Just wanted to start my build thread since I finally have; or am getting all the parts. I have read long and hard about what people want in a Suburban, and this is what I have come up with. This is an ongoing project, so if you have a better idea than me, then please share because its not to late to change. This will be driven on the street, and it will be offroaded hard. Meaning I'm not afraid of dents.
This is a 1983 Diesel Suburban with front and rear a/c and heat, barn doors...whatever
I'm installing a 12 valve Cummins turbo diesel with 100hp injectors and turbo mods. Its sitting at about 350hp right now. I'm also installing a nv-5600 trans, atlas 4-speed transfercase, front dana 60, rear 14 bolt ff, 5.38 gears, detroit out back, arb up front, 42" tsl's on recentered hummer h1 beadlocks, hydro ram assist steering, full length rock sliders, blazin offroad tube rear bumper, 52" springs front and rear, ord shackle flip, ord crossover steering.

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Your gonna want a higher spring rate that a stock 52" in the front with that heavy motor.

Other than that, looks awsome.

Hmmm, good point. Can I just add leaves as necessary

What Ive done in the past was get a pair of lift springs for a 91.5-93 Dodge diesel and then just swap the main leaf.

I cant remember off hand but only 1 company makes the leafs for the dodge trucks.

Its either superlift or skyjacker. Thats the easiest way I found.

My plan is to give a day by day with pictures. Then when the project is complete I will do a reorganization so to speak, clean it up and repost as a how-to tech article. This is not a project that will take a year to build; I have a goal of two months to completion.

I'am still trying to completely strip the burb. The motor is disconnected, and ready to pull out, which I will accomplish today. The old axles and trans/t-case are out, the gas tank got pulled out to make room for the ORD shackle flip; which took me most of yesterday. I had to grind each rivet out then redrill the holes. There are other holes about four inches back for use with 56" springs. These are factory holes that 3/4 ton suburbans used when running the longer springs. Today I was able to aquire a set of 56" springs from David(dwitcher), I have to take off the shackle flip and move them back about 4".

Here is the shackle flip installed
http://www.hotboatpics.com/pics/data/500/6757DSC00609-med.JPG

here is the 14bolt ff. Its waiting on some paint, but otherwise its ready to install.
http://www.hotboatpics.com/pics/data/500/6757DSC00611-med.JPG

other painted goodies
http://www.hotboatpics.com/pics/data/500/6757DSC00614-med.JPG

http://www.hotboatpics.com/pics/data/500/6757DSC00612-med.JPG

Looks like a good start...keep it up.

I'm installing a set of 56" springs in the rear, and will add leaves to the front once the cummins is in.

where did u get those axles?

From a buddy in my club. He stripped down his blazer and I bought his old stuff

lots of luck man. this is gonna be so cool when its done.

hows things comeing along man?

Awesome build. I only wonder if 5:38s might be a little low geared for the cummins on the highway even on 42s. If the axles are already set up hell yeah run them, but if you are gearing them I'd figure out what your rpm's are gonna be. I have a 97 cummins with 4:10s, and an NV 4500 that seems about right an 35-37 inch tires. Maybe 5:13s or even 4:88s especially since you are going with the atlas and should have all the low range you'll need. What ever you do I'm subscribed.

Awesome build. I only wonder if 5:38s might be a little low geared for the cummins on the highway even on 42s. If the axles are already set up hell yeah run them, but if you are gearing them I'd figure out what your rpm's are gonna be. I have a 97 cummins with 4:10s, and an NV 4500 that seems about right an 35-37 inch tires. Maybe 5:13s or even 4:88s especially since you are going with the atlas and should have all the low range you'll need. What ever you do I'm subscribed.

You're right about the gears, according to my math he's gonna need at least a 4.56 if he wants to drive above 65 with the cummins

My thinking was this: Both my axles have 4.10's right now!! The 5.38's are new in a box. I figured since I shouldnt drive above 65-70mph with the 42's, that the 5.38's would put me right about there, and give me the best crawl ratio.

However, I have since bought a 93 cummins 205 transfercase that was behind a getrag transfercase. This is the only 205 that will bolt up to my nv5600. Because of its poor low range, I was considering the 5.38's.

My latest and greatest plan is to keep the 4.10's in until I get the truck drivable and have wheeled it. Then I will make a decision as to whether I want an Atlas, or just put in one of those "black box's" from northwest fab. Looks like a pretty solid piece, and they can make it with the 29 spline input that I need, then just bolt the 205 to the back of it. That would give me a total low range of 4.7:1, and my crawl ratio would be better than 100:1

Anyways, as for progress, I just bought the t-case, and I bought some steel so I can start strenghtening the frame. I'll take pics soon

Tell me what you think

I'm interested to see the final product!

I have a 99' 3/4 Ton suburban w/ the L65 diesel and 36'' OZ which I enjoy on an off the road... just be prepared to avoid soft spots, wet grass, most types of puddings oh and any mud hole that you don't immediately want to find the bottom of. That 10K lbs is going to sink fast, believe me mine does.

Cool, yeah I think this will be about 8000 pounds, so I know it will be limited.

what happened with this?

I Have both axles mounted, and have the rock sliders and rear tube bumper mounted. I have the motor mounts and will instal the motor tomorrow or the next day. I decided to go with a 205 instead of the atlas for now.

I've got a 24V in my Suburban (the Subbins....), had skyjackers in the front, ditched them for some National Springs recently. Huge difference, the skyjackers definitely need some additional leafs on the driver side - the nationals I have now are 13 leaf driver side/11 leaf pass side. Good project, you'll have fun with it.

Could you call this the "Cumm-burban?" :flipoff2:

Looks good, I have plans on doing a swap on my '85, I'll be watching your progress and hope I learn something.

Czechsix going to National Spring saved him a lot of headache as they were able to do everything onsite and adjust accordingly till it was right.

I'm gonna have to kick someones ass for starting that whole CumBurban thing:flipoff2::flipoff2::flipoff2::flipoff2::flip off2::flipoff2::flipoff2::flipoff2:

Where is national spring? Its in Ca. I assume?

need any help wrenching josh? id like to lend a hand if ya need it and to check it out

Where is national spring? Its in Ca. I assume?

Yup, El Cajon to be exact in San Diego County.

http://www.nationalsprings.com/

Hey Josh, sure could use a hand. Get you opinion on a couple things too!! Give me a call 661-435-1827 and well set it up

Yep, National Spring is right off the 52, Santee/El Cajon area. They've done springs for racers for years now, and all sorts of other applications. I'm satisfied with what they did - full military wrap, really compliant stuff. And they fine tune it right in the shop - they had to break my packs apart twice before they were satisfied.

just use lifted 52's up front. im running tuff country 4" lifted 52's up front with the overload removed and have a blazen offroad bumper on the front and im sitting at about 7" lift or so with 42's. you can get 2", 3", 4" lifted 52's from Tuff Country, would be cheaper than getting springs made but still have good quality springs

Looking good, keep the pic's flowing.

National is in Santee (East San Diego). Very close to me.

josh, 52's for the front= super cheap or free and easy to get or spend almost a grand on customs???
deaver is 1 1/2 hours closer to you if you choose to go custom.
get workin!

Yep, that off the shelf stuff is way cheaper for sure. But I'm at 3940# on the front axle, driver side spring was sagging 1-2" and getting worse.....so I figured that getting the right springs, configured and set right would be a good thing. If you just want the spring packs, I could have gotten them from national for right around 700, just a few hundred more than off the shelf stuff.

Hey guys,

Just an update. Yesterday was a pretty big day. I had a couple buddies stop by to help get the engine in the suburban. Not only did we get the engine in, but we also got the transmission in. Heres some pictures.

Heres my helpers vehicles. Josh drives the blue blazer on 42's and Ralph with the landcruiser
http://www.hotboatpics.com/pics/data/500/6757DSC00688-med.JPG

Heres Josh and Ralph with Cummins installed
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The motor mounts for the cummins
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The proud owner
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A little trans tunnel modification to make room for the nv5600
http://www.hotboatpics.com/pics/data/500/6757DSC00685-med.JPG

i bet we can knock out a bunch more by how fast we were movin on saturday, i kind of had an idea for doing some boxing around the motor mounts on the frame to add some rigidity to that section, hit me up when your ready to do some more work

This Saturday?:smokin::D

Sat night is monster trucks at av fair, I could leave here earlyer and give a hand too.

Call me

Sat night is monster trucks at av fair, I could leave here earlyer and give a hand too.

if you drive to my place ill drive the rest of the way

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Ah hell, that's done. Close enough - get out on the trail!

Looks good, moving along pretty fast.

Did you build the motor mounts? Those are nice.

Thanks. I didn't build the motor mounts, I purchased them from Autoworld

Like the build so far - keep up the good work guys

That's great. hope to see more of it.

man u really chopped alot of that front cross member. u thinking about welding a flange across the top or what? also what did u end up doin with the cross member under the engine? didn't you get the paper work with the auutoworks mounts? well heres a few pics of my cross members from my cummins swap. maybe they can help you out. let me tell you man, ur goin to love that thing with a cummins n a manual in it. mines got a hx40, bigger injectors and the pump tweaked, and its a blast to drive, also getts 18 MPG at 75 rollin on 38's towin a trailer full of quads., u'll love it

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http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e145/krazykarl454/P3290048.jpg

Karl, no more blown 454 from PCT days? no shit! You have a pynontek motor in your truck? he went through enough dodges, lol

Will

BTW love the benz hood emblem

How much for the autoworld motor mounts? I have a 92 c3500 with a blownup 6.5 and thinking of putting in a 12v instead of another 6.5 from hell.

So how did this turn out? Any shots of the finished product?

Autoworld engine mounts suck. They are not up to the weight or torque of the engine. Buy some factory Dodge mounts and fab off of those. Avalanche engineering now sales a crossmember that bolts into this frame for the Cummins swap.

you might check out 4btswaps.com.......i am in the process of gathering everything i need for a 12v swap into my 86 K5. Already have the engine , rad, cac, and a 2wd standard outta a dually but that site is WAY helpful for anybody swapping a cummins into something that did not come with one

So what the fuck 2 years later and still no pics please report to the fail thread. :flipoff2: