One Piece at a Time: My 1985 Diesel Suburban

[folkenheath]

For almost two decades I would drive my toys to the track or the dunes or the offroad park, etc. And I always made it back home, sometimes with self repairs. But it was always on my mind while playing. I find I have more fun and less stress when I know I can haul it home if I break something.

Now that I have a trailer, if it's more than an hour or so away, I usually trailer it if I know I am going there to beat the snot out of it. Thus far, I have driven them back on the trailer every time, but that will change one day....hopefully not too bad. (knock on wood)

Now, around home I drive my toys just for fun on the street. Errands, ice cream, work, kids school or sports, whatever. That's different, you can call a friend to get home and then go back and fix it or haul it home if needed. But when you are 4 hours from home, that's not so easy.

 

[Babaganoosh]

Queen? I don't know, but it will be a trailer princess for SEMA, KOH, and anything with a drive longer than a day. Candidly, I have a pretty demanding day job, and I can get a lot done on phone from the driver seat, and as of now, there is no noise cancellation technology up to the task of countering the suburban's 75 MPH interior hum.

Maybe I'm just getting softer in my advanced age.

David

I'm the same way, I will trailer it to events just to be on the safe side and enjoy the creature comforts of a modern truck. But just like you, I built mine to drive.

 

[ashman]

Yup, it's the noise for me. After 3-4 hours it's deafening.

 

[Wes Harden]

 

[K85 Octane]

Any time I see this pop up with something new
I can only think of...

 

[imiceman44]

Any time I see this pop up with something new
I can only think of...

View attachment 504723

Took 5 full seconds to read it.
Kept trying to make it one word until it became clear

 

[fourwheelerjeff]

Interested to see how you like the partial tilt deck. I've eyeballed some full tilt deck trailers but not ever sure if I wanted to go that route or just a regular one.

everybody is different but after having used a tilt deck and regular trailer; I like the regular trailer. for one thing it weighs a lot less. I have my trailers built 102" wide with drive over fenders; my K5, 1 ton TJ and X Chassis won't fit between the fenders on a regular trailer. I tried to load a dually on a tilt trailer and the lugs wouldn't go between the fenders on the tilt deck. then I had the problem with the Cummins being so heavy that the tilt started coming down before the duals got on the trailer.

this tilt David bought has the width and drive over fenders also. looks pretty stout.

 

[AgDieseler]

I like the regular trailer. for one thing it weighs a lot less.

It’s a big tradeoff for ditching the ramps. My 22 footer weighs 5500 lbs. It would be ~750 lbs lighter if it were a 16K, benefitting from lighter axles and less frame material.

had the problem with the Cummins being so heavy that the tilt started coming down before the duals got on the trailer.

That’s a legitimate concern. The ORD GMC loads without having to mess with the damper valve. The suburban might need to have the valve closed until the rear end gets on, and then open so it falls forward. We also test loaded a very tail heavy truck that wouldn’t level out the deck at all. In that case, powering the dampers is the only option.

David

 

[AgDieseler]

Suburban updates. Fenders are blocked, painted in MRO satin, and the road sides coated in their new 2K protective. It’s flexible like rhino liner but without the expensive gun.



This is the only photo under the upload size limits. Sorry.

David

 

[72gmck5]

What’s the gun setup with the regulator?

 

[AgDieseler]

What’s the gun setup with the regulator?

It’s a normal schutz paint gun. That’s just a dryer or water separator and what looks like a regulator on the input end. Gabe sent the photo, so I’m not sure exactly what’s in the stack up.

David

 

[Babaganoosh]

What is your thoughts on the liner trapping mud and making it hard to clean?

 

[AgDieseler]

What is your thoughts on the liner trapping mud and making it hard to clean?

It's on my mind, and I hope it'll be manageable. I remember trucks that would get slathered in rhino liner being impossible to keep clean. My hope is that I can armor all the inner fenders and keep it relatively easy to clean. That's what my friends at seymour have done when they coated tents, roof racks, and whatnot on their personal projects.

David

 

[Babaganoosh]

It's on my mind, and I hope it'll be manageable. I remember trucks that would get slathered in rhino liner being impossible to keep clean. My hope is that I can armor all the inner fenders and keep it relatively easy to clean. That's what my friends at seymour have done when they coated tents, roof racks, and whatnot on their personal projects.

David

Sounds like a Wd40 bath like we did on the race car. The plasti dip on my truck is pretty much unable to get a sheen to, it just goes instantly dull with soap and water. I can put some products on it but it doesn't last more then a few days so I never do it.

 

[mrk5]

I've never felt like the bedliner on the crew cab bed is particularly hard to clean mud off.

 

[imiceman44]

I've never felt like the bedliner on the crew cab bed is particularly hard to clean mud off.

Because it's the color of mud.

 

[AgDieseler]

Fenders, hood, cowl, and barn doors are in final primer. Quarters are getting the royal treatment, and then the doors.



Everything has been pre-gapped, and there’s a consistent 1/8-3/16” gap all over - way better than it ever had from the factory. The body was a little tweaked, so it took another two weeks to get all those gaps consistent along with the body lines.

Rewinding 40 years of age, 430,000 miles, and plenty of trail use/abuse has been an effort. Gabe is absolutely killing it.

David

 

[Babaganoosh]

I seriously wish I could see this in person, I'm trying to make it to Blazer Bash just for it. I might not be taking my truck thats how bad I want to see it.

 

[AgDieseler]

I seriously wish I could see this in person, I'm trying to make it to Blazer Bash just for it. I might not be taking my truck thats how bad I want to see it.

Don’t stress. The suburban won’t be at BB, but it would still be great to hang with you. It’ll just barely make it to SEMA, and then trails after that.

I’m bringing the ORD loaner to Moab.

David

 

[Babaganoosh]

Don’t stress. The suburban won’t be at BB, but it would still be great to hang with you. It’ll just barely make it to SEMA, and then trails after that.

I’m bringing the ORD loaner to Moab.

David

That makes me feel a bit better, life is just slammed at the moment with work.