Overlandtowater’s solid axle suburban

[Overlandtowater]

the project is still a go. been gathering parts slowly. I plan on replacing bearings and seals on the axles before they go in...

also the current g80 in the burb has locked solid and I haven't been driving it much.

 

[Overlandtowater]

More parts arrived just in time for Christmas.... this is all the joints for. Both front and rear axles also for the steering.

 

[Overlandtowater]

I really set myself up for a fall....I registered for a rally tun in April so I've got to get the sas done by then....

 

[Overlandtowater]

Started stripping the avalanche axle down for new bearings and seals. The innards look pretty good. I also cut off the sway bar mounts and oem panhard bracket. I will be installing a raised one for a JK.

 

[Overlandtowater]

Then my new to me high mileage expedition decided to start weeping from the water pump... found transmission fluid in the radiator and a severely over filled transmission...so the burb is running daily duty with a blown front diff and a g80 rear that won't unlock. My first water pump had the wrong hub size and just my luck the correct one was 70 bucks more.

 

[zgfiredude]

That's a tight squeeze getting in the garage!

 

[Overlandtowater]

@zgfiredude you are correct but its out of the rain and cold....the shop is a 25 x 30 and both of my vehicles are almost 20 ft long. Here is the burb. When I start the SAS I'll swing the rear of the burb towards where the camera is and it should give me some decent working room.

 

[Overlandtowater]

 

[Overlandtowater]

Worked on getting the avalanche rear axle ready to swap in. Put weld washers on the brackets I figure getting rid of bushings and going with rod ends it would be a good investment.. also got the jk rear track bar modified and welded on. I picked up a rear track bar a while back that is a little bit longer than stock so between that and raising the mount I figure I needed to push the bracket towards the wheel about an inch and a half. My only worry is the jk bracket tucks up tighter to the axle than the oem bracket but I think it will work. The last two pictures is where the panhard should be at ride height and then the last is how far I'd have to stuff the rear to make the oanhard bar contact the diff cover.

 

[Overlandtowater]

Not much today i replaced the wheel bearings and seals also replaced the pinion seal, mounted some brake line tabs to the axle and figure out how I want to bend the oem brake lines to fit around the new track bar bracket.

 

[Overlandtowater]

Started tearing out the rear axle. Took a base measurement of 11.25 inches of travel in the rear from bumpstop till the swaybar contacted the diff cover with the h2 rear springs. Got all the brake parts pulled off to swap over to the donor axle. Opened the diff cover to pull the axles and man there is some damage...i can see one tooth missing on the driver side spider gear.

 

[Overlandtowater]

Got alot done today help my dad pull the transmission in his truck, got all the weld washers put on the link brackets, and got the tear upper links welded up. 1.5 x 0.25 dom it's a little over kill but its what I have on hand. 3/4" rod ends and 5/8" hardware. When I get the lower links built the rear axle will be ready to go back in.

 

[Overlandtowater]

Got all the rear links built, painted, and installed...1.5x.25 dom uppers 2x.25 dom lowers, 1.25 x.120 panhard ( I bought this one if I was to do it again I would just build 1.5 x.25 panhard.

 

[mountainsports2002]

Nice work, look forward to more updates.

 

[Overlandtowater]

Nice work, look forward to more updates.

As soon as I get the rear done I'm going to spin it around in the shop and start tearing the the IFS crud off the frame.