[The General]

QUOTE (Burbalade @ Wednesday, Mar 13 2013, 16:01)

Any other suggestions?

Blue and gray trim?

[Burbalade]

Not really a fan of blue/silver. The combo just looks cheapish in my opinion.

Still torn between white and green.

[Burbalade]

This is going to take a while. Have to clean, strip, and repaint everything first, then have to have it cut and welded in place.

6" RCX lift with complete 1/2 ton front end to those of you wondering. I'm keeping the brackets and selling the rest since I'm going to use my 3/4 ton front end. Then will probably use the beefed up Rancho 1/2 ton upper control arms I bought a couple weeks ago.

[Lurch]

With that much lift, are you going to ditch the body lift? Would eliminate the whole need for bumper relocation brackets.

Also, that thing really needs a 9.25 dually front and a matching FF 14 bolt with 4.10's. Think that would really suit the mega burbalac and those 12 bolts.

[Burbalade]

QUOTE (Lurch @ Sunday, Mar 31 2013, 05:55)

With that much lift, are you going to ditch the body lift? Would eliminate the whole need for bumper relocation brackets. Also, that thing really needs a 9.25 dually front and a matching FF 14 bolt with 4.10's. Think that would really suit the mega burbalac and those 12 bolts.

Definitely losing the 3" BL. Depending on where it sits once the 6" is on, I might get a 1" or so BL to get it where I want it and make sure the 37s have a little room to flex inside the fenders.

Pick n pull doesn't have sh*t for GMT400s, or sh*t for 3/4 or 1 tons at the moment. They just went through last week, took out about half of their truck stock and replaced it almost entirely with 1/2 ton vans and late 80s F-150s.

As such, I'll be keeping my front end for the time being. It will eventually be replaced, but that'll be later on. I'm always on the look out for a positrac 10.5 but can never seem to find one.

Biggest thing I'll be on the look out for now would be an ARB Bumper.

And here's the 2-3" 1/2 ton Rancho lift I bought, as I don't think I've posted it here yet. Didn't fit as 1/2 ton and 3/4 ton upper control arm mounts are not in the same place. I might be able to use the entire thing in conjunction with the new lift to avoid needing a small BL, or maybe at least use the upper control arms as they look a lot beefier than the stock 1/2 ton but I'll figure that all out later.


This post has been edited by Burbalade on Sunday, Mar 31 2013, 06:25

[Burbalade]

QUOTE (Lurch @ Sunday, Mar 31 2013, 05:55)

Also, that thing really needs a 9.25 dually front

As it turns out I've definitely got a 9.25 front differential. Now I really want to order a locker for it. Also want to get a posi 10.5 dually rear end, that'll bring the rear out flush with the front wheels and I wont need to run rear spacers. I'm guessing 4.10 would be the best ratio to go with for a DD on 37s?

New headlight housings and corner lenses:



Getting a lot more light to the road now.

Went ahead and bought Bilstein 5100s for the front since the lift didn't come with new shocks. Not sure what I'll do with the rear yet. I'm thinking a shackle flip and 1" block will bring it up level? I'll have to see what the difference is front to back once I get the front lift on, then go from there.

[epoxi]

Is it all-black now, or just front end?

Either way, looks good so far, better than Suburban face any day.

[Burbalade]

Just the front end still. Plans for paint got put on hold when I found the lift.

[Lurch]

How's it got a 9.25 front if it's just got a 9.5 rear? I thought you had to have the 10.5 rear to get the 9.25 front. As far as option packages for that type of stuff go. The 9.25/10.5 stuff (I think it was in the 8800 gvw package or something like that) basically gets you as close to a 1 ton as possible in a suburban (you still got the thinner 3/4 ton frame though everything else should be 1 ton parts).


And yeah. 4.10's with 37's is definitely what you should shoot for. Luckily, that's probably the most common ratio for the 10.5.

This post has been edited by Lurch on Wednesday, May 1 2013, 21:52

[Burbalade]

It appears that 8600+ GVWR has the 9.25 front, but the 10.5 rear isn't included until the 8800+. Perhaps the pickups didn't offer the 8600 GVWR package which might be why you were unaware of the combo? You certainly weren't the only one as I did some digging and never found any info on it. But my differential is definitely an inch bigger than the 1/2 ton diff that came with the lift. And after looking up picture of both differentials and inspecting both that I have, I can confirm that the 8.25 came with the lift and mine is a 9.25.

So it appears all I'm really lacking from being the strongest Burb offered is the 10.5 rear end and probably stiffer T bars and leafs?

Might eventually swap to NBS 2500HD front end from the knuckles out.

[Lurch]

QUOTE (Burbalade @ Wednesday, May 1 2013, 18:07)

Might eventually swap to NBS 2500HD front end from the knuckles out.

Probably not even worth it unless you just want the brakes. Actually, they might be 35 spline and the older ones might be 30 spline so I guess there might be some bit of an upgrade to it.


I know the 2011 9.25 stuff is gigantic though and the whole diff is a little better built. It probably wouldn't bolt in though.

early 9.25



vs 2011-up 9.25 stuff




This post has been edited by Lurch on Wednesday, May 1 2013, 22:23

[Burbalade]

That was the idea. If I do it, it's not happening any time soon. Just one of those things I'd like to do, you know?

I believe it was the 2011+ (they changed lug pattern at the same time) 9.25 that was completely reworked. Cast iron instead of aluminum, and has a front cover on it so I don't see how the top mount could possible be the same. Would also be impossible to find at a decent price.



This post has been edited by Burbalade on Wednesday, May 1 2013, 23:04

[Burbalade]

Getting started on the lift.

[Burbalade]

Front end all torn out, time to start cutting.


8.25 vs 9.25:

[Lurch]

Man, that diff's a diff.

[Burbalade]

[Lurch]

It is quite the ordeal to do an IFS lift kit. The lift kit installation of my friends jeep (4 springs, 4shocks, shackles, spring plates, new U-bolts, a rear brake line, a full bushing kit, etc only took one day (thought it was a good 12-14 hours of work.

[Burbalade]

You're certainly right about that. I've been putting in a couple hours a day after work, done everything myself. Plus I lost four days to the damn factory steering link that was stuck, the rear shackle flip should be much easier. I put the body lift on in a day by myself.