Project: '72 Family Hauler

[shearjs]

Originally Posted by 04ls1gto

I knew I had a pic somewhere

Looks like a major difference. It’s easy to see why your ride quality improved!

[shearjs]

What began as a mostly simple fuel tank install turned into a cnotch install, which turned into a rear end cleanup, which turned into a full rear end rebuild and disc brake conversion. These are all things that I had planned on doing eventually, but I figure I might as well dive in while it’s all apart. I likely scraped off 10 lbs of gunk and dirt from the rear end. I’ve been doing a little research to determine exactly what gear combination and traction device would give me the ride I’m looking for. With a final gear ratio of .75 on the 4l60, a 29.3” tire height, and 3.73 ring and pinion, I should be around 2096 rpm at 70 mph. My old GMC was around 2350 rpm at 70 and that felt a little high for my preference. I’m currently trying to decide between the Eaton Posi and Eaton Detroit Truetrac and leaning toward the Truetrac. Does anyone have any prior experience that might persuade one over the other?

[polishspy]

Originally Posted by shearjs

What began as a mostly simple fuel tank install turned into a cnotch install, which turned into a rear end cleanup, which turned into a full rear end rebuild and disc brake conversion. These are all things that I had planned on doing eventually, but I figure I might as well dive in while it’s all apart. I likely scraped off 10 lbs of gunk and dirt from the rear end. I’ve been doing a little research to determine exactly what gear combination and traction device would give me the ride I’m looking for. With a final gear ratio of .75 on the 4l60, a 29.3” tire height, and 3.73 ring and pinion, I should be around 2096 rpm at 70 mph. My old GMC was around 2350 rpm at 70 and that felt a little high for my preference. I’m currently trying to decide between the Eaton Posi and Eaton Detroit Truetrac and learning to the Truetrac. Does anyone have any prior experience that might persuade one over the other?

If you are going to drive it regularly, a posi is the way to go. The true trac is more of a racing rear end.

[04ls1gto]

I put a true Trac in mine with the 3:73 but I am running a 6l90 which has another overdrive. I highly recommend the trutrac as it drives like a open diff and is nice and quiet. Honestly made the drivability a lot better then the open diff.

[FLYNAVY30]

for the uneducated in the group (ME), what's the difference between the Eaton Posi and Eaton True Trac? I'm assuming they're both different takes on a limited slip diff...

[04ls1gto]

Originally Posted by FLYNAVY30

for the uneducated in the group (ME), what's the difference between the Eaton Posi and Eaton True Trac? I'm assuming they're both different takes on a limited slip diff...

The standard posi uses a spring to engage both Axel's. The trutrac uses gears instead of the spring. Check out this website

https://www.currieenterprises.com/di...ions-explained

[FLYNAVY30]

Thanks very much....that was very helpful!

[shearjs]

Thanks for the real world responses. I will likely go with the Truetrac. This is my first complete rearend rebuild by myself so I’m looking forward to the challenge.

[doowoppwer]

I don't know diddly squat about Suburbans. Any idea why there's plywood on the floor?
Roger

[polishspy]

Originally Posted by doowoppwer

I don't know diddly squat about Suburbans. Any idea why there's plywood on the floor?
Roger

That is standard for the cargo area of a suburban. Basically like a truck bed.

[shearjs]

Originally Posted by doowoppwer

I don't know diddly squat about Suburbans. Any idea why there's plywood on the floor?
Roger

I honestly don’t know why they went with a plywood floor instead of steel either.

[shearjs]

I took a week off work to focus on the Burb. The to-do list included installing the Deadend Garage C-notch, painting the rest of the rails, moving the rear crossmember to install the 31 gallon fuel tank, mocking up the fuel tank, swapping springs to the CPP 4” HD, completing the rearend rebuild(ended up with a Truetrac and 3.73 gears), and running new brake and fuel lines from front to rear. I initially added the one inch blocks as well but I think it would be too low with the weight of the vehicle so I pulled those back out for now. I also have a No-limit rear sway bar that I tried to snake between the body and top of rails but I just didn’t have the ability to raise the body high enough to get it through. Maybe I’ll try again at a later date. I’m close to having the fuel pump wiring sorted out to maybe get this thing running soon.

[LockDoc]

-
Looks good! I can't help with the sway bar, I've never installed a rear one.

LockDoc

[shearjs]

After months of distractions, I'm finally back to a spot where I want to get going on the Burb again. Since the last update, I managed to squeak the rear sway bar between the body and rails. I went back and forth a few times, but ultimately decided to sell the Wilwood Rear Disc kit with parking brake to a local C10 club member and purchase Captainfab's rear D52 brackets and new Wilwood D52 calipers. I just wasn't happy with the way my the parking brake kit matched the Wilwood D52 on the front, and I honestly can't remember the last time I used a parking brake in an auto tranny vehicle. I've also dove back into the wiring to figure out exactly where I'm at. With a little luck, I should have it running within the next few weeks. Thanks for hanging around!

[ajgriffin]

Looking good! How did you go about painting the rails while still under the car?

[shearjs]

Originally Posted by ajgriffin

Looking good! How did you go about painting the rails while still under the car?

On my back with a foam brush and a quart of POR15 and some
solid help from my apprentice. It wasn’t the most enjoyable part of the build so far.

[ajgriffin]

Originally Posted by shearjs

On my back with a foam brush and a quart of POR15 and some
solid help from my apprentice. It wasn’t the most enjoyable part of the build so far.

Any man willing to risk getting POR15 on a clean Paw Patrol shirt is worth his weight in gold!

[04ls1gto]

He's hired! What sway bar did you use?

[shearjs]

Originally Posted by 04ls1gto

He's hired! What sway bar did you use?

It’s the top mount anti sway bar from No Limit Engineering. I wanted something that didn’t hang down below the trailing arms so this one seemed to be the logical choice.
http://nolimit.net/products#!/Rear-S...tegory=6157532

[shearjs]

Spent a little time this weekend finishing up the rear axle brake lines and fuel tank install. Hopefully this tank is in it's home for the final time. Eager to hear this turd make some noise!

[shearjs]

I spent a little time installing the Captain Fab D52 brake brackets and new Wilwood rear calipers this weekend. These match the front brakes a lot better than my previous attempt. It also appears that the rear wheels are pushed out an additional 1/4” or so, which I desperately needed. I am not running the spacer pictured, just using it as a washer to hold the rotors right. The new studs were too long to use existing lugs without a spacer. 1 step closer!

[Dieselwrencher]

Very nice work on your burb! This is all stuff I'd like to do to our burb eventually but the money tree is missing a lot of that green stuff.

Where did you get your tank at? LMC is OOS and every where else wants to sell you a Blazer tank. I am not into ordering something that won't really fit. If I'm going to modify something I'd rather put a larger capacity tank in it. Or, do the blazer tanks actually fit?

[FLYNAVY30]

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

Very nice work on your burb! This is all stuff I'd like to do to our burb eventually but the money tree is missing a lot of that green stuff.

Where did you get your tank at? LMC is OOS and every where else wants to sell you a Blazer tank. I am not into ordering something that won't really fit. If I'm going to modify something I'd rather put a larger capacity tank in it. Or, do the blazer tanks actually fit?

You might check out Boyd Welding....made in the USA and they offer a tank for the Suburban. Not cheap but very high quality, bolt in, and you can spec it with a number of options as far as return lines, baffles, pump assemblies, etc. Its the only company I've been able to find that offers a fabricated tank with the Suburban side fill.

[Dieselwrencher]

Originally Posted by FLYNAVY30

You might check out Boyd Welding....made in the USA and they offer a tank for the Suburban. Not cheap but very high quality, bolt in, and you can spec it with a number of options as far as return lines, baffles, pump assemblies, etc. Its the only company I've been able to find that offers a fabricated tank with the Suburban side fill.

I've got one of their tanks in my Longhorn. They do offer a very nice tank but a square body burb tank will be roughly $500 or more cheaper to get in and done.

[shearjs]

I ordered a fuel tank kit for an 87-91 blazer through rockauto. It came with the tank, sending unit, fuel pump, and straps for $163. I swapped out the fuel pump with an Aeromotive 340lph. It is already baffled for fuel injection and only required moving the rear crossmember to make room. I'm pretty happy with the fitment. I had a Boyd tank on my old 70 GMC, but it felt like the 19 gallons didn't last very long with a 6.0L.

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

Very nice work on your burb! This is all stuff I'd like to do to our burb eventually but the money tree is missing a lot of that green stuff.

Where did you get your tank at? LMC is OOS and every where else wants to sell you a Blazer tank. I am not into ordering something that won't really fit. If I'm going to modify something I'd rather put a larger capacity tank in it. Or, do the blazer tanks actually fit?