4x4 help
 

hey guys a ran across a deal down the road and im gonna get it its a 84 chevy 3/4 ton 4x4 with a 350 and 700r4 for 500 bucks.ide like to know a little bout these trucks first
BTW i know nothing bout four wheel drves
1.first off whas the 80's 350s as reliable as the older 350s?
2 are these trucks full time 4 wheel drive?
3.what was the stock tire size?(i want to put it back stock)
4. what would be some good mods to do to get more power but not tear up enything?(axles and all that othe stuff ive heard horror storys at school bout built engines and stock axles)
5.how can you tell what the gears on the axles are?
6. whats the difference between 4 high and 4 low?
7. and if you bought a truck and it had been siting for bout a year what fluids should be changed?

Re: 4x4 help
 

i'll take a shot at some of these, can't guarantee 100 percent accuracy though :)
1. We had an 85 3/4 GMC, hard running beast it's whole life with stock axles and a huge spray tank on the back
2. Depends what transfer case it has, my 79 with an NP203 was
3. not sure, about 31" though
4. If you start adding more power, plan on tearing everything up. What do you need it for? daily driving or rock crawling?
5. might be able to find a small metal tab on one of the pumpkin covers with the ratio. Best to take the rear diff cover off and change the oil, then look at the ring gear for a ratio stamped on it (41:11 = 3.73 etc..)
6. BIG DIFFERENCE four low is for pulling stumps, four high is for normal 4 wheel driving (snow, mud etc..)
7. I would plan on chaing everything on a 25 year old truck (coolant, oil, tranny fluid, diff, transfer case, brake etc..) doesn't have to be done all at once but I would start with oil...

$500 is a good deal if it's running

Re: 4x4 help
 

all the 350s were great until they started putting computers and all that other junk to em... you have little anti pollution on an 80s and no computer unless its tbi.. its a good motor
Its not full time 4wd and should be kept in 2wd hi 4 hi is for driving in 4wd on a road 4 lo is for plowing and pulling
Id change ALL the fluids in the motor and trans and check the others well

Re: 4x4 help
 

1. My 84 has 470,000 on it now ( -4 degrees this morning and started right up)
2. No they are not. I'm pretty sure all the pickup's were part time FWD or were auto hubs.
3. correct tire size is 235-85-R16
4. The eng in your truck now has plenty of power to bust stuff up if you abuse it to much. Get her running good and leave it alone. I get 16 to 17 MPG if I take it easy even pulling an 8000 pound trailer.
5. Just like Bob said
6. 4 hi is for every day driving when the weather is slippery. 4 low is for pulling whatever. Be aware that you can't do hiway speeds in 4 low. 4 low doubles RPM for a given speed. If you have to pull a house off it's foundation use 4 low, if not leave it in 4 hi.
7. Change all the fluids and use the time to look for trouble brewing, especially the trans fluid. 700's weren't the best tranys out there. Take a look at the shift window and make sure it's a 4 speed. You might have a 400 and not know it. I'm not sure if 84's came with 700's as an option. I'm sure someone will chime in on this. jim

Re: 4x4 help
 

yea man i got an extra carb and battery and see if she will run

a daily and its nice couse you dont get stuck as easy

what all you got done to that truck man

Re: 4x4 help
 

1. The older models were good till they got computers..( I perfer my 327 personally)
2. They are not full time.
3. Around 30s I think. Why do you want the stock size?..
4. You could get a new intake, 4 barrel carb and air cleaner and only be about 300-400$'s but the carb could effect gas mileage.
5. like bob said.
6. 4 high is if your going through a field and Get stuck. 4 low is if your really screwed and stucked good. I would not recommend driving in 4 wheel drive at all when going on the road.. even if it is snowy or anything. thats kinda stupid.
7.Replace them all dude. It always helps to have new fluid.

Re: 4x4 help
 

i want to put it back stock. but when i restore it im gonna find an sm 465 and transfer case and make it a stick shift i just think it would be neat to have a stock 4x4 with a granny gear (which you can still do alot with)

i got another question what about shift kits what brand is the easyist to install in like a weekend (that would be for now)

and manifolds im guessing low rise duel plane manifold would be the right choice for torque and power on the bottem end right

Re: 4x4 help
 

I love the Edelbrock High RPM manifold. Idk about the shift kits.

Re: 4x4 help
 

You should check out my Cardomain too.

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/3817611/1

Re: 4x4 help
 

Heres a link for a good manifold

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/EDL-7101/

Re: 4x4 help
 

thanks for the help yall but the main thing to keep cost down im stickin with the q jet for now do they have eny spredbore options?

Re: 4x4 help
 

Go to summitracing.com. They have alot of optitions and you can put your engine size in and it will narrow your results. Just search for what you need there... Year one also is a good place to shop..Then of course... EBAY. lol

Re: 4x4 help
 

i took your advice man heres what i found
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/WND-8125/
ive always liked wieand i think/guess this would be a good setup

Re: 4x4 help
 

It looks awesome dude. I think it would work out good. Gl and post pics with it on if you get it.

Re: 4x4 help
 

1) i've found my 86 350 4 barrel to be tougher than a bag of hammers
2) it depends on if thats an option the person who bought it wanted, if it is full time and you'd like to have locking hubs, you can change it over. my 79 4x4 has a NP203 with locking hubs.
3) i believe they had 235's or 245's, thats what my 87 chev 4x4 had on it
4) i'd start with exhaust, headers especially, good plugs and wires, then maybe a cam
5)if you take off the diff. covers, there will be numbers stamped on them, one number is the # of teeth on the ring gear, and the other the number on the pinion, so, if theres 41 on the ring gear, and 10 on the pinion, divide the ring gear # by the pinion #, which = 4.10:1 ( 41/10- 4.10)
6) 4 low is basically lower sped, if you wanna pull something or climb something, 4 low is the way to go, where as if your just driving on snowy roads or through a woods raod, 4 high is the way to go.
7) oil, and gas.. housing fluids should be fine, maybe trans fluid if its automatic.

Re: 4x4 help
 

hey guys thanks for all the help one more question about lift if i ever do want to lift it what is the easyist way and the cheapest way

Re: 4x4 help
 

You could do add-a-leafs.. But by far the easiest way is a body lift.. Also the cheapest. You can get a 2-3" body lift for about 100$.

Re: 4x4 help
 

I think that add-a-leafs or zero rates are easier than body lifts... You need to buy new U-bolts usually though...

Re: 4x4 help
 

Body lifts all you gotta get need 2 high rise jacks(what we used) and some people to help. It is really easy on these trucks.

Re: 4x4 help
 

you can unbolt the cab/bed and lay on your back and lift it up with your feet, thats how i change bushings.

Re: 4x4 help
 

The only difference between the 84 vintage 350 and the older ones is they started skimping on the material a little in the cylinder head castings so they are a bit weaker than the older heads but that is about it. Still plenty strong just not as strong.

The thinner heads have scalloped lower bolt hole areas the older thicker ones do not. Don't know when they made the change for sure but my 83 had the thinner ones on it.

Re: 4x4 help
 

The 84 vintage 700R4 is weak too. Look for an 87-up 700R4 to build for it. They changed the converter spline count in 87 which made it quite a bit stronger.

Every model year they made improvements to make them better so you can put one as new as 92 in there as long as it came out of a 4x4 or AWD Astro van.