The Story Of A Cummins Suburban (Lots Of Pics)

[mosesburb]

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

It's either spend $2k I don't have, or put the Longhorn together. I have most of the parts for it sitting in, on, and around it. I just have to get one more customer project done and then I can get to it. On the tach, did you see the cluster I made with a 4k mechanical tach in it?

Yeah, that's the same tach head that I have also, just no lens.

Originally Posted by DBear

Still looks good.....but I did like it better with the muds! Sorry to hear that you had to buy new tread though!

I liked the look of the muds better myself, but I will admit, these do ride alot nicer than the muds did--especially at highway speeds. It's funny how you can get used to something and think all is nice and great, then change it up a bit and realize some great improvement in ride or comfort or drivability. I had the muds on for most of the summer and put the highway tires on it and was surprised at how nice it rode again--not that it was bad before, but just so much nicer after.

[Dieselwrencher]

Originally Posted by mosesburb

Yeah, that's the same tach head that I have also, just no lens.

No, not the OE diesel one I have, the one I'm in the process of building.

http://www.67-72chevytrucks.com/vboa...d.php?t=490634

[mosesburb]

Nope, hadn't seen that one. I like it. I bet it will look just right with the needles painted the same color--especially the center of the tach needle being orange.

[Dieselwrencher]

If I can find more of the tachs, I plan to make some of the clusters.

[mosesburb]

Well, I have been slacking on the updates lately I guess. We haven't been getting out as much as I would like as my boy's football games are all mid-day Saturday games. We did go camping recently but I still have to go through the pics from that run. I did find another cracked pressure line off the power steering pump. This will be number three. The first one I had tension on it when I installed it. The second one was installed neutral with no tension on it. It cracked. The third one I made a bracket and used a rubber lined adel clamp on it to a bracket I made for support. It cracked too. I gave up and remade everything in -06 Teflon lined steel braided AN line. I like the looks of the stock hoses better, but I think the functionality of the steel braided will be better in the end. We'll see.

Before shot:


Here they are removed:



I really liked how the lines came off the hydroboost unit so I retained the factory mandrel bent lines and brazed on some -06 fittings that Russ's 24hr Machine Shop bored to fit:







I used steel fittings and adapters on the lines. I like the straight-up 80's look of the red and blue Earl's fittings, but I figured with all the problems I have had with this steering setup and especially the pressure hose, I should go with steel for durability reasons.

While I had the system down, I decided a new power steering filter was in order:

[jbclassix]

Hey, I just figured out what you're missing!

Your coolant filter!

[mosesburb]

Originally Posted by jbclassix

Hey, I just figured out what you're missing!

Your coolant filter!

I actually had planned to run one on this, but I ran out of room. They need to be mounted up high. I *could* mount it down low, but then when the filter gets removed during service, the cooling system drains itself thus kind of negating the usefulness of the filter. Definitely a good idea if you have the room though.

[Dieselwrencher]

Originally Posted by mosesburb

I actually had planned to run one on this, but I ran out of room. They need to be mounted up high. I *could* mount it down low, but then when the filter gets removed during service, the cooling system drains itself thus kind of negating the usefulness of the filter. Definitely a good idea if you have the room though.

Put a ball valve pre filter so you can shut it before you service the filter. That's what I've done and it's worked so far.

[The Frisian outlaw]

You are a very good mechanic. An awesome job you did there. All custom handmade parts, and for every problem a solution!. Respect!

Thanks for sharing your (off)roadtrips. Very nice to see the old mining area and everything you see on your trip. I also like the old trucks. It looks that they can fire up and drive away. I would step in my truck and drive to that place, load them all up and drive home.

Some day I will visit The States and go for a long trip through a lot of states. I can't wait to go there.

Thanks for sharing.

The Frisian outlaw

[mosesburb]

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

Put a ball valve pre filter so you can shut it before you service the filter. That's what I've done and it's worked so far.

I thought about doing that too. Because of the ridiculous temps we deal without here on the surface of the sun my cooling systems get serviced every two years or I put a "recharge" additive in the system which is very similar to what comes pre-packed in the filters, just without the filter part.

[mosesburb]

Originally Posted by The Frisian outlaw

You are a very good mechanic. An awesome job you did there. All custom handmade parts, and for every problem a solution!. Respect!

Wow, thanks man!!

Originally Posted by The Frisian outlaw

Thanks for sharing your (off)roadtrips. Very nice to see the old mining area and everything you see on your trip. I also like the old trucks. It looks that they can fire up and drive away. I would step in my truck and drive to that place, load them all up and drive home.

I'm glad you enjoyed them. Yeah, I bet most of those old trucks could run with minimal effort.

Originally Posted by The Frisian outlaw

Some day I will visit The States and go for a long trip through a lot of states. I can't wait to go there.

Thanks for sharing.

The Frisian outlaw

If you ever make it out this way give me a shout and we'll hit some trails!!

[The Frisian outlaw]

Originally Posted by mosesburb

If you ever make it out this way give me a shout and we'll hit some trails!!

Allright, I keep this one in my mind.
Thanks.

The Frisian outlaw

[lowrollin70gmc]

Quick question for you on the rear axle you went with. If it's a 14 bolt out of a van, it is wider than a pickup rear? I've read that vans use 70" WMS to WMS while SRW truck 14 bolts are 67.5 and our stock rears would have been 65? Anyways, I am in need of a wider axle and remembered that you have one from a van and was wondering if you're happy with the width compared to the front.

Also, how is your throttle cable setup, I don't remember seeing it on this build, but I'm trying to figure out how to on my Cummins swap. It's ghetto rigged up right now and I want to do it the right way soon.

Thanks,
Andrew

[mosesburb]

Yes, it is a 14FF out of a van. The van was a late 90's new body style. It has the ribbed-for-her-pleasure housing. It is approximately the same width as the front D60. I say approximately because I don't recall the measurements and it looks the same as the front. I like it. I think it looks better with a rear axle the same width as the front that one that is narrower than the front.

For the throttle cable I used the Dodge piece that came on the motor. IIRC, it uses a round rubber bushing on the body side. Once again, IIRC, I used a Unibit to enlarge the square hole from the GM throttle cable to a larger round hole to fit the Dodge bushing. I *think* I had to shorten the cable on the pedal end. That is a basic operation that is easy to figure out the right length.

How goes your project??

[lowrollin70gmc]

I need to put together a thread on it, but the truck runs and drives but I had to leave it in South Dakota because the brakes wouldn't stay bled and I didn't trust that for an 1800 mile drive back to California. I did get everything swapped in over about 3 weeks of vacation including a D60 front from my parts Dodge and a 2004 NV5600 instead of the Getrag. I did mount my motor a little higher and forward from where yours is, but I had no stock crossmembers to work around courtesy of the previous owner. My 205 only hangs down 2-3 inches under the frame and it might get clocked up before I get a front driveshaft made so I can get around hunting and playing a little better.

Had to take my 63 Chevy II back to SoCal so it wasn't so tough but I miss that old k20 right now. I'm moving back to the Dakotas in May having done my time and deployments so I'll have to finish the build in the summer. Until then, I'll just keep dreaming of parts and drooling over your completed burb.

[mosesburb]

Post some pics!! I wanna see it!! Do you have any pics of the Toroflow out of the truck??

[mosesburb]

Well, I have some pics from the last run we made, but I haven't sorted and loaded them yet.

So anyways, I decided on Wednesday last week that I/we (me and my boy) needed to start shopping for Christmas. I figured we should start on Saturday. I really didn't want to start on Saturday, I wanted to go wheelin' somewhere. That is when I came to the realization that there are stores in Prescott and dirt roads that will take me there. That will do.

I found out from a friend that the snow Prescott got last weekend is gone already, but I had another plan. I took our standard route up to Poland Road and went in that way. There was absolutely nothing on the south and east sides of the hills, but as soon as we got on the north side, success was acheived:





As we got in further it got a bit heavier:



I thought ahead and brought along an implement for my boy to test gravity with:



He worked the sled for about 45min and we decided to head on. We continued down the road, but once we got past the summer cottages the road had not been plowed back when it snowed. The snow was not deep, but it was packed in the middle. The problem arose when we got about fifty feet into it and we were sliding sideways toward the ditch on the uphill side. It was very difficult getting it to track away from the ditch, but very shortly after that we were heading for it again. Well, we are only about seventy five feet into the road now and I am having some serious doubts about continuing down the trail. I have been down this trail many times, but never in snow. I had no idea if the trails that meet up to it in a few miles will be clear as they are even higher in altitude. I had visions of winning "Father Of The Year" award when they found us stuck in a ditch and frozen solid. I decided at that point that a trail trip ending as a ten o'clock news story is probably not a good thing and we should head back out exactly the way we came in. That's what we did. It was pretty tough getting it back out of where we were, but we got it. I don't care for the All Terrains in the snow very much. Anyways, we got out and headed all the way back out to the highway and rolled on into Prescott where the Christmas shopping commenced. We went a few places and finally I had enough of dealing with stupid people and the needle on my patience meter broke off so we headed out. We were heading down the highway and I asked my boy if we should head back through the valley. He answered with a resounding "YES!!" Cool. So we headed down through the valley. Before you get to the valley there is a nice high point to look out off of. The pictures really don't do the view justice. It really was amazing.









Gratuitous truck shot:



When all was said and done, we ended up having a great time (except for the dealing with the other shoppers part), got to see some great scenery, and my boy got some quality time on the sled. Sooooo much better than going to a mall around here.

[hgs_notes]

Nice. I had BFG AT's on a 1989 Toyota xtra cab and they worked great for us. Except in gooey mud, but not much works good in that.

We used these on my wifes 99 suburban and I have to say, they were the best tire I ever had for snow on a truck. I've got blizzaks on my car.
http://www.bridgestonetire.com/tires...productID=1055

[Dieselwrencher]

Awesome side trip, and you can have all our snow this year!

[1985-GMC]

Awesome! It looks like fun!


Hey where's the bow tie for the front of your burb?

[lowrollin70gmc]

That looked like fun, I remember seeing snow at the higher elevations when I was on the 40 late last week and your boy has the best way to test gravity!

I just put Goodyear Duratrac's on my 68 but it's going to be buried in snow instead of driving in it this year, but I have a feeling they'll work out better than the all terrains. Anyways, here's my build thread so you can see how much more detailed yours is compared to my three week thrash.

The Dakota Cadillac Build Thread

[mosesburb]

Originally Posted by hgs_notes

Nice. I had BFG AT's on a 1989 Toyota xtra cab and they worked great for us. Except in gooey mud, but not much works good in that.

We used these on my wifes 99 suburban and I have to say, they were the best tire I ever had for snow on a truck. I've got blizzaks on my car.
http://www.bridgestonetire.com/tires...productID=1055

I think these tires would do ok, but I'm thinking the deck was stacked against them in this instance. I was pulling a pretty decent grade 8-10% on snow that had packed, melted and re-froze and the road was banked toward the hill that I kept sliding towards. It was too much at one time for them. Maybe the Blizztecs would have done it, but I'm doubting it. Some people passed me after I backed out on a Ranger or Rhino and they had a bit of a go keeping it on the trail right there too.

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

Awesome side trip, and you can have all our snow this year!

Thanks!! No, you need the snow where you are at. I appreciate the offer though.

Originally Posted by 1985-GMC

Awesome! It looks like fun!


Hey where's the bow tie for the front of your burb?

It was a hoot. I think I threw the bowtie away. It had the chrome silhouette on it when I got it but the blue inner piece was gone. I like the clean egg-crate grille so I took it off and blacked out the mounting tabs so they don't stand out.

Originally Posted by lowrollin70gmc

That looked like fun, I remember seeing snow at the higher elevations when I was on the 40 late last week and your boy has the best way to test gravity!

I just put Goodyear Duratrac's on my 68 but it's going to be buried in snow instead of driving in it this year, but I have a feeling they'll work out better than the all terrains. Anyways, here's my build thread so you can see how much more detailed yours is compared to my three week thrash.

The Dakota Cadillac Build Thread

It was fun--especially for my boy. Good start on the thread there.

[mosesburb]

Well, this one is a little out of order. We ran this one back in late October and I shot five hundred and some odd pics so it was a very large elephant that needed to be eaten somehow. Trunk or tail--gotta start somewhere.

Anyways, I started whittling the mess down and loading them so here we go!! I had a bit of a camping jones going on and my boy had his "fall break" going on, so I decided we should try some cooler weather camping. I wanted to head up by Flagstaff to one of my old haunts, but with elk season going on I figured that might not be the best idea. I came up with a plan "B", but we needed something to do before we camped. I got to wandering around in my maps and I recalled a buddy of mine from work telling me about a great time he had at Fossil Creek. Hmm, that sounds like a good destination. I didn't do any research prior to take-off which I probably should have. Oh well.

My wife had something going on so she was not able to join us on this run. We set out Thursday am and headed north. We went in from the Camp Verde side and experienced twenty miles of the worst washboard road I have run in years. It was miserable. There was no speed I could find to tune the wheelbase of my Suburban to the frequency of the washboard--or even get it close for that matter. That part of the journey was no fun whatsoever. I even locked the hubs and tried four wheel drive to see if it helped. It didn't.

The road aside, there is some nice scenery to be viewed on the way in.



This was a neat little switchback type curve that had some nice contrasting colors:



I'm not sure what this was, whether it was an outcrop of some sort or a very old mine dump, but it looked cool:



So after twenty-ish miles of misery, a "T" is reached. Left or right. Gotta pick one.



This is where I wished I had done some prior research into the area as the power plants mentioned are closed and/or gone. Now, not knowing the history of the area, I thought the Childs plant must be the one down by the Verde River that I had seen pictures of some time ago. We go right. By my odometer it is actually eight miles.

So we head off to the Childs Plant/Verde River. Now not having done any research I had no idea what to expect to see. Well, my introduction to Fossil Creek was rather abrupt. I caught a glance of it through some bushes and could not believe what I was seeing. I had to stop and take a better look. Yes I was actually seeing what I thought I was seeing.



I had never seen water this clear before. Absolutely gorgeous.



Amazing. I could not believe how clear the water was. It was like a flowing swimming pool. Now notice the concrete pilings in the background. There are all kinds of remnants like those along the creek and road. They will be better explained later. So we continue down the road and come across some signs for a lake that does not exist (anymore) and finally make our way down to the Verde River, but not before passing this sign:



My boy asks me what the sign says. I tell him it says you can't run around without clothes on. He doesn't believe me. I explain it to him again and I still don't think he believes me. Honestly, I never expected to be explaining that out in the middle of nowhere, but I guess that is as good of a place as any.

I have a lot more photos and words to go with them, but I think this is a good place to end for today.

[1leglance]

This is gonna be a good one..
I have not been in that area in a while and really want to go play in the water with the family when the temps get hot.
Looking forward to reading more

[hgs_notes]

Around here if there was something called green river or lake, good chance you wouldn't see 3 inches into it from the algae growth. Very pretty waterfall there.