Moby: 88 Suburban / Cummins Project

[tgdoumit]

This is a build thread which i have been posting on another couple of websites but this one seems vastly more appropriate since it is all about squares!

I'm gonna start with a bunch of pictures probably and try to add some descriptions below each to start. so, basically i'm going to give the abridged version thus far and skip all the boring stuff thus far... lack of capitals and misspelling is included at no charge. it's just the way it is and I'm sure you will pick up what I'm blabbing about from here on out.

ready to palaver about my truck? me too...


this is my 88 suburban 3/4 ton which i parted out everything from the frame down including the motor. i liked the body. it was running okay when i parked it in the shop and the fella who bought the engine was able to start it up and run it before he bought it...


junk in the trunk! thats a big fat rear end there! dana 80 out of the donor rig. it is open diffed with 3.54's and drums which will prolly be disks someday.



breaking the cummins and vacuum pump down for a go through. the cummins ran awesome so i left the big stuff alone and i resealed everything except the head.


this is a unicorn or a hens tooth! it's a 78 ford f-350 snow fighter axle high pinion dana 60! i like to say snow fighter!!! anyways, i wanted a driver's drop and this axle covers that plus gives me a little extra room if i decide to link the front or do something else... i have options. i like options...


there is one happy boy. i work with his dad and gave them a great deal on the loot they took. sorta paying it forward. it is in his truck and driving now.


put cummins beige which i like to call turkey turd tan on the engine. its their marine color and i wanted that motor to look like it didn't belong...


look how clean it comes with easy-off oven cleaner! this thing was black before.


went with a south bend clutch 13" somewhat bigger than before.


I've had three kids helping me with the build so far. my 13yo daughter and i installed the nv4500 transmission. my 17yo boy helped install the clutch... it's good having a man sized kid around.

ill be back with a few more pics...

[tgdoumit]

i had to make a little room on the forward crossmember and remove the second one and replace it with something else. in this case it is the syndicate chop shop 3 piece cross member using gen 1 isolators.


my boy and i slid that puppy right in anger a few tense moments... its about 1200 lbs on that hoist, maybe more.


centering motor and setting distance from firewall..

aaaaand... we are all up to speed. i have a Facebook group dedicated to this build if anyone is interested, i can post the link and add any requests... then, you see... you will be in on my procrastination and self doubt!

[daddyjeep]

cool build. i will follow along....even without cap's and punctuation.

[MTCK]

Cool rig. What are you going to use it for?

[tgdoumit]

well, i aim to make this my daily driver which will include towing my jeep on a 16' car trailer cross country a couple times a year.

one thing i really want to do is keep as much OME parts as possible. this doesn't mean GM parts but parts that i can get anywhere. the other thing is i want to be free of computers and modules or anything that really isn't reliable in a 30 year old rig. i have three other rigs that are over 20 years old that are daily drivers if needed. the problem with those, they are heavily modified some with hybrid parts, etc... hoping to keep things more simple than that!

my TJ has a NOS 8.8 rear axle for an explorer which i converted to 9" chrome moly axles and used set 20 bearings with housings for the axle ends that bolt in like a 9" or dana 44s eliminating the roller bearings and c-clip. confusing to find parts for and very confusing if a "special part" breaks.
gonna keep it simple by using OEM parts from whoever. lol!

[Edahall]

Yes, share your Facebook link. Are you going to put in an A/C pump? Hardly needed in WA but desparately needed back or where I live in TX.

[tgdoumit]

https://www.facebook.com/groups/758879454210018/
Here's the link

In western Washington the ac is good for defogging the windows and keeping them clear. I want to have it and I'm looking at two different kinds of brackets. The low stock mount on the cummins is not a option for me.

[cochino12]

sub'd

[NorCalAnthony]

Cool build dude! I grew up being hauled all over the country in my pop's '85 Burb and he would've killed to have a Cummins in it lol.

If you don't mind me asking, how hard was it to swap in that Snow Fighter Axle? I know the spring pads are the same as the Chevy's but what about hooking up the steering and whatnot?

[tgdoumit]

Originally Posted by NorCalAnthony

Cool build dude! I grew up being hauled all over the country in my pop's '85 Burb and he would've killed to have a Cummins in it lol.

If you don't mind me asking, how hard was it to swap in that Snow Fighter Axle? I know the spring pads are the same as the Chevy's but what about hooking up the steering and whatnot?

Well, I haven't got too far on that yet. I think I talked myself into a basic cross over type instead of a push pull type. This means I will need a 2wd steering gear instead of the 4wd I have. There will be some steering brackets on the knuckles replacing what I have and some upgraded tie rod geometry.
I'm not wheeling this rig like I do my jeeps but it might see some mild moderate terrain from time to time. I want reliability over all along with stability on road.

Swapping this axle in is pretty straight forward but I'm trying to use the ford ubolt plates. I may find some wider springs to match things up better at the axle, 3" wide where the gm is 2.5" wide.
The spring is something I want to get right so they will probably be something more custom.

[NorCalAnthony]

Originally Posted by tgdoumit

Well, I haven't got too far on that yet...

No worries, it sounds like you're definitely on the right track and with doing cross over steering from the start, it'll simplify things for you. I'd take a look at Off Road Design and Ruff Stuff Specialties (among others) for all of that stuff, they both have complete cross over kits and make top quality products.

I just picked up the same axle (79 Snow Fighter) this weekend and am trying to figure out what all I need to put it under my K5. It looks like the springs will bolt right up with a u-bolt flip (mine didn't come with the under-mount plates) but the steering arm and shock mounts are all a little different than the 10-bolt I have under it now.

[tgdoumit]

Originally Posted by NorCalAnthony

No worries, it sounds like you're definitely on the right track and with doing cross over steering from the start, it'll simplify things for you. I'd take a look at Off Road Design and Ruff Stuff Specialties (among others) for all of that stuff, they both have complete cross over kits and make top quality products.

I just picked up the same axle (79 Snow Fighter) this weekend and am trying to figure out what all I need to put it under my K5. It looks like the springs will bolt right up with a u-bolt flip (mine didn't come with the under-mount plates) but the steering arm and shock mounts are all a little different than the 10-bolt I have under it now.

Cool. Somewhat hard axle to find around here. I'll lookit those sites you mentioned. I thought about flipping the ubolts but then I'd have to drill the web on the drivers side. I want to leave it intact if possible but I'll drill if I have to.

[tgdoumit]

KrazyRay was kind enough to send me a Hydroboost and clutch / brake pedal assembly this week.
I took the assembly apart, greased it and installed new bushings. the shaft bushings looked good but they really needed this. one plastic bushing was worn out on each pedal.

Took a couple pictures of the parts if anyone is interested... Also, a fella who I've been trading parts with is giving me a 2WD steering gear out of an '84 half ton.

here's some pix!

[tgdoumit]

I got this Dodge to GMC slave unit from the syndicate chop shop to go with the nv4500 swap.

[tgdoumit]

i said there would be pix, huh?
test fitting things that are made to go together...


snug, glad im not using the diaphragm booster...


new to me pedals... pads are coming.



i don't have a auto anymore and i haven't found a nice column like this one... except this one has a shifter on it. standards seem to be a rarity around here so i may just neuter this one by knocking that little pin out...

[jwilson645]

Originally Posted by tgdoumit

i don't have a auto anymore and i haven't found a nice column like this one... except this one has a shifter on it. standards seem to be a rarity around here so i may just neuter this one by knocking that little pin out...

I have a tilt manual column from an 87 I'd be happy to sell if you wanted to ship from Alabama.

[tgdoumit]

Originally Posted by jwilson645

I have a tilt manual column from an 87 I'd be happy to sell if you wanted to ship from Alabama.

Shipping wouldn't be a happy fee I bet, heh! I'll keep it mind though, thanks!

[tgdoumit]

You can find the rest of this build either on Facebook
Moby Project
Or instagram
@moby_12er_burb
Sorry about no updates here. Photobucket is to blame. I am currently driving this rig daily. I love it so much!
I check in daily at FB and IG please direct questions there. I don’t stop by here quite as often.
Posted via Mobile Device

[LT7A]

Do you mean the Photobucket cost issue? It has been dealt with site-wide and the PB pictures are all back without people having to personally pay for their PB pics to be reposted.