Suburban

Make
Chevrolet
Segment
SUV

We're not mathematicians, but we're pretty confident that eight is greater than six. So what's even better than GM's new six-cylinder diesel-powered GMC Yukon? That's right: one powered by a V8 diesel engine.

Custom shop Duramax Specialties out of Woodstock, Georgia is ready to convert your 2003 to 2013 Chevrolet Suburban or GMC Yukon XL to V8 Duramax power, for a nominal fee. But it's not just the diesel power and durable Allison six-speed automatic transmission that makes the company's builds so special; Duramax Specialties goes through everything from the frame to the suspension along the way, producing a real, viable alternative to GM's new 2021 diesel V6 SUVs.

Granted, the diesel V8 is certainly the centerpiece of each build. Duramax Specialties works with three different iterations of GM's modern 6.6L Duramax V8, delivering from 360 to 397 horsepower and enough torque to tow just about anything you can imagine: up to 796 lb-ft in the LML. All conversions feature a litany of OEM parts like the battery, A/C condenser, water pump, fan clutch, thermostats, motor mounts, and plenty more, along with a few standard upgrades - notably, a high-flow MBRP downpipe, four-inch Flo-Pro exhaust, and a modified driveshaft with brand new U-joints.

As if that wasn't enough, Duramax Specialties subjects the frame and underside of each build to an acid bath and a repaint with POR 15, which is a top-quality rust-prevention coating. They also swap out the original shocks with stainless Bilstein 5100 units, and replace the hub bearings, steering stabilizer, lower ball joints, tie rods, idler, and pitman arm.

The cherry on top, at least for '03 to '06 Chevrolet Suburbans and GMC Yukon XLs, is a Curt 18k Class 5 trailer hitch, because you'd have to be crazy to buy a rig like this and not do any serious towing.

Don't already have a Suburban or Yukon XL to send to Duramax Specialties for conversion? No worries; they also regularly put turnkey examples up for sale, with prices starting just over $30k for a ninth-generation Suburban. That's a whole lot of SUV for the money, and tens of thousands less than a brand new 2021 Suburban LS.

Your towing rig awaits.