Project MULE - Expedition build on a 1991 1500 4x4 Suburban

[pma4x4]

Before: 2012

After: 2014

The plan is to build a expedition rig that maintains its creature comforts, holds all that we need and can even be slept in on a regular basis if needed. Basically think of the amenity's you get with a small RV and that's what we are looking at doing to the Mule.

Third owner with paper trail back to original Arizona owner.
Stock Specs:
1991 V1500 4x4 Suburban
350 (5.7) TBI
700R4 Transmission
NP241C Transfer case
GM 10 bolt rear Limited slip 3.42s
GM 10 bolt front open 3.42s
32x11.50x15s BFG Ats a little weathered
Auto hubs


Goals: (D=Done, C= Cancelled, S=Shelved)
D - TBI upgrade
D - Tru-Cool LPD Tranny cooler with fan and thermal switch
D - 30K GVW inline transmission cooler
S - Sealed snorkel system using a Donaldson cyclonic air cleaner.
D - 3"" lift TC HD springs front
D - 3" lift in rear with HD 3/4" springs and 2" block
D - 4.56 gears
D - Manual hubs
D - 16x8 Wheels
D - Tires, 315-75-16
D - Dual AGM DC batteries (separate from the starter battery)
D - Front Winch bumper (Expedition XL)
D - Sliders/"Nerf bars"
D - Rear dual swing out bumper(11/19/18 Being re-worked)
D - Full length roof rack
D - Steering gearbox frame reinforcement plates
D - Steering brace from ORD
D - Power steering cooler
D - Custom Center console

Updates projects 12-4-2018
Check engine running temps (seems cold, could be sending unit (Bad info to ECM cause bad MPG)
Ford Windstar fan upgrade
two temperature controlled fan circuits for Windstar fans.
12v 3 wire heated O2 sensor
Front door power window relay upgrade
Front door power window motor replacement
Front shock replacemant
Adding dual inline steering stabilizer.
Add fresh coat of coo top to roof
Repaint truck to grey with black accents
Get roof rack powder coated
re-design control center in center console
Add Emergency LED amber and white LED strobes (for Skywarn "Weather chasing)
Undercoat the entire bottom side (pre Minnesota move)

Powerplant upgrade (maybe before end of 2019)
EQ Vortec heads (55-87 bolt pattern)
Edelbrock Pro-Flo 4 EFI system
Headers
Camshaft & Lifters
Timing chain

QUICK LINKS IN THIS THREAD
Muffler and Cat swap out
Starter battery swap out
Items planned for custom center console
Front winch bumper for production begins
Front winch bumper (2)
HD transmission cooler, PS cooler and temp-controlled fan install
Rear bumper v1 (1) (scrapped)
Rear bumper v1 (2) (scrapped)
Rear bumper v1 (3) (scrapped)
Axle tear down (1)
Roof rack build
Hood louver cooling mod
Painting the burb
Roof rack mounting
Front Winch Bumper Build (3)
#487 Roof Rack (2)
#509 Dual battery tray build
#553 Dual battery tray wiring
#584 Sliders (1)
#605 Emergency battery welding kit
#618 Roof Rack (3)
#655 Sliders (2)
#670 Rear bumper v2 (1)
#687 Sliders (3)
#744 Rear bumper v2 (2)
#756 Onboard battery charger and more wiring
#771 Suspension lift and new axles go in (1)
#793 Steering box frame reinforcement plate kit
#807 Suspension lift and new axles go in (2)
#826 Steering shaft upgrade (eliminates rag joint)
#829 Extended brake lines using factory lines
#849 Suspension lift and new axles go in (3)
#865 Final results (at the time) list of work and images
#878 DRAC mod adding dip switches to recalculate speedo
#971 Tune Port Injection Torque monster plans (cancelled)
#1002 Center console build (1)
#1009 Stereo system upgrade
#1020 Gauge cluster LED upgrade
#1030 LED part # list for entire truck
#1057 Center console wiring
#1154 11-19-2018 - The rebirth
#1180 Steering column rebuild
#1182 Ford Windstar fan upgrade

OTHER THREADS
1991 5.7L Bored TBI Upgrade Write-up (warning LOTS of pics!)
'89-'91 Suburban LMC Headlight and Wiring Upgrade Write Up with Pics
ALDL Droid OBD-1 Bluetooth Adapter review
Cool Coat Rooftop coating Write-Up
Another Roof Rack thread for a Suburban
1/2 ton Auto Hubs to Lock Outs Swap Write-up

 

[pma4x4]

This was how I got it

113,000 miles. 45K on a new engine from the GM dealership. 10K on a new transmission. Full maintenance records and receipts back to original original owner (I am the third owner).

We were looking for a cherry condition interior and that the vehicle be in a stock configuration, cause let's face ti when you buy a pre-built rig 1) you don't know what are all the parts in it, 2)you don't know of the workmanship 3) you always get their headaches along with the purchase.

The rest of the belly is just as clean as this shot it.

 

[pma4x4]

We started with a basic no none sense tune-up

This is what we pulled out. Got gap!

I am thinking the previous owner didn't know what to do with this thing. We get it and like I posted earlier there were no electrodes left on the spark plugs and producing around a .070 gap! He stated at best I should expect around 11 mpg empty 8 pulling.

We get it home and I do a no nonsense tune-up. plugs, wires, air filter, cap and rotor. He also stated the tranny needs to be adjusted for shifting. all that it needed was a proper adjustment of the TV ("kickdown") cable and everything else looked good. We decided to go for a good drive and use this as our baseline before we start building it. During the tune up I noticed a receipt for a 170 thermostat. So $1.96 for a new gasket and half a jug of coolant (I already had a Stant Super stat sittin' on the shelf) in went a 195* as OEM recommends.

Stopped off at the local filler up and then off we went. Right off the bat we saw huge improvements just from setting the TV cable properly. This allowed it to shift at a stock rpm range which in the case was higher.

The drive was done midday with a total of 110miles with highway, hills and a couple of stop and go's. Did I mention we had the front and rear A/C going! Weight was two people, two fullsize dogs and camera gear.

End results
15.02 Mile Per Gallon
__________________

 

[Smokinthehippies]

looks like a sweet plan.

any thoughts on going to a FF rear axle? figure for the price of regearing the 10 bolt, you could realistically find a stock 14bolt with 4.10s and have a full floating setup?

yes i realize that would necessitate the need to change wheels and a few other things, just wanted to see if you'd thought about it.

 

[pma4x4]

An sf or ff is sitting in the back of my head. I can have both axles regeared for around 1200. I just got a new set of 33x10.50x15 bfg ATs from my jeep. So 15s it is for a while.

 

[folkenheath]

That is a very nice burb, rust free, nice start!

About that thermostat, if you bought a $2 thermostat I would carry a spare for when that one sticks shut on you in a year and leaves you stranded.

 

[pma4x4]

That is a very nice burb, rust free, nice start!

About that thermostat, if you bought a $2 thermostat I would carry a spare for when that one sticks shut on you in a year and leaves you stranded.

The 1.96 is actually in the gasket. I already had a Stant super stat on the shelf.

 

[folkenheath]

The 1.96 is actually in the gasket. I already had a Stant super stat on the shelf.

Ok, that sounds a lot better!

The other way it sounds like something you would hear in a saying, "I wouldn't trust that more than a 2 dollar...thermostat."

 

[pma4x4]

When Checker Auto was being taken over by Orielly Auto they were clearancing the Stant super stats online for .89 cents so I bought 20 of them. These are compatible with the inline 6 Jeep motor so its like a life time supply. Gave a few to some friends and still have a couple left.

 

[Big Ray]

nice burb...it's what my 86 should look like...

 

[eclipse85k10]

Very nice clean looking sub. Glad you started a thread

I'm happy to see with a good tune up you got 15mpg. Now that I got a fresh rebuild in my 89 I hope to get the same how ever I have 3.73 gearing. If you were closer I'd sell you the 10bolts out of my truck with 4.10s.

If you picked up a 14bff you could still use your 33x10.50x15s. You would just need a cheap set of black spoke steel wheels. They are some of the few 15" 8 lug wheels.

 

[pma4x4]

New (to the Mule) tires. These are 1000 mile take offs from the old Mule which was a 96 Jeep Cherokee. The Cherokee now has the old 32s from the Burby which means I can sell the jeep and sink all that cash into the new Mule now!

Picked up some white steelies from my wholesaler and went down to the local tire shop "Reid's Tire" and I mean local not some chain thing. They are not the quickest but you get a job done right and at a good price.

So it now sits on fresh 33x10.50x15 BFG ATs with a matching spare.

 

[pma4x4]

Its 3:25.... WHERE IS MY UPS GUY! He has got my Throttle body stuff.

 

[pma4x4]

Thanks to goathearder I am exploring the idea of producing the Heater door actuator tab in Aluminum. Estimate is out to my machinist. I also have a backup plan for a three piece welded unit out of steel thru waterjet. We will see what the week brings.

 

[pma4x4]

Project currently in the works

Fix heater door actuator tab (hopefully with prototype metal tab)
Tighten down steering wheel screws.
Fix non springy flimsy shifter handle.
Rig up repair for pivot point for shift indicator cable.

 

[pma4x4]

Did this last Tuesday. Turned out really nice. Magnaflow Hi-flow cat #94009 and a Flowmaster series 70 #53071. The exhaust was already 3" so I thought I would leave it at that. The old muffler and cat needed some swapping anyways.

It has a very nice quite rumble. You almost have to think if there is a Flowmaster on it or not. Nice thing is it doesn't really open up on sound until high revs.

Before

After

 

[pma4x4]

I am open to ideas on where to cram these gauges. No. At this time I am not wanting to do a custom flush mount cluster.

 

[pma4x4]

Very nice clean looking sub. Glad you started a thread

I'm happy to see with a good tune up you got 15mpg. Now that I got a fresh rebuild in my 89 I hope to get the same how ever I have 3.73 gearing. If you were closer I'd sell you the 10bolts out of my truck with 4.10s.

If you picked up a 14bff you could still use your 33x10.50x15s. You would just need a cheap set of black spoke steel wheels. They are some of the few 15" 8 lug wheels.

There is the rare to find 6 bolt SF. I love drives man but washington state, Whoof!

 

[Bowtie85]

Thats a clean sub

 

[eclipse85k10]

Nice work with the exhaust, how hard was it to replace the cat and muffler and keep the rest of the exhaust? I've been wanting to do the same, do you have to go through smog with yours?