i have a g80 in my 2000 astro 2wd work van and had one in my old c1500 sierra. here in the snowy north i couldn't live with out it, they work awesome and i've never had one blow up thru lots of abuse (imagine a mini van overloaded with tools/materials backing up greasy rutted out driveways).
Grumpy the Astro van - One man's delusions, a love story.
- Thread starter ihatemybike
- Start date
RocKrawler
Supporting Sponsor
Good to know, I'm sure they are cheap and readily available in most junkyards.
Sent from my HTC Thunderbolt.
Sent from my HTC Thunderbolt.
ihatemybike
Explorer
Got mine as a whole rear end for $126.
ihatemybike
Explorer
Door mount tire carrier came in the mail yesterday.
BigAl
Expedition Leader
Any chance you know the sizes of the upper and lower shackle bolts. I have new shackles waiting to go in, but i want to buy new hardware first. The old shackle is coming out via the hot wrench. I'm hoping my fiberleafs don't give me any trouble.
ihatemybike
Explorer
If you are using the 2" lift hammer finish shackles, they are meant for something wider then an Astro's leaf. To not bend them, I used a M14x2.0 120mm bolt with two washers per side between the leaf and shackle. The bolts are available from Chevy, have to ask for the lower shackle bolts for a Suburban/Tahoe. My dealer quoted under $6 each.
The upper bolts are also M14x2.0. I don't know the length since they were still in great condition despite being in a rust belt van.
Personally, I'd swap in steel leafs since it will already be partially apart.
The upper bolts are also M14x2.0. I don't know the length since they were still in great condition despite being in a rust belt van.
Personally, I'd swap in steel leafs since it will already be partially apart.
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ihatemybike
Explorer
Well Grumpy has been lifted and driven for a bit. The lower trans cooler line gave me some trouble, but it's been modified and lengthened.
Today Grumpy served it's mobile tool shed role for a Jeep Liberty lift party. While driving it home it started having some rather high revs as it shifted between gears. I've already been running Lucas Transmission Fix and a corvette servo in the trans, so there's really not anything I can think of to squeeze any more life out it. Hopefully the trans in my parts van has some life left in it. Once I swap the trans I'll try my hand at rebuilding Grumpy's original adding upgrades.
Grumpy has almost 333k miles on it original stock trans, pretty impressive, but I was hoping to hit 333,333 before I pulled it.
Today Grumpy served it's mobile tool shed role for a Jeep Liberty lift party. While driving it home it started having some rather high revs as it shifted between gears. I've already been running Lucas Transmission Fix and a corvette servo in the trans, so there's really not anything I can think of to squeeze any more life out it. Hopefully the trans in my parts van has some life left in it. Once I swap the trans I'll try my hand at rebuilding Grumpy's original adding upgrades.
Grumpy has almost 333k miles on it original stock trans, pretty impressive, but I was hoping to hit 333,333 before I pulled it.
ihatemybike
Explorer
Grumpy is still moving around with it's original transmission. Put a new battery in it for free this past Saturday (thank you three year warranty).
Ordered some Rancho RS5000 shocks for it this morning.
Front RS5150
Rear RS5315 (about an inch longer max extension length and travel than stock)
Shocks $240
Code -$50
Shipping $0
Tax $10
Rebate -$40
Total $160 Rock!!
Ordered some Rancho RS5000 shocks for it this morning.
Front RS5150
Rear RS5315 (about an inch longer max extension length and travel than stock)
Shocks $240
Code -$50
Shipping $0
Tax $10
Rebate -$40
Total $160 Rock!!
ihatemybike
Explorer
Lot's of Grumpy work the past couple weeks getting ready for the BABE Rally. Van had last been out on a Jeep run at Bundy Hill Off Road Park last July. Van was performing great, walking through stuff the open diff Jeeps would struggle with, the stock LSD axle really helps alot. Managed to get the van stuck once in some muddy ruts that I tried going diagonally through. Day for me came to a quick halt thought when I ripped the sidewall of the right front tire open on a hidden stump without having a full size spare. Since then I've been dealing with what I've been calling "The Curse of Bundy Hill". It's seemed for a while now that I couldn't fix anything without something else needing to be fixed next.
After Bundy I decided that I wanted to run stronger E rated tires. Since my Jeep group mostly uses 245/75R16 tires and I wanted better tires on my wife's Jeep, I decided that this was the way to go. I found a set of 16" ProCompe Soft 8 style rims on Craigslist being sold by a JK guy and mounted my wife's old BFG AT/TAs.
Tires mounted the test drive produced terrible grinding noise from the left front wheel bearing. I picked up a pair of bearings from Dearborn Axle in Detroit off eBay for $80.
With the bearings replaced the test drive resulted in the brake pedal heading to the floor. The long hard line from the front to the back of the van had rusted out. Weather was sucking at this point and Grumpy wasn't a required vehicle, so it sat till nicer weather.
Last week I finally got around to Grumpy again. Needed to drop the fuel tank to properly replace the brake line and in doing so two of the fuel hard line broke due to rust. Managed to find some decent looking lines on a 1998 Astro Conversion, at the Chicago LKQ and got the wave through when I went to pay. Quite the score with the dealer wanting $130 for the three fuel lines I replaced. Having added a rubberized coating to them, I installed the new brake line, the fuel lines and the non-crushed fuel tank from the parts van I had. Started Grumpy, only to find an O-ring had gone bad on the fuel supply soft line, forcing me to partially lower the tank again to correct it.
Short test drive this past Wednesday ended with bearing grinding sound coming from the right front. Pulled the serpentine belt to check pulleys and found a rough alternator. Removed the alternator yesterday and was shocked to find that its housing had a significant crack in it. Picked up its replacement at Global Auto Recyclers for $38. Looks to be a fairly recent reman by Remey, cleanest bone yard alternator I've seen. Just for fun I tested it while working at Advance Auto yesterday evening, it performed great.
Alternator gets installed after work today. Hopefully there are no more major issues, because after dinner with my wife tonight I'm supposed to leave for BABE
After Bundy I decided that I wanted to run stronger E rated tires. Since my Jeep group mostly uses 245/75R16 tires and I wanted better tires on my wife's Jeep, I decided that this was the way to go. I found a set of 16" ProCompe Soft 8 style rims on Craigslist being sold by a JK guy and mounted my wife's old BFG AT/TAs.
Tires mounted the test drive produced terrible grinding noise from the left front wheel bearing. I picked up a pair of bearings from Dearborn Axle in Detroit off eBay for $80.
With the bearings replaced the test drive resulted in the brake pedal heading to the floor. The long hard line from the front to the back of the van had rusted out. Weather was sucking at this point and Grumpy wasn't a required vehicle, so it sat till nicer weather.
Last week I finally got around to Grumpy again. Needed to drop the fuel tank to properly replace the brake line and in doing so two of the fuel hard line broke due to rust. Managed to find some decent looking lines on a 1998 Astro Conversion, at the Chicago LKQ and got the wave through when I went to pay. Quite the score with the dealer wanting $130 for the three fuel lines I replaced. Having added a rubberized coating to them, I installed the new brake line, the fuel lines and the non-crushed fuel tank from the parts van I had. Started Grumpy, only to find an O-ring had gone bad on the fuel supply soft line, forcing me to partially lower the tank again to correct it.
Short test drive this past Wednesday ended with bearing grinding sound coming from the right front. Pulled the serpentine belt to check pulleys and found a rough alternator. Removed the alternator yesterday and was shocked to find that its housing had a significant crack in it. Picked up its replacement at Global Auto Recyclers for $38. Looks to be a fairly recent reman by Remey, cleanest bone yard alternator I've seen. Just for fun I tested it while working at Advance Auto yesterday evening, it performed great.
Alternator gets installed after work today. Hopefully there are no more major issues, because after dinner with my wife tonight I'm supposed to leave for BABE
Stroverlander
Adventurer
Nice update, let's see some photos of the van with new wheels/tires when you get a chance. :sombrero:
Snowgeek135
Observer
Have fun this weekend! Lets see some pics on Monday!
I hate it when you fix something only to reveal more problems....
That is what led to the death if my '91 4runner ....R.I.P. old girl you were my favorite!!
I hate it when you fix something only to reveal more problems....
That is what led to the death if my '91 4runner ....R.I.P. old girl you were my favorite!!
ihatemybike
Explorer
Got the alternator in and the van seems good to go, still need to finish wiring the power invertor. Took forever to organize the interior as the van became a bit of a throw all during it's down time. Decided to leave for the rally in the morning.
Rally schedule
Sat: Who knows
Sun: Harrisonburg, VA
Mon: Newport, TN
Tues: Robbinsville, NC
Wed: Robbinsville, NC
Thurs: Birmingham, AL
Fri: New Orleans, LA
Sat: Memphis, TN?
Sun: Home
Rally schedule
Sat: Who knows
Sun: Harrisonburg, VA
Mon: Newport, TN
Tues: Robbinsville, NC
Wed: Robbinsville, NC
Thurs: Birmingham, AL
Fri: New Orleans, LA
Sat: Memphis, TN?
Sun: Home
ihatemybike
Explorer
Here's Grumpy sitting on the front lawn this morning as I finished loading my gear.
First stop after leaving the house was the hardware store to get the hardware to connect the inverter to the always on upfitter positive post and ground on the core support. Best inverter setup I've used in the vans yet.
Found that the wiper blades had rotted and swapped in some better one.
Two hours of driving later, I picked up my father and nephew in Chenoa, IL, stopped for a quick bite at McDs and hit the road.
We stopped in Indianapolis to have dinner at Shapiro's Deli. Food was good, but I fet it was a bit pricey for what it was.
In Ohio the weather turned and we got some heavy wind and rain. Was really glad I took the time to swap the wiper blades earlier. (Note for my Astro brethren: They come stock with 18" blades, but I typically use 19" and have been testing 20" blades. The passenger side blade does hang off in the down position, but I really like the added cleared area.)
We've stopped for the night in Dayton, OH
First stop after leaving the house was the hardware store to get the hardware to connect the inverter to the always on upfitter positive post and ground on the core support. Best inverter setup I've used in the vans yet.
Found that the wiper blades had rotted and swapped in some better one.
Two hours of driving later, I picked up my father and nephew in Chenoa, IL, stopped for a quick bite at McDs and hit the road.
We stopped in Indianapolis to have dinner at Shapiro's Deli. Food was good, but I fet it was a bit pricey for what it was.
In Ohio the weather turned and we got some heavy wind and rain. Was really glad I took the time to swap the wiper blades earlier. (Note for my Astro brethren: They come stock with 18" blades, but I typically use 19" and have been testing 20" blades. The passenger side blade does hang off in the down position, but I really like the added cleared area.)
We've stopped for the night in Dayton, OH
Snowgeek135
Observer
I like the new wheels and tires on grumpy!