Diesel Power has covered diesel swaps in a variety of vehicles over the years, but one of the cleanest we've encountered is from a company called Duramax Suburban in Arvada, Colorado. We came away impressed by how factory-like the Duramax installations looked and performed. Well, this Colorado firm has been busy since our last visit, rolling out an interesting variant that takes a diesel power-transfer project to a whole new level: a GMC Yukon with Quadrasteer.
The Benefits Of Quadrasteer
For those not familiar with this option (unfortunately no longer available on '06-and-later models), Quadrasteer uses an electric motor connected to a rack and pinion setup that steers the rear wheels opposite the fronts at low speed, and in the same direction at higher speed. That might sound a bit complicated, but the bottom line is simple: it makes maneuvering a long-wheelbase vehicle as easy as turning a compact car (well, not quite, but you get the idea). Parallel parking no longer begs for an assistant on the curb with runway flags to guide you into a berth. This massive SUV can slide into slots in a single, graceful maneuver, without all those back-and-forth shenanigans.
That's because the Quadrasteer reduces the turning-circle diameter on the 4x4 Yukon or Suburban from 44.3 to 35 feet. There's also an unexpected benefit of improved handling, with tighter and more precise steering and brakes. So much so that a 3/4-ton Quadrasteer pickup turns crisper than a 1/2-ton. Fortunately, the electronics of the four-wheel steering don't impact the engine swap all that much, says Buff Williams of Duramax Suburban. It's basically the same transplant surgery, as long as you don't change the wiring for the Quadrasteer rear axle.
What Does It Take To Do The Swap?
Long-time readers of Diesel Power might recall some of the technical details of this Duramax swap, but here is an update for those not familiar with the procedure. We should emphasize right from the get-go that it's not merely a matter of changing out the engines. A lot of planning and sweat goes into making this a seamless transition, so expect to wait about six weeks before seeing your Yukon or Suburban with a diesel under the hood.
That time can vary a bit, depending on whether a new or used drivetrain is employed, and if it comes from either the customer or Diesel Suburban. Just tracking down the conversion parts can take a couple of weeks. The required mechanical items consist of new fuel lines and tank floats, new gauge instruments, custom air conditioning lines, an aluminum driveshaft, and a 4-inch MagnaFlow stainless steel exhaust with a 22-inch muffler.
 |  This '05 Yukon engine swap...  This '05 Yukon engine swap required much more than just switching the engines. Instead, all the details were considered, and it would be easy to convince someone the LBZ Duramax was a rare factory option. |  Thanks to the 360hp diesel...  Thanks to the 360hp diesel engine, the Yukon is now able to tow better, which explains the upgraded receiver. From this angle, one gets a look at the Quadrasteer system as well. |