My 1989 Suburban overland/expedition project

roostercruiser

Adventurer
Ive got 4 100w kc daylights and a 150w center one. I like them but eventually I want to upgrade. How well do u like your lights? Because they look nice
IMG_20110818_195734-9.jpg
 

bldeagle10

Explorer
so is your rack just screwed/bolted through the roof? I know rain gutter mounts is the way to go on my cherokee, and could be used in the front of the burb but the back needs to be bolted through, looks like thats what you have done front and back.
 

Little Red

Adventurer
Answers to all the questions

Where were those pics taken?

The pics where taken on different forest service roads off the MTN Loop Hwy near Granite Falls, WA.

Ive got 4 100w kc daylights and a 150w center one. I like them but eventually I want to upgrade. How well do u like your lights? Because they look nice

Thanks for the compliment but my lights are just cheap ones, 2 are pro-comp and the other 2 I bought at harbor freight for $14 each. They are not super bright but get the job done. I am eventually going to upgrade to some better lights.

so is your rack just screwed/bolted through the roof? I know rain gutter mounts is the way to go on my cherokee, and could be used in the front of the burb but the back needs to be bolted through, looks like thats what you have done front and back.

Yes the roof rack is bolted trough the roof. It is the only way to mount a full size roof rack on the suburban as it only has rain gutters on the front.
It is also a very heavy roof rack so I wanted it to be more secure. Now I can walk on it if I need to. It was a pita to drill all the holes and get it mounted but worth it.

What mount are you using for your cb? Are you getting good rear range with that location?

The mount I bought at Napa and I don’t remember the manufacturer.
It works good but I haven’t really used it much to be able to tell how well it performs long range. It would probably work better mounted to the roof rack as it would be higher up but than I would hit it on tree branches all the time and not be able to park it in my carport without bending the antenna.
 

tperkins

Observer
I really love this truck; awesome red/black color combo. I always liked that body style of suburban; I'd like to have one someday, among a dozen other vehicles haha.
 

rxm6

Observer
The mount I bought at Napa and I don’t remember the manufacturer. It works good but I haven’t really used it much to be able to tell how well it performs long range. It would probably work better mounted to the roof rack as it would be higher up but than I would hit it on tree branches all the time and not be able to park it in my carport without bending the antenna.

I have the same hood mount setup for my 06 Silverado with a bracket made specifically for that truck. I only asked because the Suburbans have much more metal towards the back than my pickup does and I didn't know if there was any excessive interference. I guess I'll have to guinea pig it.

Also, speaking from experience, the roof mount is not worth the hassle in my opinion. A friend of mine had an old Ford with the antenna **********-dab right in the middle of the roof of the cab. It was fantastic for range and clarity, but we had to stop and unscrew the thing every time we went under a low bridge, drive-thru, and any road with low-hanging branches. We were parked on the side of the road a lot.
 

Little Red

Adventurer
Went to the shop the other day to find out for sure what the problem was.
It turned out to be the O2 sensor, (it was stuck open and running very rich) I replaced it and everything seems to work fine again.
I still want to do a diesel engine swap at some point but I will have to hold off on that for now.

how did you seal the rack mounts? just throw on some silicone? rubber gasket?

I used a sheet of gasket material that you can cut to your own specifications, (bought it at Napa).
I cut it to fit underneat the mounts and also used silicone on the inside.
So far it has hold up well and no leaks.
 

happypunch

New member
Fantastic looking truck! I would love to get a roof basket like that. How long/wide is that rack? i've read through this thread a couple times, but couldnt find a reference to the actual dimensions. Thanks!!!
 

dieselfuel

Adventurer
Man I really love this truck. So clean and stout looking. Ever thought of lifting it? Actually makes me wish mine wasn't so tall. I'd like to drop it back down to 4" total, sitting at 7" right now. Seems to be more user friendly at stock to 4".
 

LIVEanimals

Observer
I dont know if this was talked about earlier in your build, is the dual battery setup factory? Do you have any pictures of the setup?
 

Cotton

New member
Do the 33s rub at all since the suburban isn't lifted? I have an 89 as well and am debating 31 vs 33, but am worried the 33s might rub.
 

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