Body Drop a Burban?

I've seen some pretty sweet Suburbans on the community center of this site. I just bought an '82 Burban. I am finishing a project right now, but when it's done I will be starting on the Burban. I want to lay it out on 20's which shouldn't be hard, but I've seen some that have been body dropped and some that haven't. In order to lay rocker, do you need to body drop them? From what I have seen, maybe not because the cab is somwhat channeled over the frame already.

I'm NOT looking to lay door, So what do i need to do to lay the rockers flat out on the ground? (raise engine crossmember i'm guessing) what size notch to lay 235/45r20's?(probably a 10")How hard will it be to retain all three rows of seats?

Thanks alot everyone!

Someone makes a bolt on front suspension for under 2G's that will raise your control arms up . IF of No Limit Or somthing. No need to body drop.

My 90 is the same as yours and I did a 3 inch frame Z which is basically a bodydrop for our trucks, and used 3 inch drop spindles from belltech. You will also need to notch for the control arm and you will need to get rid of that ungodly huge gastank and get a fuel cell. If you have any questions let me know.

Ok, I'll check around for the front assembly. I was planning on having to get 3" spindles. I'm not very framiliar with stock floor b-drops. I suppose that's basically what you are getting at when you say "Z" the frame. Do you have any pics of that, or could you elaborate on the process that you have to go thru to Z the frame... such as where about you do it, etc.

Thanks for the info though, I am trying to arm myself with some knowledge so I don't go into it in the dark. It should make for a less frustrating and less dissapointing process.

FatmanFab that you find in the streetrod mags makes a bolt in crossmember that will do the same as z-ing the frame and is alot easier. I don't know what the total price would be but I'm sure it would be under 2 grand. If you z it you will need to go between 2 1/2 and 3 inches. To completely lay rocker you will need to lower the body mounts just a little or put shorter pads between the mounts and the body to get the last 3/8th of an inch or so. ( on an 82 the pads may have settled enough that this isn't nessisary) If you have the 25 gallon tank you can probably keep it but if you have the 33 gallon tank it would have to be changed. I've done a traditional BD on my 88 and a z on my 63 ( has the same front frame as your 83) and the z was much easier. Their is a ton of work in bodydropping a sub. If I had to pay some one to do the z I would probably use the Fatman kit. You could swap that frontend in a weekend easy and the price would be the same. ( plus you did it yourself) Obviously if you are comfortable cutting the front of your frame off and welding it back then that is much cheaper. Good luck.

cool, i've rebuilt the frame on a 51 ford, and think i can handle the fab work & all the math. i'll check into fatman but for a 2 grand kit i'd probably try to Z it myself. and i always perfer weld over bolts. it's more sophisticated.

i've seen your 88, it's pretty bad, i want to lay rocker for this upcoming year, maybe next winter, if i feel into it i can re-work to lay door, but this truck's just for fun, not really for show. can you explain the process of Zing the front.. and also, will i get into trouble with the third bench in the back? the notches & differential, i see may be a problem with that seat, but i think i'll be ok with the tanks & link bars.

Edited: 11/16/2005 9:34:57 AM by suckafree

"Z"ing your frame is basicly cutting it at the firewall so the rest of the frame comes down (in a sence raising the front frame section) then rebuilding that section like so it looks something like this __/-- I did all this to a 86 burban a few years ago, the kid sold it right after the body drop was finished....nver got any pics of it

cool, it's like the rear, notching the frame, but not bringing it back down after the axle. that makes sence. and this has to be done on a 2 Gen burban because.... the control arms need to be lifted higher to lay out? - & the engine crossmember is too low..?

so by doing that, the engine gets raised. which probably isn't a problem. Do you have to lower the front bumber mounts back down to look right? anything else effected? (steering, etc.) if not that sounds fairly easy.

alright, i've done some more research on the Z and it makes sence. But by doing that I will have to tunnel the floor quite a bit for the trans & driveshaft. SOOO, should I just do a 3 or 4" traditional B-Drop and go ahead and lay door while i'm at it? - my goal though is to get this thing to hop...

How much extra work would there be body dropping it as apposed to just tunneling the whole mid section of the floor.

its always easier to just body drop it, but z'ing it would be so much worth the extra effort.