Frame differences between Longbed truck and Suburban?

[milehightoyz]

Anyone know if there are any substantial differences that would not allow a longbed truck frame to be put under a suburban without to much trouble?

[Frizzle Fry]

The Sub frame has two things that the truck frame does not as far as I know:

1. Position #4 Body Mounts (hang off side of frame)
2. 1/2 " step-down for about 12" of rear rail.

Should be an easy conversion.

[milehightoyz]

thanks for the help mike, can you ellaborate more on number #2? how this would affect the situtaion and what 12" portion of the rear frame is stepped down?

[Frizzle Fry]

Take a look at this pic of my Burb frame. To the left of the two lines you can see the step down. It steps down about the thickness of that last body mount. Easy enough to Z a truck frame to do that.

[milehightoyz]

sweet thanks...thats exactly what i needed. you are the man, that tahoe chop is so sick.

[70 Suburban]

Hey what would it take to just use a short bed frame under the burb/tahoe. instead of cutting it as you did..

[Frizzle Fry]

Since posting my previous response I've found that the Burb body is ~5" longer in the rear than a LWB truck. I know this because I wanted to use SWB rear trim and found it is too short. Makes sense now. I was able to mount my 5-gal air tank behind the rear frame crossmember where the swb trucks cannot.

So to answer the question; My tahoe frame is longer than a SWB fram in two ways:

1. Rear body (behind wheel wells) is ~5" longer than the shorty trucks.
2. Burb frames extend past the rear body for bumper mounts unlike the bolt-on center mounts on the trucks (burb outer bumper brackets still bolt on).

So you could use a SWB frame with the #4 position body mounts on top of the frame as I did (see tahoe build thread) and you would just need to build rear frame extensions with a slight z. Then you could use truck bumper brackets or just run a roll pan.

[70 Suburban]

man thank you for the info Ill keep this in mind. My idea was its better to use the suspension untouched ie trailing arms ect from the swb then to cut up the sub stuff

[70rs/ss]

I don't want to jack this thread, but I will!! How about setting a Burb on my Dodge Cummins powered frame? I got a 94 Dodge single cab longbed truck in partial trade for my 67 SWB 4X4. So I want to make my Dodge a Burb, 4X4 style, any idea? Maybe a wheel base and center of wheel to center of wheel measurement on the burbs?

Thanks.

[Frizzle Fry]

They are 127" wheelbase just like the longbed trucks.

[Bryanl]

Hey 70 that what I am looking at doing and tried to buy the truck you bought as well. Though I am more interested in putting my 72 Sub body on a later model 3/4 ton chevy chassis. I haven't done a good search on here but if anyone has any knowledge of what late model 3/4 ton chassis a 72 Burb will go onto I would love to hear about it. I measured my wheelbase and got 127" as well. As a sidenote I find it interesting that the shortest wheelbase on a new chevy 2500 HD (single cab longbed) is 133".
Bryan

[70 Suburban]

ok well I have a spare frame and I think I have a 1 ton running grear also Im pretty sure it will bolt up for the most part.. its under a crew cab 76 1 ton

[toomanytoyz]

Originally Posted by Bryanl

Hey 70 that what I am looking at doing and tried to buy the truck you bought as well. Though I am more interested in putting my 72 Sub body on a later model 3/4 ton chevy chassis. I haven't done a good search on here but if anyone has any knowledge of what late model 3/4 ton chassis a 72 Burb will go onto I would love to hear about it. I measured my wheelbase and got 127" as well. As a sidenote I find it interesting that the shortest wheelbase on a new chevy 2500 HD (single cab longbed) is 133".
Bryan

Another Member Did the Exact Swap you are Talking about, Used Later model 3/4 Ton Running Gear for His Conversion. I also have one in Project stage & Got these pics from him on how he mounted the Burb Body to Frame..........

You Need to move the Rear Axle forward 5 " & you will find that some of the Holes will line up for the Axle Brackets.........

Here is a Link to his Thread & He has been very helpful in answering my ??? so you may want to pm him for any additional Info..........

Rick

Burb on 3/4 Ton 4x4 Frame

Here are the pics he sent me on how he made the Body Mounts for his, Basically he Just sat the Body down on some 6x6's & Made Cardboard Templates of where to put the Body Mounts. I think it Come out to a 4" Body Lift that Way.

Also since the Frame is shorter in rear, he used an old Tube Bumper in the Rear to make up the Difference & Have a Place for the Rear Mounts. He stated that he used the Body Bushings from a 55 Nomad on this also, Just send him a Pm if you have any ??

[DINS 1]

I am getting started on putting a burb on a 2004 2500 hd duramax crew cab shortbox chassis. from all of my measurments I will have to move the rear axle forward 26" and then cut some of the tail of the frame off . the 2004 frame rails are wider than the older trucks and i am going to build the mounts on the inside of the frame.

[Bryanl]

70-Sorry I was talking about 70rsss in regards to the cummins truck he bought.

Toomanytoys-thanks for he info-that is a cool ride. Love to hear more about your conversion and if you have started. I am interested in doing a cummins or duramax conversion. I would like to have the duramax but am worried about the electronics. Did you look at the wheelbase of the single cabs made from 2000-2007? I haven't looked for it yet but thought they might be pretty close to our 127". I looked at the new bodied single cabs and they are 133" and just based on eyeballing some pics of a truck without a bed it looks like the rearend could be moved fairly easily thought I have no idea about the frame width or how it would mount to a 67-72 body.
Thanks,
Bryan

[Tow Me]

I see this is an old thread but I need some insight to make a decision. I’m building a long bed frame for a Suburban. It’s 2wd with trailing arms. Someone told me all the body mounts are different except the front ones. 2nd and 3rd are different and the 4th needs to be added. Right now I dont have access to a long bed frame to compare. Can anyone confirm? I have the rear frame section. It would be easier if it’s just the rear mounts as mentioned above.
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[HO455]

I'm sorry but I'm confused as to what frame you have or want to go to? Frizzlefry's build thread may help you. (Search Tahoe) I have some photo's and information on body mounts posted in the first part of my WMB thread (link below) that my help you. Then much later on in the thread I deal with how to fix my rear bumper drooping caused by the frame being tweaked. Basically converting the bumper mounts to pickup style mounts, which may work for you.

[Tow Me]

Sorry I wasn't clear in my previous statement. I'm using a 1970 2wd long bed truck frame to put under my 1970 Suburban. The plan is to install a new lowered crossmember like Porterbuilt, a rear c-notch, new crossmembers and trailing arms. Once the frame is all done, I'll swap my body over to the new frame. While I build the frame, I'll enjoy driving the Surburban with the static drop on the factory Suburban frame it currently has.

The recommendations above from Frizzle Fry say the only 2 differences are the rear frame sections and the position of #4 body mounts. I was in the midst of getting these pieces and I was told by the seller that the 2nd and 3rd body mounts are different so I would need those too. I just wanted to see if anyone could confirm or comment about changing all the body mounts.

Thanks for the suggestions! I will look at those threads too.