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| | | Re: "Buckeye" - '95 G2500 StarCraft Conversion | Joined: Aug 2021 Posts: 95 Likes: 14 journeyman | OP journeyman Joined: Aug 2021 Posts: 95 Likes: 14 | I had a set of rear leaf springs on order with them. When I placed the order they told me they didn't actually have that Hellwig sway bar in stock... In fact from what I can tell most of what they sell is drop ship. I guess it's all pretty irrelevant if you use heim joints and threaded rod to attach it to the frame... Really just need the bar and brackets to mount to rear diff. From there you can fab the rest pretty easily. | | | Re: "Buckeye" - '95 G2500 StarCraft Conversion | Joined: Apr 2007 Posts: 249 Likes: 59 G Van Man | G Van Man Joined: Apr 2007 Posts: 249 Likes: 59 | I think add co still makes one. Mine on my 83 are Hellwig, front and rear. The front and rear on my 97 are also Hellwig. On the 97 the bars are massive. 1-1/2" front and 1-3/8" rear. I forget the dimensions on the 83, but I want to say 1-3/8" front and 1" rear but that van is 1,000 lbs lighter. I ordered a Hellwig for the front but they cancelled the order because they said they weren't making them anymore. Idk... Seems like a shame we can't get aftermarket parts for these things. I thought I read somewhere that the Addco rear sway bar want very effective because it wasn't big enough... Can't remember where though. So measured the Hellwig bars and they are BOTH 1-1/8". Sucks forgetting things you last worked on 15 years ago. That being said Addco makes a 1-1/8" rear bar. https://www.sdtrucksprings.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=23567EDIT-Searching the part number lead me back here. Lots of detailed pics. https://www.vanning.com/threads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=289941The factory rear bar on my 99 OBS Tahoe is 3/4" and my brothers 99 OBS Suburban had the same bar. My Tahoe has the 1-7/8" factory front bar and my brothers Suburban had the 1-3/8" front bar. Both 2wd setups. Tahoe has alot less body roll than the longer/heavier suburban. GM did some dumb things suspension wise. My Tahoe was a LT model with the Z-56 suspension option which was the same as a Police Tahoe or Limited and also ordered with the upgraded brakes from the same model. Tahoe also came factory with aggressively valved Bilstiens although they have since been replaced by even bigger piston KYB Monomax shocks. Larger bore master and larger 8800 GVW front calipers with the 2.75" wide rear drums. Suburban had the smaller front brake calipers on it. IMO ALL of the GM trucks, SUV and van models should have had the largest front calipers avaliable and hydroboost but that is just me. Shortest stopping distance possible is a good thing. The fact GM still builds a 2022 Express without even a rear sway bar should be criminal!
Last edited by 1983G20Van; September 19th 2021 12:44 am.
1983 G20 Conversion Van, 350 TPI, Reed Hydraulic Roller cam, Ported 906 Vortec, Edelbrock 3817 TPI-Vortec Base, Doug Thorley Tri-Ys, Dual 2 1/2" exhaust, Speed Density 7730 ECM tuned by ME, 700r4 by ME, Stock 1,600 rpm converter, Rebuilt Stock 10 bolt with posi by ME, 3.08 gears, 358 RWHP @ 5,200, 384 RWTQ @ 3,400, 14.66 @ 95.43 w 2.28s 60'
| | | Re: "Buckeye" - '95 G2500 StarCraft Conversion | Joined: Aug 2021 Posts: 95 Likes: 14 journeyman | OP journeyman Joined: Aug 2021 Posts: 95 Likes: 14 | I think add co still makes one. Mine on my 83 are Hellwig, front and rear. The front and rear on my 97 are also Hellwig. On the 97 the bars are massive. 1-1/2" front and 1-3/8" rear. I forget the dimensions on the 83, but I want to say 1-3/8" front and 1" rear but that van is 1,000 lbs lighter. I ordered a Hellwig for the front but they cancelled the order because they said they weren't making them anymore. Idk... Seems like a shame we can't get aftermarket parts for these things. I thought I read somewhere that the Addco rear sway bar want very effective because it wasn't big enough... Can't remember where though. So measured the Hellwig bars and they are BOTH 1-1/8". Sucks forgetting things you last worked on 15 years ago. That being said Addco makes a 1-1/8" rear bar. https://www.sdtrucksprings.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=23567EDIT-Searching the part number lead me back here. Lots of detailed pics. https://www.vanning.com/threads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=289941The factory rear bar on my 99 OBS Tahoe is 3/4" and my brothers 99 OBS Suburban had the same bar. My Tahoe has the 1-7/8" factory front bar and my brothers Suburban had the 1-3/8" front bar. Both 2wd setups. Tahoe has alot less body roll than the longer/heavier suburban. GM did some dumb things suspension wise. My Tahoe was a LT model with the Z-56 suspension option which was the same as a Police Tahoe or Limited and also ordered with the upgraded brakes from the same model. Tahoe also came factory with aggressively valved Bilstiens although they have since been replaced by even bigger piston KYB Monomax shocks. Larger bore master and larger 8800 GVW front calipers with the 2.75" wide rear drums. Suburban had the smaller front brake calipers on it. IMO ALL of the GM trucks, SUV and van models should have had the largest front calipers avaliable and hydroboost but that is just me. Shortest stopping distance possible is a good thing. The fact GM still builds a 2022 Express without even a rear sway bar should be criminal! After researching the Addco I'm not impressed with the way it attaches to the springs. I think I'm going to try to modify a BMR GM A body anti roll bar that mounts to differential tubes and frame: https://www.summitracing.com/parts/bmr-xsb006h/make/oldsmobile/model/cutlass-supreme/year/1972 | | | Re: "Buckeye" - '95 G2500 StarCraft Conversion | Joined: Aug 2021 Posts: 95 Likes: 14 journeyman | OP journeyman Joined: Aug 2021 Posts: 95 Likes: 14 | Took it to get aligned yesterday right before our road trip to Dallas and wow! It's so much better! While it was in the air I did notice the clip on weights were boogered up from hitting the control arms at lock (the guy aligning it wasn't as careful at lock as I was) so while my wife was auditioning for the Dallas symphony my daughter and I ran to discount tire to have the front wheels balanced yet again, this time with sticky weights placed in the middle of the wheel - worked like a charm. While we were there we checked in getting a new spare tire and I'm glad we did, the pull off was dated 1994 - older than the van and only a year younger than my wife. No pics, sorry, we were in a rush to pick up momma. But she did let us run to Mecca to grab poly upper bump stops. Overall I'm very happy with the way it turned out and am super happy with the way it drives, better than a new car. There is a little more road feel, so it ruined the cushy conversion van ride but I like it better, I'm more used to that feeling than the sloppy floating feeling from before. | 2 members like this:
Rusty Pancelode, frscke1 | | | Re: "Buckeye" - '95 G2500 StarCraft Conversion | Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 2,964 Likes: 63 veteran | veteran Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 2,964 Likes: 63 | Beautiful ride you have there. | | | Re: "Buckeye" - '95 G2500 StarCraft Conversion | Joined: Apr 2007 Posts: 249 Likes: 59 G Van Man | G Van Man Joined: Apr 2007 Posts: 249 Likes: 59 | Took it to get aligned yesterday right before our road trip to Dallas and wow! It's so much better! While it was in the air I did notice the clip on weights were boogered up from hitting the control arms at lock (the guy aligning it wasn't as careful at lock as I was) so while my wife was auditioning for the Dallas symphony my daughter and I ran to discount tire to have the front wheels balanced yet again, this time with sticky weights placed in the middle of the wheel - worked like a charm. While we were there we checked in getting a new spare tire and I'm glad we did, the pull off was dated 1994 - older than the van and only a year younger than my wife. No pics, sorry, we were in a rush to pick up momma. But she did let us run to Mecca to grab poly upper bump stops. Overall I'm very happy with the way it turned out and am super happy with the way it drives, better than a new car. There is a little more road feel, so it ruined the cushy conversion van ride but I like it better, I'm more used to that feeling than the sloppy floating feeling from before. Good deal! That over cushy, sloppy handling is dangerous IMO. Just noticed that your Y-pipe has a completely different design than the 92 G20 I had. The one on yours looks tiny and the merge looks terrible by comparison. Reminds me of the ones on the TBI trucks. In fact your manifolds look to be GMT400 truck manifolds with smaller exits too. Bet it is choking the life out of your 350 even if it is stock. I had a high flow cat, magnaflow muffler, a hypertech powerbowl and ultimate TBI moded the TBI on the 92 I had. Used an adjustable fuel pressure regulator with the pressure set at 14 psi and set the initial timing on the distributor at 6° BTDC.
Last edited by 1983G20Van; September 21st 2021 12:06 pm.
1983 G20 Conversion Van, 350 TPI, Reed Hydraulic Roller cam, Ported 906 Vortec, Edelbrock 3817 TPI-Vortec Base, Doug Thorley Tri-Ys, Dual 2 1/2" exhaust, Speed Density 7730 ECM tuned by ME, 700r4 by ME, Stock 1,600 rpm converter, Rebuilt Stock 10 bolt with posi by ME, 3.08 gears, 358 RWHP @ 5,200, 384 RWTQ @ 3,400, 14.66 @ 95.43 w 2.28s 60'
| | | Re: "Buckeye" - '95 G2500 StarCraft Conversion | Joined: Sep 2005 Posts: 9,855 Likes: 234 carpal tunnel | carpal tunnel Joined: Sep 2005 Posts: 9,855 Likes: 234 | Took it to get aligned yesterday right before our road trip to Dallas and wow! It's so much better! While it was in the air I did notice the clip on weights were boogered up from hitting the control arms at lock (the guy aligning it wasn't as careful at lock as I was) so while my wife was auditioning for the Dallas symphony my daughter and I ran to discount tire to have the front wheels balanced yet again, this time with sticky weights placed in the middle of the wheel - worked like a charm. While we were there we checked in getting a new spare tire and I'm glad we did, the pull off was dated 1994 - older than the van and only a year younger than my wife. No pics, sorry, we were in a rush to pick up momma. But she did let us run to Mecca to grab poly upper bump stops. Overall I'm very happy with the way it turned out and am super happy with the way it drives, better than a new car. There is a little more road feel, so it ruined the cushy conversion van ride but I like it better, I'm more used to that feeling than the sloppy floating feeling from before. Good deal! That over cushy, sloppy handling is dangerous IMO. Just noticed that your Y-pipe has a completely different design than the 92 G20 I had. The one on yours looks tiny and the merge looks terrible by comparison. Reminds me of the ones on the TBI trucks. In fact your manifolds look to be GMT400 truck manifolds with smaller exits too. Bet it is choking the life out of your 350 even if it is stock. I had a high flow cat, magnaflow muffler, a hypertech powerbowl and ultimate TBI moded the TBI on the 92 I had. Used an adjustable fuel pressure regulator with the pressure set at 14 psi and set the initial timing on the distributor at 6° BTDC. I have the same restrictive Y-pipe/Cat on our "95 G20 (the missing Cat) but I have a plan. The left side manifold and Walker Y-pipe for a '95 G30 along with a hi-flow Cat should fix the problem. In fact, I already have the parts. Just need some new 454 injectors and time to do the swap.
Last edited by CatFish; September 21st 2021 1:03 pm.
| | | Re: "Buckeye" - '95 G2500 StarCraft Conversion | Joined: Aug 2021 Posts: 95 Likes: 14 journeyman | OP journeyman Joined: Aug 2021 Posts: 95 Likes: 14 | Beautiful ride you have there. Thank you very much! | | | Re: "Buckeye" - '95 G2500 StarCraft Conversion | Joined: Aug 2021 Posts: 95 Likes: 14 journeyman | OP journeyman Joined: Aug 2021 Posts: 95 Likes: 14 | Took it to get aligned yesterday right before our road trip to Dallas and wow! It's so much better! While it was in the air I did notice the clip on weights were boogered up from hitting the control arms at lock (the guy aligning it wasn't as careful at lock as I was) so while my wife was auditioning for the Dallas symphony my daughter and I ran to discount tire to have the front wheels balanced yet again, this time with sticky weights placed in the middle of the wheel - worked like a charm. While we were there we checked in getting a new spare tire and I'm glad we did, the pull off was dated 1994 - older than the van and only a year younger than my wife. No pics, sorry, we were in a rush to pick up momma. But she did let us run to Mecca to grab poly upper bump stops. Overall I'm very happy with the way it turned out and am super happy with the way it drives, better than a new car. There is a little more road feel, so it ruined the cushy conversion van ride but I like it better, I'm more used to that feeling than the sloppy floating feeling from before. Good deal! That over cushy, sloppy handling is dangerous IMO. Just noticed that your Y-pipe has a completely different design than the 92 G20 I had. The one on yours looks tiny and the merge looks terrible by comparison. Reminds me of the ones on the TBI trucks. In fact your manifolds look to be GMT400 truck manifolds with smaller exits too. Bet it is choking the life out of your 350 even if it is stock. I had a high flow cat, magnaflow muffler, a hypertech powerbowl and ultimate TBI moded the TBI on the 92 I had. Used an adjustable fuel pressure regulator with the pressure set at 14 psi and set the initial timing on the distributor at 6° BTDC. Yeah the first step was fixing the rest of the exhaust from the Y pipe back. I wanted them to build a custom y pipe using the Flowmaster y pipe collector but the shop I was at wanted to much for that extra but of work. The plan now is too roll with it for a year or two until I put an LS in it. But idk, if I get bored I might fix this issue before then ... Who knows. | | |
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