One Piece at a Time: My 1985 Diesel Suburban

[AgDieseler]

Beautiful! Love looking at your work.
Said it on your Instagram... Art!

Much appreciated. There is a lot of room for artistic expression in how we build these things, and tubing work seems like an especially good spot to practice just that. Also, this is a great learning experience for the exhaust I want to build on the Charger.

David

 

[AgDieseler]

More pie in my daily diet. I took the opportunity to update this older, earlier effort, and get a better clamping on the charge pipe between the turbo and intercooler.









One more charge pipe to go, and it’s the hard one.

David

 

[AgDieseler]

I feel a great sense of relief.

This charge pipe is done, it’s tight, but it all fits.

















David

 

[ZooMad75]

Damn dude. That's a hell of a charge air pipe. Well done. You earned an adult beverage after that one for sure.

 

[AgDieseler]

Damn dude. That's a hell of a charge air pipe. Well done. You earned an adult beverage after that one for sure.

Roger that. Kurt stopped by after, and we took just that kind of break.

David

 

[AgDieseler]

It’s come time to part with my 14FF:
https://ck5.com/forums/threads/14ff-4-88-detroit-shaved-crane-cover.341684/

Hopefully it can find a new home with a CK5’er looking for a ready-to-run axle.

David

 

[skunked]

Great price.

 

[AgDieseler]

Great price.

That’s the CK5 price. If it doesn’t sell here, someone on marketplace is paying a tax, because I hate listing junk on there.

David

 

[AgDieseler]

Started in on the new trans crossmember and mounting. I’m on a quest to simplify. This new setup consolidates the magnum and trans mounts into a single 2” bushing.

The 205 is clocked down one spot from where I had it before so an oval exhaust tube will clear and I can avoid the ever-crushable bell housing crossover. And so, the crossmember drops down about 1.5” from flat across the rails











I’m a quarter of the way into the crossmember, which also will serve to tie the lower link brackets together.

David

 

[Capt Ron]

I know by this point I should not be amazed you can take a simple thing like a transmission mount and turn it into what is damn near a work of art.

 

[AgDieseler]

I know by this point I should not be amazed you can take a simple thing like a transmission mount and turn it into what is damn near a work of art.

It’s a lot of fun to merge the functional and the aesthetic, and don’t worry, I won’t cut off my ear.

David

 

[kgblazerfive]

[QUOTE="

I’m a quarter of the way into the crossmember, which also will serve to tie the lower link brackets together.

David[/QUOTE]

Will you be able to pull the crossmember without affecting the rear suspension ?
If not redesign it IMO. If you need to pull the crossmember for X but you cant because it connects the rear suspension together, that would be a big possible issue.

 

[AgDieseler]

The rear leaf packs are completely separate. The trans crossmember would tie into the front link mounts, which are welded to the frame, but it would keep them from twisting and trying to rip themselves off at full flex. It’s all modular, and one piece can come apart without tripping the other.

David

 

[kgblazerfive]

The rear leaf packs are completely separate. The trans crossmember would tie into the front link mounts, which are welded to the frame, but it would keep them from twisting and trying to rip themselves off at full flex. It’s all modular, and one piece can come apart without tripping the other.

David

Ok that makes me feel better

 

[AgDieseler]

Frame side mounts, and the start of the crossmember. Only got a few hours on this, as I got all the parts for the run of dual alternator brackets, and started on those.



David

 

[AgDieseler]

Frame side mounts burned in and mounted. Now the actual crossmember.



You can see how it will tie to the link mounts.




David

 

[AgDieseler]

Fun sub-project. I’ve never worked on the newer 14 bolt, so these mini-drums that one can rebuild on the bench are pretty neat.





Powerstop doesn’t have a hardware kit, so I got one from NAPA. Turns out, it’s mostly junk. Aside from the two big springs, the rest is worthless and doesn’t work like factory. I reused the adjusters and clips.





The turkey starts brining today, and I’m jamming on the truck through to Sunday.

David

 

[dbcorvairracer]

I love putting all new springs and such whenever I do drums, but I just thoroughly clean and lightly lube threads of original adjusters. Usually nothing wrong and likely better than aftermarket. Though most of this has been on trailers or Corvairs

 

[AgDieseler]

New rotors, calipers, and Z36 pads all installed. I swapped to to 9/16 studs and ended up using some leftover 5/8 stainless fuel line to make lug-centric spacers such that the rotor didn’t wobble as much. Same for the front, too.





I’m a quarter of the way into fabbing the rear brake line - 3/16 3AN hardline with bulkhead fittings. Once I get that down, I’ll have a better sense for the front.

David

 

[AgDieseler]

The new Crane 14 cover arrived, and I immediately trimmed the housing to suit. This newer axle has a drain plug and small cavity at the bottom, so this is the maximum practical shave you can do and avoid sectioning the plug and threads and risk a thinner-than-ideal lower part of the housing.

I’m more of a “get the maximum average ground clearance” using big tires and avoiding low shock mounts than focusing on this 1.25” piece that dips.









I got most of this primed and painted, and fabbed up some bulkhead mounts for the brakes. That will keep until Friday.

The turkey continues to brine. The sides are prepped. It’s just the wife and me tomorrow, but we’re cooking like the whole family is coming over, and it’s great fun.

Happy Thanksgiving, y’all.

David