The Story Of A Cummins Suburban (Lots Of Pics)

[Average Joe]

Cactus gettin the heck out. Lol
Cool history on the cable for the old bridge. People were tougher and more resilient back then. I think with each generation people get softer. I digg hearing stories like this.
Thanks again for the pix and text and good luck with your ride(s).

[lower50's]

Thanks for the story and picks, I too love the old original stuff. Could ATV's fit across the new bridge? Maybe that's why it was rebuilt.

[mosesburb]

Originally Posted by Average Joe

Cactus gettin the heck out. Lol
Cool history on the cable for the old bridge. People were tougher and more resilient back then. I think with each generation people get softer. I digg hearing stories like this.
Thanks again for the pix and text and good luck with your ride(s).

Thanks on all counts!! Yeah, I'd agree with that assessment of generational softness. Obviously not in all cases, but as a whole, I believe it is quite accurate.

Originally Posted by lower50's

Thanks for the story and picks, I too love the old original stuff. Could ATV's fit across the new bridge? Maybe that's why it was rebuilt.

An ATV might fit on the bridge itself, but there are pilings blocking access to the entrance of the bridges for anything wider than a narrow animal or something on two wheels.

[justcuz]

Nice little trip, photos and narrative.
I take it neither you or Lance made it up to the expo this year.
I thought you did KDP metal tab and bolt retainer, I am sure you looked at it prior to your engine installation, pretty sure you included a picture of the pin in the build thread.

Soon your going to have to start teaching your son to drive the Suburban and all the finer points of off roading.

[1985-GMC]

Nice pictures as always! That cactus is awesome haha

[tune_1]

Enjoyed the story about the use of your Suburban and the interesting things and history that you find. Keep it up.

Dwight

[mosesburb]

Originally Posted by justcuz

Nice little trip, photos and narrative.
I take it neither you or Lance made it up to the expo this year.
I thought you did KDP metal tab and bolt retainer, I am sure you looked at it prior to your engine installation, pretty sure you included a picture of the pin in the build thread.

Soon your going to have to start teaching your son to drive the Suburban and all the finer points of off roading.

The boy has driven a fair bit on my lap over the years. he is getting tall enough to actually try it for himself soon. I made it to Overland Expo this year. I had not done anything with the KDP for two reasons. One was that in my early reading, information stated it was a problem on '94-'05 engines. Mine isn't one of those. The other (and the one that unfortunately held the most weight )was a guy at the local Cummins dealer who came highly recommended had given me a wrong timing cover gasket years ago and he claimed that all of those motors used that gasket. He ran my engine serial number and said that the engine had an upfit done on it and the gear case had been changed. That meant that it had the updated gear housing with the shouldered hole and the KDP could not fall out. Done and done. Well, that whole story was bull****. The gear case is stock and the story he fed me was to cover his ass for giving me a gasket for a P pump instead of a VE pump motor. Unfortunately at that time (13+ years ago), I didn't know about the KDP and just changed the gasket and crank seal without addressing the KDP. Never went back into it because I thought it had the shouldered hole.

Originally Posted by 1985-GMC

Nice pictures as always! That cactus is awesome haha

Thanks!! Yeah, made me laugh.

Originally Posted by tune_1

Enjoyed the story about the use of your Suburban and the interesting things and history that you find. Keep it up.

Dwight

Thanks!! Glad you enjoyed it!!

[justcuz]

So the new cover has the shouldered hole to keep the dowel pin in place?

How was the Expo?
I see Rob Bonney took the Scout Traveler project up there, I bet it looked great in person.

Sorry to hear about Lances rocker arm stud, I think old blue likes living it your house. It gets more love there!

[Dieselwrencher]

Originally Posted by justcuz

So the new cover has the shouldered hole to keep the dowel pin in place?

As far as I know, there are no oem gear housings for a 12v that have the enclosed dowel pin hole. Just the late VP 24v's. The "newest" design I've seen on the 12v gear housing offers a raised area on one side of the dowel pin but no actual coverage. In all the design they put into these, this was sure over looked.

[Dieselwrencher]

It sounds like you have my kind of luck with vehicles. That bridge cabling is very interesting. Thanks for sharing those pics. Do you have any other big trips planned for this year?

[mosesburb]

Originally Posted by justcuz

So the new cover has the shouldered hole to keep the dowel pin in place?

How was the Expo?
I see Rob Bonney took the Scout Traveler project up there, I bet it looked great in person.

Sorry to hear about Lances rocker arm stud, I think old blue likes living it your house. It gets more love there!

Yeah, I think the registration gets sent to my address now....

Expo was windy as hell.

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

As far as I know, there are no oem gear housings for a 12v that have the enclosed dowel pin hole. Just the late VP 24v's. The "newest" design I've seen on the 12v gear housing offers a raised area on one side of the dowel pin but no actual coverage. In all the design they put into these, this was sure over looked.

You're statement makes me wonder what I actually saw. I could have sworn I saw a slight shoulder at the end of the hole. I measured both sides and the front was .010(??) smaller than the back. I do have a tendency to believe you though....

I did apply sleeve retainer to the new pin and staked the hole in the gear housing anyway, so hopefully I never hear from it again.

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

It sounds like you have my kind of luck with vehicles. That bridge cabling is very interesting. Thanks for sharing those pics. Do you have any other big trips planned for this year?

Yeah, we do have something coming up. Looks like northern cal this time. My wife has been wanting to go there for some time, but it is not a close destination, so in years past, we chose closer destinations due to my available time. I haven't had time to post anything from our crazy trip last year. I need more free time....

[hgs_notes]

The thread aint dead!

But usually there is more. Much more. This is like a teaser. Mosesburb-lite

Less filling!

Tastes great!

[justcuz]

Bad things happen when you come to California!
Depending on where you go, if you need any info for some little side trips, let me know.
I'm actually in Southern California but I've pretty much seen most of the state.

[ryanroo]

That cactus pic made my lunch break.

[mosesburb]

Originally Posted by justcuz

Bad things happen when you come to California!
Depending on where you go, if you need any info for some little side trips, let me know.
I'm actually in Southern California but I've pretty much seen most of the state.

So it looks like the destination this summer is Northern California. Looking for suggestions/recommendations of things to see and or not see. I am thinking we will come into Yosemite from 395 and back out that way to avoid traffic in the valley, then Bodie, Tahoe, over to the coast/redwoods. Maybe back through Lassen NP and possibly through some of Nevada.

Anyone who has followed along in my build thread knows we run with little to no plans and what little plans we do have often get changed/abandoned as well. We have never been in this area before so any suggestions/recommendations of things/trails/people/areas to see and or avoid would be appreciated.

[spacedebris]

well, while your in Yosemite, exit the south entrance on HWY 41 and go a couple miles south to Sugar Pine. There is a small rail road called the "Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad" that you can ride through a grove of Giant Sequoia. It is a great place to take the family and have a picnic in the giant trees.

And if your there and need a place to stay overnight, the summerdale campground near the entrance to Yosemite is my favorite campground. Not much there but a creek but it is quiet and cheap compared to the parks camp grounds.

[spacedebris]

Also, If your interested in history and gold, you may want to consider driving HWY 49. Start in Oakhurst and you can take Hwy 49 all the way up into N. Cal to just north of Reno. Great drive, lots of history in many of the old gold camps and towns that started during the gold rush. Pretty country. Traffic is not usually too bad and there are a lot of sightseeing locals throughout.

[Dieselwrencher]

I'd like to see a pic of the burb in a red wood tree tunnel.

[mosesburb]

Originally Posted by spacedebris

well, while your in Yosemite, exit the south entrance on HWY 41 and go a couple miles south to Sugar Pine. There is a small rail road called the "Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad" that you can ride through a grove of Giant Sequoia. It is a great place to take the family and have a picnic in the giant trees.

And if your there and need a place to stay overnight, the summerdale campground near the entrance to Yosemite is my favorite campground. Not much there but a creek but it is quiet and cheap compared to the parks camp grounds.

Originally Posted by spacedebris

Also, If your interested in history and gold, you may want to consider driving HWY 49. Start in Oakhurst and you can take Hwy 49 all the way up into N. Cal to just north of Reno. Great drive, lots of history in many of the old gold camps and towns that started during the gold rush. Pretty country. Traffic is not usually too bad and there are a lot of sightseeing locals throughout.

Great info!! I'm not sure which direction we are going to be traveling in that area, but I really like the sound of that HWY49. If I can adjust some details, that sounds like a really neat drive.

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

I'd like to see a pic of the burb in a red wood tree tunnel.

I have ten bucks that says the hole in the tree was not cut with Suburban clearance....

[Dieselwrencher]

Originally Posted by mosesburb

I have ten bucks that says the hole in the tree was not cut with Suburban clearance....

Ok, maybe you'll have to nose up to the hole. Just don't hit the sides.

[justcuz]

Maybe a drive up,Whitney Portal Rd. Copper Top Barbeque in Big Pines, then up to the Bristlecone Pine Forest visitor center and drive around and out the road that drops you in to Bishop. Mammoth, June Lake Loop, Twin Lakes out of Bridgeport, after Bodie. Tioga Pass into Yosemite, then catch 49. There is a State Park on 49 that has a little town with a blacksmith shop and a mill under construction along the river. I can look it up if you need the name. I will think of more.

[Average Joe]

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

I'd like to see a pic of the burb in a red wood tree tunnel.

Mine fit, but its not a lifted 4wd lol.

lots of great stuff to see in Nor CA and So. OR. Cant go wrong with hwy 395 and Yosemite through Tioga Pass. Lassen NP is also well worth it. Virginia City is a cool old west tourist trap. its just outside of Carson City NV. Heck if you come up to Lassen might as well shoot over to hwy 299 and run out to Eureka and up the coast to Redwood NP. Stop at the drive thru tree in Klamath CA and camp at Mill Creek CG just north of there. The land where the cg is, was logged over a hundred years ago and still has the GIANT stumps too prove it.

Then head east on hwy 199 or take the back roads through Agness and end up in Grants Pass. If you take 199 stop in Cave Junction and see Oregon Caves NM. From here head to the House of Mystery in Gold Hill for another great tourist trap. And heck if you have come this far, might as well stop at Average Joe's house in Central Point. I hear he's a great guy who loves to bbq

After leaving the Rogue Valley, head to Crater Lake NP to see the deepest lake in the US, or head east to Tulelake CA and see the Lava Beds. Home to the site of the last Indian war IIRC. lots of cool caves too.

I could go on forever, but you get the point. Too much cool stuff to see and not enough time.

[justcuz]

Sutters Mill, Coloma and the Marshall Gold State Park.

[mosesburb]

Originally Posted by spacedebris

well, while your in Yosemite, exit the south entrance on HWY 41 and go a couple miles south to Sugar Pine. There is a small rail road called the "Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad" that you can ride through a grove of Giant Sequoia. It is a great place to take the family and have a picnic in the giant trees.

And if your there and need a place to stay overnight, the summerdale campground near the entrance to Yosemite is my favorite campground. Not much there but a creek but it is quiet and cheap compared to the parks camp grounds.

I really wanted to do this, but our plans changed from coming up through the valley to coming over the hill from Lee Vining and heading out through Groveland.

Originally Posted by spacedebris

Also, If your interested in history and gold, you may want to consider driving HWY 49. Start in Oakhurst and you can take Hwy 49 all the way up into N. Cal to just north of Reno. Great drive, lots of history in many of the old gold camps and towns that started during the gold rush. Pretty country. Traffic is not usually too bad and there are a lot of sightseeing locals throughout.

We did this. Much more scenic than the interstate.

Originally Posted by Average Joe

Mine fit, but its not a lifted 4wd lol.

Mine is and it didn't...lol

Originally Posted by Average Joe

Too much cool stuff to see and not enough time.

I wholeheartedly agree.

We ended up getting home yesterday. It was a great trip and I wanted to thank everyone for their input and suggestions. We followed some and I unfortunately forgot some others. A quick, non-detailed, non-photographic rundown would be something like this:
Henderson/Vegas, Mammoth, Bodie, Yosemite, Sonora, Hwy 49, Placerville, Williams, Clearlake Oaks, Fortuna, Avenue of the Giants, Klamath, Crescent City, Grants Pass, Crater Lake, Klamath Falls, Weed, Redding, Lassen NP, Reno, Virginia City, Tonopah, Henderson, Hoover Dam, Home. Now, not every point mentioned was necessarily a stopping point (most were to some extent), but more to give an idea of a route taken because there are so many ways to get from one point to another up there and plans changed on the fly several(!!) times. My plans were hobbled a bit by the fact that the rest of my family had just gotten back from an airplane vacation a few days before we left on this one, so I knew from past experience that we had better jam in as much as we can and keep the travel times reasonable or road fatigue would set in and the word "home" would start popping up during normal conversation. I staved that off longer than I thought, but eventually it was pretty obvious that we had better point the truck toward home. But even at that, we still stopped at Hoover Dam and took one of the tours on our last day, so it wasn't bad at all.

The only truck casualty was a lost hubcap somewhere between Oasis and Dyer, so if you find a 12" Chevy hubcap out there, keep it as a souvenir of the big orange Suburban. The only other issue was a rental motorhome that smashed the driver side mirror when passing by. No damage to the mirror, but I did have to readjust it.

So once I get everything together and settled back in, I will update my thread with pictures and stories. It won't be right away as my wife's truck decided to barf a compressor today, so I have to do another SD7H15 retrofit and get that thing back on the road. Ugh, welcome back....

[Average Joe]

Sounds like a great trip! Thats a lot to take in. Im glad to hear the Burb ran so well.