Suburban Survival: Body Mods

(IAN)>> RIGHT NOW I'M DRIVING A 2016 GMC DENALI PICK UP TRUCK, AND THIS IS A BRAND NEW TRUCK.

IT'S ACTUALLY QUITE NICE INSIDE.

NOW YOU DON'T REALLY SEE A LOT OF BRAND NEW TRUCKS IN XTREME BUT SO FAR WE HAVE TACKLED TWO DIFFERENT VEHICLES. WE BUILT A FORD SUPER DUTY AND BEFORE THAT WE BUILT A DODGE RAM. SO THIS YEAR I WANTED TO TAKE A STAB AT AN INDEPENDENT FRONT SUSPENSION TRUCK. SEE FORD AND RAM, THEY STUCK WITH THE SOLID AXLE FRONT IN THEIR HEAVY DUTY DIESEL PICK UP TRUCKS, WHERE GM, THEY STAYED COMMITTED TO THE INDEPENDENT FRONT SUSPENSION EVER SINCE THEY CHANGED THE BODY STYLE OF THESE TRUCKS BACK IN 1988. NOW LIFTING ONE OF THESE TRUCKS AND MAKING IT LOOK MORE AGGRESSIVE IS A LITTLE TRICKIER BECAUSE OF THAT IFS FRONT.

IT CAN BE DONE AND I THINK THE KEY IS TO FOCUS NOT SO MUCH ON THE OVERALL LIFT BUT OF THE ACTUAL PERFORMANCE OF THE SUSPENSION. THE STYLING OF THIS TRUCK, I GUESS THE BEST WAY TO DESCRIBE IT WOULD BE FANCY. IT'S A FANCY TRUCK. I MEAN THERE'S A LOT OF CHROME ON IT, CONTRAST, STITCHED LEATHER. IT'S ALMOST SO NICE IN HERE THAT I'M AFRAID TO TOUCH 90 PERCENT OF WHAT'S INSIDE THIS TRUCK. IT'S A GOOD LOOKING TRUCK BUT I WANT IT TO BE A MEAN LOOKING TRUCK. IF A TRUCK IS A CUP OF COFFEE, THIS TRUCK IS A

MOCHA FRAPPUCCINO HALF CAFE DOUBLE

WHIP WITH A STRAW. THAT'S WHAT THIS TRUCK IS, BUT I'M GONNA FIX THAT, TRUST ME.

THIS PARTICULAR TRUCK USES A TORSION BAR TYPE FRONT SUSPENSION. NOW THAT MEANS THAT THERE IS A HARDENED STEEL BAR KEYED INTO THE LOWER CONTROL ARM. TRAVELS BACK ALONG THE FRAME WHERE

IT IS ALSO CAPTURED. NOW AS THE TIRE AND WHEEL MOVE UP AND DOWN THAT BAR TWISTS AND UNTWISTS. THAT'S BASICALLY THE SPRING IN THIS FRONT SUSPENSION. NOW THERE'S A LOT OF BENEFITS TO AN INDEPENDENT FRONT SUSPENSION. THEY RIDE A LOT NICER BECAUSE THE TIRE IS MOVING INDEPENDENT OF THE TIRE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE TRUCK, HENCE THE NAME. THE DOWNFALL IS THAT YOU CAN NEVER BUILD AN IFS SYSTEM AS STRONG AS TRUE SOLID AXLE. YOU CAN MAKE THEM PERFORM BETTER BECAUSE OF THE DESIGN, AND THE KEY TO THAT PERFORMANCE IS TO FIRST ELIMINATE THAT TORSION BAR.

TEAR DOWN IS VERY STRAIGHT FORWARD. YOU WILL NEED ONE SPECIAL TOOL FOR THE JOB, A TORSION KEY ADJUSTMENT TOOL.

THIS IS THE SAFEST WAY TO UNLOAD THE TORSION BAR ON THESE IFS TRUCKS. BALL JOINTS ARE THEN SEPARATED, AND THE OUTER KNUCKLE IS REMOVED. BE CAREFUL, IT'S HEAVY. [ drill spinning ] [ hammer tapping ]

(IAN)>> THEN THE AARMS AND THE TORSION BAR ARE

REMOVED FROM THIS TRUCK FOR GOOD. WE'RE NOT REALLY INSTALLING WHAT YOU WOULD

CONSIDER A SUSPENSION LIFT ON THIS TRUCK, EVEN THOUGH WE WILL GET AN ADDITIONAL TWO TO THE THREE INCHES OF HEIGHT WITH THIS KIT. WE'RE ACTUALLY INSTALLING WHAT I WOULD CALL A COMPLETE NEW SUSPENSION SYSTEM. THIS IS THE BDS SUSPENSION COIL OVER CONVERSION KIT FOR THE CHEVY AND GMC HD SERIES TRUCKS. NO LONGER TO WE HAVE A TORSION BAR. WE NOW HAVE THIS FOX RACING SHOCKS COIL OVER PACKAGE TO SUSPEND THE FRONT OF THE TRUCK. NOW THERE'S A LOT OF BENEFITS TO HAVING A COIL OVER ON YOUR RIG, AND WE TALK ABOUT THEM ALL THE TIME. THEY'RE FULLY TUNABLE, THE VALVING INSIDE AS WELL AS THE SPRING RATE, AND YOU CAN ADJUST THE HEIGHT WITH THE THREADED COLLAR. THIS PACKAGE COMES PRESET SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS

DIESEL TRUCK BUT YOU CAN FINE TUNE IT TO YOUR DRIVING STYLE LATER ON IF YOU WANT.

THE KIT COMES WITH AN ALL NEW FULLY BOXED LOWER CONTROL ARM AND A CHROMOLY TIG WELDED UPPER CONTROL ARM TO KEEP THE SUSPENSION GEOMETRY IN CHECK. NOW THIS ISN'T REALLY WHAT YOU'D CALL A LONG

TRAVEL SUSPENSION KIT. YOU'RE NOT GONNA SEE THE TIRES PUSHED WAY OUT FROM THE FENDERS LIKE YOU WOULD ON A PRERUNNER STYLE TRUCK. WE WILL GET 30 PERCENT MORE WHEEL TRAVEL BUT WE'RE NOT GONNA BE ADDING ANY ADDITIONAL TRACK WIDTH TO THE FRONT OF THE TRUCK. SO WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE TO MESS WITH THE FENDERS ON THE TRUCK EVEN THOUGH WE'RE GETTING THE BENEFITS

OF THAT COIL OVER SHOCK.

(ANNOUNCER)>> UP NEXT, HIGH PERFORMANCE BRAKES AND ADJUSTABLE SHOCKS FOR THE DELUXE DENALI.

(IAN)>> WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF CONVERTING THE FRONT END OF OUR GMC DENALI OVER TO A COIL OVER

SUSPENSION SYSTEM FROM BDS SUSPENSION.

TO COMPENSATE FOR THE LONGER WHEEL TRAVEL THIS SYSTEM PROVIDES THE DIFFERENTIAL NEEDS TO BE DROPPED SLIGHTLY BY INSTALLING SPACERS AND LONGER BOLTS. A BRACE FOR THE UPPER SHOCK MOUNT NEEDS TO BE WELDED ONTO THE FRAME.

[ welder crackling ]

(IAN)>> AN UPPER COIL OVER MOUNT BOLTS INTO THE FACTORY SHOCK MOUNT. [ air drill spinning ]

(IAN)>> THE COIL OVER IS THEN INSTALLED. AH, HA, HA! AND THE RESERVOIR BOLTED UP TO THE INCLUDED BRACKET.

THE NEW LOWER CONTROL ARM IS INSTALLED INTO THE FRAME USING THE FACTORY HARDWARE AND THE COIL OVER IS BOLTED INTO PLACE. THEN THE SWAY BAR END LINKS ARE DROPPED IN, FOLLOWED BY THE OUTER KNUCKLE.

ANOTHER BENEFIT TO THIS PARTICULAR COIL OVER THAT BDS SUSPENSION INCLUDES IN THE KIT IS THAT YOU'RE NOT ONLY LIMITED TO TUNING IT INTERNALLY. YOU CAN ACTUALLY TUNE THE SHOCK EXTERNALLY THANKS TO THE FOX SHOCKS DUAL SPEED COMPRESSION ADJUSTORS.

WITH THESE I CAN ADJUST BOTH THE HIGH AND LOW SPEED COMPRESSION OF THE SHOCK. THAT JUST GIVES YOU THE ABILITY TO FINE TUNE THE SUSPENSION WHILE YOU'RE OUT DRIVING THE TRUCK TO GET THE BEST PERFORMANCE ON AND OFF ROAD. NOW THEY DO OFFER ONE UPGRADE FOR THIS KIT AND THAT IS A SET OF THESE FOX IFP, OR INTERNAL FLOATING PISTON, AIR BUMPS. THESE WILL REPLACE THE REAR BUMP STOP ON THE TRUCK AND THEY JUST ALLOW THE CONTROL ARM TO SLOW DOWN A LITTLE BIT MORE GRADUALLY BEFORE THE BUMP

STOCK FULLY ENGAGES. THIS WILL REALLY HELP THIS TRUCK SHINE IF YOU PLAN TO DO SOME SERIOUS OFF ROADING. THAT'S NOT MY PLAN FOR THIS PARTICULAR TRUCK. SO I'M NOT GONNA PUT THEM IN. THERE IS ONE MORE PERFORMANCE UPGRADE THAT I DO NEED TO TAKE CARE OF UP FRONT. WHENEVER YOU UPGRADE TO LARGER WHEELS OR TIRES, OR PLAN TO HAUL HEAVY LOADS REGULARLY, UPGRADING THE BRAKES IS A GOOD IDEA. I'M USING THE POWERSTOP ONE CLICK Z-36 BRAKE KIT. THAT INCLUDES THE DRILLED AND SLOTTED ROTORS AND SEVERE DUTY PADS. THE ROTORS ARE PRECISION MACHINED WITH BEVELED HOLES TO ALLOW FOR COOLER OPERATING TEMPERATURES AND ARE MILL BALANCE AND SILVER ZINC PLATED TO PREVENT RUST. THE CARBON CERAMIC PADS ARE THERMALLY SCORCHED FOR FAST BREAK IN AND ARE CHAMFERED AND SLOTTED FOR QUIET OPERATION.

ON THE REAR IT'S A SIMPLE TWO INCH BLOCK AND NEW UBOLT.

THESE WILL NEED TO BE TRIMMED AFTER INSTALLATION.

[ grinder spinning ] [ air drill spinning ]

(IAN)>> THE SHOCKS FOR THE BACK ARE ALSO FOX RACING SHOCK ASSEMBLIES. TWO AND A HALF INCH BODY SHOCKS WITH PIGGYBACK RESERVOIRS SPECIFICALLY VALVED FOR THE REAR OF THIS PICK UP.

EVEN THOUGH WE'RE TRYING TO TOUGHEN UP THE LOOKS OF THIS PICK UP TRUCK WE CAN'T IGNORE THE FACT THAT THIS IS A GMC DENALI. IT'S A VERY CLASSY PICK UP TRUCK. THAT'S WHY WE NEED A WHEEL THAT BRIDGES THE GAP BETWEEN TOUGHNESS AND STYLE. THAT'S WHY I CHOSE THIS VISION WHEEL ARC RIM. IT IS A 20 BY NINE INCH ALUMINUM WHEEL. IT HAS A GLOSS BLACK FINISH WITH THESE MACHINED WINDOWS AS WELL AS MACHINED ACCENTS AROUND THE LIP OF THE RIM.

THAT GIVES IT KIND OF A BEAD LOCK LOOK.

I MENTIONED IT'S THAT TOUGHNESS THAT WE'RE AFTER. I'VE WRAPPED THEM IN SOME BRAND NEW NITTO TIRES. THESE ARE NITTO RIDGE GRAPPLERS. NOW THIS IS A TIRE THAT IS DESIGNED TO BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN AN ALL TERRAIN AND A MUD TERRAIN. IT HAS AN AGGRESSIVE TREAD THAT WILL WORK WELL OFF ROAD BUT IT'S DESIGNED TO RUN NICE AND QUIET ON THE

HIGHWAY. THERE'S A LOT OF UNIQUE FEATURES ABOUT THIS TIRE. THERE'S ACTUALLY TWO DIFFERENT SIDE WALLS TO CHOOSE FROM. IF YOU WANT AN AGGRESSIVE SIDE BITER LOOK YOU CAN INSTALL THIS SIDE OF THE WHEEL OUT BUT IF YOU WANT

SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT MORE TAME YOU CAN HAVE IT INSTALLED THE OPPOSITE WAY AND IT'S JUST GOT A LITTLE BIT MORE STREET STYLE SIDE BITER ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE.

PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT PART THOUGH IS THIS IS A LOAD SERIES "F" TIRE. THAT MEANS THAT IF YOU'RE DEALING WITH A HEAVY DUTY DIESEL PICKUP TRUCK LIKE WE ARE YOU CAN FILL THIS

TIRE UP ABOVE THE 65 PSI RANGE TO HELP YOU WHEN YOU'RE HAULING A BIG LOAD OR TOWING A TRAILER.

(IAN)>> SO FAR WE HAVE MADE A LOT OF HEADWAY WITH OUR END OF THE WORLD SUBURBAN PROJECT, GETTING ALL THREE OF OUR AXLES MOCKED UP UNDERNEATH OUR CHASSIS, MAKING IT A TRUE SIX BY SIX.

THE PROBLEM IS THE BODY DOES NOT MATCH. I ONLY HAVE SPOTS FOR TWO AXLES ON THIS TRUCK. SO TODAY WE'RE GONNA START BY ADDING ON TO THE BACK

OF THE SUBURBAN, MAKING ROOM FOR THAT THIRD WHEEL.

I PULLED THE REAR WINDOWS OUT OF THE SUBURBAN FOR A VERY SPECIFIC REASON. NOW IF YOU REMEMBER, MY PLAN IS TO GRAFT ON A CHEVY PICK UP TRUCK BED ONTO THE BACK OF THIS RIG TO GIVE ME THE SECOND WHEEL WELL THAT I'M GONNA NEED BUT THE PROBLEM IS IF I LEAVE THE SUBURBAN BODY

FULL LENGTH, MY WHEEL WELL'S GONNA BE MAYBE IN THIS AREA RIGHT HERE AND THEN I'LL HAVE A REALLY SHORT BED OUT THE BACK OF THIS TRUCK.

MAYBE ONLY THREE OR FOUR FEET LONG, AND IT WON'T LOOK RIGHT WITH THE OVERALL SIZE OF THE SUBURBAN. NOW I HAVE SEEN PEOPLE BASICALLY TAKE THE BACK HALF OF THE SUBURBAN, CUT IT OFF, AND PUT A STANDARD CAB BODY RIGHT BACK IN HERE, BASICALLY MAKING THE OLD SCHOOL CHEVY LOOK LIKE A NEW AVALANCHE. THAT I THINK IS TOO SHORT. SO I'M GONNA SPLIT THE DIFFERENCE. I'M GONNA CUT THE BACK OF THE SUBURBAN BODY RIGHT HERE, MOVE IT UP, MAKE THIS WINDOW ABOUT HALF THE SIZE. THEN MY PICK UP TRUCK BED WILL START. I'LL END UP WITH MAYBE ABOUT A SIX FOOT BED, WHICH I THINK FITS THE OVERALL SCALE OF THIS PROJECT, BUT IN ORDER TO DO THAT, OBVIOUSLY, I NEED SOME PARTS. AUTO METAL DIRECT, OR AMD AS THEY'RE OFTEN

REFERRED TO, IS BEST KNOWN FOR HIGH QUALITY

REPRODUCTION PANELS AND PARTS FOR CLASSIC MUSCLE CARS, BUT THEY ALSO HAVE A COMPLETE LINE OF PARTS AND PANELS FOR THE SQUARE BODY CHEVROLET PICK UP TRUCK, WHICH IS WHAT OUR SUBURBAN IS BASED OFF OF. NOW I'VE GOT A PILE OF STUFF TO BOTH REPAIR AND MODIFY OUR TRUCK. I HAVE A NEW WHEEL OPENING MOLDING TO FIX THE DAMAGE AND A COUPLE OF BED SIDES THAT WILL BECOME OUR NEW EXTENDED PICK UP TRUCK BED ON OUR SUBURBAN. I ALSO PICKED UP A NEW DRIVER'S SIDE FENDER BECAUSE IF YOU REMEMBER OURS WAS DAMAGED, AND ONE OF THEIR HIGH QUALITY REPLACEMENT COWL INDUCTION HOODS BECAUSE JUST BECAUSE IT'S THE END OF THE WORLD DOESN'T MEAN YOUR TRUCK CAN'T LOOK REALLY COOL.

LIKE ALL GOOD PROJECTS IN THE XTREME SHOP, THE FUN STARTS WHEN THE VEHICLE GETS CUT UP. THE REAR "C" PILLARS ARE CHOPPED, AND THE ROOF SKIN IS COMPLETELY CUT.

THERE'S A BUNCH OF STUFF ON THE FACTORY ROOF SHELL THAT WE WILL NOT BE REUSING, AND ONCE IT'S GONE THE ROOF IS DROPPED BACK INTO PLACE. OH IT'S STILL KINDA HEAVY.

NOW THE ROOF IS JUST CLAMPED INTO PLACE HERE AT THE BACK, AND THE FRONT ROOF SECTION

IS LEFT EXTRA LONG. NOW THIS IS NOT GONNA OVERLAP THE ORIGINAL ROOF. I LEFT IT LONG FOR A REASON. ONCE I GET THE FINAL SIZE OF THIS WINDOW FIGURED OUT. I THINK I WANT TO SHRINK IT DOWN JUST A COUPLE MORE INCHES, WHAT I WILL DO IS THEN ATTACH THE OUTER ROOF SKIN TO THE ORIGINAL ROOF WITH A COUPLE OF SELF TAPPING SCREWS. THEN I WILL CUT THE TWO ROOFS TOGETHER AS ONE WITH ONE CUT ALL THE WAY ACROSS. THAT WAY THEY WILL BUT UP VERY CLOSE AND I CAN WELD IT ALL BACK TOGETHER. I'M NOT TRYING TO MATCH TWO LONG CUTS BY CUTTING THROUGH BOTH THE INNER AND OUTER ROOF STRUCTURE AT THE SAME TIME. THEY SHOULD LINE UP PERFECTLY.

THEN I CAN GO AHEAD AND START WORKING ON THE TRUCK BED, WHICH WILL BASICALLY PICK UP FROM WHERE THIS SLANT ENDS AND RUN ALL THE WAY BACK, AND OUR NEW WHEEL WILL BE RIGHT ABOUT HERE, AND THEN WE'LL END UP WITH A 24 FOOT LONG PICK UP TRUCK.

(IAN)>> BEFORE I CAN CONTINUE MODIFYING THIS BODY, I FIRST HAVE TO REPAIR THE DAMAGED WHEEL WELL. THAT MEANS PLACING THE AMD WHEEL OPENING PATCH PANEL INTO PLACE AND TRIMMING IT TO FIT.

[ saw cutting metal ] [ grinder spinning ]

(IAN)>> I LIKE TO BUTT WELD BODY PANELS WHEN POSSIBLE ON PROJECTS. THIS DOES REQUIRE MORE TIME DURING FIT UP, BUT IT MAKES FOR A BETTER END PRODUCT. I STILL NEED TO BUILD A PATCH PANEL TO REPLACE

THIS PIECE OF SHEET METAL THAT WE CUT OUT, BUT TO DO THAT I WANT TO HAVE OUR NEW BED SIDE IN PLACE. NOW THIS IS WHERE THINGS CHANGE FROM A SIMPLE REPAIR JOB TO SOME BODY CUSTOMIZATION. MY PLAN IS SIMPLE. I HAVE THIS NICE BULKHEAD BUILT INTO THE INSIDE OF THE QUARTER PANEL ON THE SUBURBAN. SO I'M JUST GONNA CUT OUT THIS ENTIRE OUTER SKIN. IT WAS GONNA NEED TO BE REPLACED ANYWAY, BUT WHAT I'LL DO IS I'LL BRING MY BED SIDE UP AND BUTT IT RIGHT UP AGAINST THIS INTERIOR BRACE. THAT SHOULD GIVE ME SOME STRUCTURE. THEN I CAN FIGURE OUT THE LOCATION OF THE WHEEL

WELLS, WELD THAT SEAM, AND I'LL HAVE TWO WHEEL WELLS AND A CUSTOM SUBURBAN.

SINCE THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THIS TRUCK DOESN'T HAVE ANY DAMAGE, I FEEL BETTER ABOUT ADDING THAT BED SIDE FIRST.

AND ONCE THAT FACTORY CORNER IS CUT OUT OF THE WAY, THE NEW BED SIDE IS TRIMMED DOWN TO MAKE THE WHEEL WELLS 50 INCHES APART.

[ saw cutting metal ]

(IAN)>> THE BED SIDE IS THEN SLID ONTO THE BODY AND BUTT WELDED TO THE SUBURBAN QUARTER PANEL, AS WELL AS THE INNER STRUCTURE OF THE TRUCK, AND NOW THIS SUBURBAN IS READY FOR THREE AXLES.