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One Piece at a Time: My 1985 Diesel Suburban

Overview Gallery Discussion
Cool, I haven't seen anyone tie it together like that before. I like that idea a lot better than just attaching the sliders to the frame rails separately.
 
mrk5 said:
Cool, I haven't seen anyone tie it together like that before. I like that idea a lot better than just attaching the sliders to the frame rails separately.
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It’s almost a direct copy from parts of a trophy truck chassis (which prerunners and 4500 cars all emulate to a degree). They don’t run “sliders”, but do have perimeter tubing that can take a hit, and have loads of inner bracing to make it act as stiff as an ingot.

David
 
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AgDieseler said:
It’s a cozy fit. I had to pocket the ally to clear the drain. This mounting solution is definitely a Rev0 kind of thing.

David
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I can relate. I built mine out of stuff I had on hand and that included the piece of 1/4” plate that had been in the dirt on the side of my house for over ten years. Needles to say, it’s rusty haha.
 
A few favorites from Blazer Bash.

Steel Bender on Thursday with @ZooMad75

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That's a great trail, and it was my first run of it. At the top, I wanted to do the ledge, but my trans pickup got uncovered. I had only filled it on level ground, so whatever sloshed around during wheeling didn't leave enough in the pan at a 30* incline to keep the truck moving forward. 2.5 quarts later, it drove all the steep stuff with ease the next two days. I'll have to run this next year.

David
 
AgDieseler said:
A few favorites from Blazer Bash.

Steel Bender on Thursday with @ZooMad75

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That's a great trail, and it was my first run of it. At the top, I wanted to do the ledge, but my trans pickup got uncovered. I had only filled it on level ground, so whatever sloshed around during wheeling didn't leave enough in the pan at a 30* incline to keep the truck moving forward. 2.5 quarts later, it drove all the steep stuff with ease the next two days. I'll have to run this next year.

David
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I might as well too then
 
Friday Backward Bill. Good times, and a beautiful trail. It's well worth the drive past Gemini Bridges.

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Best photo from that day.

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Saturday Pritchett. What a great day.

This pinch at "broken steps" is what kept me up at night. For our fully body group, it's a weird off camber decline that threatens quarter panels and glass. Personally, I have plenty of both. Here, @r3dd0g strapped up to my rear bumper to compress that corner and keep my body lines straight.

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Last time, I had to winch up Chewy. This was a big reason I wanted to run this trail again in the new setup, and the fresh suspension kept the tires planted and it rolled on up. I had a wide grin afterward.

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Lots of wide turns, and the rear suspension continuing to break in.

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Axle hill is a good one. Last time I did this in the dark, and didn't remember that I had to turn hella wide toward the top. This time, I ended up getting dug in and stuck on my rear diff. Winch time.

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@mrk5 got a good one of the truck going up Son of Rock Pile. One of the ledges broke, and this obstacle is pretty easy now.

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Looking back from the top of Yellow Hill.

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I warmed up the tires, so they're selling for less now.

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Then we're up at the saddle. We were on the trail at 715, and out the top at 330. That's pretty quick for all the sheetmetal we dragged through there.

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From there, it's a crappy rocky road and some high speed sandy stuff near Behind the Rocks. Fun stuff, mostly.

David
 
I've thought quite a bit about what it meant for you all to recognize me and the truck with the Jason Payne award, and I keep coming back around to a general feeling of being humbled by that recognition. Reactions aside, my first thoughts actually go to a short phrase I've long held as a simple truth - cars are connectors of people.

We all spend time among each other - here and in Moab - because of these trucks. We share a joy for building, wheeling, and for the places that they take our families. For me, it is an enduring connection to my family. That shared enthusiasm is strong enough to bring us together, across boundaries and beliefs, both virtually and in person. As we've learned, that in person connection has no substitute, and nor should it. Few other "things" deliver that level of connection among such a broad group of folks, and our traveling award and its namesake is an exemplar of that power. Sure, we're all kids grown tall, but these "toys" of ours enable us to build and maintain a network of comradery that has few parallels in our modern lives. I get that this is all just material stuff. But, these trucks hold a lot of room in our lives, and it's because of the people they carry and those people and places they carry us to.

I wish I had known Jason personally. When I came back to the forum some years ago, his build thread was one I studied, so I have enjoyed getting to know him by his reputation. I am grateful for the connections I've made here, and mourn the loss of those I got to know personally. Jack and Rob immediately come to mind (@Blazooki and @rdn2blazer), but our club is better for their having been a part of it. Fortunately, their work and words are memorialized here, and as long as we continue to speak their names, they are not gone.

And so, this award is appropriately named. I am deeply appreciative of the honor, and now ever more mindful of my connection to you all. Thank you.

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To absent friends.

David
 
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