Project “Polar Bear”: 1989 V2500 Suburban
- Thread starter Larry
- Start date
Larry
Bigassgas Explorer
Sorry to hear about the pole mishap.. Glad you will be replacing it with a nice new better model bumper.
I really dig that wheel and tire combo too. It looks perfect on both your rigs. I'd also throw a vote at keeping this setup on the Burb and throw a new set of the same at the K10.Nice choice.
Thanks Dave!
They are just regular ole Black Rock Crawler wheels. Its been a few years so I can't remember if I ordered them from 4 Wheel Parts or Summit Racing. I just put them on Craigslist this morning if you are interested. Long drive from TX just for these. They are way too big to ship and the tires need to go away with the wheels
Larry
Bigassgas Explorer
I just reread your post….maybe you were asking about the aluminum wheels with the black center that I just sole off the K10 to throw on the Burb? Those are “Rattler Moab STR” wheels from Desert Rat Off-Road. They are the exact same Level 8 wheel that Discount Tire sells. They’re only $115 from Desert Rat though. I think Discount wanted quite a bit more for them. Pretty good deal for a decent looking non-bling bling aluminum wheel. Non blingy wheels are getting hard to find these days and I am getting sick of the egg shape ride of steel wheels! The black steel wheel fad needs to go away :sombrero:
Mighty Dodge Ram
Explorer
How dare that pole just jumping out and getting in the way. Perhaps a backup camera and rear collision warning like your Tahoe? he he:costumed-smiley-007 Because that has never happened to me! LOL The best part is that you could "press" your step bumper back into shape...unlike the flimsy sheet metal version on mine. A clone of your swingout from the K10? Muy bien! Take care my friend.
chilliwak
Expedition Leader
Ow come on Larry! You can fix a steel wheel in the bush with a hammer. Try that on aluminum....:ylsmoke:
Larry
Bigassgas Explorer
Rob,
They are 315/75R16 (34.5”) on 16x8.5 with 4.25" backspacing. Nah, they don’t rub on this rig only because the Polar Bear has a cheap set of front hand me down 6” Rancho springs from the K10 that flex like steel rods. These springs are so stiff the suspension doesn’t articulate for the tire to rub anything. On the other hand for many years I ran these same WARN flares on my K10 before installing Xenon flares and between the Superlift Softride springs, ORD HD shackles and sway bar brackets the tires often rub the fenders and fender flares.
You may also want to check out the Xenon flares like I installed on the K10 last year. The Xenon flares do not have the built in spash guard like what WARN has built into their 4xFlares, which is where the majority of the tire rub occurs. Because of the lack of a built in splash guard Xenon’s have less of a chance of tire rub. As I mentioned, the K10 still rubs the Xenon flares at full articulation but nothing like how they used to rub the WARNs.
WARN 4xFlares (these are the same flares that are on the Polar Bear burb albeit the Burb has the 81-91 specific front flare part number due to the vertical corner light. The rear flares on the Burb are straight from the K10).
Xenon Flares (the 81-91 front Xenon flares for the vertical corner light actually looks a lot better than these 73-80 types). Xenon flares are much more difficult to install but they are a much higher quality flare over the WARNs. Regular ole bumper paint works great to paint them whatever color you want.
Here is a good thread on flares for old square body GM trucks.
They are 315/75R16 (34.5”) on 16x8.5 with 4.25" backspacing. Nah, they don’t rub on this rig only because the Polar Bear has a cheap set of front hand me down 6” Rancho springs from the K10 that flex like steel rods. These springs are so stiff the suspension doesn’t articulate for the tire to rub anything. On the other hand for many years I ran these same WARN flares on my K10 before installing Xenon flares and between the Superlift Softride springs, ORD HD shackles and sway bar brackets the tires often rub the fenders and fender flares.
You may also want to check out the Xenon flares like I installed on the K10 last year. The Xenon flares do not have the built in spash guard like what WARN has built into their 4xFlares, which is where the majority of the tire rub occurs. Because of the lack of a built in splash guard Xenon’s have less of a chance of tire rub. As I mentioned, the K10 still rubs the Xenon flares at full articulation but nothing like how they used to rub the WARNs.
WARN 4xFlares (these are the same flares that are on the Polar Bear burb albeit the Burb has the 81-91 specific front flare part number due to the vertical corner light. The rear flares on the Burb are straight from the K10).
Xenon Flares (the 81-91 front Xenon flares for the vertical corner light actually looks a lot better than these 73-80 types). Xenon flares are much more difficult to install but they are a much higher quality flare over the WARNs. Regular ole bumper paint works great to paint them whatever color you want.
Here is a good thread on flares for old square body GM trucks.
superbuickguy
Explorer
best thing you can do to any lifted, GM truck is add softride springs.... they make a world of difference in comfort - all while maintaining the lift.
Larry
Bigassgas Explorer
Been a while since I've posted up any updates to the ole Polar Bear….
Last year one of my buddy's bought a 2wd '89 Suburban to pirate the engine and trans from to throw in another project vehicle. Lucky for me the donor Burb had the exact same color interior with a mint condition 3rd row seat. The Polar Bear was originally equipped with a 3rd row seat but it came to me with the seat missing. Cool to have a matching 3rd row seat now!
Mr. Dog really likes the third row seat. He likes to ride back there like a boss
The donor Sub also had a mint condition set of front inner fenders. As we all know, the 73-87 (~91 burb & K5) are notorious for growing rust at the inner fender where it is double walled at the cab area. Even rigs from the desert grow rust in this spot.
Donor inner fenders all scuffed up and lathered in a fresh coat of tractor paint. Not just any paint, but the good ole cancer causing, lung clogging, ozone eating, baby bird killing oil based stinky ******** farm paint. This stuff works great and is tough as nails. The brand of the paint is Van Sickle. Try it….you'll like it!
Much better!
She is a clean machine at the cab supports where the square body rigs are also famous for rusting
Purdy!
Umm, really purdy! Also installed a factory battery tray for an aux battery while I was at it. It is amazing that for being 25 years old the factory jack and tools are still present. They look like they never even had been used either.
Also got another set of Strike 8 Desert Rattler wheels to pay the K10 back for the tires and wheels the Polar Bear stole from it a few months ago. Just need to order up another set of Fierce Attitude tires before next season.
And, we took the little monkey for her first camping/fish trip in the Bear a few weeks ago.
Camping here was certainly not an exotic destination away from civilization like I prefer but this lake is a great lake to take the wife and baby with conveniences the ladies prefer (bathrooms and it close to home). We just camped in my in-laws popup trailer.
Oh, yeah…. Been building on this little engine for the bear too. Hope to do the install over Christmas break
That's it for now…..
Last year one of my buddy's bought a 2wd '89 Suburban to pirate the engine and trans from to throw in another project vehicle. Lucky for me the donor Burb had the exact same color interior with a mint condition 3rd row seat. The Polar Bear was originally equipped with a 3rd row seat but it came to me with the seat missing. Cool to have a matching 3rd row seat now!
Mr. Dog really likes the third row seat. He likes to ride back there like a boss
The donor Sub also had a mint condition set of front inner fenders. As we all know, the 73-87 (~91 burb & K5) are notorious for growing rust at the inner fender where it is double walled at the cab area. Even rigs from the desert grow rust in this spot.
Donor inner fenders all scuffed up and lathered in a fresh coat of tractor paint. Not just any paint, but the good ole cancer causing, lung clogging, ozone eating, baby bird killing oil based stinky ******** farm paint. This stuff works great and is tough as nails. The brand of the paint is Van Sickle. Try it….you'll like it!
Much better!
She is a clean machine at the cab supports where the square body rigs are also famous for rusting
Purdy!
Umm, really purdy! Also installed a factory battery tray for an aux battery while I was at it. It is amazing that for being 25 years old the factory jack and tools are still present. They look like they never even had been used either.
Also got another set of Strike 8 Desert Rattler wheels to pay the K10 back for the tires and wheels the Polar Bear stole from it a few months ago. Just need to order up another set of Fierce Attitude tires before next season.
And, we took the little monkey for her first camping/fish trip in the Bear a few weeks ago.
Camping here was certainly not an exotic destination away from civilization like I prefer but this lake is a great lake to take the wife and baby with conveniences the ladies prefer (bathrooms and it close to home). We just camped in my in-laws popup trailer.
Oh, yeah…. Been building on this little engine for the bear too. Hope to do the install over Christmas break
That's it for now…..
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Larry
Bigassgas Explorer
Yeah, it's a Vortec L18 8.1L (496 ci). I have the same engine in my Silverado and '78 K10. This one here is a hybrid of 2001, 2004 and 2010 L18's. They are torque monsters rather than HP monsters like the LS engines. They aren't really based on the LS engines at all but more on the Gen VI 454 with many block changes and major head and cooling flow changes. Although, they do run the LS engine firing order and commonality with the LS engine management systems. The engines in the background are little LS engines though. You can see the difference in their size.
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ben2go
Adventurer
That's what was throwing me off.I never seen one of those big block 8.1L.
modernbeat
Jason McDaniel
Larry, what are you using from the 2010 models? I assume the 2004 parts are the sensors and the EGR blockoff parts.
