'89 GMC Suburban restoration/build up project.

[dieselfuel]

Looking good.

For the vents, assuming you removed the fitting and replaced with a barb or similar?
Do you remember the thread size?

No I kept all the original barb/tubes. I just got hose that was a tight enough fit for them to work without clamps. The trans uses 3/16" hose and the diffs and case use 1/4" hose.

Today I started doing CAD work for a new front bumper. (Cardboard aided design)

 

[superbuickguy]

that cad designed bumper looks familiar...

 

[dieselfuel]

that cad designed bumper looks familiar...

Yep, if warn still made that bumper, I would just buy one. I've always been a fan of simple bumpers like that one. I prefer plate bumpers over tube bumpers but I'm not really crazy about the road armor and ranchhand style bumpers, they're just too much, too many angles.

 

[clandr1]

I think a minimalist tubular design can be attractive. Check out the ORD front bumper:

http://www.offroaddesign.com/catalog/GMfrontbumper.htm
.
That being said, I found my Warn bumper and 8274 combo for $600 locally so I'm a very happy camper :wings:

 

[Rockhounder]

Hey, the Cardboard and tape way to go is actually very good. That technique allowed me to keep the original bumper underneath (totally by accident, didn't think about it until we were welding up the steel plates , and doing first fitments onto the suburban. Now we have crumple zone and second bumper underneath/ 6 inches behind.

 

[superbuickguy]

Yep, if warn still made that bumper, I would just buy one. I've always been a fan of simple bumpers like that one. I prefer plate bumpers over tube bumpers but I'm not really crazy about the road armor and ranchhand style bumpers, they're just too much, too many angles.

I agree - it's a Ramsey bumper, though - but I got it at a yard sale for $35.00. The guy who sold it to me said it came off "some Ford or another".... what actually, they did was make plates to adapt the bumper to a Ford truck, but what those adapters were bolted to were the GM plates Ramsey installed... I got damn lucky, which, IMO is better than being good

 

[dieselfuel]

I think a minimalist tubular design can be attractive. Check out the ORD front bumper:

http://www.offroaddesign.com/catalog/GMfrontbumper.htm
.
That being said, I found my Warn bumper and 8274 combo for $600 locally so I'm a very happy camper :wings:

i agree, ORD bumpers are very nice looking and highly functional. i just don't like the empty look between the body and the bumper, that's something only a plate bumper can take care of. that's an awesome deal you got!

Hey, the Cardboard and tape way to go is actually very good. That technique allowed me to keep the original bumper underneath (totally by accident, didn't think about it until we were welding up the steel plates , and doing first fitments onto the suburban. Now we have crumple zone and second bumper underneath/ 6 inches behind. View attachment 242518View attachment 242519View attachment 242520View attachment 242521View attachment 242522View attachment 242523

very nice work man! yours is considerably more involved than mine but i want an understated, simple look.

I agree - it's a Ramsey bumper, though - but I got it at a yard sale for $35.00. The guy who sold it to me said it came off "some Ford or another".... what actually, they did was make plates to adapt the bumper to a Ford truck, but what those adapters were bolted to were the GM plates Ramsey installed... I got damn lucky, which, IMO is better than being good

ah, on my phone earlier today it looked like a Warn. that is pretty lucky for a yard sale find.

 

[Rockhounder]

very nice work man! yours is considerably more involved than mine but i want an understated, simple look.


.

Thanks, I made mine to be able to handle hitting deer, and keep the suburban front end "relatively" undamaged..... Thus the vertical 1/4" steel slice-n-dice plates and horizontal grill-em-well-done bars

 

[dieselfuel]

Nothing exciting, but updates none the less. We tried cutting my hubs down more to fit my new 17" H2 wheels, finally quit when we were no longer comfortable taking any more off and they still weren't fitting. They fit steel wheels fine but the GM aluminum wheels have a much smaller pilot hole. So I bought new hubs at a local chevy dealer and got the axle reassembled today. She gets new tires tomorrow.

Hub/wheel test fit.

All back together

 

[dieselfuel]

last week, Dasiy got new tires. i went with 35x12.50R17 General Grabbers. i debated back and forth for a long time and these things are supposed to be about indestructible. the only bad thing i ever heard about them is that they're heavy but they're still 8lbs lighter than the goodyears i took off. add in the fact that i ditched steel wheels for aluminum and i saved quite a bit of weight. at first i was a little bummed about how much shorter they are than the goodyears, 34" mounted with weight on them, the goodyears were 35.5". after driving the truck 50-60mi today i couldn't be happier! braking, acceleration and steering have all improved with the new tires and she cruises down the highway as smooth and straight as can be! (i can let go of the wheel at 75mph and she stays nice and true.) i think i'm going to take another inch of lift out of the front still, she's close to level but with any weight in the back she sags noticeably.

 

[clandr1]

I always thought you were supposed to enlarge the opening on the H2 rims?

 

[Bojak]

Burb looks great! I came so close to buying 2 this week and have been seriously second guessing myself for not. might go from 16 inch steels to 17's aluminium myself. Again your rig is really coming together.

 

[dieselfuel]

I always thought you were supposed to enlarge the opening on the H2 rims?

no they bolt right on.

 

[Renntag]

As always, great job. It looks great.

Do they only come in 8.5" width?
I like the H2 wheels and 17" is a good diameter. I keep finding chrome wheels, I prefer grey, silver, or black. Most sellers seem to be selling singles.

 

[dieselfuel]

As always, great job. It looks great.

Do they only come in 8.5" width?
I like the H2 wheels and 17" is a good diameter. I keep finding chrome wheels, I prefer grey, silver, or black. Most sellers seem to be selling singles.

As far as I know yeah, 8.5 is the only width they're made in. Same here, I jumped on the first silver set I saw. $300 for the 4 of them.