As I do with mine..... I blame A.D.D.
This setup is very functional. I too always thought of other uses for the switch(es) on these in other applications. Nice work!
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.
The Story Of A Cummins Suburban (Lots Of Pics)
- Thread starter mosesburb
- Start date
As I do with mine..... I blame A.D.D.
This setup is very functional. I too always thought of other uses for the switch(es) on these in other applications. Nice work!
Nice work! 
What are your plans for the stock shifting lever?
What are your plans for the stock shifting lever?
Thanks!! Yeah, hard to bring myself to install parts that fail when I deal with these things all day and never had one fail on me. Difficult to argue with durability like that. Dumb parts--my favorite kind!!
Nice work!
What are your plans for the stock shifting lever?
Thanks!! It's getting threaded back onto the trans in the shop that I swiped it off of when I built this one.
Does that mean there's another awesome transmission-equipped project in the future?
Or is that just wishful thinking on my part?
After reading through this thread for quite possibly the fourth time in the last few years I'm still not tired of it! Definitely jealous of all the exploration you can do on state land, in Iowa the only place to wheel is private land since 90% of government land is off limits to trucks and fourwheelers.
When's story time resume?
When's story time resume?
y5mgisi
1 ton status
Good question! Been a while since i have made some popcorn and read the adventures of mosesburb.
Yeah, that sucks. That is one of the many things I love about this state.
When's story time resume?
Funny, I was just looking through some pics last night trying to decide what to post up. I have been building another Suburban for my buddy Lance (the blue hooptie). That has consumed waaaaay more time than it should have, but it seems to be minding its manners so far, so I can move on to other projects around here now.
So at some point I realized the rear axle housing was bent. My only guess is when we were on that horrid road out of Chaco Canyon and we accrued some frequent flyer miles some thing gave way. Don't know. Doesn't really matter other than I don't have a cool story to tell about it. Oh well.
Pulled the axle out and got some work out of the boy on the teardown:
Took it down and had it straightened, tubes welded to the center section, and a truss added to the top:
During reassembly:
All fresh and ready to go. The lube I drained out looked darker than it should have for the amount of time it was in service so I went with synthetic lube this time.
One thing I did change was I went with the later parking brake cable setup. It is the style that runs both cables down the driver side frame rail. It ended up being fairly easy and very well worth the effort. It will hold the truck in reverse, under power now, whereas before if it was on a hill I had to shut it off and leave it in gear to be sure it wasn't going to move.
Rear mount:
I had to make a new front mount for the stock Suburban cable to fit into:
While the axle was out I got a Daystar lower bag mount kit for the air bags. I had to make some plates to support the bag mounts. I don't have a cool circle cutter, so I hacked one out of a piece of tubing:
Plate mounted:
Bag mounts installed (it looks like the mounts are offset, but they are directly under the bag--just looks goofy in the pic):
This setup keeps the bags from becoming limiting straps when the truck is twisted up. They work great. I am surprised I did not have problems with over-extension of the bags before, but this removes that from even being possible now.
Pulled the axle out and got some work out of the boy on the teardown:
Took it down and had it straightened, tubes welded to the center section, and a truss added to the top:
During reassembly:
All fresh and ready to go. The lube I drained out looked darker than it should have for the amount of time it was in service so I went with synthetic lube this time.
One thing I did change was I went with the later parking brake cable setup. It is the style that runs both cables down the driver side frame rail. It ended up being fairly easy and very well worth the effort. It will hold the truck in reverse, under power now, whereas before if it was on a hill I had to shut it off and leave it in gear to be sure it wasn't going to move.
Rear mount:
I had to make a new front mount for the stock Suburban cable to fit into:
While the axle was out I got a Daystar lower bag mount kit for the air bags. I had to make some plates to support the bag mounts. I don't have a cool circle cutter, so I hacked one out of a piece of tubing:
Plate mounted:
Bag mounts installed (it looks like the mounts are offset, but they are directly under the bag--just looks goofy in the pic):
This setup keeps the bags from becoming limiting straps when the truck is twisted up. They work great. I am surprised I did not have problems with over-extension of the bags before, but this removes that from even being possible now.
Never reuse u bolts! 
Not sure that applies here.
If you unbolt your axle to paint it do you have to use new u-bolts to bolt it back in ?
If you unbolt your axle to paint it do you have to use new u-bolts to bolt it back in ?
y5mgisi
1 ton status
Oh boy... Let's not start the u bolt debate.
Moses, what led you to believe the axle was bent? What symptoms did it have? And how did you determine it was in fact bent?
Moses, what led you to believe the axle was bent? What symptoms did it have? And how did you determine it was in fact bent?
I reuse u-bolts all the time.
Are you going to do a build thread for the work you are doing on that other Suburban? I enjoy your build, I imagine his would be interesting as well.
Martin
Are you going to do a build thread for the work you are doing on that other Suburban? I enjoy your build, I imagine his would be interesting as well.
Martin
He's far too cool for a that, he runs an ARB front and rear like all the cool kids.
I know he's too cool to be running a gov-lock, but that carrier doesn't look like a standard carrier, and I remember some story about a gov-lock and a Detroit.
[2 minutes of searching]
Aha. This is what I'm thinking of:
The parking brake cables on the 14FF were not going to work with the lift and the '72 brackets. I need to address this issue because I need a parking brake. The pinion seal has needed replacing for many years and I need to swap the original G80 Gov-Lock unit for an open carrier with a Detroit Locker in it. I guess it is time to tear into the rear axle.
I was glad to see the ring and pinion were in fantastic shape. The backlash was in spec, so no need to replace them. I pulled the carrier out and was going to go after the pinion seal. I was going to check the pinion preload, but decided against it because it woud have been a waste of time. There was some, but nowhere near enough to bother checking. Luckily, I had enough foresight to realize this would probably be the case and I had all the pinion bearings on hand. As I was pulling the pinion support out, the UPS dude showed up with my two crush sleeves and shim kit. I always have two crush sleeves on hand so I can get the preload right the first time. I found out years ago that if I have only one, I go past the specified preload and have to go get another crush sleeve. I got the pinion support assembled and installed. I got the Detroit installed, set the backlash and sealed it up.
I guess I'm just crossing wires in my brain. That picture is old enough (and so many things have changed on this truck) that it has prolly has no relevance at this point. Is the small tank shown with the parking brake cable bracket part of the ARB setup?
Never reuse u bolts!
Ok.
No.
Ok.
I looked at my rear end and it was smiling at me. I verified it with a digital protractor on the tubes. I guess technically it was more of a grin than a smile, but it was giggling nonetheless....
So do I, unless there is an obvious issue with it/them. I have never had an issue with a reused u-bolt when torqued/re-torqued correctly. I have a rather large inventory of them here in case I need one, but they do not get used unless something galls coming apart or has obvious trauma.
x3. Your work is always neat to see.
Ugh, I don't maintain this one too well as it is, but I guess I could throw some pertinent photos up and go from there??
Is that a gov-lock carrier you're using?
No, it's an ARB.
Nah, the cool kids use the fancy Carling electrical switches that come in the kit. Mine are effectively just big, dumb air lockers without those. The rest is only cool because of what comes out of your head via your machines
.I know he's too cool to be running a gov-lock, but that carrier doesn't look like a standard carrier, and I remember some story about a gov-lock and a Detroit.
[2 minutes of searching]
Aha. This is what I'm thinking of:
I guess I'm just crossing wires in my brain. That picture is old enough (and so many things have changed on this truck) that it has prolly has no relevance at this point. Is the small tank shown with the parking brake cable bracket part of the ARB setup?
That diff was removed when the van width unit went in. It went in with a Detroit in it, but I got so sick of dealing with the negative attributes of the Detroit that I pried open the old wallet for a selectable locker. Best thing I ever did was getting rid of that friggin' Detroit.
Ironically, the diff pictured was sold (traded??) to my 67-72 parts guy. My buddy Lance bought it from him (and the front D44 that came out of this), had ARB's installed in them and I installed them into his Suburban awhile back. The parts have made their rounds.
Haha, great reply.
Martin
Martin
y5mgisi
1 ton status
Interesting that it was bent enough for you to see with the naked eye! Also interesting that you hated your Detroit so much.
