suburban swap to 4x4

79burb · 04-10-2003, 03:40 PM

has any one done a 2wd to 4wd swap on a suburban, I have looked the easiest way to go is getting a lwb 4x4 pickup and transplant my body on it?? has any body done this thanks
79burb:flash:

stu1435 · 04-30-2003, 01:53 PM

It's easier than that, buddy. If you can do a leaf spring lift, drop your tranny and bleed your brakes by yourself, you can swap out axles. (AND it's a heck of a lot easier than swapping bodies).

1 - Get yourself a front axle out of a '74 - '82 4x4 (or if you want to upgrade to 3/4 ton or 1 ton - GET BOTH AXLES). Get the transfercase while you are at it (or a 700r4 or TH350 with the 4x4 Transfercase attached). Make sure you grab the driveshafts too. (You'll need those)

2 - Now (while you have it/them sitting in your garage) is a good time to throw in a new set of those (brand new) ring and pinions / lockers / spiders / gaskets / seals / reinforced diff cover / diff rock-guard / paint / brakes / yokes / vent tubes ... WHATEVER. Do it now - you'll be happy you did.

3 - Lift your truck up by it's frame. Keep it up with JACKSTANDS.

4 - Undo your brake lines, your shocks, any lines or tubes or electrical stuff.

5 - Using the CORRECT TOOL (which you can rent from a Auto parts store) disconnect your steering componentry from the axle (this includes steering stabilizers and other random things.

6 - (Your choice) It might be easier for you to undo the U-bolts holding the axles to the springs, or it might be easier for you to undo the springs from the frame. (You also have to think about getting the new one back into place).

7 - Drop out your old driveshafts.

8 - Drop out the tranny/transfercase.

9 - Roll the old axle(s) out.

10 - Reverse the steps above.

OBVIOUSLY - It's not easy or fast. And you should take your time getting familiar with the ACTUAL individual steps involved. Do research. Talk to your parts guys. GO TO CHEVY WRECKING YARDS - talk to the guys there - they usually know more about this type of stuff than you can imagine.

Essentially, It will take you some time, so make sure you have another mode of transportation.

BUT HERES THE KICKER.

Q.

Do you REALLY need 4x4? Do you really get into "stucks" where you need YOUR Suburban to be 4x4? - MOST PEOPLE say yes. Most people are wrong.

A.

My 4x4 Suburban goes everywhere (Oregon, Moab, Pismo, Hollister, Mariposa, Big Sky, Baton Rouge) and I can count the number of times I NEEDED to put it in 4x4 on the fingers of 1 hand. Granted, I'm not climbing slick-rock or Devils bowl at Moab, but I go anywhere I want (mostly forgetting to use 4x4). I usually don't need 4x4.

If you just need ride height, get a lift and big tires.
If you are trying to get unstuck, get a winch.
If you really want to climb up vertical cliffs or over 4 foot ledges, get a 4x4 Blazer.

YOU COULD BE LIKE ME - towing quads/sandrails/bikes with the Burb and offroading with the toys.

Remember - You might have to drive it back home after you beat it up (read: break) on the trail... if you only have to get it back to the trailer, it's a heck of a lot easier.

Last thing to keep in mind - Tread Lightly, clean up after yourself and others. Run over any enviro-nazi's that you come across, but clean up afterwards (hide the body).

- Stu :twoguns:

blackbob · 06-18-2003, 08:57 PM

Hey stu !

Do you know is the swap is just as easy for a 87' 4x2 ?

~BB~

stu1435 · 06-19-2003, 12:36 AM

Hey BlackBob,

Yeah, the 4x2 to 4x4 swap is pretty straightforward if you are mechanically inclined... and it should work for any Suburbans/Blazers/Jimmys from '73 to '91. If you you can get your hands on a good PAIR of 3/4 ton axles, it is well worth your while to swap them out... and it really isn't that hard. If, however, you have a unknown gear ratio (in yours or the donors axle) then you'll have to do quite a bit of research or swap out the gears. (Rears and fronts should have the same gear ratio!)

The hard part is not the actual swapping of axles... it's finding that G*DD*MNED BOLT that you just cleaned off and put down on the floor - and remebering where you stashed those new crush washers for your brake hose to caliper connection.

Basically, make sure that you replace as much stuff on the axle as you want BEFORE you start the swap. At the very least...

1. Gear Oil (inspect the gear as well - tooth wear patterns, etc...)
2. Tie Rod ends (REALLY IMPORTANT)
3. Get the Balljoints tested with a runout gauge...
4. BRAKE PADS ! (or loaded calipers - well worth the extra $$$)
5. BRAKE HOSES !
6. U-JOINTS !

Now is also a good time to throw a lift on the suspension... again, before you've got the frame in the air and the axles on the ground.

BUY EVERYTHING AHEAD OF TIME !!!!
Fluids
Gaskets
Bolts
Random tools... (tie rod end separator, BFH - Big F*cking Hammer)

AGAIN, remember, this will take quite a bit of time... so make sure you have a constant reliable alternate mode of transportation. Depending on your abilities, tools, $$$, and the ambient temperature... it can take a Saturday/Sunday (like in my case) or it can take 6 months (like my buddy did...)

I recommend sitting down under your truck for half a day, cleaning it and staring at it. Get a marking pen, pad of paper, pencil, a 12-pack of beer and just put a number on every single place where there is a connection from the axles to the suspension/body/tranny/tcase/engine/steering/braking system.... This'll help with a couple of things...

1. You'll become intimately familiar with the underside of your truck before you buy the stuff you need.
2. You will have cleaned the underside a good deal (always a good thing)
3. You'll have a CHECKLIST of stuff to look at before you start.
4. You'll get a better understanding of how everything works together.

If you have any questions - now is a good time to educate yourself about the conversion.

Remember this...
Between '72 and '91 in the Suburban / Fullsize Jimmy/ K-5 Blazer (with the exception of diesels) virtually everything on these trucks is interchangeable. If you have a 1/2 ton, try to stick to 1/2 ton components... because when you start going to 3/4 ton stuff it gets more expensive, and parts differences start to cause confusion. If you have a 3/4 ton, stick to 3/4 ton stuff, because that is what your truck requires in order to be BEEFY!

DANA40 Kicks ass!
GM12Bolt Kicks ass!
TH400 Kicks ass!
NP205 Kicks ass!
Smog Equipment SUCKS ass!

Lastly... Tread Lightly means that if you "accidentally" run over a few Enviro-Nazis, you should bury the bodies... so as to not disturb the pretty flowers.

- Stu

blackbob · 06-19-2003, 12:35 PM

The problem is everytime I menchin the swap. I keep being told it's not worth the money it's VERY EXPENSIVE and I'd be better off going out and buying an already 4x4 4x4. So it leaves me pretty dicuraged...one guy told me I could expect to spent somewhere in the region of 4,500 to 6k on the swap...can you shine some light on that ?

~BB~

tibbar · 06-25-2003, 11:12 AM

The frames are different between 2 and 4 wheel drive. The esiest way
I have found to swap is to get the front have of a 4x4 frame and splice it in some where behind the front body mounts.

The changing of the body onto a pick up frame, ain't so easy either
The frames have a completly different contour, and you will end up with
a little lack of frame at the back.

Hope this helped.

Tibbar

stu1435 · 06-25-2003, 01:31 PM

You're right. It is absolutely easier to just buy a 4x4... and when you compare costs, it is about the same price. I did what I did because I had the parts available, and my friends said it wasn't possible.

The frame modifications are not that big of a deal, because the spring hangers get welded on +2' and -2' from the centerpoint of the front axle. The measurements are pretty important... but this is all a moot point.

This all started because I was saying that you should really get a good idea of what you want to do with this truck. Re-read my previous posts. You have a 2x4, I have a 4x4... I barely ever shift into 4wd - SO I MIGHT AS WELL HAVE A 2x4. I don't do MUCH rock crawling or mud running, but I do every once in a while. I spend most of my time in sand and on fire trails, and on the highway.

I personally believe that doing the conversion is NOT necessary, it is NOT impossible, and it is NOT easy.

1. The frames are different, but it's not that big of a difference.
2. The benefits you reap from converting to 4x4 are minimal for MOST off-roading duty. A couple of my friends can go far as I can in their 2wd.
3. You can reduce the differences between a 2wd and a 4wd by lifting your 2wd (I like 6" lifts) and adding some nasty meats (MTRs are great).
4. IF you NEED to have MORE off-roading capability, change out you rear gears for a higher ratio, adding lockers and a throwing on a winch.

IF YOU DO STEPS 3 and 4, you will have a more capable truck than most stock 4x4s..........and your truck will be more pimped out......... think about it.

Anyway... back to the point.

blackbob · 06-25-2003, 10:30 PM

Well stu you are absolutely right....but it took me a month or two just to get ONE SOLID ANSWER....but I'm glad I found it. One of the reasons I personally wanted a 4x4 is for more lift ! That and the fact that I might get stuck offroad too. But right now the truck is about a ruler and and some off the ground to the bottom of the side of the truck. I want more lift out of it though. I gained inches by taking off the side rails. Right now it has 33x12.5x15's I wanna go much larger like 34's or 35's with really wide tires like 16.5,18,or even 23 if they make them in 35,36's that will give it more of a wide track and comfinsate for the lack of the extra two wheels of drive I THINK anyway...but other then that I was gonna slap more power under the hood for thoughs sticky situations !If you have any more advice and or input do add it in !

~BB~

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