Expo Suburban/Tahoe thread

[rad]

I have a stock 97 Yukon. Owned it for about 4 or 5 years now. Never heard of any issues with the torsion bars, but the factory diffs can be a weak point. I've read plenty about people blowing the G80 factory gov-lockers while trying to rock crawl, and there are no locker options for the factory front diff. The front diff is in a cast aluminum pumpkin, and the general consensus I've read is that they can get cracked if overworked (again, like rock crawling). The front CV joints are made for that abuse either. Seems that people who want to take these trucks into the really rough stuff put a heavier duty axle in the rear, do a SAS to the front with a Ford axle, and put 1 ton leafs all around.

Stay within their capabilities and they are really nice trucks. Generally very reliable and great tow vehicles. If I do anything to my Yukon it will probably only be a 2" inch of so leveling kit in the front and replace the stock rear leafs with Suburban springs. Maybe a round of Bilstein B6 HD's as well.

 

[fnjeep314]

I saw another thread on here with a guy in a 93 IFS suburban that had some torsion bar relocators that moved them up and out of the way. Has anyone else tried these? I have been a solid front axle on all my other rigs, so I am curious and somewhat hesitant about going IFS. I know that IFS when lifted rides much better, so I am all for that part!

Now come on and lets see some more rigs!

 

[bkb73]

93 gmc yukon gt

Hello

Just starting on a '93 yukon gt, have to fix the rust, find heavier drive train, or at least a locking diff. ,some interior mods, everything basically!
Would be great to compare notes w someone who is or has taken on a similar project. Not rock crawling but cross country no roads 4x4.:smiley_drive:

 

[DT75FLH]

just a set of 255/85 KM2s, and the favorite of the stable, '83 Suburban w/ 48k on the clock, factory did the rest, 2500 4x4 350 carb w/ 700R4- strong comfortable and cheap to keep...

is this stock height or 2" lift?

 

[ccarley]

My wife loves our '89 Suburban, compared to my old Jeep Wagoneer (which would have been Tahoe size) for camping. BUT she has always wanted to sleep above ground; sleeping in the back of the Suburban for us has worked out great.

I like the '89 because it has 2 things I wanted: auto overdrive (700R4), and fuel injection (TBI). A TBI GM pretty much always runs. And they pretty much always run the same!

Now that we have a daughter too, we'll be tenting again, but taking the Suburban out still. It's going to be nice to have the extra space in the rear for camping gear & baby gear, since I don't have a roof rack. And we recently found out, it's easy to change diapers in the back seat with her car seat in the middle! My wife appreciates the deep tinted windows in the back too, while sleeping inside, as well as while nursing wherever.

(Another photo from the same trip):

There's a whole slew of aftermarket parts for a boxy body Chevy, including body panels in case they get damaged. And, there's a whole slew of boxy body Chevys in the junkyards, so parts are easy to get. That's another point I liked about it vs. the Jeep Grand Wagoneer; they are hard to find parts for (especially body panels). Tahoes, though, should be as easy as a Suburban to get parts for. I just like the solid axle, the boxy body style, which looks "classic" at this point, but having the nice things like OD and fuel injection.

Good luck in your decision! I'm sure you will make either work for you. The more room you have, the more stuff gets packed...

Clay

 

[Little Red]

:iagree:

Thats why I chose my 89 suburban as a overland/expedition vehicle.

Here are some pic's of my recent camping trip:

I built a storage/sleeping platform and me and my wife slept in the back of the suburban.
Before I bought the Suburban I had a Dodge Durango and I liked the truck a lot but it was just a little too small.

 

[MrPaul]

I'm just getting mine started..

Getting set up to add lights, roof rack, and possibly an auxiliary fuel tank among some other things.

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/825/photo112in.jpg/

 

[bldeagle10]

subscribing, i know where i want to go with a burban and eventually k5 blazer build, i was going to build mine up but its not running due to electrical issues (which sucks cause its a 75 and there should only be like 2 wires but for some reason the wiring looks worse than my 99 jeep) so i think im parting out my 75 later down the road and getting one around the same year (preferably 72-78) same with the k5 year wise. both will be complete twins. both on 1 tons. 4" lift, 1" body lift. 35-37" tires roof racks...the list is extremely long...

 

[chilliwak]

Nice looking pics of your camping trip LittleRed. Where abouts did your trip go? Post more pics if you have them. Love those pics....:ylsmoke:

 

[Little Red]

Nice looking pics of your camping trip LittleRed. Where abouts did your trip go? Post more pics if you have them. Love those pics....:ylsmoke:

I posted a trip report with more pictures HERE

 

[TheOtherSide]

I saw another thread on here with a guy in a 93 IFS suburban that had some torsion bar relocators that moved them up and out of the way. Has anyone else tried these? I have been a solid front axle on all my other rigs, so I am curious and somewhat hesitant about going IFS. I know that IFS when lifted rides much better, so I am all for that part!

Now come on and lets see some more rigs!

That's me...

I've had my Relocators for almost a year... no problems at all. I don't get out every weekend by any means... but I've been going anywhere all the Jeepers & Yota boys are going if my truck is narrow enough to fit.

93 Suburban K1500, 5.7L, 4L60E, NP241
Stock IFS geared to 4.88
14B SF Rear Axle with ARB locker geared to 4.88
Rough Country 6" lift... giving about 5" lift as I'm not cranking the t-bars
Realift Torsion Bar Relocators
315/75/16 BFG Mud KM2's

That's about the main stuff. It's my daily driver (4km commute to work), our family trailer hauler and trail explorer. I built it so it wouldn't be so extreme one way that I couldn't comfortably tow, drive and explore.

With the trailer:

As it looks today... outside the shop:

Check my build thread... which includes stock photos, lift, rear axle build, trans rebuild... and page 29 shows the torsion bar relocators
http://www.overlandcanada.com/forum/showthread.php?t=626

You can see a few trip reports with the truck in it here:
http://www.overlandcanada.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1069
http://www.overlandcanada.com/forum/showthread.php?t=998

Can't find the pic of the right front of the truck up in the sky... once in a while the IFS kicks the front way up... but it always comes down... haha!

Anyhow... that's my Suburban!

 

[02TahoeMD]

As someone with a 02 NBS style Tahoe, I would second the earlier vote for the early to mid 90s body style for Expedition use. Parts are cheaper and the classic lines of the older Chevy are timeless IMHO.

That said, I have enjoyed my rig immensely and I hope to keep it until it has that same classic status. You can read more about it in the link in my sig.

 

[my1stcummins]

My dad had a 97 GMC 'burban in the same colors as yours, I loved that truck. I think that body style is the best looking SUV, maybe tied with the Grand Wagoneer.

 

[Regcabguy]

I know a local guy who picked up an 89 Suburban 2500 w/manual tranny. We have a shop here that buys up low mileage USFS vehicles at auction. Aside from the Border Patrol green paint,it's been great.

When I win the lottery,I'd like to fund a mechanical nerd to build me one with a Cummins 12-valve. Barndoors,of course.

 

[Superu]

03 Suburban here

Finally got around to adding the Truxxx leveling kit and a set of 33's to the wife's 03 Suburban. With 3 kids, 2 adults, 1 85 lb dog and lots of lacrosse equipment, bikes, longboards, camping gear, etc... it's worked out to be ideal for us.

Comfortable, capable and reliable. :ylsmoke: