I had a pin break on me once. I just ran the u bolts down to "tight" and didn't actually torque them. Live and learn.

I’ve wanted to swap a Cummings into one of the suburbans so bad. I’ve been looking for one for sale. Love the truck

Adventure isn’t about the destination, it’s about the journey!

Great trip, with a fair amount of carnage throughout to keep things interesting. Can't wait for the next adventure!

Absolutely loving your big battle wagon! Those Milwaukee pack out boxes fit perfect and keep everything organized. Keep the adventures coming!

@MerricksGarage

2 жыл бұрын

They have changed the way I pack and store gear

I hear you on the... that's my kind of wheeling. Because that is my kind of wheeling in 01 suburban.

Here's the torque spec for your U-bolts btw. Size Material Grade Max. Torque Ft. Lbs. Plated 1/2 - 20 5 52 9/16 - 18 5 75 5/8 - 18 8 132 3/4 - 16 8 234 I believe you are using 3/4 U-bolts just by looking at them (I could be wrong); and if you are, they need to be ridiculously tight-- at least 150 ft lbs. But either way, you have to go crazy when tightening U-bolts. They need to be stretched and formed around the shape of the axle tightly. Again, that center pin is just there to hold them in the correct location while you tighten them down-- it's not intended to be any part of the structure. Tighten them puppies down. lol

I had a fire extinguisher explode on me on my way to the rubicon one time, totally feel you on you power tank. Keep the videos coming!

Making awesome memories man! Your suburban rocks, keep up the great content! 💪🏼💯

@MerricksGarage

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks man!

I had some strange intermittent gauges flickering and radio turning off and on again. Sometimes it was when I hit a bump. Other times it was when I hit a deep puddle on the passenger side. Spent a long time trying to figure it out. It was the ground wire to the frame, the bolt was stripped and wasn't tight even though it looked tight. "It's almost always a ground people."

Awesome video!! Every time I watch one of your videos on your suburban it makes me want to fix our 72 suburban. I used to do light four wheel drive runs with my 69 Chevy 3/4 ton. One year I broke a u joint on the front drive shaft and had to take the "easy " way back to camp. I got through the ruts and mud easily the 3 jeeps (2 were stock) had trouble. Some day I will get back and do a little wheeling again. I'm 54 and I retired on July 1st 2020 after 31 years in the creamery. But we also have a small business raising cattle so it's a little hard to to have time and money for fixing toys and to get away. Anyway, I watch a KZread channel Wonderhussy. She travels around death valley and elsewhere in a Toyota 4 Runner. I really wish she could meet someone with your wheeling skills to teach her. That way she can better estimate and negotiate the terrain so she doesn't get stranded alone.

@MerricksGarage

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the kind words man. Glad you are digging it. Sounds like it’s time for you to get back to wheeling!

Killer Burb. Really enjoy all your videos. Give me options for my 84 Blazer. Keep the videos coming. As of your co2 tank it was a Burst Disk that blew. The tank was overfilled. And pressure built up in tank.

@MerricksGarage

2 жыл бұрын

yea I got to the bottom of it with PowerTank and they just sent me out a new pressure valve. 84 was a good year for the Blazers. Is yours a diesel?

Barn door suburban on a Death Valley trip? Been wanting to do this for 20 years. Want to start a build 2024

Wow, Murphy’s law at it’s finest. Great recovery….that’s a weird thing I never would have thought about breaking. Definitely going to keep an eye on my pins! Maybe keeping some long grade 8 bolts would be a multipurpose fix for this or another problem.

I had a spare nitrous tank on my passenger front floor board overheat and blow the safety.....I feel your heart pounding sir!

Freaking AWESOME!

@MerricksGarage

2 жыл бұрын

This was a fun one

Excellent video!!!

Mengel pass shorted out my truck last time i was there, then i rescued 2 people at the geologist cabin after that. Maybe the trail is cursed?! I would still go back tho. Love the burb!

Another sweet video

For anyone that may read this. U bolts do stretch quite a bit when they are brand new. I’d check them about once a week for the first few months. You don’t need to put mega torque on them but you do need to re torque them occasionally

Sounds like you may need to check into an on board welder. Great video. The Cummins is a beast but it's heavy and rough on suspension components up front. Love the videos keep it up.

@MerricksGarage

2 жыл бұрын

Yea I need to source something. I’ve known for a while it would be a useful tool but super glad my buddy had one this past trip!

@4151cooter

2 жыл бұрын

Premier power welders might be an awesome buy for the Burn.

Wheeling in 2wd can certainly add some stress to your front centering pins a bit don't you think? Your front tires aren't pulling themselves over obstacles they are just being forced over by the rear axle.

@MerricksGarage

2 жыл бұрын

there wasn't much rock crawling. At least not enough where I think that could have affected it. They were just loose because I am an idiot!

@DaddyJeepGarage

2 жыл бұрын

@@MerricksGarage I'm pretty sure I've broken some things due to that same reason.

Adventure, Comradery, Overcoming, males for a better story. ✌️🇺🇸

Glad yer OK!

@MerricksGarage

2 жыл бұрын

yea, adventure isn't adventure without a little drama!

Merrick nice Suburban I’m a new follower looks like you do really good work, like the way you encourage people to get out there and work on there vehicles. I have a 68 C10 long bed I’m trying to locate a lift kit or ideas on how to lift this truck, I think I have the rear figured out I just need some ideas on the front. Trying to fit 285 tires on it so it might be a four or a 6 inch lift. I guess nowadays you would call it a pre-runner. Please help me out, I need some guidance

That's funny, I know Brian.

@MerricksGarage

2 жыл бұрын

You mean….Turd Ferguson

A little too heavy there…😂

@MerricksGarage

2 жыл бұрын

just a little!

Kind of a crappy way to spend a few hours but nice to have help

@MerricksGarage

2 жыл бұрын

Kinda but also what makes these trips memorable.

Ok ill take a break from the EMC and let’s see whatcha got James

The problem is that you're only torquing down your U-bolts with a little electric ratchet. You need to hammer on those U-bolts with a heavy impact or torque them with a long handle torque wrench. You have to get them torqued to spec so that it will pre-stretch those U-bolts so that they won't shift. Just judging by how tight I just saw you get them on camera-- that's NOT enough. That center pin is only really there to locate everything during assembly; It should never have any "shear" force applied to it-- and if it does, that's because your U-bolts are nowhere near tight enough... After you drive over a heavy rock trail for 30 mins, ect.. You should stop and re-tighten your U-bolts and I bet you would be shocked at just how loose they are again, and shifting around. On major failure points like this --- it's better to take the time and torque them correctly. This is an issue that should have never happened. just saying. Edit: -- I guess I'm not telling you anything that you didn't already know. lol -- now that I've seen the end of the video. Next time, just take your grinder in there and cut off all those extra long U-bolts, and snug them down.

@MerricksGarage

2 жыл бұрын

Yea watch the entire video. Ha ha

Maybe your power tank didn’t like the 9,000 foot elevation to -200 elevation change in Death Valley

@MerricksGarage

2 жыл бұрын

Nah it happened going from Lancaster to Mojave

Question. Those shackle points that are welded to the bumper. Didn’t see them on an earlier video. Did you fab them or can you buy them? 1:36

@dixiemae5042

Жыл бұрын

Never mind. Found online to buy 🤦🏻‍♂️

Nice adventure, thanks for your efforts. One question about your rear axle, is it not a bit to far back, means not centered in the wheelwell?

@j.j.clingman4083

2 жыл бұрын

Eduard G it’s a lifted suburban!! Most trucks when lifted the new spring centers are not corrected causing the tire to be out of center!! You can fix it with a 1” thick offset block!! You can then bolt the block to the leaf spring pack in several different ways!! A 1” off set or a 1”1/2” off set!!! I’m sure they make other ones besides those two different off sets but those are the most common ones used!!! The higher you go the more it will throw it off of center!!! Most people don’t use them until over an 8” lift kit and then people Realize that the axel has shifted to close to body panels!!

@MerricksGarage

2 жыл бұрын

I also moved it backwards on purpose but will most likely switch it back to get it more centered.

👍

I wonder if a pan hard bar would help stiffen it up a bit since the burb is such tank

@MerricksGarage

2 жыл бұрын

No a panhard would either tear the frame or dramatically limit travel or both. A sway bar might be in the cards. Can’t run a panhard on leaf springs

@LScout800

2 жыл бұрын

@@MerricksGarage obs f-350s have panhards with leaf springs YJs have them to I think. They really help to stabilize the frontend on the road, not good for trails they limit travel a lot.

You need to address the spare tire mount. Either off the back or on the roof. Sure its heavy but a winch would solve that with a slide. I have 35s on mine, maybe 38s are just a tad much. Bet those pins wernt torqued right. No it was a breakdown and you buggered that fender too. Maybe some glass fenders to give you room?

@MerricksGarage

2 жыл бұрын

What spare tire mount? It’s on the bed inside ha ha

@johnjr3870

2 жыл бұрын

@@MerricksGarage Thats not a mount, its "storage"

Why is your rear axle so far back?

Two center pins? Sounds like a off road design quality issue. For the price of their springs, this should not be an issue

@MerricksGarage

7 ай бұрын

This was my issue for not having my u bolts tight enough.

Just looking at the stance I was thinking....... spacers to increase width for stability. Maybe only 3/4” or something. Thoughts??

@MerricksGarage

2 жыл бұрын

Not a terrible idea. These have about 2” less backspacing than my blazer

@calholli

2 жыл бұрын

You could gain that with some different rims, that have a different offset.

Adventure happens when you don't torque your bolts! :-)

@MerricksGarage

2 жыл бұрын

Yea. Adventure comes in many different flavors!

@swissarmychainsawadams9541

2 жыл бұрын

@@MerricksGarage We've all been there! Thanks for making so many great vids James!

Sounds like the burst disc went

@MerricksGarage

2 жыл бұрын

Burst disc?

@frankthedank7578

2 жыл бұрын

@@MerricksGarage yes on the valve there should be what looks like a plug. It's a over pressure regulator.

Wheres your high lift jack my man? Gotta have an extra somethin to make sure that beast doesn't squash ya. Nice job tho 👌

@calholli

2 жыл бұрын

Not sure if they can lift that heavy diesel engine. I have a 7.3L F350-- Diesels are so stupid heavy. lol.. They are not very ideal for rock crawling; and especially not good in mud or sand; they just sink to the bottom. Heavy, Heavy, Heavy.. I can't stress it enough.

@mikerasmussen7993

2 жыл бұрын

I always throw the tire under there were the frame is for a little extra safety 🙂

Merric do you no the cause of why the center pins on the leaf springs broke?? I would say that they most likely didn’t get re-torque so the leaf springs was able to move forward and backwards causing some wear and then break them!! I always tighten the u-bolts up as tight as I can get them!! I’ve never had an issue of any breaking on me!! I was just wondering???

@MerricksGarage

2 жыл бұрын

Yea I addressed it at the end of the video

@j.j.clingman4083

2 жыл бұрын

@@MerricksGarage I guess I need to start watching the videos fully all the way to the end before commenting!! But at least I was Wright!!! I’ve seen it happen before on other rigs!! Just tighten them as much as you can is what I do!! And the other important thing is to not use the nuts that have a plastic lock in the end of the nuts on the U-bolts!!! I will always and have always have a local axel shop bend them to the length I need and they will provide me with the washers that are supposed to be used with the U-bolts and the Wright taller lock nuts!! They are usually not reusable if tighten properly the first time!! And if I ever do need to change them out for some reason I will try to get them off and will usually only be able to save one U-bolt and nuts and sometimes maybe two!! So it might save a little bit of money but in the long run it’s definitely not safe to reuse U-bolts that have already been used!! If you no for some reason you might need to take the U-bolts back off day for like after mock up or something just save the taller lock nuts and then use the nuts that have the plastic in the end of the nut!! They will come back off very easily and that also might help a person understand the difference in the two different nuts!!!

Them crappy off road design pins give Kurt a call

@calholli

2 жыл бұрын

It's just from not tightening down the U-bolts enough. The pins are just locators. They are not there to be a structural part. haha

@liftedburblife

2 жыл бұрын

@@calholli if you really believe that you can .but I also had just a pin of there's snap from just being grade A garbage

@calholli

2 жыл бұрын

@@liftedburblife You could just as easily run them without the pin if you tighten them down hard enough. The only way the pin can shear is because you have your U-bolts so loose that they are allowing it to shift and move. You're supposed to tighten those U-bolts SOOO tight that it stretches them, and you're actually not supposed to use them again after they've been removed. They are not bent into a perfect shape, you have to stretch them to form around your axle. For example, those 3/4 Grade 8 U-bolts that he is using, have a torque spec of 234 ft lbs... and you're supposed to retighten them fairly soon after driving on them, when you first install or re-install them-- because they stretch even more and settle into position, so you have to re-snug them back down to the pre-stretch spec. It's very similar to Head bolts. They are supposed to be so over-tightened that they pre-stretch and act as a spring-- constantly pulling tension so that the two parts basically become one piece--- just like a head bolted to the block. You don't want it to have ANY GIVE at all, or any movement. In this very video, you can see him tighten them with a dinky little electric ratchet and he doesn't even give it a few more turns by hand-- It's embarrassingly loose. lol..

@calholli

2 жыл бұрын

For example, if you've ever seen guys cut rusty U-bolts off of old axles because they can't get them to un-bolt/ so they cut them with a torch. You'll see them EXPLODE when they separate; and that's because they are under so much tension from being over tightened, that it reacts like cutting a large coil spring with tension on it. There's like an entire science to U-bolts. lol.. You can't just snug them down and walk away.

@liftedburblife

2 жыл бұрын

What your explaining don't change that fact that the leafs should not fall apart being new . The only thing great about the leafs are the price you pay for them .I seen cheaper leafs last longer with loose u bolts .I have made my own custom fronts using there pin and zero rate and had the same crap happened. U bolts plates were tight .I fixed it with a Allen bolt that's the same grade metal and it never happened again .I also had others say the same exact thing about there leafs . And some other parts .if your going to pay out your ass for leafs that are supposed to be by name great parts .then fall apart first Wheeling trip video says it all it shows him lossen the driver side u bolt so how loose could it actually been . I have some of there older parts that are still good .2 different sizes of flip kits and shackles and bolts 2 pairs of zero rates that all the pins were garbage that came with them some completely the wrong size and never worked .

That complete rear suspension I can tell isn't as good as a shackle flip.your axle needs to be move forward a bit we'll both do

@MerricksGarage

2 жыл бұрын

Kinda seems like you have a bone to pick with ORD…. Just sayin 🤷🏼‍♂️

@liftedburblife

2 жыл бұрын

@@MerricksGarage agreed .

@liftedburblife

2 жыл бұрын

@@MerricksGarage some of there parts are good I'm still using them .I just will never order from them never again . I had better luck from diy4x if there's a issues Kurt calls me when building my parts so they fit . he just did that to confirm my hydro assistance set up measurements. Almost the same set up as your blazer when it had leafs.

I have to ask, why the chains?

@MerricksGarage

2 жыл бұрын

Those are the safety chains for my trailer. The shackles are locked pretty tight so I just leave the chains on

I skimmed the comments not too indepth but your power tank that exploded what was your elevation when it did increase in elevation increases pressure and it probably has some rupture disk but then again I don't only know a little

@tuckermartin9466

2 жыл бұрын

I should delete this after watching more but oh well 😅😅😅

@MerricksGarage

2 жыл бұрын

ha ha

So thats a. No on the free 4x4 surberbon

@MerricksGarage

2 жыл бұрын

Sorry man. Buried with work and shop!

How come only 28.2k Subscribers?

@jayq7463

2 жыл бұрын

Should be at at least 300k at this time.

@jayq7463

2 жыл бұрын

Time to do a sema build. Rockwell axles, all wheel steer, Hd, in a 73-75 convert Blazer. Everything nicely gun painted even body no wrap. Do it for the shop and channel then sell.

@MerricksGarage

2 жыл бұрын

I like the way you think. The subs will come.

Very little off roading in this video and a whole lot of fixing. Guess old trucks with swaps are pretty useless lol

@MerricksGarage

Жыл бұрын

Completely useless. Kinda like this post

@nicetomeetme5150

Жыл бұрын

@MerricksGarage 🤣 really though