Another 3/4 ton Burb.. Am i on the right track?

[BlacksheepX4]

Hello folks! This is my first ever post after lurking from the weeds for a good while. So, as the title told you, I have a 90 2500 GMC Suburban and I am going the Expo route with it.. The truck is currently tbi350/th400/np?208?.. 10 bolt in the front and a SF 14bolt under the bum. Although it is rocking about 210k currently, it is incredibly clean. Absolutely rust free, which in my state of PA only happens in out of state trucks. This is the case with mine, a former Boise truck belonging to a Funeral Home which used it as a first call body picker... lol. Any way, I have some big plans for my creepy old boy. Since I have spent my whole life building and fabricating dirt track race cars and my own street rods and 4x4's, I intend to do as much of it myself as possible. I'll give you the planned list and let you all hammer me with critique and tips. It is my only driver until the weather breaks and I can build my new garage (just bought this house in the fall). Then the build will commence! So here we go, tell me what you think.

Dana 60 Front/FF 14 Bolt rear with locker.

rebuilt 6'' rod 350 with vortec heads, intake, headers, mild cam

ranger torque splitter/sm465/np205 with twin sticks. (yes, I know... 4 shifters) (**already have a fresh sm465/np205 set up. figured the ranger will help in between the big drops for trail as well as the trailer towing it will also be used for. (2 granny, 2 reverse, 6 speeds with the last being OD)

4 inches up with 315/75r16 something or others (any recommendations welcome, but I need a tire good for highway and trail). Unsure on gear ratio as of right now. 456ish maybe?

12k winch on the snout

'Made by me' bumpers front and read/rock sliders/exo-cage with rack

numerous interior and exterior (rack and rear door mount) storage shenanigans

LED light bars (front bumper, all 4 sides of rack)

CB with weather band and PA speaker.

interior matched suspension seats in the front and LMC truck rubber/plastic flooring kits.

skid plates to protect vital gizzards...


It is also worth mentioning that I have my eye on a few 1 ton military trucks to steal the front and rear diffs from. as well as plans I have for the rest to make a trail trailer using the frame, bed, and my current SF rear with a contractors steal cap. I plan to use the side storage as well as tongue storage I will construct for more supplies and the bed for further camping room. When my rig is complete, I hope to get lost out here in the Appalachians as often as I am able to due so, thus leaving the daily BS of work and adult responsibility far behind on the paved roads. Any and all ideas, criticism and comments are welcome. And I will make a solid effort to be less of a stranger here on the forum in the future! Thanks in advance and I look forward to hearing from you all!

 

[WILLD420]

I know it's more work, but a new 5.3 motor will have more power and get 25% better economy bone stock. Hard to say that, since I'm a die hard fan of doing it yourself and have built several small blocks over the years that did very well, but those new motors are just outstanding in their reliability, power and economy. 250K is nothing on a lot of the new 5.3's and that is not being easy with grandpa driving them either. My dad has 350K on his and it's still 90% of what it was when it was new.

 

[BlacksheepX4]

I know it's more work, but a new 5.3 motor will have more power and get 25% better economy bone stock. Hard to say that, since I'm a die hard fan of doing it yourself and have built several small blocks over the years that did very well, but those new motors are just outstanding in their reliability, power and economy. 250K is nothing on a lot of the new 5.3's and that is not being easy with grandpa driving them either. My dad has 350K on his and it's still 90% of what it was when it was new.

Indeed something I have tossed around. That would be something that would take a large hit on my budget though. Being involved in what I am involved in, I have pretty much everything to build the motor I was planning. So basically, I would have the cost of a cam shaft and machine work into my new motor. That was the main reason of heading in that direction. I also have a fear of the electronic stuff. Im not really a chip it tuner type of guy, even though their is alot of efficiency and power to be had there, I generally opt to trade that for something I can work on myself. I dont even like using the tbi stuff, but FI is hard to beat off road. I tossed the diesel ideal around, again old school.. I was thinking more on the line of a Detroit 2 stroke 4 or 6 cyl turbo motor... But gas won out for me on the fact that it is still more commonly available, cheaper, and they dont require block heaters and the likes in cold weather. I plan on doing a lot of over night camping including some winter camp outs to test the validity of my rig and starting a diesel the morning after with no place to plug in on a 5 degree morning doesnt sound like built in reliability. I have though thought about a newer modular motor.... Maybe ill work out the numbers and kick the idea around again. I usually consult my dog. She doesnt have much to say on the subject but floating ideas out loud tend to help me see the pros and cons, lol. Dont ask, hahahaha. Thanks for the input!

 

[1leglance]

Granted I don't live in your part of the country....
But you mention building a camping/overlanding type rig so I wonder if you really need to make it as hard core as you are with the axle/tcase swapping?

maybe you could use the Burb the way it is for a while doing the camping trips you want and only replace things as they fail or prove the need to replace?

Again it might be that a weekend trip req's a Dana 60, but unless you are mud bogging, rock crawling or whatever it seems like a big upgrade for a camping rig.

I have a Dana 44 under my 70 Burb and granted we are in the desert Southwest so lots of trails but you don't need to be hardcore to see all the cool stuff you want.

Anyway just my thoughts and since I don't live in your area feel free to bring me up to speed on your thoughts. Also I always worry that people will spend all their time/money building that they could have spent traveling.

 

[82fb]

If you have a line on military 60/14, that's a no brainer. You get your gears, locker, and beef all in one package. Your stock front axle u joints are the same size on that 6000 pound beast as the stock ones on my 3200 pound jeep Cherokee...

I like your plan. 5.3's are nice, but I don't think they have as much low rpm torque as the engine you are going to build.

Not sure about the Ranger. Never had one.

 

[BlacksheepX4]

Granted I don't live in your part of the country....
But you mention building a camping/overlanding type rig so I wonder if you really need to make it as hard core as you are with the axle/tcase swapping?

maybe you could use the Burb the way it is for a while doing the camping trips you want and only replace things as they fail or prove the need to replace?

Again it might be that a weekend trip req's a Dana 60, but unless you are mud bogging, rock crawling or whatever it seems like a big upgrade for a camping rig.

I have a Dana 44 under my 70 Burb and granted we are in the desert Southwest so lots of trails but you don't need to be hardcore to see all the cool stuff you want.

Anyway just my thoughts and since I don't live in your area feel free to bring me up to speed on your thoughts. Also I always worry that people will spend all their time/money building that they could have spent traveling.

You are without a doubt correct in most of what you are saying bud! I really dont 100% need some of the upgrades I am doing. And I probably wont be able to do everything all at once, so it will be a work in progress for a while too. (from what i see, most people are never 'finished' with their upgrades anyway, lol) The reasoning behind the axle swap is the fact that mine have many miles and need rebuilt as it is. I have a line on the military 60/14 so i figured If im going to have it all apart anyway, might as well as toss the big stuff under there as well. The camping I plan on doing will require a few intense power line or water/gas line trails as well as some old strip cuts, tram roads and the likes so I figured a little extra beef is worth the effort to try to avoid trail repairs if necessary. Also, It is worth noting that I tend to like to go a little overboard for what I actually need. Partially because I am just one of those 'just in case' types, but mostly because I like to build things. Im not really good as saying "thats enough", ********. Just trying to make a rig that is capable of mostly anything from towing my 28' car trailer, to trail riding, camping, a few modest mud holes, etc. I also have alot of buddies that are more ambitious than prepared and I am sure I will have to do quite a few rescue missions with the big pig too. I appreciate the input though! Any suggestions are appreciated.

 

[Rovertrader]

I have an '87 'burb similar to yours, albeit only 68k miles. And a '76 K30 with all the HD axles and such, as well as a 513 punched 501 Caddy engine. Point being, after only 40 years of driving, I am stalled as I am finally subscribing to Lance's perspective above. I have wheeled all over the country doing some pretty extreme stuff, but that is not the goal of this truck. It is a great platform as is- for traveling, exploring, camping, etc and I only did a 2" lift with a set of H-2 wheels and some 34" Toyo A/T-IIs.
Build as you wish, but the dollars and time saved could sure support some sweet trips. Welcome aboard, and adventure on!!