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73-87 Chevy _ GMC Trucks => Suburbans => Topic started by: Edahall on March 22, 2012, 05:26:31 PM

Title: Drip Rails
Post by: Edahall 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?
Title: Re: Drip Rails
Post by: bake74 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.
Title: Re: Drip Rails
Post by: firefighter on March 22, 2012, 06:10:29 PM
I'm a stainless fan personally.
Title: Re: Drip Rails
Post by: 78 Chevyrado 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.
Title: Re: Drip Rails
Post by: Lt.Del on March 22, 2012, 08:46:25 PM
one of those subtle changes that were made at some point i guess.  mine were painted

www.delbridge.net/suburban
Title: Re: Drip Rails
Post by: jaredts 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.
Title: Re: Drip Rails
Post by: Lt.Del 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.
Title: Re: Drip Rails
Post by: Edahall 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.
Title: Re: Drip Rails
Post by: Captkaos 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.
Title: Re: Drip Rails
Post by: Edahall 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.
Title: Drip Rails
Post by: wildcatjason on April 04, 2012, 04:39:36 AM
My silverado has chrome rails, but it was a regency package if that makes a difference.
Title: Re: Drip Rails
Post by: skylark68 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.
Title: Re: Drip Rails
Post by: Psycho71 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.
Title: Re: Drip Rails
Post by: slammed79 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?
Title: Re: Drip Rails
Post by: Edahall 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.
Title: Re: Drip Rails
Post by: Tx_Phil on September 17, 2012, 02:23:49 PM
On my 87 suburban the PO removed all of the drip rails but left the holes where they were bolted on.  Anyone have any thoughts on looks vs. functionality?  Since I do not have the drip rails to put back on I'm leaning toward simply filling the holes and moving on but if this would cause the truck to leak (water running in around the door) then I will try to find some replacements and paint them to match.

Title: Re: Drip Rails
Post by: Edahall on September 17, 2012, 02:50:17 PM
On my 87 suburban the PO removed all of the drip rails but left the holes where they were bolted on.  Anyone have any thoughts on looks vs. functionality?  Since I do not have the drip rails to put back on I'm leaning toward simply filling the holes and moving on but if this would cause the truck to leak (water running in around the door) then I will try to find some replacements and paint them to match.

When I removed my drip rails for painting, the rear tail gate leaked very badly until I re-installed the drip rail. 
Title: Re: Drip Rails
Post by: Tx_Phil on September 17, 2012, 03:45:25 PM
On my 87 suburban the PO removed all of the drip rails but left the holes where they were bolted on.  Anyone have any thoughts on looks vs. functionality?  Since I do not have the drip rails to put back on I'm leaning toward simply filling the holes and moving on but if this would cause the truck to leak (water running in around the door) then I will try to find some replacements and paint them to match.

When I removed my drip rails for painting, the rear tail gate leaked very badly until I re-installed the drip rail. 

Does your suburban have a tailgate or barn doors?  Mine has a tailgate but I don't remember seeing holes for a drip rail in the back.  I will have to check that closer.  I know the doors are leaking but I'm not sure if its the holes from the drip rails or if its the fact that the PO also removed all or the door weather stripping.

I'm pretty sure the PO was planning a full repaint and maybe even a small level restore. All trim, badging, door panels, headliner floor covering have been removed.  The good news, no rust anywhere inside the cab. The bad news, I only have the seats and door panels to re-install.  Oh well, I did buy it to be a hunting \ ranch truck. I don't guess I need it to be show truck quality!

Title: Re: Drip Rails
Post by: Edahall on September 17, 2012, 05:25:54 PM

Does your suburban have a tailgate or barn doors?  Mine has a tailgate but I don't remember seeing holes for a drip rail in the back.  I will have to check that closer.  I know the doors are leaking but I'm not sure if its the holes from the drip rails or if its the fact that the PO also removed all or the door weather stripping.

I'm pretty sure the PO was planning a full repaint and maybe even a small level restore. All trim, badging, door panels, headliner floor covering have been removed.  The good news, no rust anywhere inside the cab. The bad news, I only have the seats and door panels to re-install.  Oh well, I did buy it to be a hunting \ ranch truck. I don't guess I need it to be show truck quality!


Mine has the tailgate.

I did not experience water getting into the vehicle from not having the drip rails on the doors but did get lots of water through the tail gate.
Title: Drip Rails
Post by: Tx_Phil on September 17, 2012, 08:47:24 PM
Thanks for the feedback. Now adding drip rails to my parts search.
- drip rails
- weather stripping
- new front seats
- headliner
Shoot, I bet just that stuff will cost more than I paid for the truck. Oh well, at least it's fun to mess with this stuff.