Last month we introduced our '71 Chevy Suburban and equipped it with some stout axles and lockers, along with a set of 4.88 gears. For this issue's installment of Project SuperBurb, we decided it was time to revamp the Sub's tired old suspension. Dreams of lots of lift and tires big enough to run over import cars filled our heads--but then we remembered that our Burb had to serve double-duty. Actually, it has to do more than double-duty, as the idea is to build one vehicle that could serve as an awesome tow rig, a comfortable daily driver and a capable trail rig.
For those reasons we decided to dial back the lift and tire size, since towing with 40-inch mudders didn't sound like a good idea. Plus we wanted a tire size that was somewhat easy to replace. Huge tires aren't easy to find in remote areas, which is where we tend to need them.
With all that in mind, we decided on a conservative 6-inch lift and 35-inch tires. For the 6-inch suspension system we turned to Superlift. Until very recently, all that was available from Superlift for the '67-'72 Chevy crowd was the company's heavy-duty front springs. But we felt that those would be a bit stiff for our purposes.
We were in luck, as the folks at Superlift informed us that the company's softer Superide springs were going to be available for the '67-'72 Chevys. Even better, we could get the first set. So after our new suspension arrived we busted out the tools, cleared out the driveway and went about slapping the lift on the Sub. What follows are the details and results of our toil.
So what's in store for the next installment? How does 340 hp, 450 lb-ft of torque and an overdrive sound?
The first step was to remove...
The first step was to remove the stock front springs and shocks, and disconnect the brake lines. With the old suspension stripped out, it was time to install the new stuff.
Here's a comparison of our...
Here's a comparison of our tired stock springs versus the Superlift springs. The ride of the stock springs was just too soft, making the Burb a handful. The new springs should provide a nice ride while offering more solid handling.
Our Burb had a couple of goofy...
Our Burb had a couple of goofy items on the front suspension. One of them was this bracket, found on the front driver-side spring mount. It kept the spring from fully drooping out. After a bit of grinding it disappeared.
Another strange piece was...
Another strange piece was this bracket, which prevented movement of the shackle. It too was removed.
With the stock front suspension...
With the stock front suspension gone, the new front springs can be installed.
Steering corrections should...
Steering corrections should be made when using a 6-inch kit. This new steering arm is one of the ways to accomplish that. It is 4 inches taller than the stock piece to help correct for the amount of lift.
The next steering piece to...
The next steering piece to be put on is this 2-inch-dropped adjustable drag link. The drop of the drag link and the rise of the steering arm work together to eliminate any steering woes.
With the steering in place,...
With the steering in place, the next items to go on the front were the shocks.
An often-overlooked item when...
An often-overlooked item when installing a lift is the brake lines. With more lift and flex, chances are that longer brake lines will be needed. Superlift offers a nice optional set, which we'll put to use.
In the rear, we decided to...
In the rear, we decided to go with a full spring. Our old springs were tired, and we wanted to keep axle wrap at a minimum. After the new springs were installed, the new shocks and extended brake lines were put into place.
With our newly found altitude,...
With our newly found altitude, our rear driveshaft worked without any problems, but our front shaft was too short. The exhaust system built by the previous owner was also in the way. We put fixes on hold for now, as both problems will be solved when we put our new drivetrain in.