(Another) Forest Living Suburban Build Thread

[Burb One]

Not sure.... I think it's just an optical illusion. There's no droop in person or the other picture.

Hey Raya- didn't see the first part of you post.
My light bar is a cheap chinese 54inch ebay special. Been going strong now for almost 4 years....... I did open it up and re-silicone it when I bought it.
Buddy has a curved ebay 54 inch and he's been happy for the past 6 months as well.

Also let me know details on the fuel tank skin when it's done! I probably copy it

 

[Burb One]

Really cool build man! I have an 04 1500LT with 300K that I have been wanting to get rid of but you might have just changed my mind.
Keep it Up!

Thanks! They are special vehicles. Value and reliability is out of this world and surprisingly capable with not too much $

 

[chilliwak]

Cool video there Burbone. Looks like you guys got into some slick stuff out there. I love the yells and cheers from your enthusiastic crew. Looks like you guys had fun. Cheers, Chilli...

 

[rayra]

Gaia Raper!

Was that a creek or a rut? So little water around the last few years I can't tell the difference.
Looked like a lot of fun. I used to run around the fire / woodcutting roads west of kern river, up around Alta Sierra / Shirley Meadows.

How big a difference do you feel your coil-over setup has made?

 

[Burb One]

Cool video there Burbone. Looks like you guys got into some slick stuff out there. I love the yells and cheers from tour enthusiastic crew. Looks like you guys had fun. Cheers, Chilli...

Thanks Chilli

 

[Burb One]

Gaia Raper!

Was that a creek or a rut? So little water around the last few years I can't tell the difference.
Looked like a lot of fun. I used to run around the fire / woodcutting roads west of kern river, up around Alta Sierra / Shirley Meadows.

How big a difference do you feel your coil-over setup has made?

Edit:I get the reference.

It was a trail, turned creek, turned rut thing. LOL At this time of year, there is AT MINIMUM 2 feet of snow there. I have never, ever seen that little snow in Tahoe before (this was this past weekend).

I'll say it again, the coil-over setup is the single best mod i have done to the truck. It is incredible how fast and smooth it is. "Burb-two" The other suburban in the video at the top of the hill at the beginning is currently buying the same setup. We did some testing, I cruise/comfortably travel at 10-15mph over his "shaken to the bone" speed on very rutty/ rocky trail (which these trucks lifted already do great at) a month ago. The only reason I don't go faster or actually go fast at all, is because it's not a race and there's it's simply unsafe for oncoming traffic and small trails. Right now the setup, I can go the same speed as I always have(okay... maybe a little faster), it just feels like driving on a paved road. Ill post a video where we had a buddy go ahead and block the trail (also had CB) so we could run at some sped without being dangerous in some remote areas.

 

[Burb One]

Here's a youtube video of us cruising on the trails at a pretty high rate of speed.
Sorry for the shaky footage, we put it on his winch and it rattles a bit in the reciever. Also, knockoff gopro....
Also we are fully loaded for a few days of camping...
Had to slowdown for him to catch up more than a few times

The camera car is "BurbTwo"- has a six inch lift, 14 bolt and 35's(same tires - Wildpeak At3's), no coilovers

I think @jelorian or @Boss324 can attest how rutty and bumpy this trail is after being worn down spring and summer, much the less after a few rains/ snows later-December.

Let me caveat: BE SAFE. We had trucks go ahead of us, with radio gear, which we all had, and stop at EVERY trail crossing to make sure noone would come around the corner on us. Do not just bomb the trails, people are out there, no matter how remote.

 

[Ericwc]

Did you build the bumper around your front receiver or build a receiver into the bumper for your winch? Nice videos!

 

[Burb One]

Thanks,

Ya pretty much. I took off the bumper, slid the winch into the receiver as far back as it would go before hitting the grill , then built the bumper around it. Works perfect, probably as much overhang as if I had built the winch into the bumper, since its about as close to the radiator as I would want anyway.

 

[Burb One]

Had some interest in my aux. gas tank

I will take some pictures, but the install writeup is pretty simple. Also update the parts numbers below to more recent because some links died.

I compiled the parts number below. I just took the dorman number if possible, just for posterity, but I know there are OEM/ junkyard parts that would be more than fine.

Fuel tank:
Dorman-576-121


Tank mounts
Dorman 578-016

Fuel pump:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Fuel-Pump-...ash=item43ee9a655c:g:C8kAAOSwboVXOjZW&vxp=mtr

Fuel gauge:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Fuel-Gauge...ash=item3f33fb025a:g:yAwAAOSwrzdZnI9I&vxp=mtr

Gas filler:
Perko 0126DP0BLK

MISC-
Long bolts for the hangers
Gas hose
Gas hose tee's (car parts store)

The writeup is simple-
Take out spare tire
Cut the spare tire holder so it is flat (V1- worked fine, but OCD for perfect mounting points got me to V2)
V2- Cut out spare tire holder entirely, weld two spans of steel U-bar across the chassis for a flat mount point.
Mock up the gas tank, with the tank mounts and drill the holes. Then find the proper length bolts (grade 8)
Simply teed in the output of the pump on the spare tank into the fill hose of the main tank, tee'd in the vent, and position a fuel hose up into the gas cap of the suburban. Had to make a litle aluminum mount so the stock fill cap can move over and there's space for the secondary fill cap.
Wired in a switch into the cabin with a buzzer, and then also the fuel gauge.


Some pictures:
http://forum.expeditionportal.com/t...g-Suburban-Build-Thread?p=2172570#post2172570

If need more pictures, just let me know!

 

[VisionxOrb]

Burb One, I was thinking. I belive the 1500HD/2500 (non hd) were basiclly a 1500 with HD running gear. So perhaps using a lift kit for a 1500hd would make a 9.25 conversion a 100% bolt in affair. Linked is a couple of said kits, maybe you could look at the pictures and be able to say.

http://www.roughcountry.com/gm-suspension-lift-kit-259n2.html

https://www.superlift.com/6-inch-li...-non-hd-or-1500hd-4wd-knuckle-kit-with-shocks

 

[Burb One]

Burb One, I was thinking. I belive the 1500HD/2500 (non hd) were basiclly a 1500 with HD running gear. So perhaps using a lift kit for a 1500hd would make a 9.25 conversion a 100% bolt in affair. Linked is a couple of said kits, maybe you could look at the pictures and be able to say.

http://www.roughcountry.com/gm-suspension-lift-kit-259n2.html

https://www.superlift.com/6-inch-li...-non-hd-or-1500hd-4wd-knuckle-kit-with-shocks

Interesting! possibly.... You would still need the coil rear end lift kit pieces, but if you were able to buy those separately, or mismatch form the lift kit maker, I could see that being a thing. If the frame side is for 1500, and the running gear side are 2500, than there's no reason why not....

Saying that you would have to contact the lift companies and cross reference to see if the knuckles, etc. are compatible. Not sure if the 1500HD uses 2500 knuckles or 1500..... It would be cool to be totally bolt in though!

Let us know if you go that route!

 

[VisionxOrb]

I currently have a 06 ram mega cab and the wifes yukon is a gmt900 so unfortunatly I wont be able to try, but I like to try and figure out easy solutions for the community.

 

[rayra]

just an aside on the gas tank plate thing, got under the vehicle again a couple days ago, taking more detailed measurements and another look around. Gonna be a little odd, but still serviceable as a 'second skin' for the tank. Prime issue is that the rear control arm mount / pivot is at about the halfway point on the 5' long tank. So my idea of mounting the plate to the frame rail winds up unsupported on the rear half. But my design is shaping up with 3/4" square tubing on the inboard edge, fastened to the tank saddle strap bolts as a sort of hanging ladder bar. That's version A. Version B is still a flat sheet with a semi-complex set of bends so the plate is just sandwiched between the tank and the saddle straps and has <1" of standoff from the tank itself. If any. Problem being the bottom of the poly tank is about flush with the bottom of the frame rail. Anything hanging lower is going to hang up before the frame rail and since it isn't being designed as a proper vehicle-weight-supporting skid plate, that's a real design problem. So installed that way the plate would probably be configured to fit flat against the bottom of the tank.
So I'm still exploring ideas basically, while trying to find some 3/16" aluminum plate that doesn't cost $400+ for a 4'x8' sheet.

I'm also looking to see if it is possible to mount a second set of saddle straps over the existing. It LOOKS possible. If it is it would make it a lot easier to install, than wrasslin' with that big tank and taking its straps off, both at the same time. Can't figure how to support the tank while trying ot take off both straps and get a plate in place. Maybe just drive it empty and use bailing wire to support it fore and aft while a plate is put in place.

/slow as a glacier, like usual, but I get there eventually...

 

[Burb One]

For ease of reference later on- copied form a response I did elsewhere.

This is how to find a 14 bolt 9.5 that will bolt into a 1500 GMT800 with matching 6 lugs:


Burbone's How to find a 14 bolt for a 2000- 2006 GMT-800 1500 6 lug with coil springs

http://car-part.com/
2007
GMC Yukon XL 1500
Axle Assy Rear
(Your zipcode)
Press search
Pick one:
9-1/2" ring gear (14 bolt), 3.42 axle ratio (opt GU6)
9-1/2" ring gear (14 bolt), 4.10 ratio (opt GT5)
Optional: G80 will have the locker

\yelling\ MAKE SURE TO BEFORE BUYING OR SHOWING UP TO HAVE THEM TAKE PICTURES OF BOTH THE COIL SPRING PERCH, THE BACK OF THE HOUSING CLEARLY SHOWING 14 BOLTS, AND THE 6 LUGS. DON'T BOTHER GOING TO PICK IT UP OR PAY FOR IT UNLESS YOU ARE SURE IT'S THE RIGHT ONE /yelling/. Sorry the first one I drove 40 mins to had the wrong axle listed and was a 10 bolt.