Project MULE - Expedition build on a 1991 1500 4x4 Suburban

[soonenough]

Nice clean truck! That undercarriage is immaculate.

I've been helping my father in law with an engine swap in his 91 Suburban the last few weekends. He's having a lot of trouble with this swap (it's the 3rd engine that he's had in it). After the new engine was in, he's having fuel delivery problems. Already rebuilt the TB twice, replaced the fuel pump, now it's time to replace the IAC valve and TPS, hopefully that'll fix it. Sounds like you have a good solid engine!

 

[PMA4x4]

Sounds almost like a wiring gremlin for you. Those are the worst fixes. As for ours, we got lucky. The engine was a new crate engine from GM installed by GM about 4,500 miles ago with receipts.

 

[PMA4x4]

Oil change, T-case fluid change and front diff gear oil changed. Next weekend is rear diff and verify I have a posi and not a gov loc.

Up for this week. I am going to start planning to build a custom center console. This will go from the back side of the front seats in the most rearward position all the way to the front under the dash full width.

it will do, house or hold the following
Keep the lockable storage area
spot for 2 drinks
Tachometer
Tranny temp gauge
Vacuum gauge
2 spots reserved for future gauges
Cobra 29LTD BT CB Radio
Yaesu FT7900 Dual band HAM radio
1 dual flush mount USB ports
2 flush mount 12v adapter plug-ins
10 Contura Rocker switches.
2 external mini speakers for the communications radios
It will also cover the power supply for the Laptop and will have 1000w power inverter.

 

[PMA4x4]

Started the fab work on the front winch bumper

 

[PMA4x4]

Whole new bumper

Uprights raised 1"
added mid upright cross support
Extend winch mount forward 1" to accept M15000 winch
Side bumpers raised 1/4" higher
lowered fairlead mount and tapered
Headlight grill guards will be 1.5" tubing









A quick edit in paint to show the tubes

 

[PMA4x4]

Added through bumper clevis' 1" wide x 2" tall x 6" long

 

[Bushcoat]

Sweet bumper and thanks for the TBI link. How do you like those headlights over the stockers? Plastic lens or glass?

I am anxious to see if the louvers live up to all their hype

 

[PMA4x4]

Headlights are glass and a ton better!

I did the louvers on my Cherokee and that helped a lot on cooling.

 

[PMA4x4]

Ok, bumper ears are getting a bit of a revamp. Going to try and have them sweep up a bit but still keep that classic "brick" look.

 

[PMA4x4]

Its a bit of old meets a bit of new. The old Warn Trans4mer bumper meets newer style angle swept bumpers with Bull bars. It will accept up to a M12000 winch and should have just enough room to clear a M15000. the frame mounts are 4 bolts on each ear and the frame is sandwiched between two 3/16" plates.

center section uprights and winch plate are 3/16" material. The bumper sections will be 1/8" the Tubes are 2" dia. with .120 wall. and it has a modular design and can be added to as wanted.

The underside can be boxed in and at an angle to help keep approach angle at its best and to provide extra protection below.

It will have a total of 5 light mounting locations and two 3/4 Shackle mounts automatically.

Total estimated weight with Bullbars is 111lbs

I just started on a close replica of the old Warn winch bumper and estimated weight on that is 70lbs

 

[PMA4x4]

Well some other builds maybe on hold for a bit as I am trying to see if I can acquire one of the new Warn Zeon 12000lb winches.

 

[warwgn]

Is that a real bumper or cardboard, in evey pic it looks like it is held in place by blue tape:wings:

Great job on it either way!!

 

[PMA4x4]

yeah, is poster board. its all cut dimensional so i made sure it fit and looked good before sending off files for cutting.

 

[warwgn]

Did the same thing a while back when playing around with slider/steps/nerf bars, saves a lot of hard work!!

 

[DanimalsBurb]

Also inside your engine compartment starting at the firewall on the drivers side is the vacuum ball. Start there and follow the vacuum lines around and I bet they are all dryrotted . I had to replace all of them on my 91 Burb before the system would work correctly. I couldn't figure out why the air was coming out of everywhere at once and never really got cold. After I replaced all the lines it actually worked properly and you could hear it switch between the settings. It also got freezing cold because now it had vacuum and would actually go into max setting.