[ARCHIVED THREAD] - BOV Build Plan. Input needed. (Page 1 of 2)
Posted: 6/13/2015 6:34:48 PM EDT
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I'm seeking some input from the folks who've built BOVish type rigs. This is my daily driver and I want it to be as versatile as possible but still practical. So far, I've fixed a few leaks, replaced the emissions crap so it would pass inspection, replaced the sway bar bushings front and rear, new shocks, tires, new brake pads and rotors. I installed front and rear cameras. Later this week, I'm replacing the A/C system and blocking off the rear A/C. Now for the fun stuff... here's what I have on the build list to be completed as funds are available: -Strip the rear A/C, trim, and carpet out of the cargo area to open up available space. Coat the cargo area with bedliner. -Add expanded steel grating or solid sheet metal over the cargo area windows for security. -Fabricate a partition to go behind the second row of seats for security and to aid in cooling. -Fabricate an improved lock for the barn doors. -Fabricate a storage system with drawers and such for the cargo area. -Fabricate fold-down counter tops for both barn doors with MOLLE panels for attaching shit when they're folded up. -Fabricate a new center console for the front seats with more storage and space for a short rifle inside. -Add MOLLE panel to back of second-row seats for easy access when folded down. -Add on-board air compressor. -Add auxiliary fuel tank. There's a spot under the body where I could fit a 35-40 gallon tank to go with the factory 40 gallon tank. -Fabricate a full roof rack with spare tire mount, hidden Jerry Can storage, and lights on the front/rear/side. Add roof supports since the load rating for the burb roof is only 200 lbs. -Fabricate front and rear plate steel bumpers with wrap-around protection. -Fabricate rock sliders for the side frame rails. -Add a winch. -Install diff lockers front and rear. -Install ignition kill switch wired to the horn for theft avoidance. I had one on my first chevy truck and it was simple but effective. That's the list for somewhat near-term, within the next year or so. Eventually, I'd like to swap the IFS front-end for a solid axle and ditch the 350 for a Cummins or Duramax but those are big-money projects that will have to wait for awhile unless I have an unexpected windfall.  What did I miss? I'm enclosing the cargo area because I'll be working at gun shows and will have to haul a lot of guns at any given time. I don't want anyone to be able to smash and grab. I'm also thinking in a SHTF scenario, I don't want folks breaking in for extra gear/fuel/water/whatever. Should I go with expanded metal to keep some visibility or sheet metal so prying eyes can't peek around in the back? I'm leaning toward sheet metal and using an always-on rear view camera with large monitor in place of my rear view mirror. |
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Quoted: What is the front camera for? I would add a few solar panels to the roof with at least 2 extra batteries and a 12v refrigerator. Also consider a communication package. You had shoot and move covered, I didn't see communicate. The front camera is mainly for after I have the new bumper installed. Helps me park as close as possible to something without bumping. It's also nice to get a closer look at terrain/obstacles off road. Nothing worse than cresting a steep incline with no idea what's on the other side and you see nothing but hood in front of you. You just have to pucker your asshole and hope that it's not an insane drop-off into a lake. Communications are in the plans as well. I need to get some learnin on how all that works. |
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Lots of government agencies use burbans for odds and ends. Not as much as the crown vic was used as a cop car, but not that far off either. Run searches for used barriers and stuff for the cargo compartment. Tahoes also got used as k9 units I think. I have seen all sorts of odds and ends, don't know what you will find for cheap or to look at picture wise for designs. Solid pieces of metal will have no air flow and you wind up with a hot piece of metal radiating heat somewhat. Metal mesh of any sort allows airflow. I naturally lean towards mesh but my step van has the solid wall between driver's compartment and the van section. The van section had a halon fire system when it was used commercially, removed before I got the van. Due to some of the chemicals the thing carried I could see wanting it solid. It has a cute little port window in it so you can look into the back though. I have driven school bused, dump trucks, and cargo vans, so I don't care about a rear view mirror in many cases. I tended to back all these vehicles into parking spots I could pull right out of though, while driving and turning a bit to back into a spot you know what is behind you. Backing out of a spot with no view is annoying. I don't have an issue with the camera, just pointing out that view outside the vehicle is not something I worry about on your metal installation. |
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Quoted: LIGHTS BROTHER. You need some wicked bright LEDs so you can SEE when it all goes down. Read much? -Fabricate a full roof rack with spare tire mount, hidden Jerry Can storage, and lights on the front/rear/side. Add roof supports since the load rating for the burb roof is only 200 lbs. |
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Your in Texas, DO NOT STRIP THE REAR A/C OUT!!!
It doesn't take up hardly any space, but does wonders for the comfort of the truck. The straight axle swap isn't too bad, several options. The one I like the best is a Dodge dana 44 coil spring axle. Do some radius arms and the hubs directly swap to the GM hubs. Giving you a six lug dana 44 drivers differential, keeping your existing transfer case. You will probably need a front drive shaft, but you'd need one for the axle swap anyway. |
| Running gears, axle, axle seals, t case bullet proofing, u joints, high amp alternator,big radiator,trans/oil cooler. Get the rig bullet proof/up graded on drive train first. All the cool stuff still needs a ride on a dependable truck. Then go crazy after you build it where you can semi abuse it and not break things. |
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I'm jealous OP sounds like fun.
If money is no object I would be tempted to add a cummins swap. My only other thought would be small arms protection for the engine as one civilian road block could take some fire and engines are fragile. I know the local groups plan on closing the roads pretty quick if SHTF. I have also wondered about bumper designs that would "catch" and snap barbed wire fencing as ditch the road in hast might be important. I spent way to many years on the road wondering what if to the point that I just went ahead and bugged out. |
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Quoted:
I would also love some night vision cameras with alarms so when I buttoned up inside resting I would have a heads up. I would also like it if there was some way I could drive by said cameras without lighting up the cab. Didn't or doesn't Lincoln or Caddy have a heads up FLIR system? |
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Are you planning any sleeping arrangements in this?
Mechanically wise I would make sure to work on the transmission (preferably a full rebuild) If you had to fix a few leaks good chance the transmission was never serviced as well as spark plugs. I would also swap your battery for a deep cycle |
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Quoted: I would also love some night vision cameras with alarms so when I buttoned up inside resting I would have a heads up. I would also like it if there was some way I could drive by said cameras without lighting up the cab. I was thinking about something along those lines. If I enclose the back-end with sheet metal, I't would be nice to have cameras all around with a monitor in the cargo area so I can see what's going on. I also had a crazy security idea last night... I could run tubing along the sides and back of the roof rack with nozzles and hook up one of the large pepper spray canisters to the system, like this:  If I need to dissuade folks around the truck from trying to get in, I could fog the outside with pepper spray which would at least give me enough time to get out and confront them without getting fucked up as soon as I open the door. |
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Quoted: Are you planning any sleeping arrangements in this? Mechanically wise I would make sure to work on the transmission (preferably a full rebuild) If you had to fix a few leaks good chance the transmission was never serviced as well as spark plugs. I would also swap your battery for a deep cycle I already changed the plugs, wires, cap, and rotor. I did a full tune-up as soon as I brought it home. I also changed the EGR valve, PCV valve, IAC valve, IAT sensor, MAP sensor, thermostat, and rebuilt the throttle body. I also had a new catalytic converter installed. The only leaks were the usual suspects like a valve cover gasket and the oil cooler. All of these 90's chevys leak from those spots. It has a minor leak from the rear main seal so that's on the to-do list. Battery swap is on the list. It had a brand new battery when I bought it so I'm not in a rush to do that yet. I'm not planning any mods that will require a badass battery for awhile. |
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Quoted:
I already changed the plugs, wires, cap, and rotor. I did a full tune-up as soon as I brought it home. I also changed the EGR valve, PCV valve, IAC valve, IAT sensor, MAP sensor, thermostat, and rebuilt the throttle body. I also had a new catalytic converter installed. The only leaks were the usual suspects like a valve cover gasket and the oil cooler. All of these 90's chevys leak from those spots. It has a minor leak from the rear main seal so that's on the to-do list. Battery swap is on the list. It had a brand new battery when I bought it so I'm not in a rush to do that yet. I'm not planning any mods that will require a badass battery for awhile. Quoted:
Quoted:
Are you planning any sleeping arrangements in this? Mechanically wise I would make sure to work on the transmission (preferably a full rebuild) If you had to fix a few leaks good chance the transmission was never serviced as well as spark plugs. I would also swap your battery for a deep cycle I already changed the plugs, wires, cap, and rotor. I did a full tune-up as soon as I brought it home. I also changed the EGR valve, PCV valve, IAC valve, IAT sensor, MAP sensor, thermostat, and rebuilt the throttle body. I also had a new catalytic converter installed. The only leaks were the usual suspects like a valve cover gasket and the oil cooler. All of these 90's chevys leak from those spots. It has a minor leak from the rear main seal so that's on the to-do list. Battery swap is on the list. It had a brand new battery when I bought it so I'm not in a rush to do that yet. I'm not planning any mods that will require a badass battery for awhile. Awesome you did a lot more than most people. and as for your transmission? was it done or is it also on the to do list |
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Quoted: Running gears, axle, axle seals, t case bullet proofing, u joints, high amp alternator,big radiator,trans/oil cooler. Get the rig bullet proof/up graded on drive train first. All the cool stuff still needs a ride on a dependable truck. Then go crazy after you build it where you can semi abuse it and not break things. I hear ya. The cool stuff is cheaper which is why i'm doing that first. Instead of messing with the running gears and axles, I'd just swap the axles out and be done with it. I'm not going to drop a bunch of money into the existing components when I could do the solid axle conversion for around $1k. The high temp alternator and big radiator are a good idea. I'm planning to add an electric fan to keep it cooler at low speeds. It already has an oil cooler but no trans cooler so that's something to consider. I already replaced the U joints on the rear drive shaft. I'll do the front pretty soon. |
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Quoted: Awesome you did a lot more than most people. and as for your transmission? was it done or is it also on the to do list Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Are you planning any sleeping arrangements in this? Mechanically wise I would make sure to work on the transmission (preferably a full rebuild) If you had to fix a few leaks good chance the transmission was never serviced as well as spark plugs. I would also swap your battery for a deep cycle I already changed the plugs, wires, cap, and rotor. I did a full tune-up as soon as I brought it home. I also changed the EGR valve, PCV valve, IAC valve, IAT sensor, MAP sensor, thermostat, and rebuilt the throttle body. I also had a new catalytic converter installed. The only leaks were the usual suspects like a valve cover gasket and the oil cooler. All of these 90's chevys leak from those spots. It has a minor leak from the rear main seal so that's on the to-do list. Battery swap is on the list. It had a brand new battery when I bought it so I'm not in a rush to do that yet. I'm not planning any mods that will require a badass battery for awhile. Awesome you did a lot more than most people. and as for your transmission? was it done or is it also on the to do list The transmission was done about 100k miles ago so it's ready for a rebuild. It shifts perfectly fine right now so it's not on the "must do right now" list. I missed the question about sleeping arrangements. I'll keep one section of the cargo area flat and large enough that I can sleep back there if needed. My preference would be to sleep in a hammock or bivy off to the side of the truck if possible instead of inside where I'd basically be trapped if something went down. |
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Quoted: Your in Texas, DO NOT STRIP THE REAR A/C OUT!!! It doesn't take up hardly any space, but does wonders for the comfort of the truck. The straight axle swap isn't too bad, several options. The one I like the best is a Dodge dana 44 coil spring axle. Do some radius arms and the hubs directly swap to the GM hubs. Giving you a six lug dana 44 drivers differential, keeping your existing transfer case. You will probably need a front drive shaft, but you'd need one for the axle swap anyway. The rear AC is going away. It isn't cooling anyway AND the evaporator is leaking all over the cargo area. I don't use the rear A/C and once I add the partition behind the rear seats, cooling won't be a problem at all. You'd be surprised how much space is opened up with the rear-a/c and enclosure gone. I was looking at a kit that swaps in a Ford Dana 60. If I'm doing the conversion, I'm going to go ahead and go 8-lug so I can get a set of the surplus HMMWV beadlock wheels and run-flat tires that are so common on Craigslist these days. I probably won't keep those on for daily use because I've heard that it's hard as hell to balance the mil-spec run-flats but I'll keep them on standby for off-roading and "emergencies".  |
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Quoted: I'm jealous OP sounds like fun. If money is no object I would be tempted to add a cummins swap. My only other thought would be small arms protection for the engine as one civilian road block could take some fire and engines are fragile. I know the local groups plan on closing the roads pretty quick if SHTF. I have also wondered about bumper designs that would "catch" and snap barbed wire fencing as ditch the road in hast might be important. I spent way to many years on the road wondering what if to the point that I just went ahead and bugged out. Heh... yeah, I mentioned the Cummins swap. That's very pricey though. I was kicking around an idea... since my grille needs to be replaced anyway, I'm thinking of fabbing one similar to MRAPs with a louvered design so at least I'd have some radiator protection. I've even laid awake a few nights designing and entire new front-cap made out of plate steel but I don't know if I want to go that extreme and add that much weight. That project will have to wait until after I swap the axles, at least. |
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Sounds like a fun project.
Have you done a solid axle swap before? ( Not being smart, just checking as its a real PITA.) If you are going to all of this custom work why not put some ProRock Dana 60's under it with our ARB's and 4.56 gears? It seems like you are adding a lot of weight to this thing....that oil cooler and transfer cooler are going to start moving up on the priority list pretty soon. I'd do some drivability tests as you go too. For example 2014 Kuridstan we had Nissan Patrol SUVs for driving around out in the field. Good vehicles and handled well in many situations. Flash forward to 2015 and now we are in Land Cruiser B6 models. All of that armor makes it a mall crawler. Extremely difficult to manage on anything other than a flat dirt road. YMMV |
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Quoted:
The rear AC is going away. It isn't cooling anyway AND the evaporator is leaking all over the cargo area. I don't use the rear A/C and once I add the partition behind the rear seats, cooling won't be a problem at all. You'd be surprised how much space is opened up with the rear-a/c and enclosure gone. I was looking at a kit that swaps in a Ford Dana 60. If I'm doing the conversion, I'm going to go ahead and go 8-lug so I can get a set of the surplus HMMWV beadlock wheels and run-flat tires that are so common on Craigslist these days. I probably won't keep those on for daily use because I've heard that it's hard as hell to balance the mil-spec run-flats but I'll keep them on standby for off-roading and "emergencies". http://images.craigslist.org/00Y0Y_jobbuepiFH7_600x450.jpg http://dallas.craigslist.org/ndf/pts/5042996778.html Quoted:
Quoted:
Your in Texas, DO NOT STRIP THE REAR A/C OUT!!! It doesn't take up hardly any space, but does wonders for the comfort of the truck. The straight axle swap isn't too bad, several options. The one I like the best is a Dodge dana 44 coil spring axle. Do some radius arms and the hubs directly swap to the GM hubs. Giving you a six lug dana 44 drivers differential, keeping your existing transfer case. You will probably need a front drive shaft, but you'd need one for the axle swap anyway. The rear AC is going away. It isn't cooling anyway AND the evaporator is leaking all over the cargo area. I don't use the rear A/C and once I add the partition behind the rear seats, cooling won't be a problem at all. You'd be surprised how much space is opened up with the rear-a/c and enclosure gone. I was looking at a kit that swaps in a Ford Dana 60. If I'm doing the conversion, I'm going to go ahead and go 8-lug so I can get a set of the surplus HMMWV beadlock wheels and run-flat tires that are so common on Craigslist these days. I probably won't keep those on for daily use because I've heard that it's hard as hell to balance the mil-spec run-flats but I'll keep them on standby for off-roading and "emergencies". http://images.craigslist.org/00Y0Y_jobbuepiFH7_600x450.jpg http://dallas.craigslist.org/ndf/pts/5042996778.html Couple things: The Baja T/As that are 16.5" are not DOT legal. They suck in the rain and snow, are OK in mud, and weigh a huge amount. They don't balance well. That wheel and trie combo will break your 10-bolt so fast, even before you lock it. I'd say a 14-bolt FF would be acceptable. But... That thing is going to be a complete pig with the stockish engine, even with deep gears. I drove through Baja chasing for a week in a 7.3 Excursion on the humvee beadlocks with the Old Goodyear MTs, and they were horrible, miserable tires. The next year he went to Toyo Open Country MTs and non-beadlocks and it was way better. The tires are only "ru flat" with the appropriate liner in place, which is a pain. I'd rather carry spares and no beadlocks in something that heavy. Edit: Don't get me wrong, I love building things, but if you really want a decent BOV, your emphasis should be on reliability, serviceability, and parts availability. Think a 12-bolt, ARB lockers or a Detroit in the back, a 2-3" lift with good tires in an easily available size, and some minor armoring. |
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Quoted:
Read much?
-Fabricate a full roof rack with spare tire mount, hidden Jerry Can storage, and lights on the front/rear/side. Add roof supports since the load rating for the burb roof is only 200 lbs. Quoted:
Quoted:
LIGHTS BROTHER. You need some wicked bright LEDs so you can SEE when it all goes down. Read much?
-Fabricate a full roof rack with spare tire mount, hidden Jerry Can storage, and lights on the front/rear/side. Add roof supports since the load rating for the burb roof is only 200 lbs. Failure 
But in my defense, there were a lot of words up there. 
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Quoted: Couple things: The Baja T/As that are 16.5" are not DOT legal. They suck in the rain and snow, are OK in mud, and weigh a huge amount. They don't balance well. That wheel and trie combo will break your 10-bolt so fast, even before you lock it. I'd say a 14-bolt FF would be acceptable. But... That thing is going to be a complete pig with the stockish engine, even with deep gears. I drove through Baja chasing for a week in a 7.3 Excursion on the humvee beadlocks with the Old Goodyear MTs, and they were horrible, miserable tires. The next year he went to Toyo Open Country MTs and non-beadlocks and it was way better. The tires are only "ru flat" with the appropriate liner in place, which is a pain. I'd rather carry spares and no beadlocks in something that heavy. Edit: Don't get me wrong, I love building things, but if you really want a decent BOV, your emphasis should be on reliability, serviceability, and parts availability. Think a 12-bolt, ARB lockers or a Detroit in the back, a 2-3" lift with good tires in an easily available size, and some minor armoring. Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Your in Texas, DO NOT STRIP THE REAR A/C OUT!!! It doesn't take up hardly any space, but does wonders for the comfort of the truck. The straight axle swap isn't too bad, several options. The one I like the best is a Dodge dana 44 coil spring axle. Do some radius arms and the hubs directly swap to the GM hubs. Giving you a six lug dana 44 drivers differential, keeping your existing transfer case. You will probably need a front drive shaft, but you'd need one for the axle swap anyway. The rear AC is going away. It isn't cooling anyway AND the evaporator is leaking all over the cargo area. I don't use the rear A/C and once I add the partition behind the rear seats, cooling won't be a problem at all. You'd be surprised how much space is opened up with the rear-a/c and enclosure gone. I was looking at a kit that swaps in a Ford Dana 60. If I'm doing the conversion, I'm going to go ahead and go 8-lug so I can get a set of the surplus HMMWV beadlock wheels and run-flat tires that are so common on Craigslist these days. I probably won't keep those on for daily use because I've heard that it's hard as hell to balance the mil-spec run-flats but I'll keep them on standby for off-roading and "emergencies". http://images.craigslist.org/00Y0Y_jobbuepiFH7_600x450.jpg http://dallas.craigslist.org/ndf/pts/5042996778.html Couple things: The Baja T/As that are 16.5" are not DOT legal. They suck in the rain and snow, are OK in mud, and weigh a huge amount. They don't balance well. That wheel and trie combo will break your 10-bolt so fast, even before you lock it. I'd say a 14-bolt FF would be acceptable. But... That thing is going to be a complete pig with the stockish engine, even with deep gears. I drove through Baja chasing for a week in a 7.3 Excursion on the humvee beadlocks with the Old Goodyear MTs, and they were horrible, miserable tires. The next year he went to Toyo Open Country MTs and non-beadlocks and it was way better. The tires are only "ru flat" with the appropriate liner in place, which is a pain. I'd rather carry spares and no beadlocks in something that heavy. Edit: Don't get me wrong, I love building things, but if you really want a decent BOV, your emphasis should be on reliability, serviceability, and parts availability. Think a 12-bolt, ARB lockers or a Detroit in the back, a 2-3" lift with good tires in an easily available size, and some minor armoring. Thanks for the info on the tires. I didn't know they suck that hard... The rear end will be replaced whenever I do the solid-axle conversion. |
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I spent the afternoon removing the rear AC lines and gutting the cargo area. The carpet and padding through the whole cargo area were damp which smelled like wet dog and the moisture was starting to cause some corrosion issues underneath so I'm glad I ripped everything out. I had to drain the radiator and bypass the rear heater lines which involves cutting the factory hose clamps and installing a U-shaped hose under the passenger-side door as shown in the pic. This is what they typically look like:  And mine now:  Heater line bypass hose:  That damn little piece of hose was $14 just because it was pre-bent. I obviously couldn't use a standard hose and bend it that sharply without kinking it. The cargo area dimensions are now 6' wide from wall to wall, a tad over 4' wide from wheel well to wheel well, 5' long to where I'm installing the partition, and 7' 10.5" total length. I'm going to design my partition with a fold-up portion so I can still haul 4x8 sheets of plywood or lay out a spot to sleep since I'm over 6' tall. |
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Quoted: how about a high output alternator? Mobile HAM rig. High-output alternator will come when I start adding lights and such. As for comms, there's a place locally that offers classes on HAM radio and I need to get educated. I don't have a clue in hell about that sort of stuff. |
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Quoted: Sounds like a fun project. Have you done a solid axle swap before? ( Not being smart, just checking as its a real PITA.) If you are going to all of this custom work why not put some ProRock Dana 60's under it with our ARB's and 4.56 gears? It seems like you are adding a lot of weight to this thing....that oil cooler and transfer cooler are going to start moving up on the priority list pretty soon. I'd do some drivability tests as you go too. For example 2014 Kuridstan we had Nissan Patrol SUVs for driving around out in the field. Good vehicles and handled well in many situations. Flash forward to 2015 and now we are in Land Cruiser B6 models. All of that armor makes it a mall crawler. Extremely difficult to manage on anything other than a flat dirt road. YMMV The Pro Rock Dana 60's sound like a great idea... if I had $13,000 to spend on axles. I just looked up the prices and my response was "JAYZUS!!!" I'm not building a rock crawler... I just want something reliable that will handle some moderate off road use.You guys have made good points about armor and I don't think the weight would be worth it. I'm not going to go rolling into a firefight so the even-worse gas mileage and increased wear and tear are trade-offs I'm not willing to make. I may still go with a steel louvered grille that will deflect most 5.56 just to protect the radiator from punctures but that's about it. |
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Quoted:
I already changed the plugs, wires, cap, and rotor. I did a full tune-up as soon as I brought it home. I also changed the EGR valve, PCV valve, IAC valve, IAT sensor, MAP sensor, thermostat, and rebuilt the throttle body. I also had a new catalytic converter installed. The only leaks were the usual suspects like a valve cover gasket and the oil cooler. All of these 90's chevys leak from those spots. It has a minor leak from the rear main seal so that's on the to-do list. Battery swap is on the list. It had a brand new battery when I bought it so I'm not in a rush to do that yet. I'm not planning any mods that will require a badass battery for awhile. Quoted:
Quoted:
Are you planning any sleeping arrangements in this? Mechanically wise I would make sure to work on the transmission (preferably a full rebuild) If you had to fix a few leaks good chance the transmission was never serviced as well as spark plugs. I would also swap your battery for a deep cycle I already changed the plugs, wires, cap, and rotor. I did a full tune-up as soon as I brought it home. I also changed the EGR valve, PCV valve, IAC valve, IAT sensor, MAP sensor, thermostat, and rebuilt the throttle body. I also had a new catalytic converter installed. The only leaks were the usual suspects like a valve cover gasket and the oil cooler. All of these 90's chevys leak from those spots. It has a minor leak from the rear main seal so that's on the to-do list. Battery swap is on the list. It had a brand new battery when I bought it so I'm not in a rush to do that yet. I'm not planning any mods that will require a badass battery for awhile. Install dual batteries with self jump capability Tires Lockable weatherproof storage box that fits the rack Winch Cummins crate engine and Allison transmission Transmission cooling if you're gonna tow a lot? Sine wave inverter Ability to charge all your electronics GPS Communications gear/scanner Hilift jack and road tools Tools of the trade |
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Quoted: I forgot to ask this in my original post but Are you adding or implementing a trailer? I wasn't originally planning on it but seeing some of the modified M1101 trailers and how cheap they can be had... I may get one just for the hell of it. The trailer would be a good option for hauling extra spare tires and larger items that would be hard to fit in the truck. Since it's just me, I could load up all of my possessions in the suburban and still have extra room so I don't really NEED a trailer... but since when does need have anything to do with it? |
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Quoted:
The Pro Rock Dana 60's sound like a great idea... if I had $13,000 to spend on axles. I just looked up the prices and my response was "JAYZUS!!!" I'm not building a rock crawler... I just want something reliable that will handle some moderate off road use.
You guys have made good points about armor and I don't think the weight would be worth it. I'm not going to go rolling into a firefight so the even-worse gas mileage and increased wear and tear are trade-offs I'm not willing to make. I may still go with a steel louvered grille that will deflect most 5.56 just to protect the radiator from punctures but that's about it. Quoted:
Quoted:
Sounds like a fun project. Have you done a solid axle swap before? ( Not being smart, just checking as its a real PITA.) If you are going to all of this custom work why not put some ProRock Dana 60's under it with our ARB's and 4.56 gears? It seems like you are adding a lot of weight to this thing....that oil cooler and transfer cooler are going to start moving up on the priority list pretty soon. I'd do some drivability tests as you go too. For example 2014 Kuridstan we had Nissan Patrol SUVs for driving around out in the field. Good vehicles and handled well in many situations. Flash forward to 2015 and now we are in Land Cruiser B6 models. All of that armor makes it a mall crawler. Extremely difficult to manage on anything other than a flat dirt road. YMMV The Pro Rock Dana 60's sound like a great idea... if I had $13,000 to spend on axles. I just looked up the prices and my response was "JAYZUS!!!" I'm not building a rock crawler... I just want something reliable that will handle some moderate off road use.
You guys have made good points about armor and I don't think the weight would be worth it. I'm not going to go rolling into a firefight so the even-worse gas mileage and increased wear and tear are trade-offs I'm not willing to make. I may still go with a steel louvered grille that will deflect most 5.56 just to protect the radiator from punctures but that's about it. Yeah, they are not cheap. What does arfcom always say; buy once cry once? 45>9....
Do you REALLY need a solid front axle? Converting the parts from a 2500 or HD Suburban might make more sense? Upgrades to 8 lug and stronger components while retaining the factory ride. (Not sure can be done with your model year so if I'm wrong, sorry.) I have some more thoughts so I'll be back in a bit. After I check some stuff |
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Quoted: Yeah, they are not cheap. What does arfcom always say; buy once cry once? 45>9.... Do you REALLY need a solid front axle? Converting the parts from a 2500 or HD Suburban might make more sense? Upgrades to 8 lug and stronger components while retaining the factory ride. (Not sure can be done with your model year so if I'm wrong, sorry.) I have some more thoughts so I'll be back in a bit. After I check some stuff Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Sounds like a fun project. Have you done a solid axle swap before? ( Not being smart, just checking as its a real PITA.) If you are going to all of this custom work why not put some ProRock Dana 60's under it with our ARB's and 4.56 gears? It seems like you are adding a lot of weight to this thing....that oil cooler and transfer cooler are going to start moving up on the priority list pretty soon. I'd do some drivability tests as you go too. For example 2014 Kuridstan we had Nissan Patrol SUVs for driving around out in the field. Good vehicles and handled well in many situations. Flash forward to 2015 and now we are in Land Cruiser B6 models. All of that armor makes it a mall crawler. Extremely difficult to manage on anything other than a flat dirt road. YMMV The Pro Rock Dana 60's sound like a great idea... if I had $13,000 to spend on axles. I just looked up the prices and my response was "JAYZUS!!!" I'm not building a rock crawler... I just want something reliable that will handle some moderate off road use.You guys have made good points about armor and I don't think the weight would be worth it. I'm not going to go rolling into a firefight so the even-worse gas mileage and increased wear and tear are trade-offs I'm not willing to make. I may still go with a steel louvered grille that will deflect most 5.56 just to protect the radiator from punctures but that's about it. Yeah, they are not cheap. What does arfcom always say; buy once cry once? 45>9.... Do you REALLY need a solid front axle? Converting the parts from a 2500 or HD Suburban might make more sense? Upgrades to 8 lug and stronger components while retaining the factory ride. (Not sure can be done with your model year so if I'm wrong, sorry.) I have some more thoughts so I'll be back in a bit. After I check some stuff The solid axle swap isn't too difficult and it's more durable, simpler to work on, much better for lifting, and much much cheaper than swapping in a beefier upgraded IFS. With IFS, I have to worry about CV axles, ball joints, numerous bushings, etc. that are all failure points. It won't ride as well on-road but a lifted IFS isn't much better so it's a trade-off I'm willing to accept. |
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WRT drivetrain mods:
If you are going to be upgrading much of anything, ditch the 4L60E and get you hands on a 4L80E. MUCH stronger transmission. Axles: 14B FF, and any 8 lug D44 or D60 you choose. Driver or Passenger drop depends on which T-case you want. NP241 would be driver drop, so probably Ford axles are your best bet. I've HEARD that an NP208 from behind a TH400 will have the correct spline count to go behind a 4L60 or 4L80 and be passenger drop so that Chevy/Dodge axles would work. Not confirmed though. To run the Humvee headlocks, you'll want a dually front end. The backspacing offset is really wide. The 350 will run whatever you want, once you regear. It's a great motor. Looks like a strong plan. |
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Quoted: WRT drivetrain mods: If you are going to be upgrading much of anything, ditch the 4L60E and get you hands on a 4L80E. MUCH stronger transmission. Axles: 14B FF, and any 8 lug D44 or D60 you choose. Driver or Passenger drop depends on which T-case you want. NP241 would be driver drop, so probably Ford axles are your best bet. I've HEARD that an NP208 from behind a TH400 will have the correct spline count to go behind a 4L60 or 4L80 and be passenger drop so that Chevy/Dodge axles would work. Not confirmed though. To run the Humvee headlocks, you'll want a dually front end. The backspacing offset is really wide. The 350 will run whatever you want, once you regear. It's a great motor. Looks like a strong plan. The kit I was reading about uses a Ford Dana 60 up front. It lets me keep the original transfer case but, like most solid axle conversions, I'd have to fabricate a new front drive shaft. I need to read the option sheet and see which transmission this truck has. Today, I spent 6 hours removing the old A/C system, cleaning out the lines, and installing a new compressor, dryer, orifice tube, and condenser. The A/C hasn't been very impressive since I got the truck and I've tried all the normal tricks (cleaned all the gunk off of the evaporator, replaced a blend door inside the dash, replaced both blend door actuators, replaced the leaky seals on the backside of the compressor, and recharged the system). The compressor was rattling pretty badly and it looked old as hell so I'm sure it was on its last legs. I was done fucking around with one little thing at a time so I dropped $300 on AC Delco parts to update the whole system. I'll find out tomorrow if the cab is cold enough to hang beef because I'm still waiting on the rear A/C block-off plugs. While I had the grille off, I realized that the truck has a factory transmission cooler along with the oil cooler so it was pretty well-optioned. I'm assuming that was all part of the tow package but it was nice to see after it was recommended so many times in the thread. |
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Quoted: Ok, I'll stop questioning your solid axle plan. I'm currently restoring a 1984 K5 blazer with a 6.2 diesel. (Not hijacking your build thread.) So some of the decisions here are things rolling around in my head too. I semi-know a guy who's currently building up a fairly new Duramax engine for his K5. Dude dropped serious money on a custom built roll-around engine stand with ignition switch and shit wired into it so he can fire up the engine and diagnose any problems before it's in the Blazer. Needless to say, I'm a bit jealous of his power plant. |
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Quoted: 95 1500 should be a Vortec 5.7L, and will absolutely be a 4L60E. Modernized computerized version of a 700R4. Not the strongest transmission by any means, but it has overdrive and isn't terrible. The Vortec wasn't in the 1500's until 96. You're right about the transmission. The 4L80 was only available in the 3/4 ton 'burbs. I was hoping I'd get lucky and have that as an option but it wasn't available at all in the 1500. |
You wouldn't happen to have the factory roll-up rear cargo cover for it would you? I would fit my truck nicely. 
For power upgrades, look into the Ultimate TBI mods. Work great and not expensive. Also look at a high flow aftermarket cat, muffler does fine but the cat upgrade helps a bunch. You'll love the M1101/1102 trailers, absolutely one of the best buys in offroad trailers right now. I modded my trailer tongue for a standard 2 inch hitch and dropped some regular 265/70R16 tires on crappy dodge craigslist rims. Fits perfectly behind a medium build truck. Works with my 2004 Avalanche, my 99 Tahoe, and my 88 Suburban perfectly. 
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The heat can probably be brutal. How about a platform roof with enough air gap to keep the heat off the sheet metal?
Maybe an LED bar mounted below it w/ a canted fairing that covers it up when not needed. The slide in security drawer systems are nice, but the make they eliminate cargo hauling. I'd probably install some king of "locker" for items and a Chinook style jump seat that could fold up or serve as a cot. |
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Quoted: The heat can probably be brutal. How about a platform roof with enough air gap to keep the heat off the sheet metal? Maybe an LED bar mounted below it w/ a canted fairing that covers it up when not needed. The slide in security drawer systems are nice, but the make they eliminate cargo hauling. I'd probably install some king of "locker" for items and a Chinook style jump seat that could fold up or serve as a cot. I have several ideas rolling around in my head for the cargo area. I'll add a slide-out drawer of some sort since the cargo area is so deep and I don't want to crawl inside to go digging for stuff. I really want to eliminate the side glass and weld in some sheet metal panels with doors to basically convert the sides of the cargo area into a utility bed. Something like this guy did with a Hummer wagon top:  |
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I've been giving some thought to what color I want to eventually paint the truck once I'm done with all the body modifications. I feel like white is the most low-profile. A white truck with modifications typically goes unnoticed because people assume it's a utility/work vehicle of some sort. If I go with a cool tactical color like green, tan, or black, people will think "that's a vehicle where I can find a gun, for sure." In a bug-out scenario, I figure a plain white modded truck will blend in much better than an uber-tactical military looking vehicle. I could throw some decals on there to make it seem more legit and deter the thieves that want to steal tools...   More like this:  Less like this:  What do you guys think? |
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With your plans for the back why did you not start with an extended cab or crew cab pickup? Just wondering. It is easy to find toolbox tops like what you pictured and the slide out stuff goes into whatever. The pickup would also have the seperation of the cargo and you all done. Only reason I see getting an suv is people hauling or inside lockup space, and if you would like something like that top pictured I would have found a 3/4 ton or 1 ton extended cab or crew cab pickup. I guess the crew cab would maybe need a shortbed to equal a burban, I think the crew cab longbed is longer than a burban but it has been a bit since I saw em side by side. My regular cab shortbed f150 has spoiled me on full width bed, short bed but with tailgate down and some straps it hauls whatever. And being regular cab it is short enough it turns around in a decent circle. |
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Quoted: With your plans for the back why did you not start with an extended cab or crew cab pickup? Just wondering. It is easy to find toolbox tops like what you pictured and the slide out stuff goes into whatever. The pickup would also have the seperation of the cargo and you all done. Only reason I see getting an suv is people hauling or inside lockup space, and if you would like something like that top pictured I would have found a 3/4 ton or 1 ton extended cab or crew cab pickup. I guess the crew cab would maybe need a shortbed to equal a burban, I think the crew cab longbed is longer than a burban but it has been a bit since I saw em side by side. My regular cab shortbed f150 has spoiled me on full width bed, short bed but with tailgate down and some straps it hauls whatever. And being regular cab it is short enough it turns around in a decent circle. A few reasons. A) It was available and very cheap. B) I like the versatility. If I build my partition to fold out of the way, I still have the full interior space provided by the suburban. C) It was available and very cheap. D) I didn't really plan on fully enclosing the cargo area when I bought the truck... the build plan has evolved several times. |
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Cypher214,
It is your Suburban, so do what you want. Booooooot: If you; lift it, solid axle it, diesel it, roof rack it, 8 bolt it, or bead lock it. LEO will profile you as a brodozer gun nut with a bitty bitty dinkus. Even if you paint the Burb white and put OMG DANGER signs on the Burb you're gonna get called out by LEO because your Burb is too old. They are gonna ask themselves what is this id10t trying to hide, and find a way to stop you. If you want to advertise for your business, then as you please...jack that thing till you pass out from altitude. If you want to haul your inventory with some reasonable secrecy, then stock is stealth. Just look around. Do you really see off road buggies serving reliably as daily drivers? I just see these mud buggies being trailered to the mud pit by 2wd duallies. |
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Quoted: Cypher214, It is your Suburban, so do what you want. Booooooot: If you; lift it, solid axle it, diesel it, roof rack it, 8 bolt it, or bead lock it. LEO will profile you as a brodozer gun nut with a bitty bitty dinkus. Even if you paint the Burb white and put OMG DANGER signs on the Burb you're gonna get called out by LEO because your Burb is too old. They are gonna ask themselves what is this id10t trying to hide, and find a way to stop you. If you want to advertise for your business, then as you please...jack that thing till you pass out from altitude. If you want to haul your inventory with some reasonable secrecy, then stock is stealth. Just look around. Do you really see off road buggies serving reliably as daily drivers? I just see these mud buggies being trailered to the mud pit by 2wd duallies. I think you're misinterpreting my vision just a bit... I'm thinking this with a few changes to the body:  Not this:  I want something practical, not brodozer'd out. Not sure where the comments about LEO's are coming from... I don't care about that. I'm more concerned with theft when I'm hauling $20,000 worth of inventory to a gun show and keeping my shit concealed from unprepared folks in a bug-out scenario. |