Duraburb Project

[FellowTraveler]

I think you are a 100% correct. I believe the drop hitch played a big role in the frame damage, but I also believe I didn't have my brake controller set correctly. I towed my ammo trailer all day with out issue even with the frame rails bent. My M101 trailer does not require a drop down hitch.

Load the M101 heavy then tow and slam on the brakes the surge brakes on the trailer should lock and straighten your chassis, just kidding.

Perhaps, strut braces w/heim joints, pull pins attached to lowest part of drop-down draw bar then attached to brackets forward on chassis as far as practical as not to interfere with suspension this setup can be removed when not in use and prevent further issues IMHO.

Custom fabrication is always time consuming but the rewards are worth it. I'm been trying to find the guy in Palm Beach that had a Duramax installed in a 1999 Suburban he had used a hi-pinion Ford front differential and kept the whole vehicle close to stock height and he always claimed upper 20's mpg's that was a way-cool conversion too.

Anyway, have a nice day and keep those updates coming!

 

[noJeepshere]

How does GM's dual fuel tank system work? and I wonder if I can adapt it to work on my 99 Yukon? as I want to put an extra tank where the spare tire goes.

 

[FellowTraveler]

My 1999 GMC Burb aux tank is a transfer tank switched at dash, it has its own fuel gauge, low amp pump and filters it ties in at the main tank filler neck for transfer of fuel. The filler cap/neck for it is inside wheel well this setup is certified DOT/EPA compliant for over the road use. I plan to relocate filler for aux tank next to existing factory filler door and all.

 

[chilliwak]

Now that looks like a slick:Wow1: way to transfer fuel, Fellow. I would love to see more pics of that set-up!

 

[FellowTraveler]

Now that looks like a slick:Wow1: way to transfer fuel, Fellow. I would love to see more pics of that set-up!

The filler inter-connect is simple vent at top and fuel transfer line just below it in first picture, the tank (25 gal) is specific to the Suburban but you can get a marine tank to fit any safe area under truck easy that is what I had before the current tank. The switch/fuel gauge area dash mounted. The fuel pump is an inline unit drawing very low amperage w/inline filter before before pump intake and chassis rail mounted.
Got my tank from: http://nwmp.com/

 

[klmore]

I like that fuel tank setup.

 

[FellowTraveler]

I like that fuel tank setup.

Thanks, I like most everything about your rig but if it were mine I would lower it and the paint while excellent would be destroyed off road in less than a week. :ylsmoke:

 

[klmore]

Thanks, I like most everything about your rig but if it were mine I would lower it and the paint while excellent would be destroyed off road in less than a week. :ylsmoke:

That is funny. My new paint job is already trashed from tree limbs scraping down the side.

I also agree with the height of the truck. The 37's are unnecessar and the older I getting the less I enjoy getting in and out of my truck.

 

[FellowTraveler]

That is funny. My new paint job is already trashed from tree limbs scraping down the side.

I also agree with the height of the truck. The 37's are unnecessar and the older I getting the less I enjoy getting in and out of my truck.

It took me two (2) years after getting my Burb to paint it flat black to curtail the cussin and such. 35" should work just fine under all conditions with less lift and most probably will fit w/cutouts and no lift if that's what you like.

 

[klmore]

The Suburban is getting close to 6k miles on it now. The fuel sender repair has worked out. I ran the tank out to below the 1/4 mark and all went well. I filled it back up today with no issues.

The last thing I have to do is having the rear springs redone. I'm still having a large amount of axle wrap that will only be solved by new springs. I need to weight the rear of the truck to order the springs and I haven't had time to get to the scales.

Other than one squeak that I can't track down the Burb is a 100%.

 

[mimalmo]

I keep drooling over these conversions. Someday I should do it to my Suburban 2500. It's just hard to justify the expense when the 8.1L runs just fine and likely will continue to do so for many years. The $4 a gallon gas I see locally does make me think about it more though...

Quick question: maybe I missed it in your thread but, does this swap utilize your original fuel tank or does it require the D-Max tank to be swapped over?

 

[klmore]

Quick question: maybe I missed it in your thread but, does this swap utilize your original fuel tank or does it require the D-Max tank to be swapped over?

I have the factory tank for the Sub, but I also have a custom fuel cell where the spare use to be. I now have roughly a 70 gallon fuel capacity. I know I can drive about 800 miles before I refuel with mixed city and highway.

 

[mimalmo]

Yeah, I saw the pics of the added fuel cell - very slick. Good to know it uses the stock 'burban tank. It will make it easier to find a crashed Duramax if I only need to have the engine, trans and wire harnesses.

 

[trailbound]

Very nice build/thread. When it comes to driveline vibrations...I know how you feel. I have a 92 burb with a Cummins and have always had a driveline vibration. 83,000 miles and still haven't cured the problem. I have had the driveline angles checked and all that have looked at it say they are correct. I have Deaver spring, spring under long travel leafs with a custom anti-rap bar installed over the differential (mounted to the frame on top, and then to the top of the differential via an axle truss). I can tell you that I go thru a lot of U-joints and the vibration is worse when I first install them and obviously when they start to go bad....but seem to be perfect and the vibration goes away mid-life after they break in and have a little room to move around.
I do think your blocks are giving you most of your vibration and, hopefully, go away when you get a new set of leafs. Check out Deaver spring and talk to Jeff Crosby. Its all he does and may be of some help.
Again nice Burb!
Doug

 

[Stephen]

My '88 sub with a 3-4" lift would run smooth (no driveline vibes) up to about 70mph and then pick up a rumble. It took a little work to get to this point and that was a 350/700r4/241SYE combo so the driveshaft was pretty long. IIRC the joint angles were around 7 degrees. After that most of our builds get a CV jointed driveshaft which for the most part takes care of the problem. I think we still get some weird harmonics sometimes but we're typically dealing with a geardrive T-cases too which lets some of those noises amplify.

Doug, I'm a little surprised you can't get yours to run smooth, that thing sits pretty low and seems like it would have pretty gentle angles but I guess it is what it is.

Klmore, you may want to address any major driveline changes at the same time as a 271 swap since the 261 is a slip yoke system with no good way to change it.

Cool burb! I lust a little for a newer burb with a cummins but it would be hard to make that work as clean as the dmax swap. It's good to see some realistic milage numbers coming up too, I get tired of big tire trucks that get 20mpg towing at 80mph. I think you would see a noticable increase in milage swapping back to a stock bumper, I put a ARB bumper on my '03 GM dually and could tell immediately that it's an aerodynamic nightmare. Milage is still good at lower speeds but interstate driving milage got pulled down for sure. Nice bumper and I don't know how to put good protection up front that is aerodynamic so it kind of just is what it is. I had a friend nail a big doe (mule deer, so big comparatively) on the interstate and just had to re-align the ARB bumper on a GM like ours. Without bumper it would have been pretty ugly.