Thanks so much for the links. Starting from the beginning here and have no idea where to look for things.Those rockers are going to be the bane of your existence. You can get full length outers on ebay and pray that the inners are still good. Inner panels are NLA anywhere. I had to get cuts from a part out van to get inner panels.
Here are some links for body panels
Mill Supply
Chevrolet Astro Repair Parts | Mill Supply, Inc.
Chevrolet Astro Repair Parts available at low prices! We have a huge selection of high quality rust repair and auto body panels including rockers, cab corners, wheel arches, fenders, and more! Get your Chevrolet Astro Repair Parts today! Most orders shipped same day!www.millsupply.com
Raybuck
1985-2005 GM Astro Van Repair Panels | 1985-2005 Safari Van
Get high-quality body repair panels for your 1985-2005 GM Astro/Safari van. 3D scan of an original part used to ensure perfect fitment. Shop online now!raybuck.com
National Autobody
Replacement auto parts for CHEVROLET ASTRO VAN | aftermarket CHEVROLET ASTRO VAN auto parts sales
Looking to buy replacement CHEVROLET ASTRO VAN auto parts? FREE SHIPPING ON MANY QUALIFIED ITEMS. Check out our large selection of aftermarket CHEVROLET ASTRO VAN parts. Call us today 1-800-214-7222www.nationalautobody.com
Check the body mount area of the radiator core support. Odds are it will show some flaking paint which means it has already started rusting from the inside. I have been almost 2 years trying to find a yard that is willing to cut out a good replacement and ship it.
They are easy to locate on
Row52.com
Car-part.com
I still haven't figured out how to get pictures while talking on the phone.
No one seems to know how to text or email pictures.
New door seals are available through
Steele Rubber Products
Search Results
www.steelerubber.com
Jims 03 Safari AWD
Took a 6 hour road trip to pick up this 2003 AWD Safari with 123k miles.
This trip I got 16.8MPG and afterwards I checked the tire pressures, and they were about 20PSI!
I filled the tires properly and took another 6 hour trip today and netted 17.6 MPG! Pretty happy with that.
After the drive home without incident, we started the cleaning process and general maintenance.
Passenger side headlight was dim and both corner lights were out. Drained the water out of the light housing, dried out the bulb socket, replaced both corner bulbs now all the lights work and the headlight works properly. The water was causing a current draw (I think) thus dimming the headlight bulb.
![Tire Wheel Vehicle Car Automotive side marker light]()
The lower body is all rusted out and the plan is to cut them out and weld in replacement panels
![Automotive tire Automotive lighting Grille Motor vehicle Vehicle]()
![Tire Automotive tail & brake light Wheel Window Automotive lighting]()
The engine bay was nice and clean with no evidence of oil stains anywhere
![Car Automotive parking light Vehicle Land vehicle Grille]()
![Tire Wheel Car Vehicle Automotive parking light]()
Had a pleasant surprise when I checked the coolant. The cap is pretty skanky, but the coolant looks fresh
![Automotive tire Gas Font Camera lens Ingredient]()
Same with the brake fluid. The reservoir looks like it has some left over smudge, but the fluid looks fresh.
![Liquid Water Hood Automotive lighting Fluid]()
I had some drips from the rear diff and finally got a good look under there. The pinion seal is leaking, and the oil is slinging all over. Took it on another road trip today despite the leak and it got.... interesting. I now have oil mist all over the rear doors it got so bad. Didn't smell too good with the oil on the exhaust pipe.
Turns out... someone left a hose attached to the fill hole so they could keep the oil topped off
![Automotive tire Motor vehicle Tire Hood Automotive design]()
I'm going to get it all cleaned up and replace 7, 18, and 19. Clean out the inside of the diff, inspect it and take it from there.
I will also order new drain and fill plugs once I figure out where to find those.
edit: it seems there are no drain plugs on these, but the fill plug I found at AutoZone thanks to @AstroWill Linky!!
Any tips/advice for this project is appreciated
![White Font Auto part Circle Line art]()
Differential for 2003 GMC Safari | OEM GM Parts (gmpartsoutlet.net)
This trip I got 16.8MPG and afterwards I checked the tire pressures, and they were about 20PSI!
I filled the tires properly and took another 6 hour trip today and netted 17.6 MPG! Pretty happy with that.
After the drive home without incident, we started the cleaning process and general maintenance.
Passenger side headlight was dim and both corner lights were out. Drained the water out of the light housing, dried out the bulb socket, replaced both corner bulbs now all the lights work and the headlight works properly. The water was causing a current draw (I think) thus dimming the headlight bulb.
The lower body is all rusted out and the plan is to cut them out and weld in replacement panels
The engine bay was nice and clean with no evidence of oil stains anywhere
Had a pleasant surprise when I checked the coolant. The cap is pretty skanky, but the coolant looks fresh
Same with the brake fluid. The reservoir looks like it has some left over smudge, but the fluid looks fresh.
I had some drips from the rear diff and finally got a good look under there. The pinion seal is leaking, and the oil is slinging all over. Took it on another road trip today despite the leak and it got.... interesting. I now have oil mist all over the rear doors it got so bad. Didn't smell too good with the oil on the exhaust pipe.
Turns out... someone left a hose attached to the fill hole so they could keep the oil topped off
I'm going to get it all cleaned up and replace 7, 18, and 19. Clean out the inside of the diff, inspect it and take it from there.
I will also order new drain and fill plugs once I figure out where to find those.
edit: it seems there are no drain plugs on these, but the fill plug I found at AutoZone thanks to @AstroWill Linky!!
Any tips/advice for this project is appreciated
Differential for 2003 GMC Safari | OEM GM Parts (gmpartsoutlet.net)
1 - 20 of 154 Posts
Not the G-80. A locking diff and higher ratio would be nice. Can you suggest a place to look for the parts/DIY?
This pic here shows the underside rust AND the hose coming from the Diff
. Underneath all that flaky scale seems solid. Went around it with a big heavy screwdriver poking and jabbing and all seems well enough to continue and do some repairs.
Large pics incoming....
Happy to hear any opinions on what you see
Seems like a new brake line in there but the fuel? lines are gnarly. And the emergency brake cable works!
Parts starting to show up!
The oil from the diff in the pan below is from less than a week
![Wheel Tire Motor vehicle Vehicle Automotive tire]()
The oil from the diff in the pan below is from less than a week
What's going here with the 2 plugs?
The Top one has the fill tube connected to it then the one midway?
![Automotive tire Water Wood Motor vehicle Sculpture]()
The Top one has the fill tube connected to it then the one midway?
Got some shop time in today. Started with the "new" hood.
If you are in a drivable distance and these rusted parts are better than yours, you can have them.
Original hood rust
![Wood Motor vehicle Font Automotive exterior Vehicle door]()
Original hood rust
![Hood Automotive lighting Automotive tire Motor vehicle Bumper]()
Replacement hood. Looks good.
![Table White Automotive tire Hood Wood]()
Except.... turns out the hinge corner has been creased
![Aircraft Vehicle Aviation Wood Wheel]()
I clamped the angled steel and gave it some good prying
![Table Boats and boating--Equipment and supplies Engineering Jacket Wood]()
turned out good. You can see the at the C Clamp things are a lot straighter. It stayed this way pretty well without too much spring back. After I installed it on the van, I gave it some good hand pressure to work it some more. Not a perfect fit but stopping here because the fender may be tweaked a bit so not sure which panel is right or not until I do some work on that.
![Table Picture frame Wood Floor Flooring]()
Started on the passenger door
![Motor vehicle Vehicle Hood Automotive tire Automotive exterior]()
rust...
![Automotive tire Window Automotive lighting Asphalt Road surface]()
![Automotive tire Bumper Road surface Motor vehicle Grey]()
If you are in a drivable distance and these rusted parts are better than yours, you can have them.
Original hood rust
Original hood rust
Replacement hood. Looks good.
Except.... turns out the hinge corner has been creased
I clamped the angled steel and gave it some good prying
turned out good. You can see the at the C Clamp things are a lot straighter. It stayed this way pretty well without too much spring back. After I installed it on the van, I gave it some good hand pressure to work it some more. Not a perfect fit but stopping here because the fender may be tweaked a bit so not sure which panel is right or not until I do some work on that.
Started on the passenger door
rust...
Attachments
Have a pretty decent speaker upgrade that was already installed
![Automotive tire Hood Motor vehicle Automotive design Asphalt]()
The replacement is really nice. I have cleaned out the muck from the inside and will do some body wax
![Bumper Automotive tire Wood Motor vehicle Gas]()
Grr! The replacement door has the hinge/spring thingy cut off (the part that does the half-open/Full-open detents)
Let me know if you have any ideas here. Looks like I may need to cut off mine then use a nut/bolt install?
![Tire Automotive tire Motor vehicle Hood Automotive lighting]()
My door has electric windows, locks, and mirrors that I want to keep. I will need to drill out all the rivets for the window motor and lock and reinstall with the wire harness
![Automotive exterior Gas Auto part Machine Art]()
The replacement is really nice. I have cleaned out the muck from the inside and will do some body wax
Grr! The replacement door has the hinge/spring thingy cut off (the part that does the half-open/Full-open detents)
Let me know if you have any ideas here. Looks like I may need to cut off mine then use a nut/bolt install?
My door has electric windows, locks, and mirrors that I want to keep. I will need to drill out all the rivets for the window motor and lock and reinstall with the wire harness
This is the replacement door. The blue circle shows the te spring detent arm was already cut off this door for some reason. Previously I showed the "rust free" bottom of the door. It turns out, there was a slight bit of paint bubble in the red circle, so I wire wheeled the entire door bottom for fresh sealant and paint.
So, I wondered how the paint bubble was starting. Looking inside both doors shows that the rust is not happening from the inside as I expected. The inside was perfect all the way down into the seam as far as I could tell. I am convinced the rust starts on the exterior lip of that door skin. On this door, there is a small wrinkle in the skin where it crimps (I filled that with sealant). My other door is too far gone to see if it had the same wrinkle.
![Automotive tire Hood Automotive lighting Tire Motor vehicle]()
All the door parts out
![Motor vehicle Automotive tire Hood Bumper Automotive exterior]()
Replacement door has the spring detent arm welded in, and a couple reinforcement welds to try and prevent any future cracking
![Picture frame Blue Wood Gas Television]()
![Blue Motor vehicle Automotive exterior Gas Wood]()
![Blue Wood Gas Flooring Motor vehicle]()
So, I wondered how the paint bubble was starting. Looking inside both doors shows that the rust is not happening from the inside as I expected. The inside was perfect all the way down into the seam as far as I could tell. I am convinced the rust starts on the exterior lip of that door skin. On this door, there is a small wrinkle in the skin where it crimps (I filled that with sealant). My other door is too far gone to see if it had the same wrinkle.
All the door parts out
Replacement door has the spring detent arm welded in, and a couple reinforcement welds to try and prevent any future cracking
I can take a better pic if needed..
Is this a stock/OEM style wheel? I have three that look great and one that is really corroded.
Are these clear coated aluminum? I'm trying to decide how I will try and polish up the corroded one.
![Tire Wheel Car Vehicle Automotive lighting]()
Is this a stock/OEM style wheel? I have three that look great and one that is really corroded.
Are these clear coated aluminum? I'm trying to decide how I will try and polish up the corroded one.
Going to have to get real creative on the front. The front body mounts aren't really mounted any more. Well, I suppose they are, but the body is no longer mounted to the body mounts (blue circles).
What is the pipe in the red circle? Is this the trans cooler?
![Motor vehicle Hood Automotive tire Vehicle Grille]()
![Automotive tire Bumper Motor vehicle Wood Automotive exterior]()
What is the pipe in the red circle? Is this the trans cooler?
It's a shame the radiator supports aren't available anymore. The googles are tantalizing but they all go to discontinued parts
Nothing in my area will be any better at the junk yards and they don't seem to allow much in the way of cutting tools anyway. Looks like will have to try and replace the bottom of it.
Did some work on the rear... lost a few pounds and gained some MPG!
![Automotive tire Road surface Asphalt Flooring Gas]()
Check out the gap between the oil pan and front shafts
![Motor vehicle Gas Fixture Automotive exterior Rim]()
So, I took a good look at the motor mounts. Something seems to be missing
![Automotive tire Wood Bicycle part Bicycle tire Electrical wiring]()
![Wood Gas Wire Electrical wiring Automotive tire]()
Got the axle out. Going to have to cut some bolts then the exhaust is next then the fuel tank. I am expecting to put a G80 Eaton MLocker in it. I thought those were LSDs, didn't realize they were legit lockers! I have no plans to work under the junk yard cars in the mud here so will look for something on Ebay.
![Tire Wheel Automotive tire Tread Motor vehicle]()
Nothing in my area will be any better at the junk yards and they don't seem to allow much in the way of cutting tools anyway. Looks like will have to try and replace the bottom of it.
Did some work on the rear... lost a few pounds and gained some MPG!
Check out the gap between the oil pan and front shafts
So, I took a good look at the motor mounts. Something seems to be missing
Got the axle out. Going to have to cut some bolts then the exhaust is next then the fuel tank. I am expecting to put a G80 Eaton MLocker in it. I thought those were LSDs, didn't realize they were legit lockers! I have no plans to work under the junk yard cars in the mud here so will look for something on Ebay.
I cleaned up all the oil to track down all the leaks. The engine has not been started and have this drip.
Would the rear main seal leak without the engine running?
![Automotive tire Motor vehicle Automotive lighting Rim Automotive exterior]()
Would the rear main seal leak without the engine running?
No hammer and punch for this. Seems like I should try the proper tool.
The Honda version of the J-39765 is a much better buy but still an annoying cost for something like this.
![Wood Sculpture Art Landscape Automotive tire]()
The Honda version of the J-39765 is a much better buy but still an annoying cost for something like this.
1 - 20 of 154 Posts
