Project MULE - Expedition build on a 1991 1500 4x4 Suburban
- Thread starter PMA4x4
- Start date
PMA4x4
Adventurer
Some updates
Plan "B" for mounting sliders directly to the frame. Just had these made up and finally had a reason to use my bender!
Nice coating of epoxy paint on the frame
ORD order came in
Was helping a friend at his shop building a buggy cage. This is something I may be doing as part time and still doing PMA4x4. Just a thought right now.
Plan "B" for mounting sliders directly to the frame. Just had these made up and finally had a reason to use my bender!
Nice coating of epoxy paint on the frame
ORD order came in
Was helping a friend at his shop building a buggy cage. This is something I may be doing as part time and still doing PMA4x4. Just a thought right now.
piratexpress1369a
Explorer
look good stay at it
Larry
Bigassgas Explorer
Looking good!
I'm confused, you felt obligated to weld in the plate at the steering box too add more beef, which it is unlikely you would ever had a frame problem there anyway, but yet you're keeping the little 10 bolt axles? With all of the metal you keep bolting on this Sub, axles (at least a rear 10.5” Corp 14 bolt full floater and larger 8 lug rotors on the front 10 bolt) and higher capacity springs should be on your to do list soon.
I'm confused, you felt obligated to weld in the plate at the steering box too add more beef, which it is unlikely you would ever had a frame problem there anyway, but yet you're keeping the little 10 bolt axles? With all of the metal you keep bolting on this Sub, axles (at least a rear 10.5” Corp 14 bolt full floater and larger 8 lug rotors on the front 10 bolt) and higher capacity springs should be on your to do list soon.
PMA4x4
Adventurer
Sometimes its better to be confused!:sombrero:
flat out I didnt have the money to do the full axle swap this year. I would have stayed with the 10 bolt front anyways just changing to 8 lug outers. Heavier springs are already going in. 3' HD fronts and 3/4ton with extra leaf in the rear. I am hoping to have the 14 bolt in next year or two. Probably about the time I need new tires anyways and then I can move up to 16s
As for "all the metal" I keep adding. I would think I'm on the conservative side of metal addition compared to some. About the only thing extra was the sliders. Bumpers, roof rack and swingouts were all planned. The steering brace and frame plate were pretty much the last pieces of metal to be added. I do have a tube truss I am welding up to the 12 bolt before i toss it in but thats pretty much it. Roughly the weight of metal is 520lbs including winch. A Jeep Cherokee with same equipment with a ARB rack would be only about 100lbs less. So there isn't really that much added.
flat out I didnt have the money to do the full axle swap this year. I would have stayed with the 10 bolt front anyways just changing to 8 lug outers. Heavier springs are already going in. 3' HD fronts and 3/4ton with extra leaf in the rear. I am hoping to have the 14 bolt in next year or two. Probably about the time I need new tires anyways and then I can move up to 16s
As for "all the metal" I keep adding. I would think I'm on the conservative side of metal addition compared to some. About the only thing extra was the sliders. Bumpers, roof rack and swingouts were all planned. The steering brace and frame plate were pretty much the last pieces of metal to be added. I do have a tube truss I am welding up to the 12 bolt before i toss it in but thats pretty much it. Roughly the weight of metal is 520lbs including winch. A Jeep Cherokee with same equipment with a ARB rack would be only about 100lbs less. So there isn't really that much added.
Renntag
Adventurer
I have to say that this build is awesome. I am finally caught up and have read everything to this point. Much of what I have read is that it is important to upgrade the 10bolt rears to something more worthy of the rigors we plan to dish out.
I am looking at getting a set of axles from a military pick up. I am unsure if the 4.56 gears are going to be too tall for my intended 6BT swap. I can offset this with an over drive unit, but at what cost? (I have no idea at this point what it will cost to add one).
Thinking about the weight added to the PMA burb, the approx 550# estimate isnt more than having a couple foot ball players in the back seat. I know that being gentle, the 10 bolt rears should be fine in the short term. (Given my many years of experience...rolling eyes).
I am looking at getting a set of axles from a military pick up. I am unsure if the 4.56 gears are going to be too tall for my intended 6BT swap. I can offset this with an over drive unit, but at what cost? (I have no idea at this point what it will cost to add one).
Thinking about the weight added to the PMA burb, the approx 550# estimate isnt more than having a couple foot ball players in the back seat. I know that being gentle, the 10 bolt rears should be fine in the short term. (Given my many years of experience...rolling eyes).
Larry
Bigassgas Explorer
Nothing wrong with that. Tires are expensive! Good plan to wait and do the axles, wheels and tires at the same time. Hope you're not planning to use a set of H1 wheels from that pile you have on your burb. Those wheels put a offset horrible load on the wheel bearings.
Back when I did my axle swap in 1996 I just added 8 lug rotors and backing plates on my existing 3:73 Dana 44 as well then bolted in a 14 bolt full-floater from a 73-80 ¾ ton (BTW, if you get a rear 14 bolt FF from a ¾ ton the spring perches do not need to be moved and rewelded. Only 1 ton 14 bolts need to have the perches moved). Still run that same rear axle but have since swapped in a front Dana 60. The 14 bolt and old D44 got treated to 4:56 gears, Detroit locker and front TruTrac around 2006 or so. The front D60 I swapped in last year was a NOS crate CUCV axle that already had 4:56. It still needs a traction devise added though.
Aloha from Kapolei! For this week anyway :coffeedrink:
Renntag
Adventurer
Aloha Larry. Enjoy your time in da islands.