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solid axle questions

k5 krawler 50

k5 krawler 50

1/2 ton status
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Gardnerville, NV
I've recently been looking into buying a 1990-95' silverado and have a couple questions about doing a solid axle swap to one. First, I have a chevy dana 60 front axle that i would like to use for the swap. I know that the 88'-present have drivers side drop gear housings. I was wondering if there was a transfercase that i could use where i wouldn't have to cut a bigger hole in the cab floor for the shifter? I really dont want to butcher the tranny belly( i guess thats what its called). I've seen some chevys around town with pass. side drop axles and was wondering what they did for transfercases. Or do you think it be better to just buy a 2wd model and do solid axle conversion, and just cut one hole for the t-case shifter? But the thing with this is i dont know of a company that makes a 2wd solid axle kit. Also when doing a solid axle swap, do they use a 73'-87' front leaf spring or a different length? Thanks for your help.
Cory
 
don't know of anyone that sells a 2wd swap kit. Something about the front crossmember hanging down low. As for the shifter hole, don't know of a single passenger side drop that doesn't also have passenger side shifters. You are pretty well stuck on that one. You could just cut the hole, mount a shifter and weld a patch over the old hole to seal it back up. New carpet out of a 2wd(no shifter hole) and bam you'll never know the difference.
 
I second the idea of swapping to a HP Ford D60, it really helps with your front driveshaft angle. The kits use the front springs for the 73-87(91) trucks. You will get about 2" or 3" lift from the brackets themselves - example: If you use a sas swap kit and 4" lift springs, you will get 7" of lift. It can be done on a 2wd but you will have to make your own brackets and shackles. The engine crossmember hangs down real far on the 2wd trucks but you can cut the bottom of it off and weld a plate on it. The spring cups for the coil springs are part of the frame and you will notice them after the swap, there is no good way to remove them.
 
I'm doing that exact thing right now. I have a 96 2WD 2500 that I'm converting. I'm getting a bare 4WD frame from a local junk yard for $500 and swapping everything over. I'm using a GM D60 and running a TH400 version NP205 behind a 4L80e. You can have the front indexing machined down on the stock th400/205 adapter plate (long input shaft) and bolt it right up behind the 4L80e.


Tim
 
al rite cool, thanks for all the help, i will check into the costs of ford hp 60s, and if worse comes to worse then i will just cut the hole. Thanks for the help.
Cory
 
ORU kit gives you 2" additonal lift. I wouldnt use their kit though, its easy to make your own, espically if your ding it on a 2wd.
 
They do, and they have for a while, but they suck at updating their site. I think it was around $1600 for brackets and steering, but I can't remember if it includes springs or not.
 
Thanks for the info on fabritech. Has anyone fab up their own brackets? If any one has pix of them i would like to see them please. Thanks for the help.
 
divorced said:
Not mine, just found it...

http://www.bigredchevy.com/swap.htm


Check out this one, scroll down a bit, he has a bunch of pics
http://www.fullsizechevy.com/forums/showthread.php?t=124428&highlight=sas
Click to expand...


The brackets in the first link has a bit more then 2" additional lift. He did it good by bracng the hangers together. When you do it, depending how big you go, it would be a good idea to make the front hangers longer then the rear shackles, for better pinion angle.
The one in the second link has the ORU kit. Thoese guys and their panhard bars.
 
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