1990 Suburban project

[hidesertwheelin]

This is my 1990 Suburban project. I was in the process of building a rock crawler out if it, but decided to spare the body. I am now changing over to a expedition build. Here is a list of what has been done so far

350 small block
New BTO stage II 700R4 auto trans
Rebuilt NP241 (clocked flat)
HAD rear drive shaft
10-Bolt front axle w/ 4:88 gears
14-Bolt FF rear axle w/ 4:88 gears, Detroit locker, disk brakes, caddy calipers w/ parking brakes.
4" shackle flip and 1" zero rate in the rear
4" lift w/ 1" zero rate (axle moved forwad 1")
35" BFG A/T's
Custom front and rear bumpers
Warn M12000 winch

Future Plans

Sliders
Clock t-case 1/2 way back (It was clocked so high, it is causing driveshaft angle problems.)
Build a dual swing away spare tire and fuel can rack on rear bumper.
38" XML's
Dana 60 front w/ elect. locker
Storage/bed area in back\
Some more lights

 

[SicNick]

I love SFA burbs, wish I didn't have to sell mine. Looks like a great start!

 

[xx.xii]

nice,seems like you have good plans for it,i can see it more of an expo rig than just a rocker..cant wait to see the rear bumper tire carrier. i dont got time to make one so ill be buying one from kma and fabbing up my own gear on it.

 

[preacherman]

Great truck. I love those big burbs. That would have been a HUGE rock crawler.

 

[hidesertwheelin]

Great truck. I love those big burbs. That would have been a HUGE rock crawler.

My have a few friends who have run there up and down the hammers. But after all was said and done, the bodies were trashed and they both ended up going to something else. That's what eventually made me change plans.

 

[Metcalf]

38" XML's you say!

Just so you can plan well, they are a TRUE 38.5" tall ( 121" Cir ) tire! They are 115lbs without a wheel also. Tough as nails, steel belted sidewall, radial, etc.

I would go the route of bigger fender openings before I would do any more lift. My truck is stock in the back and basically leveling springs in the front. I will not be running any more lift with the big tires. With your GM product you should be able to find some fiberglass fenders from the pre-runner/desert crowd pretty darn easy, at least in the front. The rear might be a little harder.

 

[hidesertwheelin]

38" XML's you say!

Just so you can plan well, they are a TRUE 38.5" tall ( 121" Cir ) tire! They are 115lbs without a wheel also. Tough as nails, steel belted sidewall, radial, etc.

I would go the route of bigger fender openings before I would do any more lift. My truck is stock in the back and basically leveling springs in the front. I will not be running any more lift with the big tires. With your GM product you should be able to find some fiberglass fenders from the pre-runner/desert crowd pretty darn easy, at least in the front. The rear might be a little harder.

The air saw is my friend :sombrero: There will be no more lift, if anything I am going to remove the zero rates in front as it sits nose high. I already cut the front of the fenders where the bumper wraps around.

 

[motomech]

SUBSCRIBED!:wings: Welcome

I also did the rock crawling thing and acquired a lot of dents doing it. Since finding this site my build has been leaning towards a Expo style vehicle.

 

[hidesertwheelin]

Here is the rear bumper that I am going to install. It has H1 recovery shackles on it. I plan on fabricating up a dual swing out tire/gas carrier onto it.

This is my plan for the bumper.

 

[02TahoeMD]

Nice rig, looking forward to seeing what you do with it.

 

[greg mgm]

Nice Build!

Wondering how the rear discs (caddy calipers) are working out for you?
How difficult of a swap was it?
Did you install a proportioning valve?

I have a 78 GMC truck that could use rear discs.

 

[hidesertwheelin]

The swap is very easy on a 14-bolt FF. I'm not sure if it's a master cylinder problem, or the disk/rotors, but I am not 100 percent happy with the disk. I used stock 3/4 ton rotors on it. I think my next move with the breaks is to swap in a hydroboost set up. The peddle is a little soft.



Edit: No I didn't install a proportioning valve, and that also could be another reason for the soft pedel.

 

[Grim Reaper]

Sweet!

I'm looking for a 91 4x4 3/4ton with barn doors to replace my 88 454 2wd. I'm going to do Hannis things to it!!!!!!!

Has to be a 91 and 3/4 ton. That gets the 4L80 and the 8600 GVWR is emissions exempt where I live.


Now I did just run accord a $2200 91 Dodge with a 5speed and a 12v Cummins with around 180k on it that might just be a donor and and allow me to look at different years. Run a divorced NP205.

 

[ntsqd]

A P-valve will not do anything for a soft pedal. It only affects when or if the rear brakes can lock up and is used to tune them to work to their fullest while ideally never *quite* being able to lock up. Reality is that you tune them to lock up under the worst case condition.

A soft pedal is tuned with the ratio of the caliper piston areas to m/c piston area. For too soft you either need to increase the m/c bore size or reduce the caliper piston size.

Dang Grim! For a minute there I thought that I had a cross-country buyer for mine, but it's a 1/2t on 3/4t axles.

 

[Grim Reaper]

A P-valve will not do anything for a soft pedal. It only affects when or if the rear brakes can lock up and is used to tune them to work to their fullest while ideally never *quite* being able to lock up. Reality is that you tune them to lock up under the worst case condition.

A soft pedal is tuned with the ratio of the caliper piston areas to m/c piston area. For too soft you either need to increase the m/c bore size or reduce the caliper piston size.

Dang Grim! For a minute there I thought that I had a cross-country buyer for mine, but it's a 1/2t on 3/4t axles.

If you were closer I'd be all over it despite it not being a real 2500.