not being a total ass to me since I wasn't exactly right
You are wrong. In the video you can clearly see they are "mile marker" manual hubs. NOT from factory.
We've got an 8.1 with under 500 miles and it's staying that way! Simply amazing machines...
not that amazing if it just sits collecting dust and rotting away slowly .
Haha
@@morgancoldfirecoldfire8256 Oh, it gets used and started up regularly, just not that many miles. Why the h8? Dang.
@@wretchedrider2157 you said it was staying that way only 500 miles like that is like less than 20 hours of driving . Seems like such a waste. A machine cant be amazing just siting . 20 year old vehicle with 500 miles on it .
It probably ran out of oil!
Both great ! No problems with both vehicles! Maintenance the hell out of them and you won't have any problems! Love them both!
This is a cool departure from the usual reviews
We need a new excursion. But I want the 7.3 in it!
When the 8.1 was released it made more torque than the same generation duramax. That's why no duramax in the suburban and Yukon XL
really?
Nailed it with this video. Love it!
Thanks for making videos like this brother.
The 8.1 big block is far superior to the Ford V10
My family traveled from central IL to Tablerock lake near Branson, MO for 15 years in a row towing a boat from 1999-2014. My dad was a dealer so we were always trying out tow rigs. We took 8.1L Burbs about 5 or 6 times, and absolutely no SUV tows better, and it's not close. We even took a 7.3 Powerstroke Excursion one year, and it was roomy, but sucked towing by comparison. Slow and 10 mpg. The 8.1 with 6 people, all gear, and an 8000 lb. boat would get 14 mpg and stay in overdrive up the hills. And literally never had a breakdown. Legendary.
Your 8.1 would get 14mpg?! Thats different than everyone else I heard from. I have heard though that when comparing the 6.0 to 8.1, the fuel mileage isn't that much different considering the size of it.
@@Ka_Gg I think we took 4 different 8.1 Suburbans on that trip. 2 of them had 4.10 gears and would be in the 12-13mpg range. The other two had 3.73s and would get 14. We could pretty much drive there without stopping with the huge 40 gallon fuel capacity, which also helped the average not stopping.
@@maxxer442 that's really good. Probably the same mpg as 6.0
@@Ka_Gg we took a 6.0L one time. It worked the heck out of it and got 9.5mpg pulling.
@@maxxer442 Sounds about what I've been hearing.
I'm shopping for an older beater 3/4 ton truck and although I'd love a 8.1, they are just expensive. The 6.0s are cheaper and the 6.8s fords seem to be even cheaper than the 6.0 ls trucks. I'm not a ford guy but I may have to settle for the 6.8. The 6.0LS just has no power down low.
I see Nathan upgraded the tires on the Excursion for Moab… can’t wait to see what everyone did to their old SUV’s
Cool video and comparison. Still have my 2003 2500 Suburban never selling it.
I’m a GM buyer but I love the 7.3 powerstroke Excursion, only thing I would change about Chevy and GMC trucks is not having round finders and the IFS has got to go on the 2500 4x4 and 3500 4x4 trucks .
Why?? The ifs works great. The gm trucks ride and drive way better. The ifs holds up just as well as far as i can tell.
I have to agree with your comment regarding GM independent front suspension. I have a 2005 GMC 3500 4x4 duramax with 180k miles. I have had the front suspension rebuilt twice. The last time was about 10k miles ago. Hit a pothole and blew the upper ball joint. I also have a 2001 Excursion 7.3 with 270k and a 2004 Excursion 6.0 with 10k after restoration. Both Excursions set on F350 suspension. I also owned a 2015 Yukon Xl with 5.3 and sold it after 2 years. The Ford solid front axle set up is more reliable. Less moving parts, it's just plain heavy duty. The Fords also have more comfortable seats. The seats are more comfortable, better seat heaters and ride better than my 3500 GMC. The 2015 Yukon beat them all in ride quality, but the suspension was easily maxed out in towing or cargo hauling. In my opinion the Excursion should have been offered with a heavy duty leaf spring / towing option. The suspension the factory suspension is too soft for heavy trailering, but it still beats GM overall. JMHO !
@@farmtruck9414 you are completely out in left field. No way in hell does the furd ride better. The chassis stiffness if the gm trucks easily dictates that. Cv joints are way stronger than u joints.
My friends that bought new trucks in 03 like me rebuilt their front suspension before i did. Remember furds twin traction beam??? That was one tire wearing pos.
The only real extra moving parts is one set of bushings......but not having death wobble at all ever is ftw.
Yes the twin I beam suspension was an expensive set up to keep on the road. I had a 95 Bronco and I agree it kinda sucked replacing front end parts regularly.
Love the classics! Just a FYI, Ford always had manual locking hubs! Even on the newer F-250 -550
You are correct, had to because the automatic 4 wheel drive doesn't work in the excursion, never has even when they were New .. motortrend found that out testing them when they first came out
@@hughwolfe8524 huh? Mine works just fine...always has....220k miles
I had one (Suburban) with the 8.1L motor. I sold it in 2006 and bought a Mini Cooper S. To this day I miss that beast.
'02 Suburban LT 2500, 8.1L, 340,000 miles on the original engine and transmission. Everything still works, including the air ride suspension. Had to replace a fuel pump about 5,000 miles ago but, I also ran it with less than a quarter tank a lot. So, really can't complain, considering that I've put about 50k miles on it since I purchased it and I only paid $2,800.