Cough one ton swap cough cough
CK5
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Project MULE - Expedition build on a 1991 1500 4x4 Suburban
- Thread starter pma4x4
- Start date
y5mgisi
1 ton status
Dang! Thats not cool!
Even a much cheaper 3/4 ton swap would eliminate the weak semi floating axle design (if you sourced the full floater from an early 3/4 ton.....).
Martin
pma4x4
AKA Yankeeroad
Pulled the pass side yesterday and found it was starting to do same thing. Scored a whole other axle for $50 and Oreilly is warranting the bearings, seals and the brake shoes. so I am just out time and a couple extra qts of gear oil I had on the shelf.
not sure what caused it. bad batch of bearings, not enough fluid. did the seal leak and cause the fluid to get low enough. I drained 1.5qts of a 2qt diff so whos knows. I will install these shafts then pull them in 1000 miles and check then.
I have a 14B FF but dont have finances to rebuild it. Motor coming up here soon and tires.
not sure what caused it. bad batch of bearings, not enough fluid. did the seal leak and cause the fluid to get low enough. I drained 1.5qts of a 2qt diff so whos knows. I will install these shafts then pull them in 1000 miles and check then.
I have a 14B FF but dont have finances to rebuild it. Motor coming up here soon and tires.
Don't forget new u bolts.
pma4x4
AKA Yankeeroad
Ubolts? no I am just replacing the shafts.
y5mgisi
1 ton status
Is 2qts what was recommended? Or is that all you could stuff in there through the fill hole?
hey Rob...ya'll still alive out there? 
pma4x4
AKA Yankeeroad
Hey guys, Yeah Im still alive.
We got back from out Cross country trip last october and just got busy. so here are some updates.
I got back into Motorcycles so I have been riding my dual sport a lot lately. My wife got into it for the first time so we have been riding a lot. In fact I've got so far into the bikes that I am starting to offer parts for them. I also got some classic Honda ATVs and am doing a partial resurrection/restoration on an '85 HOnda 250SX 3 wheeler.
As I mentioned in a earlier post I have to fix the dual swing outs. Hoping to finally get to that next week.
The motor project is still on the table. The block and crank is all machined and in storage for now. I still have to acquire almost all the parts.
Never got to painting the Mule last winter. I hope to finally get to it this fall. Just hope the paint is still good.
I am no longer selling the cheap LED lights. I had too many issues and the company decided to handle all the problems by dropping all their dealers. I am now selling Rigids and have not had one come back yet. When I get around to it I am pulling all the lights off the Mule and changing over to Rigids.
I may have a line on a small bench top 1/2" tube bender. If I can nab that I can bend up a new roof rack and make it slimmer and more aerodynamic.
I got the new axles shafts in a while back and they are still working just fine which makes me suspect i did not have enough fluid in the diff. Typically you reach your correct amount of fluid when it spills out the drain hole. well I did that the first time then drove cross country and toasted the shafts. This time I measured out the amount needed and tilted the axle up on one end and fill it up. so far so good. The pinion is at the correct angle and not aiming straight so that was not a fill issue. A few of us suspect the Auburn is displacing the fluid a bit but even that seems odd. Either way it's working now.
As overkill awesome (and a bit novel) as the center control panel was I am going to cut back the amount of switches and add a few more USB charging parts and make most of that panel section a little "cubby hole" so there is a place to put all the camera gear and gopros and such to charge while on the road. On that subject the whole wiring and console project really paid off during our trip. really made things a lot easier.
The A/C is out in the Mule so thats another reason no trips this summer. We brokes records just last week. Fry an egg on concrete you say? There is a guy that posted a video of pan frying a steak on his driveway a couple days ago.
Another thing is a few months ago I quit my day job and took my business full time so thats added a challenge in life and has kept me busy.
The other thing that's been on our mind and is sucking up my research time is we are considering purchasing a Class C RV this winter.
So to recap
YES... I am still alive
Been busy
Still love my Mule!
We got back from out Cross country trip last october and just got busy. so here are some updates.
I got back into Motorcycles so I have been riding my dual sport a lot lately. My wife got into it for the first time so we have been riding a lot. In fact I've got so far into the bikes that I am starting to offer parts for them. I also got some classic Honda ATVs and am doing a partial resurrection/restoration on an '85 HOnda 250SX 3 wheeler.
As I mentioned in a earlier post I have to fix the dual swing outs. Hoping to finally get to that next week.
The motor project is still on the table. The block and crank is all machined and in storage for now. I still have to acquire almost all the parts.
Never got to painting the Mule last winter. I hope to finally get to it this fall. Just hope the paint is still good.
I am no longer selling the cheap LED lights. I had too many issues and the company decided to handle all the problems by dropping all their dealers. I am now selling Rigids and have not had one come back yet. When I get around to it I am pulling all the lights off the Mule and changing over to Rigids.
I may have a line on a small bench top 1/2" tube bender. If I can nab that I can bend up a new roof rack and make it slimmer and more aerodynamic.
I got the new axles shafts in a while back and they are still working just fine which makes me suspect i did not have enough fluid in the diff. Typically you reach your correct amount of fluid when it spills out the drain hole. well I did that the first time then drove cross country and toasted the shafts. This time I measured out the amount needed and tilted the axle up on one end and fill it up. so far so good. The pinion is at the correct angle and not aiming straight so that was not a fill issue. A few of us suspect the Auburn is displacing the fluid a bit but even that seems odd. Either way it's working now.
As overkill awesome (and a bit novel) as the center control panel was I am going to cut back the amount of switches and add a few more USB charging parts and make most of that panel section a little "cubby hole" so there is a place to put all the camera gear and gopros and such to charge while on the road. On that subject the whole wiring and console project really paid off during our trip. really made things a lot easier.
The A/C is out in the Mule so thats another reason no trips this summer. We brokes records just last week. Fry an egg on concrete you say? There is a guy that posted a video of pan frying a steak on his driveway a couple days ago.
Another thing is a few months ago I quit my day job and took my business full time so thats added a challenge in life and has kept me busy.
The other thing that's been on our mind and is sucking up my research time is we are considering purchasing a Class C RV this winter.
So to recap
YES... I am still alive
Been busy
Still love my Mule!
Are you going to fix the AC?
Martin
Martin
pma4x4
AKA Yankeeroad
Yeah but its kinda of a "cure the patient by cutting the head off".
All new parts for it and with the refrigerant will set me back around $450. and that's having a friend do it since he works on AC units and has all the right tools.
All new parts for it and with the refrigerant will set me back around $450. and that's having a friend do it since he works on AC units and has all the right tools.
Thanks for the update, I really enjoyed following the build and hope to see more upgrades in the future.
y5mgisi
1 ton status
Good to see you around!
How have I never noticed that you live in AJ? I might have to come see your truck in person, I've always wanted to do what your doing with your Suburban.
Yeah good to see you back, I've been messing with my AC all summer. Replace everything the first time and use a good compressor. I m pretty deep into my AC now. Too far to gut it and switch to vintage-air
Good to hear from you. 
Talk about a leap of Faith...I wish you good luck and much success with the business.
Talk about a leap of Faith...I wish you good luck and much success with the business.
pma4x4
AKA Yankeeroad
Still alive and looks like the engine project may be cancelled. Wife just got laid off and our business isn't doing as good as we hoped at this time.
Stay tuned
Stay tuned
pma4x4
AKA Yankeeroad
Is this thing still on? 
