So when is the next gambler race?
So when is the next gambler race?
https://www.facebook.com/events/1938761949704921/
April 28th-29th. I have my vacations days locked in and I'm ready to go. This one is going to be huge.
Need some pit crew? I see your suburban hovering with no rear axle every time I go out to my new shop, btw.
It has an axle now! Just need to get home (currently working out of state) and put the brakes on and bleed them.
I think I have a full ride for this one. Just take whatever wheeler you have able to go!
Yeah Dave take anything you have that runs and join in the melee!
97 XJ Clayton Longarms 35s locked etc.
94 YJ MTO
98 5.9 ZJ Limited alllll original
02 Cummins 6spd HO Studs, Sticks, Box, Pump...
Update:
Burb survived the Gambler 500. Did great actually. Cruised 75mph down the highway, hit all the sandy trails, and cruised back to Detroit. Only damage was sand in everything and my rear brake shoes getting 50% wiped out on their first voyage. My friends riding in the back had leg room for days and we had plenty of space for gear, cooler, snacks, etc.
The Smittybuilt 9500 saved my ass 4 times. One pull was especially bad and I had to double the cable with a snatch block. I twisted the harbor freight trailer hitch mount plate so I'm adding a brace to that so it doesn't happen again. Still, for the money, I'm impressed with that winch mount plate.
I jumped at a deal on Goodyear MTR 37x12.50x16.5 surplus tires on FB marketplace and ordered some 16.5x8.25 pro comp black steel wheels from 4wd (6 lug). This will be the largest size tire I plan on running with the stock front 10 bolt axle.
I will re-work the back tire carrier to support a single 37 on the driver side and probably 2 gas cans and a water can on the passenger side.
I also picked up some box steel to replace my rockers and add some protection for the body. Starting that project once I get my removable trailer fenders done.
Last edited by joshs1ofakindxj; 05-07-2019 at 02:07 PM.
That sand did get everywhere. The burban looks a bit tall for 35s. I bet 37s will be just right.
37's are looking good. I need to trim the front fenders for flexing.
Next steps are to re-work the tire carrier for a single 37" and I picked up some 2x6 box tubing to make rocker-slider things.
It's cruising really nice on unbalanced 37's. Smooth down the road at 75 mph. The burb has been great for drive in movies and car shows.
I added a roof visor:
Then I modified the front brush guard to work with my headlights. Before and after:
I almost have the tire carrier finished. It's still a two piece that connects in the middle and has two hinges. I have a water can coming to replace the one gas can. I need to take it apart now and paint it.
Next I have square tubing to replace the rockers and I have to cut and notch the transmission cross member for the front driveshaft. It makes an awesome noise when wheeling with some flexing going on.
Last edited by joshs1ofakindxj; 11-11-2018 at 11:25 PM.
Sweet
97 4Runner, 33 inch IROKS, 3 inch Toytec, 1 inch body lift, lots of skid plates.
That's one sweet Burban... Nice work on it.
Hm what's new with the burb...
Replaced the rear springs with new springs because I wasn't happy with where it was sitting on my junk yard add a leaf and block. Put quite a few miles on it driving to work and running errands.
Cut the rockers off and prepped the square tubing to weld on but haven't had time to do that because... *drum roll*
The motor started ticking in the top end. 210k miles on it (if it's original) and it has needed valve seals since I got it, so no big deal. I'm finishing the prep on my spare TBI 350 to go in before the snow comes. New oil pan, intake gaskets, throttle body rebuild, timing set, rear main seal, exhaust manifold gaskets and everything else that can leak is replaced or resealed.
Also going to do some other things like replace the NP231C's input seal, 700R4 input seal, notch the transmission cross member for the front driveshaft to clear, and whatever else I find.
Looks like the next time I wheel the burb will be the 2019 Detroit Gambler 500 at this rate.
The longer the truck the more pieces in between that can fail?
If it had a rear driveshaft with a carrier bearing, I would agree. But I don't think my extra row of seats is adding too much work.
Glad I pulled that motor when I did. It had a ton of fine metal particles in the oil and some larger aluminum chunks in the pan which I can't find the source of. I did a complete tear down and all the pistons look good, but one doesn't match the others. Maybe one piston broke, the previous owner replaced it, and didn't clean all the broken piston pieces out? Anyways, that motor was whooped, and now the burb is back on the road with a TBI 350 with about 120k miles from a 89 K2500 I bought and parted out.
Now if only I had some more decent weather to finish the square tubing rockers.
Ok, everything ordered for a brake upgrade because my current stock 1/2 ton set up is weak/worn out.
After looking into a GM hydroboost conversion, talking to people that have done it, reading a bunch of forum posts, and getting a bunch of knuckleheads in facebook groups to weigh in, I decided to go with 3/4 ton vacuum boost over hydroboost due to the headaches of the conversion and a good 3/4 ton vacuum system should get me sufficient braking.
Ordered:
AC Delco 18M1884 master cylinder from a 1991 R2500 with JB7 brakes with 1.25" bore
A-1 CARDONE 5471056 vacuum power brake booster from a 1991 R2500 with JB7 brakes
Wilwood 4444/30 260-11179 adjustable proportioning valve
Lugnut 4x4 semi-floating 14 bolt rear disc brake conversion kit with mounting brackets, rotors, stainless hoses, and e-brake calipers
The disc brake conversion kit is pretty nicely put together. I can install the rear disc brake caliper mounting plates without dropping gear oil and pulling shafts, so I will torch off the old backing plates and save a bunch of time.
Now I can add that to my list of things to do before the Detroit Gambler on May 4th. I've been waiting for a streak of warmer dry weather to weld on the square tubing rockers and paint them.
Last edited by joshs1ofakindxj; 05-01-2019 at 08:35 AM.
Looks awesome. Good Job! Looking forward to seeing more pics.
I'm pretty happy with the install of the rear disk conversion. The adapter plates and everything were great. I found my parking brakes cables were basically seized and barely able to move so that was probably the cause of my drum brake issues but no going back now! I replaced those and one issue with the disk brake conversion is it needs way less length of cable, so I had to make up a custom tensioner to take up the slack.
I bench bled the master, installed the new booster, master, and proportioning valve, and after bleeding the pedal sucked. So back out with the master, bench bleed again, got a few little bubbles out I think, then back in and bleed again. Pedal is even worse. I think I might have a connection leak or a pin hole in one of the rusty steel lines I keep bending to connect to the proportioning valve, so I ordered some rolls of copper brake line to replace all the steel. Those seem to seal better at connections and I'll eliminate the suspect old lines. I've never had so much fun with brake work.
This is going to turn into an episode of monster garage with all the rushing at the end. The Gambler is three weeks away and I still have to finish my square tube rocker replacement which the weather isn't cooperating on and I have to figure out why the speedometer isn't working intermittently. The electronic speedo gets signal from a module which reads the speed sensor in the transfer case, so I have to inspect all the wires to it and then replace the sensor. If that sensor or the module isn't working then the auto transmission burns up because the computer thinks the vehicle isn't moving.
Finally got a good pedal last night. Picked up another master cylinder yesterday from Advance Auto, bench bled it at various angles (bench bleeding it level isn't enough), and I also switched from trying to use a disc/disc master from a 2000 chevy express 2500 that was suggested by a few k5/suburban owners to a disc/drum master from a 1990 v2500 suburban. I don't know if the disc/disc master wasn't able to work with the rest of my brake system because of a sizing issue, or if I just had a master that wouldn't bleed, but regardless it's sorted out now.
I just have to do basic fluid checks and pack now.
And maybe install an air horn
1000 mile adventure to upper Michigan and back completed.
New list of things to do:
1. Fix the engine oil leak - rear main and back of the intake look to both be leaking
2. Fix the tail gate hinges that broke off the rusty rear body cross member
3. See if a rear output seal fixes the leaking T-case (spoiler alert - it didn't)
4. Knock the Michigan sand out of the air filter
5. Finish installing the air horn I didn't have time to complete
Last edited by joshs1ofakindxj; 01-24-2020 at 10:53 AM.
At the end of the Labor Day weekend 2019 SW PA Gambler I lost a rear driveshaft u-joint, had the rear driveshaft kick out while moving at a crawl, limped it a short distance in FWD, trailered it home, replaced the u-joint, and now I have a hell of a rear drive shaft vibration at higher speeds. Driveshaft could be a little bent or the yoke ears are tweaked a little. T-case is also leaking like hell with a new output seal installed so screw it. Time to throw more money at the burb:
- JB Conversions NP241C SYE w/ 1350 non-CV yoke with u-bolts
- used K30 1350 rear shaft with slip joint
- 1350 yoke for u-bolts for the 9.5" 14SF
- going to have GBG driveline modify the driveshaft length as needed
That will yield a new output bearing in the t-case, no more slip yoke, new t-case output seal, balanced and true drive shaft, new yoke on the rear axle. That should fix the leaking and vibration.
If it doesn't, well...
Last edited by joshs1ofakindxj; 01-24-2020 at 11:08 AM.
That looks awesome. I want to see more of it.
Originally Posted by joshs1ofakindxj
Thanks for the writeup on that. My Ramcharger needs MORE braking in the worst way, and most of the RC guys go hydroboost.
I don't mind the expense, but I do mind the headache. If a 3/4 ton will stop a Suburban, I reckon it oughta stop a Ramcharger.
'07 Commander - 2" Daystar lift, 32x17x10 Cooper ATPs, Flowtech exhaust, aFe CAI
'92 Dodge Ramcharger - 4 1/2" lift, 35's, 318 Magnum... a work in progress...
Since upgrading the Suburban's brakes to 3/4 ton vacuum boosted, I have purchased a 1986 chevy 1 ton bucket truck and a 1983 chevy 1 ton dump truck, both of which have hydroboost and will throw me through the glass if I hit the brakes too hard. They also have larger front calipers but the hydroboost is the main contributor. I don't think I would go back and do the Suburban differently because the braking is adequate for the time and money invested, but there is no doubt hydroboost can do more.
Last edited by joshs1ofakindxj; 01-24-2020 at 10:54 AM.
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