Watched yesterday for the premiere. Favorite part was listening to the 6.5 eat when trying to get through the mud. Big booty Judy was shaking its tail feathers hard.
Last edited:
CK5
Register an account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members.
One Piece at a Time: My 1985 Diesel Suburban
- Thread starter AgDieseler
- Start date
Great video! Looked like an epic trip. That sketchy part with the tcase 
And like Zoo said hearing the diesel eat and turbo whistle was awesome!
And like Zoo said hearing the diesel eat and turbo whistle was awesome!
Wowzers.
This feels pleasantly familiar. Guys just out having fun on the trails. In a way, it's kinda like our trips. Down to the familiar diesel soundtrack, the same blue suburban interior, and the complaints about low-hanging 1-ton axles.
And, yet, it's completely different. Harder obstacles, longer trails, more chainsaw work, and much larger tires. It's the grown-up version of our trips.
Maybe, someday, my truck will grow up to be like that. Maybe, someday, my trips will graduate to that level. Maybe.
6 years ago (when your truck was in many pieces) your advice to me was to "fake it until you make it." I.E., keep attempting cool things until they finally start paying dividends. Trips like this are the completion of that vision, the reward for your years of hard work. Well done.
Thanks for inspiring folks to get out and enjoy the unbeaten path.
This feels pleasantly familiar. Guys just out having fun on the trails. In a way, it's kinda like our trips. Down to the familiar diesel soundtrack, the same blue suburban interior, and the complaints about low-hanging 1-ton axles.
And, yet, it's completely different. Harder obstacles, longer trails, more chainsaw work, and much larger tires. It's the grown-up version of our trips.
Maybe, someday, my truck will grow up to be like that. Maybe, someday, my trips will graduate to that level. Maybe.
6 years ago (when your truck was in many pieces) your advice to me was to "fake it until you make it." I.E., keep attempting cool things until they finally start paying dividends. Trips like this are the completion of that vision, the reward for your years of hard work. Well done.
Thanks for inspiring folks to get out and enjoy the unbeaten path.
P.S. - If you ever get to my neck of the woods, lunch is on me. I wanna hear these stories in person.
Plus, a few days camping in mosquito country will help you understand the real reason we like these smelly, smoky beasts.
Plus, a few days camping in mosquito country will help you understand the real reason we like these smelly, smoky beasts.
Great video!
Thank you for posting that. Nate's video is the official one for The Powerstop Trail. It's far better for PS to place their content on channels with a built-in audience than it is to release on their own. Also, we didn't do any side videos like in previous years. There's only going to be this one, and we put everything into it.
Nate did a great job capturing the action, and worked diligently to do the edit. We ended the trail with 1.22TB of content, so hard decisions were made.
It was an unparalleled experience. It's the longest trip I've ever done - three weeks, door to door - and the farthest I've ever gone, ~5500 miles I think. Y'all know I love me some public land, and so this was all the things I love, along with seeing a bunch of new sights with dear friends.
I was so tired of being stuck. That mud section showed me that I need more transmission cooling capacity. It got a touch warm.
This trip was the reason I went all-in on the 6.5 build. I wanted full reliability, and maximum output.
Epic is a good descriptor. I only want to do it all again.
Also, that's operator error on the transfer case. Be sure to push that lever all the way, gents. I should have listened more carefully to Jason when he said my front tire wasn't moving, and was packing snow.
All our junk can run these trails. There wasn't anything technical, and except for the snow and 500 yards of mud, it was very limited use of four wheel drive. This is so much more about going new places and seeing new things with friends.
Thanks man. Really glad you and everyone here has enjoyed it.
David
1.22TB is a lot of video! It's kinda amazing how much video you have to shoot in order to catch a few minutes of good stuff. A lot of time setting up cameras and setting up the drone, etc. He really did a good job on the edit. I watched the whole hour and enjoyed the whole thing.
I think that’s a key point to make. Most trucks on this site that are street driven can do trips like this. We all get hung up on the harder core technical stuff than just getting out there on forest access roads or trails and having the adventure. This years desert trip I might have shifted out of 2hi a handful of times. But we were WAY off the beaten path checking out some really cool areas.
I’d stress on the reliability aspect more than anything.
I like getting into technical stuff too, but I like just getting out and exploring with buddies and my son too.
Guys, none of us are getting any younger and there are forces at work trying to limit our access to our public lands. Get your trucks working and go explore our country. I’ve never heard anybody regret the experience.
At one time I thought I needed long travel to get out in the desert.
absolute truth! Preach it brother! Gotta get out on the trails.
True. We all get hung up adding this or that and missing out on using the darn truck. I like the build but I like getting out more.
Just get stuff safe and reliable and go play. Even if for only a weekend. Plan upgrades when playtime in the outdoors is limited.
I’m pretty excited to get some dirt on my tires again at BB. Seeing all you troublemakers too.
This is the reason I’m going to BB this year….who knows what will happen with lands in the future or how long any of us will be here, I’ve always wanted to go to Moab so I’m just going to do it…..
@AgDieseler your trips should be an inspiration to everyone!
I wish there were more of these places in Texas. The technical stuff is fun but I just like to drive on dirt and let the ass hang out on occasion.
Finally finished watching the video, and I found a calendar submission for you:
I really enjoy wheeling this truck. Hard stuff, easy stuff, highway things. All of it.
After a good spring and summer of adventure, it strikes me that it is probably time to treat the suburban more gently. It is a family heirloom, and I need to be a good steward of it. That means making some adult decisions.
Metal can be repaired and reformed, but it would be handy to not wrinkle it up when I don't have to.
But, I still want to wheel hard things. So, what is the natural answer to this predicament? If you said, "another project," you're absolutely right.
Up to now, three other people have known about this plan - Kris, the guy that's selling me this wagoneer, Nate, my PNW buddy that I wheeled with for much of June, and Jason, the guy that got me into doing videos. Now, you all know, but the rest of the internet is going to remain in the dark for several more months. I'll start a separate build thread when the time comes, but the recipe should sound pretty familiar - lots of parts from our friends at ORD, LS/400 (unless I get a wild hair and build another 6.5), super 60 and a probably super shaved sterling, front links and rear trailing arms, and high-lined woodgrain fenders and quarters cut to fit 42s. I might just start with leaf springs and a 5.3/400 swap. The Charger takes priority, but this is where I'm going once the car is in paint jail.
Back to the suburban, there's a fair amount of work ahead:
David
After a good spring and summer of adventure, it strikes me that it is probably time to treat the suburban more gently. It is a family heirloom, and I need to be a good steward of it. That means making some adult decisions.
Metal can be repaired and reformed, but it would be handy to not wrinkle it up when I don't have to.
But, I still want to wheel hard things. So, what is the natural answer to this predicament? If you said, "another project," you're absolutely right.
Up to now, three other people have known about this plan - Kris, the guy that's selling me this wagoneer, Nate, my PNW buddy that I wheeled with for much of June, and Jason, the guy that got me into doing videos. Now, you all know, but the rest of the internet is going to remain in the dark for several more months. I'll start a separate build thread when the time comes, but the recipe should sound pretty familiar - lots of parts from our friends at ORD, LS/400 (unless I get a wild hair and build another 6.5), super 60 and a probably super shaved sterling, front links and rear trailing arms, and high-lined woodgrain fenders and quarters cut to fit 42s. I might just start with leaf springs and a 5.3/400 swap. The Charger takes priority, but this is where I'm going once the car is in paint jail.
Back to the suburban, there's a fair amount of work ahead:
- tidy up the cuts on the fenders and quarters for a more OE look
- bump out the scars
- resquare the doors
- get it into paint jail with my buddy, Gabe
- paint the bumpers (I feel your look, Greg)
- reworks the cargo slide to have a second deck for lighter gear storage
- build an aluminum roof rack
- make an real skid for the fuel cell
- finish the BD lighting program
- repackage some things underhood to better stuff big tires
- big boy brushless Spal fans and a shroud
- and I'm sure more things I have forgotten
David
Last edited:
I loved wheeling my 75 wagoneer I almost regret selling it, but my suburban fits my family better and I am not into bashing my truck on rocks anymore, just overlanding.
I recognize that jeep. This is going to be a cool project.
A dedicated wheeler, now that's an adult decision I can get into, once I heard adult decision I was afraid the next pic was a minivan.
The waggy looks familiar for sure. I feel the same about the adult direction you are heading into. Kudos for doing the right thing.
Excited to see you stretch your skills on the new ride.
Excited to see you stretch your skills on the new ride.
