86 Suburban, warwgn's build.

[warwgn]

Got the truck side of the dash all wired up and connectors in place......well at least down to the firewall. Still need to run the other side of the firewall for the oil, water, and speedo signal wires but that is easy. Gonna start putting the dash back together tomorrow and then finish off the bezel and install the gages for the last time.

Two connectors and a vaccuum line

Quick and easy when I am ready to install the cluster.

 

[Vicreo A Legarreta]

:lurk: I am in

 

[warwgn]

Progress was.slow today, but got all the vents in and the dash pad back on. The glovebox donated from my old blazer and the ashtray are all buttoned up. Quite a change from the factory color.

Now need to finish off the bezel so I can get that put in and test the gages.

 

[chilliwak]

Wow:Wow1:nice progress Warwgn! That truck is really looking cherry. Are you sure you will have the desire to wheel that truck when it looks so good?:ylsmoke:

 

[warwgn]

Are you sure you will have the desire to wheel that truck

Prolly not!! ha ha thanks for the good words. My main goal was never a hard core wheelin rig, just wanted something that will pull the camper and hauls the family around. We like to go to out of the way places so it should fit the bill perfect.

 

[chilliwak]

Glad to hear that Warwgn. Keep us updated with pics and such. I love your `Burb´

 

[Keitha]

Great looking Project! I really like the creativity in your work.

 

[warwgn]

Ol so here is the front shaft angles, you can see the cv is gonna bind at droop, the front diff angle is not to bad.

Gonna remove the blocks

And the rear is just a touch short ya think?

The angle is at like 1*, not enough when power gets applied the angle will be bad and wear joints fast ans prolly have terrible harmonics causing a throbing like vibration, and if I dont stretch it that rear seal wil last about 10 miles!

The rear is strapped down but it dont change much.

Ok time to get to work.....

 

[warwgn]

Well that did not make a noticable difference at all other than a extra inch of ground clearance.

And the slip yoke at the tcase seemed to move the most.

 

[warwgn]

well been thinking again, since it is a snow day and not much going on at work I have had more time to work on Subzila in my head. I took apart the exhaust and crossmember and tried to put it back together several ways and it just wont fit right, if I run the pass side to clear the brace it sits real close to the fuel lines, or I have to run it under the crossmember.

So having done all that I checked tracking and my tubing bender is out for delievery and it just clicks in my mind to build a new crossmember out of 1.5 x .250" wall DOM tubing that will allow me to install the brace and still run the exhaust inside the frame and above the crossmember. Maybe run 2" x .120 wall or 1.75 X .120 just gotta see what is at the steel place here when I find it....

Anybody got some good examples of custom crossmember to help me think of a good design?

 

[warwgn]

Dang the rear springs are very strong!! So after working on my buddies jeep its time to pull the burb back in the garage. I had relaxed the springs to get a good measurement on thr drive shaft and after popping the bead on the tire once I did not want to air down as much. I get my 3 ton jack and a chain out to compres the suspension and it only get about 3" and stops working, just not strong enough to get anymore. So of course it rubs the house pulling in, so now I aor down to 10 psi and try the jack again and get amother 1/2 inch........it barely clears but it is back in the garage.

I need to build a big shop! But until I do, lets get back to work, drive shafts are coming out today and getting cut up to ship oit for new longer ones. Then try to finish up some wiring and maybe start on the exhaust during the week and toying with building my own crossmember......

 

[legendaryandrew]

Haha yea....bigger shop. I need a shop, period. My stock height Sub wont even fit in my garage

 

[warwgn]

Ok got the driveshafts out and cut up for shipping. Now dont try this at home, but I did smoe special work on the front cv to give it more clearance and turned it into a higher angle driveline.

Two suburban driveshafts ready to ship out.

 

[chilliwak]

Although I admire your get the job done attitude I think you should get a professional to look at your drive-shafts. If you are only going to wheel at low speeds I am sure your front drive-shaft will be ok. At higher speeds the drive-shaft will not be balanced properly and you could loose it at speed. Even if you dont loose it while driving the imbalance will eventually wreck the bearings in both the diff and transfercase. If you are only going to wheel at low speed then there is no problem. I have seen guys make drive-shafts out of square tubing and go wheeling with that. Keep up the good work. Glad to see the project coming along. If you are a decent welder you can easily make your own exhaust with some pre-bent exhaust parts that you weld together. I also look forward to seeing your cross-member fabrication. Thanks for posting pics and keeping us uptodate on your build. Cheers, Chilli...

 

[warwgn]

thanks for looking out for me Chilli, and you are correct about the drivelines. The good news is that is what I used to do for a living back in the day, I was a driveline tech and worked at a shop that built race drivelines for trophy trucks and Saleen Mustangs. I have done the clearancing on tons of the doubble cardigan front drivelines so it's not something I just made up. But not to worry, I am sending the components to the shop I used to work at to have the new tubes welded in, they will also get straightened and balanced.

If you notice I said as a cautionary statement in the begining of my last post "Now don't try this at home"..that was not a joke. So I agree with you 100% anytime you modify a driveline it needs to be balanced, even when you change ujoinst you need to mark the components to insure they go back together the same to maintain the balance.


maybe if the last pic would have loaded it would have helped, it was supposed to show the two driveline's worth of components ready to ship out.

like I said thanks for looking out, I make lots of mistakes and always welcome comments, that is why I post up my build, for secondary review!!