73-87chevytrucks.com
73-87 Chevy _ GMC Trucks => 4 Wheel Drives => Topic started by: 1979C20 on December 14, 2010, 12:13:17 am
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I'm looking to convert my truck to 4 wheel drive. I'm going to buy the fron crossmember, front axle hub to hub, and front springs to start. I was wondering, is there any way to custom make spring holders for the springs that I can weld onto my chassis? Or would it be better to get the mounts from a parts truck like out of the junkyard or something?
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Personally, I would look for a parts Truck. Take everything you can get from it. Brake lines, swaybar, nuts bolts, steering gear, pitman arm, drive shafts tierods. Mark all your bolts and nuts in bags from what they came off of. You will also need the Hump. You mite get lucky and find a good donor with the Transmission and T-case. Take it all.
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Best to find a farm 4x4 buy it and put your cab and bed on it with a 3" body lift or like said get the center hump off the 4x4
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I did the conversion (Can't finish the truck right now though). It was alot more work than I expected but it is possible. I also used a 79 frame for my 86 stuff. If I was to do another frame I would find a 4x4 before I made one out of a 2wd frame. I did it because I got a nice frame for free and didn't want the 3rd frame for my truck to ever have to come out again. There is alot of cutting of rivets, I made jigs to get the right measurements, alot of drilling, and alot of high quality bolts needed.
On the other hand...I am confident in the chassis work and also am proud of it and glad I did it.
Older brother took some photo's and posted them here whenever he stopped by to help.
http://www.suitorsgarage.com/projects/86chevy4x4/86chevyphase3a8.html (http://www.suitorsgarage.com/projects/86chevy4x4/86chevyphase3a8.html)
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Okay, Another question about it, this one kind of odd. I found a differential on craigslist for a 90's 4wd, and it is for the independent front. Is it possible to modify my truck to use independent front suspension with 4wd?
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How much skils do you have as far as fabrication?
With enough money time and the right tools anything in possible, but, it is worth it? The solid axle design is superior in offroad in my opinion.
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Actually, solid axle and independent both have their pros and cons. Independent is much softer for things like dirt woops and landings and travel, but solid axle is superior for rocks and hills. Also, less likely to break solid axle. I figured, since I have independent front suspension now, I could use the same crossmember, swap out the control arms and spindles with a 4wheel drive set up? Idk. Just kind of brain storming really. It would be an interesting concept
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Hummvee...just put your body on.
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If you are just going to be driving on dirt woops and stuff, why not just keep the 2WD.
The front frame rails are not the same on the 88-99 trucks so you are going to have to fabricate something or front half the truck.
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I wont be going off dirt woops, just making a point that they both have their strong points. And, I probably wont do the independent considering this is my daily driver and I cant have it sitting. I found a 6 lug Dana 44 with springs axles gears hubs rotors calipers etc on craigslist for a fair price. Is it possible to convert a 6 lug dana 44 to 8 lug since my truck is a 3/4 ton and I have 8 lug wheels?
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Its possible yes but you would need a 3/4 ton axle to get the parts off of. Might just want to use that one lol. Could buy parts but by then you might just want to buy a Dana 60
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Well, dana 60 fronts are EXPENSIVE. I found a dana 44 front for 120 complete without the hubs. He dana 60s all go for like 400. They made 3/4 ton trucks with d44 fronts tha had 8 lugs, didn't they?
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Yes they do what I was saying if you bout the 1/2 44 then a 3/4 44 just for the hubs then you would have about enough for a 60. Also what's your plans with it
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. He dana 60s all go for like 400.
I would buy a truckload of Dana 60's if I could get them for $400 each. The sell for double that in Mass.
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Those dana 60 fronts are just the axle housing and no gears! And, I wouldn't buy a dana 44 6 lug and a full dana 44 8 lug. I would buy the 6 lug, and then the 8 lug hubs?
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I would buy a whole 3/4 ton parts truck so that you have the 4wd spring hangers and measurements to put the axle in. You would also get driveshafts, t-case, tranny, crossmember.
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Well, I haven't found any 3/4ton D44s. Right now, I'm just looking to mount the front axle with brakes so it is driveable. I have a 2wd transmission so I need to find a divorced transfer case or a new tranny. The front axle is just my first step towards converting my beasty.
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You need the shackles odor the front two choice a buy new. Don't know the price but seen some for 50 apiece or b. Buy a used truck where not only will you have shackles but like said transfer case transmission and drive shaft
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I cant find a reasonably priced 3/4 ton 4x4 anywhere, and I don't have a lot of money to spend. If I had a lot of money, I would buy a 4wheel drive and turn my truck into a donor!
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Hmmmm. If I found a 4x4 in the junk yard, How could I remove the spring hangers and what not? How do you guys remover the rivets from the trucks at the yard?
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Cutting torch ! Then reinstall with grade 8 bolts.
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But...... How the heck do you take a cutting torch to pick a part?
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On a golf cart.
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Hahahaha. Okay, what about not having a cutting torch? What would you use?
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You can also do the X if you like with a grinder or a cut off tool and then take a air hammer and hammer out the rivets, But a torch is the bast way to do it...
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I take a battery powered sawzall and just take the section of frame too and take the rivets out at home.
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1979C20, if you don't have a torch you probably shouldn't be working on your own truck, much less trying to convert it to 4 wd.
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That's not true, I do not own a torch or plasma and have rebuilt mine from ground up. Those would make it easier, but are not essential.
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My dad has an oxyacetylene and a plasma torch and 2 welders. I personally do not have a torch to take to pick a part.
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Bring the whole chassis home from the boneyard. I cut the heads off the rivets with a torch then used a air chisel with a punch to pound them out. You can grind the head off with a 4" grinder them use a hammer and punch also. My opinion is that you will need to have a 4x4 frame to find the exact locations of where to mount your 4wd brackets.
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you cant buy the whole truck from the yard just parts of it ex. frame and axles. then if you do buy the frame don’t worry about cutting and use that frame
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So, after seeing the 2000 gen engines and trannys swapped into our trucks, would it be possible to swap engine, tranny, transfercase, front dif, control arms, spindles, axleshafts for the IFS ont out frame?
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this is my daily driver and I cant have it sitting.
So, after seeing the 2000 gen engines and trannys swapped into our trucks, would it be possible to swap engine, tranny, transfercase, front dif, control arms, spindles, axleshafts for the IFS ont out frame?
I bet that putting IFS in a squarebody would be quite a lengthy process.
Kinda like making applesauce from oranges.
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Well, im just curious if its possible. Seems like a cool concept. That would be a bad truck!
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It would probably be easier to put the sq body on the newer chassis.
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Would the front suspension, steering, axle, etc. from this truck work on mine? I figure, talk to the guy and offer him 150 from the whole front suspension assembly and then I'd have my starting point for my conversion.
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newer trucks have the t-case drop on the opposite side don't they.
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You would need a left side front output T case if you were to swap in IFS. As far as putting a solid front axle in and just driving that way for a bit, you will need to swap in the rear spring hangers / shackles along with it. If you leave the two wheel drives ones in it your nose is going to be a few inches higher than the rear.