The great white fun hog (another white GM awd build)

[tqawd]

Cyclist and I were both upgrading our rough country kits at the same time he went with the 5100's I ended up using the 4600's both fit and we both seem to be happy with ride quality. So pick you poison as far as shocks I guess.
For the springs they are 2900# from a 3/4t suburban. Credit goes to 86cj for researching the spring shock combo I used.



Hope that helps!

Thanks guys! This is great info. I probably most of the AWD lift solutions on order. I just want to try to only do it once, since I've had the problem of trying many different setups on my vehicles before.

Boardrider what shocks are you dying up front?
Have you ever found that the spring rate is too much or not balanced with the front? Of course I know we will all have different loads.

Cyclist it seems just driving the van that the spring rates are very soft, do you have more body roll with the stock springs or are the bilsteins helping to control that?

Thanks again guys, I'll post pics of my progress when I get a chance. I've got a 2010 AWD with a galaxy conversion package.

 

[Buddha.]

I like the AWD build. I was just reading through the thread and was wondering how long lift block half ton springs combo was going to hold up.

 

[boardrider247]

Boardrider what shocks are you dying up front?
Have you ever found that the spring rate is too much or not balanced with the front? Of course I know we will all have different loads.

Cyclist it seems just driving the van that the spring rates are very soft, do you have more body roll with the stock springs or are the bilsteins helping to control that?

I like the AWD build. I was just reading through the thread and was wondering how long lift block half ton springs combo was going to hold up.

I am still using the front shocks that came in my rough country kit. Can't say I really have any complaints about them.

After running both lift blocks with stock springs and now the heavier 3/4t springs I can say there was a bit more body roll with the stock springs, but it wasn't bad in my opinion. If i wasn't using a hitch motorcycle carrier I don't know that I would have bothered with changing the springs. Just the rear springs and bilsteins were about $600 if I remember correctly vs $300 for the entire rough country kit. If not towing a bunch or using a heavy hitch carrier I think the rough country kit with the lift blocks is still a good option. I would just use different rear shocks right off or build a different style adapter then I used.

Edit:Full disclosure I have well over 100k miles driving lifted Jeep Cherokees and Dodge pickups of questionable quality.
I may not be the best person to ask about handling characteristics :sombrero:

 

[tqawd]

Thanks for all the input, I think I'll try:
GM white torsion keys $60 shipped
Bilsten 5100's (most likely for brand whoring, may not be worth the extra $) ~$350 shipped
super lift lift 2" block $90

alternatively
2900lb springs, ~$400 shipped
Bilstein 4600 rear shocks ~$200
GM white torsion keys $60
Bilstein 5100 front shocks $130

There's roughly a $300 difference between the two. Assuming I don't need to get a 1" block for the rear, which if I found the right PN should be $40 for the pair, OEM.

I will be putting a 6 bike hitch rack on, but that should be the heaviest, but I guess 6 downhill bikes could be close to the weight of a motorcycle. The van also has a full conversion van interior, which may add some weight. I don't mind the ride of a truck, I've driven a lot of 3/4ton and 1 ton Ford vans and always thought they were fine. This one is just way too soft and sitting on the bump stops sucks.

Apologies for hijacking your build thread. I'll hopefully get this info over into my own build thread.

Thanks

 

[boardrider247]

Thanks for all the input, I think I'll try:
GM white torsion keys $60 shipped
Bilsten 5100's (most likely for brand whoring, may not be worth the extra $) ~$350 shipped
super lift lift 2" block $90

If you wanted my lift blocks I took out I would be happy to drop them in a flat rate box and send them to you.

 

[86cj]

Cyclist and I were both upgrading our rough country kits at the same time he went with the 5100's I ended up using the 4600's both fit and we both seem to be happy with ride quality. So pick you poison as far as shocks I guess.
For the springs they are 2900# from a 3/4t suburban. Credit goes to 86cj for researching the spring shock combo I used.



Hope that helps!

Don't fret about the difference, Bilstein assured me the only diff between 4600 and 5100 is the body material and more options for lifted vehicles. The rear shocks Cyclist used 24- 18615 were my second choice as they are a little longer, but have softer valving.
Stock height rear 4600 bilsteins 24- 024815.............................20.9" ext. 13.3" collapsed.... 361-68 valving...................
Stock 3/4 ton van 4600............24-025706 New #24-221948....23.23"......14.8"...................389-73...............................
Lifted 92-99 Tahoe Etc 5100......24-185615............................26.2"........16.18".................287-77...not valved for a van..

Bilstein does not make front shocks for the AWD 1500 van: these will fit but are not valved for a van....
The front shocks seem to limited to 4600 stock replacement 99-06 1/2T.. 24-065009 15.43" extended 10.9" collapsed...... 292-119 valving
Lifted 99-06 GM 1/2 ton front 5100.....................................................#24-186643 16.3"...............12.54"...................366-240..........I will try these........


Cyclist those longer rear shocks should get alot of droop so check your rubber brake lines for length, mine are snug just like boardriders in a pic here. I have not extended my bumpstops yet with no issues, those shocks are even longer collapsed. I wonder if that is what caused boardriders adapter failure, the van smashing the shock closed.


Just a comment on the 22-907 HD replacement 3/4 ton 92-99 suburban rear spring pack, this 2900lb spring has a similar arc to the 1/2 ton van spring and is very thick which has the benefit of added lift giving me 3". I have been getting minor clicking as pack works, lube works for a while .
If your van is heavy #22-1175 a 3700lb 3 leaf tapered (A good thing) 3/4-1 ton van replacement spring may be a better choice, it has less arc and is thinner but should not compress as much. The springs bolt on and a small O.E.M. lift block could be used to set desired height such as the factory 92-99 1/2 ton P.U. 4x4 rear block 1 3/8" or 99-06 1/2 ton 7/8" block and matching U-bolts.
How much lift does a 3710lb #22-1175 rear spring give a 1500 AWD and how does it ride?????

My alignment guy says crank your bars as much as you can and see if you need new keys, he says alot of keys have same index as stock.

 

[boardrider247]

Another note on the 4600 shocks. I believe Bilstein has updated the part number for the 3/4T van shocks I could not find the 24-025706 in stock anywhere. The suggested replacement was 24-221948. Going to the Bilstein website the two shocks show to fit all of the same vehicles so my assumption is they just changed the part number.

 

[tqawd]

Thanks everyone, I've almost collected all my parts. I went with the suburban springs and 5100 all around, using the H3 version in the rear as cyclist suggested.
One open item I have is U-bolts, since I didn't already have a block lift I assume I'll need longer U-bolts.

Should the 96-99 suburban 2500 u-bolts work?

Btw, I started a build thread finally.
http://www.expeditionportal.com/for...010-Express-AWD-Conversion-van-Overland-combo

 

[fritz]

Hey Boardrider- Nice job with your van to this point. Any progress on the pop-top?

 

[boardrider247]

Any progress on the pop-top?

Unfortunately no. I've had a terrible winter between working almost every weekend and being sick more then I can ever remember progress has been almost non existent. Soon though. This is a very good time of year for me to get stuff done so I'm hoping to have a big update in the next couple weeks.

 

[agelessGIANT]

Are you riding a Husky? Looks like one on the back of your van in post 102... I have a 2011 and just picked up an Savana so mine will be looking like yours soon. Thanks for the great write up and inspiration! Ill post up mine soon.

:roost:

 

[boardrider247]

Are you riding a Husky? Looks like one on the back of your van in post 102... I have a 2011 and just picked up an Savana so mine will be looking like yours soon. Thanks for the great write up and inspiration! Ill post up mine soon.

:roost:

That one is a GasGas 300. I have had a few of the Cagiva built huskies in the past (510 & a couple 250's). They were good bikes but I like the two stroke much better for singletrack.

Still not much to report on the van. I'm building a dual sport motorcycle right now and still picking away at some home remodeling which is currently taking up space in my shop. Once I can get my shop back I want to hit the VW top project hard. I would like to have it wrapped up by June/July before we head out to the west coast again.

 

[agelessGIANT]

Cool. The more i look at the pic the more it looks nothing like my Husky lol. I guess the colors fooled me. What hitch carrier are you using and do you like it?
Yes you need to get working on that Westy top install. I keep finding myself looking at Tahoevans build with his westy top and it looks really nice. Im still debating whether to go hard top or pop up.... First Ill enjoy the van a bit as is then decide. Thanks again and keep us posted.

 

[Our8020Adventure]

I'm new here and researching as much as I can before starting my adventure van build. I feel like a leprechaun that has just found the pot-o-gold! Thanks guys for all your creativity that I can copy!

 

[Hobbs67]

Another new guy here... Just bought a '09 Savana Passenger AWD. Looking at similer lift combo. Rough Country budget kit. In your opinion, using the factory wheels, was the 265 series tire the largest that would fit, or would some 285's sneak in there? Thanks! Awesome build by the way!