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finally scored a diesel Suburban!

You can use wheel spacers to give you wider wheel base, or adapt to another wheel lug config, or use wheels with more offset that would otherwise hit the frame.
 
handcannon said:
You know what else seems like ridiculous overkill? I was just at a pick-n-pull last week and found a 94 K2500 Suburban. Looking at the rear brakes I found out that they were the 3.5" wide shoes, as in 1 ton! I went home and checked on Rockauto and it appears that some of the HD Subs had that for rear brakes. That intrigued me so I went back the next day to make sure I wasn't dreaming. When I first spotted the 94 Sub there were some stock wheel spacers (maybe 1.5" thick) on the drums. Well, they were gone just one day later so I made a snap decision to take a chance on all the parts being a bolt on swap to my K2500 pickup FF axle.

Seeing 1 ton rear brakes on a Suburban really floored me.

Now, since you found you have a FF rear I'm curious as to what size rear brakes you have. Do you also have the stock wheel spacers?

Don
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My 94 burb has the GT4 3.73 FF with the 1 ton brakes as well, the guy i bought it from told me this when i picked it up but i was such a noob to these rigs when i first bought it that i didnt even give it any thought, but i learn more neat facts about it everyday, interesting stuff.
 
Spacers? I am not sure why. My best guess was to allow for a smaller wheel well, for more interior space for the rear seat between wells.

Don
 
Yep the burbs have the 3.5' shoes of the FF axles. Sadly the SF axles only have the 2.5" shoes and to be honest I am wishing I had the FF. With weight in the back stopping these things quickly is....., well lets just say they tend to think about it. As far as I am concerned for the burb every little bit helps.

Cheers
Nobby
 
If you've never noticed, the big rear axle under a Sub or even 2500 Avalanche looks real narrow, funny looking once you notice it. It's just a little bit narrower axle is all. Not as noticeable under a pickup bed I'd guess. I'm sure lots of people add a spacer just to make the tires look right. I havent looked, but I'm sure I dont have them because my rear wheels are in too far.
And yes, I was talking about the window motor, not the motor motor. The engine sounds like a dream. My 97 6.5 is stout, but it smokes like hell on cold starts, and makes twice the racket this one does. I'm reminded of driving my truck back when I first got it and it was still stock.
 
Nice pic of the burb Dan, I just noticed, you need to update your sig.
 
I don't think the spacers are oem. The 3 1/2 brakes offset the wheels at least 1/2" or more from the 2 1/2" because of the drum being on the outside of the hub instead of inside. The bad part about the 3 1/2" brakes is that it is near impossible to bleed them. The brake backer plate is almost tight to the leaf springs. On my 94 k3500srw I had to take the backer plate loose to bleed them with a mighty vac. The good part was that there was enough slack in the steel line to do that. As for the clunk, it could be a wheel cylinder hanging up or a brake shoe binding on the backer plate. Nice lookin rig.
 
when I was replacing front end components on my truck, '87 heavy 3/4, I noticed that the low end parts for ,my truck were the high end parts for the reg 3/4 and the high end parts were the low end for the 1 ton. there's lots of crossover. Also if you want to know the rear gearing for your truck, raisea rear tir and put a mark on the drive shaft. Spin the tire one full revolution and count the # of turns of the drive shaft and multiply by 2. Rear gearing can be changed many times in a 15-20 year old truck and the only way to really tell is to either count the gear ratio or spin.
 
Or check the glove box rpo codes.

The brakes on the SF are a bugger to bleed also, same issue close to the spring pack. I can see though that a 2.5" on a FF would give you some breathing room as I am summising that the back plate is further out.

Cheers
Nobby
 
As noted earlier, that will only tell you what came out stock. Not necessarily what's in it now

nobby said:
Or check the glove box rpo codes.

The brakes on the SF are a bugger to bleed also, same issue close to the spring pack. I can see though that a 2.5" on a FF would give you some breathing room as I am summising that the back plate is further out.

Cheers
Nobby
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I think I'm going to have to save up for a locker. This thing will not move on ice in 2wd. My 82 got stuck in my yard already and had to tug it out with the 97, the 82 doesnt have a locker either. This Sub won't climb a tiny little hill without 4wd, and even then it spins. I am so accustomed to the big heavy lockered, big tired monster that goes wherever I point it without question. Even with a 10 foot plow on the ground it just goes. I've forgotten what it's like to lose traction. I'm going from having 4 big aggressive tires locked up with weight over them driving me, to one little a/s tire trying to push.
 
I couldnt agree more on the locker - after plowing this winter for the first time without one ( the 95 Burb ) its been hell! I am looking at a Lok-Rite or Powertrax. Even considered one for the front!
 
mangus580 said:
I couldnt agree more on the locker - after plowing this winter for the first time without one ( the 95 Burb ) its been hell! I am looking at a Lok-Rite or Powertrax. Even considered one for the front!
Click to expand...

My CUCV has a Locker and when I put chains on it, there was little to stand in it's way...My Burb sucks in 2wd also.
 
I too have been looking for a diesel suburban for a long time...I wanted an old model one & have found an awesome 91. BUT, it doesn't have rear air! Does anyone know how much that costs to get installed? Is it worth bothering with?

Clint
 
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