converting a 2wd to 4wd 1 ton beast.

[chevyguybc]

Well my jimmy is long gone thanks to automotive cancer...


so i picked up this 81 long box, its orange, and rustfree practically...

im swapping in my 4speed, hydrulic clutch, dana 60 4:56, 14 bolt 4:56, 38s, lifted 52s up front, lifted 56s shackel reversal rear

im wondering about the crossmembers? are thye the same, will i need to customize it for crossover?

also is the master/booster weaker? i have a chance for hydroboost should i go with it, im going to stay drums in the rear for now....

 

[imiceman44]

Well my jimmy is long gone thanks to automotive cancer...


so i picked up this 81 long box, its orange, and rustfree practically...

im swapping in my 4speed, hydrulic clutch, dana 60 4:56, 14 bolt 4:56, 38s, lifted 52s up front, lifted 56s shackel reversal rear

im wondering about the crossmembers? are thye the same, will i need to customize it for crossover?

also is the master/booster weaker? i have a chance for hydroboost should i go with it, im going to stay drums in the rear for now....

Cross member on a 2wd is different, but you can use your 4wd cross member from the jimmy.

 

[chevyguybc]

the jimmy is gone

can i just fab up another crossmember to brace it up

the crossmeber im talking about is a custom front leaf spring mount, its out of 2x4 hss, with 1/4 braced mounts, was in my old jimmy..

weld that in, holesaw some holes in the frame for the front rear mounts, make sure its all sqaured

the truck is beautiful! pics to come

all the jimmys blazers up here are rotten, so had to go with a pickup

 

[4x4_76]

Crossmember under the engine fits, but holes won't allign. Neither will 4wd motor mounts fit on 2wd holes.

Crossmember under the radiator don't fit, I tackled with it for a while, but because the 4wd frame is curved differently on drivers side (or was it passenger side), I couldn't get it right. So now I'm gonna fab one that serves as a winch mount, too.

 

[chevyguybc]

member under the radiator doesnt fit what?

also why do i need 4 wd mounts? does it require new holes for mounts to bolt down onto frame or what?

holes wont allign with what?

 

[4x4_76]

member under the radiator doesnt fit what?

It doesn't follow the frames shape, driver side mounting points are in different angle compared to passenger side.

also why do i need 4 wd mounts? does it require new holes for mounts to bolt down onto frame or what?

Depends on how much lift you will have, but with 3" susp. lift 2wd passenger side bracket is really close to pumpkin. 2wd brackets are bolted to top of the frame, and 2wd suspension crossmember. 4wd brackets bolt to top, side and lower part of the frame.

edit/ Little clarification, I ment motor mount brackets that won't bolt to 2wd frame, not actual motor mounts

holes wont allign with what?

None of the 2wd frame holes don't allign with 4wd crossmember or motor mount brackets.

 

[chevyguybc]

Pictures!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

well, the truck looks solid, ive had it for a full day now, washed it, cut all the wiring hack jobs, what a mess, someone along the lines had used butt connectors( the yellow ones) on small gauge wiring RIGHT IN THE DOOR JAMB

THOUGHT YOU GUYS MIGHT LIKE THE STICKERS ON THE TRUCK, HAHAHAHA THEY ARE ALL STAYING!

i had tossed on my mint red door panels when i ran into that mess, its ready to go, need more butt conns...

floor is beautiful guys, for a canadian truck, i hit the jackpot

i cant find any poke through rust on the entire cab, fenders or box, etc etc


i already have a crewcab 1987 long box engine crossmember mount lined up

along with DRUMROLL ..............to go along with my lifted 52s up front....................LIFTED 56S AND SHACKEL REVERSAL, ORD reversal i think... either way its solid.. springs are new, gotta take a few packs out to match the 8 inch lift up front...


now a few QUESTIONS for those still with me!!!

are 2wd and 4wd proportioning valves different

i can get a power booost 1 ton brake system, how do i go about installing that...

also im thinking of installing my 77 sm465/205 setup, i want to get the hydrulic setup for it.... but my question is.. will the tranny tunnel clear, or should i modify it for a bolt on tunnel( which i have)..?????????????


truck is solid, needs a few patchs here and there, but overall mounts are mint,

waiting on arrival of crossover dana 60 steering, diy4x stuff big bill, and a few other goodies, going to fab up triangulated rear shocks.. custom 2.5 inch with the flowies that are on it...

slap my headers on it, and put some camel bumps on the motor if its bored and rebuilt, if its stock bottom end, ill leave it as is.. too much compression for old motor...

 

[johnnychimpo]

the body looks good from the pics.

 

[chevyguybc]

hence the swap

this truck has no poke through rust anywhere, the box needs a patch above the wheel wells, but is good other then that, and the cab corners have bondo, also where you put your left foot as a driver, is surface rusted pretty bad, but its in great shape!

im busy collecting parts

 

[johnnychimpo]

All I do is collect parts. I never have time to put them on anything.

 

[loafer]

Would it be eisier to find a 4wd drive frame and swap the body?

 

[imiceman44]

All I do is collect parts. I never have time to put them on anything.

That is what I did for 6 years and now i am selling everything to make house payments, since I lost my job 6 months ago.

 

[chevyguybc]

yeha i currently lost my job about a month ago, was going to sell my dana 60 , but decided to sell my 1300 mountain bike for this 81 long box with no rust and strong motor....

i already bought the diy4x shackel mounts, just need to pick up a propane setup, and bolt that in, and i think im going to keep it automatic, i found a np205 to th350 adapater, SOO do i have to change the output shaft from a th350 to the 2wd, maybe something let a tranny shop do?