Author Topic: Drip Rails  (Read 15559 times)

Offline Edahall

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Drip Rails
« on: March 22, 2012, 05:26:31 PM »
My 1982 Suburban has what looks like stainless steel drip.  My 1990 Suburban has painted drip rails.  Are they just made out of steel?  When did the changeover occur?

What do you all prefer?  Stainless or painted?
1990 ¾ ton 4x4 Chevy Suburban
-Cummins Diesel - 12 valve - factory rebuilt
-6 speed bullet proof manual transmission - NV5600
-Gear Vendors Overdrive
-Upgraded Holset HX-35 turbo
-NP205 iron transfer case
-3.73 gears
-2" Lift

Offline bake74

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Re: Drip Rails
« Reply #1 on: March 22, 2012, 06:03:06 PM »
     I do not know the answer to the change over question, but I like stainless on certain vehicles that have other stainless or chrome accessories on it, otherwise I would think painted would look better.
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Offline firefighter

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Re: Drip Rails
« Reply #2 on: March 22, 2012, 06:10:29 PM »
I'm a stainless fan personally.

Offline 78 Chevyrado

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Re: Drip Rails
« Reply #3 on: March 22, 2012, 07:16:03 PM »
Far as I know ALL drip rails are 2 pieces, the part that bolts to the cab (steel) and the face part (SS).  Probably the painted ones you saw are just standard fare, were SS like the rest originally, but somebody painted them to suit their tastes at some point.

How it looks depends on the truck.  for a stock looking truck, 's like it SS.  for a more customized or monochrome truck, the painted would look even better.  depends on the look you're going for really.
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Offline Lt.Del

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Re: Drip Rails
« Reply #4 on: March 22, 2012, 08:46:25 PM »
one of those subtle changes that were made at some point i guess.  mine were painted

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Offline jaredts

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Re: Drip Rails
« Reply #5 on: March 24, 2012, 11:35:21 PM »
Andy, your paint job isn't factory is it?  Just wondering if they were necessarily painted from the factory?  It looks like one of those custom conversions.

Offline Lt.Del

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Re: Drip Rails
« Reply #6 on: March 25, 2012, 09:04:59 AM »
yeah, it was one of those custom conversions that are sent from the factory to a custom conversion company, then to dealership.

Offline Edahall

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Re: Drip Rails
« Reply #7 on: March 27, 2012, 12:26:26 PM »
Andy, your paint job isn't factory is it?  Just wondering if they were necessarily painted from the factory?  It looks like one of those custom conversions.

The drip rails on my 1990 were definitely painted from the factory.  So far, they show no signs of rusting so I may just leave it as is.
1990 ¾ ton 4x4 Chevy Suburban
-Cummins Diesel - 12 valve - factory rebuilt
-6 speed bullet proof manual transmission - NV5600
-Gear Vendors Overdrive
-Upgraded Holset HX-35 turbo
-NP205 iron transfer case
-3.73 gears
-2" Lift

Offline Captkaos

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Re: Drip Rails
« Reply #8 on: March 27, 2012, 04:32:46 PM »
I would imagine Painted vs Chrome is dependent on the options.  My 1991 Crew Cab Cheyenne has chrome drip rails, but my 1991 Suburban Silverado has painted.

Offline Edahall

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Re: Drip Rails
« Reply #9 on: March 29, 2012, 01:00:57 PM »
I would imagine Painted vs Chrome is dependent on the options.  My 1991 Crew Cab Cheyenne has chrome drip rails, but my 1991 Suburban Silverado has painted.


That might be so.  My 1982 Suburban with the stainless chrome drip rails is a Custom Deluxe model.  My 1991 Suburban with the painted drip rails is a Silverado.  It would seem like the stainless chrome drip rails would be more expensive to make than the steel painted rails.
1990 ¾ ton 4x4 Chevy Suburban
-Cummins Diesel - 12 valve - factory rebuilt
-6 speed bullet proof manual transmission - NV5600
-Gear Vendors Overdrive
-Upgraded Holset HX-35 turbo
-NP205 iron transfer case
-3.73 gears
-2" Lift

Offline wildcatjason

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Drip Rails
« Reply #10 on: April 04, 2012, 04:39:36 AM »
My silverado has chrome rails, but it was a regency package if that makes a difference.

Offline skylark68

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Re: Drip Rails
« Reply #11 on: May 01, 2012, 12:20:12 PM »
Every Suburban that I've seen that had painted drip rails were the '89 to '91 models. The '89 had a lot of small trim changes to bring them looks wise a little closer to the new body style 1/2 ton trucks and they removed a lot of the stainless and bright moldings. Mine is a '89 SLE (basically the Sierra Classic trim) with just about every option and it has painted drip rails from the factory.

Offline Psycho71

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Re: Drip Rails
« Reply #12 on: May 15, 2012, 12:05:41 PM »
My '85 Silverado Package burb has SS drip rails. They will get painted whent he rest of the burb does though.
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Offline slammed79

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Re: Drip Rails
« Reply #13 on: May 23, 2012, 09:32:08 AM »
I like the drip rails shaved personally. Were they welded on on the crew cabs and burb's or still bolted on?
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Offline Edahall

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Re: Drip Rails
« Reply #14 on: May 24, 2012, 05:43:26 PM »
I like the drip rails shaved personally. Were they welded on on the crew cabs and burb's or still bolted on?

They were bolted on both my 82 and 90 Suburban.
1990 ¾ ton 4x4 Chevy Suburban
-Cummins Diesel - 12 valve - factory rebuilt
-6 speed bullet proof manual transmission - NV5600
-Gear Vendors Overdrive
-Upgraded Holset HX-35 turbo
-NP205 iron transfer case
-3.73 gears
-2" Lift