4x4

Ok, I saw this on Monster Garage a long while back, and I know it's possible. Im just wondering how effective it is, how much power it robs, maybe a website that sells em or something, how costly and time consuming and hard it would be to do...I dunno...any facts on it would be great.
I am pondering a 4X4 conversion for my rear wheel drive 4X2 89 C1500. Isn't it just a chain driven dealy that goes onto the driveshaft with a second driveshaft that goes to the front wheels? I know theres more to it, but I would love to hear any info on it, I wanna see my beater truck with big mudders and it being a 4X4. That would be awesome, thanks!

You would need a whole new front end (one with a differential), a 4x4 tranny (or see if you can simply swap the tail of yours out for a 4x4 one), a transfer case (the chain driven dealy), and a front drive shaft.

Just to let you know, it most likely be cheaper to sell your truck and buy one with 4 wheel drive already. But yes, it certainly is possible.

Ill run over to the junkyard near here this weekend. You can get a whole suspension with both axels and differentials for like $300 or something, I dont remember. Thanks for the list though, i promised my uncle i wouldnt sell her, so this was something just to think about. :smile:

actuailly, this would be a good opertunity to go to a solid front axle.
you can pick the axles, T-case, and everything else that you want, and if you use leaf sprigs it should be prety easy to get it all set up.

Yeah it has leaf springs. I just hope I have enough couch cusions to dig through to pay for all that stuff, if I even find anything.

Youi should be able to find everything alright. Theres a lot of those trucks out there!!

How hard would that be? Im sure I could scaveng up the time after I ship the Camaro. All I would need is a jack, and then the wrenches and such to pull the whole old suspension+axels off. Im thinking of just taking off both axels and jamming in a whole new 4X4 setup under it.

It really wouldn't be all that hard, just be sure to set aside enough time for it. You'll also want to have at least 2 jack stands to help you out. Having a buddy or two around definatly makes things go a lot faster!

If you get the parts off of the same exact style truck as yours, everything will simply bolt right into place of the 2x4 parts.

That would be awesome, would it have to be the same year and C model, or would the same year K or different year C1500 within a certain range work too? Just in case they dont have the same truck.

Could I use the same driveshaft and tranny and all that? im looking at just the axels and suspension. or whatever I need for the whole deal.

Ive been thinking, im going to get a 350 for the truck, but will the stock tranny be able to hold up with all that, along with only a 350?

To make things easier, I would just look for axles from what ever range of years is the same as yours.

I'm not sure what exactly is the difference on the K model, so I can't help you there.

Some 2 wheel drive trannies allow you to swap out the tail shaft for one from a 4 wheel drive. I'm not sure if you can on yours though (maybe someone else will know). When this is done, it might affect the distance between the tailshaft and the rear end, so you might need a different driveshaft as well.

What tranny do you have? Is it a TH350 or a TH400 (not sure if any others were offered that year)? If it's either of these, it will hold up.

Also, make sure that the gear ratio in the new front end is the same as what you already have in the rear.

I can't anwser your 4 x 4 questions, but your transmission should hold up to a 5.7 litre ( 350 cid) just fine whether it's a TH350, 400 or even a 700R4. The 400 can even handle a 454 big block just fine. You probally have a 400, being that it's a HD1500. 400's where standard on 3/4 and 1 ton's, but if you have an overdrive it's gotta be a 700R4 (I think).

Its an overdrive like 4 speed. being the 4th gear is overdrive. It wont let me shift into gear one, but it lets me go to 2 d and overdrive...well thats a whole nother problem. Im almost sure its only a 4 speed though.

TH350 came behind 454's as well. A TH400 is extremely strong and will handle a ton of torque and power.

check this out.
http://www.pavementsucks.com/forums/viewtopic.php?topic=50418
I realize that this is a little more extream than what you are wanting to do, but it may give you an idea of what to expect when you get under the truck.
this guy already had 4WD, but swapped the IFS for a solid front axle w/leaf springs.
if you decide to go with the IFS 4WD from a truck similar to yours, it "should" be a mostly bolt on swap.

TH350 came behind 454's as well. A TH400 is extremely strong and will handle a ton of torque and power.


You couldn't be more right, I have a 400 sitting in my garage, no use for it, but you don't toss out a TH400. In fact I tossed out the 1984 C20 and kept the 400 and the cassette player. Yes I still use magnetic cassettes, everyone says i'm still living in the 20th centry, I say " let me run over your CD's and see how they play, I did run over my tape collection (on accident) and two out of 38 where ruined. all my Judas Priest tapes survived and my Iron maiden, thats all I need. one of the destroyed was Dexy's midnight runners. I was about to kill that tape anyways with a 16 pound sledge hammer.

OMG "Come On Eileen" is one of the most irratatingly catchy songs I've ever heard, just mentioning it, I'm going to have it stuck in my head all damn day.

Anyways...
YES!!! 4oo turbos rock

If you have a 4 speed auto in your truck, I'm thinking it's a 700-R4, I know the 4L60 came out around then so maybe it's a 4L60 instead, but either way, don't worry about the trans not being able to hold up.

Might I also mention the possibility of finding a 4X4 frame and just swapping everything over to the new chassis.

hmmm that could work too. And am I too young or am i out of touch with these songs? haha. Yeah all i know about the tranny is that its a 4 speed auto that wont let me shift into first gear, or low gear, or whatever on autos you call it. Anyone know how hard of a job this would be? that other guy on the link looks like hes going all out. All i want to do for now is make it a basic stock 4X4, then when i have the $$$ add all the aftermarket lifts and such.

could work too. And am I too young or am i out of touch with these songs?


I would to say your too young. "Come on Eileen" came out two years before you were born. One hit wonder, but come on everybody knows who Iron Maiden is.As for your truck problem, I think the problem is, your too young.But seriously converting to four wheel drive is not going to be cheap or easy and why do u need it? I had my four wheeler for 6 years, needed four wheel engaged 1 time for 8 minutes.

I need it cuz it would be kickass. haha, the way i was looking at it I don't think it would be that hard...i mean if i can get both axels, driveshafts, and the entire suspension, wouldn't it kind of become just switching in the new parts? I know its not that easy, but if you think of it like that...I dunno...like im sure i could do it, its just time and money im wondering about.