The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Panels 'N Burbs 60-66 Suburban Rear frames

I have rear on a couple sites that the rear frames on the suburbans were different from the pickups, and was wondering if this was true for all 60-66? I had a 66 GMC Suburban here in the junkyard that has a frame extension on it that appears to be factory. Is this the way they were done, or did someone convert this from a pickup frame?

here is the rear frame section:
Rear Frame Section

my 66 panel k10 had the frame extensions also. They were riveted to the frame to get the frame out to the back of the truck to mount the bumper.

There IS a section of the frame that was riveted to the existing pick-up truck rails to lengthen it, as Curt said.
But that set-up looks a little odd to me.
On my '61 ('60-'62), the extensions bend down.
There isn't that flat plate in the middle like on the one in your pic... that flat plate almost looks like a trailer ball mount.

Also, on a Suburban bumper, there shouldn't be that cut-out notch along the top of the bumper.

Hmmm... now that I've thought about it a bit, that unit in your pic could be laying on the ground upside down. That bumper, as shown in the pic, is upside down.
But that still doesn't explain the notch in the bumper (shouldn't be there whether it's on the top or the bottom of the bumper), and those cross braces bolted to the piece would block out the spare tire mount.

-Brad

my 64 4 x 4 panel has that extension but the 2 whl dr 65 suburban does not neither has that plate at the back
4 x 4 frames are deeper than 2 whl drive frames. but only in the middle section. there were never that many 4 x 4 panels or suburbans., so perhaps they didn't warrant their own frame so the so the 4 x 4 p/u frame got that extension
ron

That could be. The flat plate was for a trailer hitch I believe. It could be upside down. I am not sure on the notch either. maybe it was a GMC thing, or maybe it was done after the fact for clearance of the hitch.

I have five 4-5-6 Chevy Suburban 4x4's at my shop and none of them have anything that resembles any type of frame extension. All of the factory 2wd & 4x4 Suburbans were based on a 115" swb frame, so I am not sure where a frame extension would be applicable on a Suburban frame.

they were perhaps short w/b (115") p/u frames that were converted for panel or suburban use. this is what the extension amounts to
ron