4wd-2wd

[chevrunner21]

ok so i have my very first vehicle which is a 1985 k5 4wd blazer, i was originally gonna do a lift with 35"tires or bigger and than realized how much it would cost me to go mudding every weekend breaking parts and all so i decided to be the first 1985 k5 blazer slammed in gloucester county(or atleast the only one i've ever seen) so i wanted to know what i needed to buy or what i needed to do to turn it into 2wd and also if you knew or had any parts that i needed.

thanks for any help given.

[sixty8c10]

look here:
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...1&page=1&pp=25

[chevrunner21]

thanks for the link but did u do all that drilling to both vehicles or just the truck? and i guess i can take the front end pieces off of a truck or a blazer and swap? and also i needed to know wut parts i would have to take off because i really don't know anything about this stuff but i'm trying to learn

[sixty8c10]

yes, i had to do the drilling to both vehicles, but if your only wanting to make one driveable then you only need to do one. its best to have both vehicles side by side when doing this swap so will always have them to double and triple check your measurements. there is an easier way though, milehightoyz did a similar swap...he went and found a 2wd blazer frame and put the 4wd body on it.

[sixty8c10]

here is a link to milehightoyz swap:
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s....php3?t=173189

[chevrunner21]

thanks for the link that does give me a better idea but now i need to know what parts i would have to buy to lower the 2wd frame so if you or any one else knew of a site that told me please help and thanks for the help so far.

[blazekraze]

I'm looking into making a 4x into a 2x, I may be wrong but I believe drop spindles in the front and lowering shacles in the rear or flip the axle.. This is what I'm planning unless there's a better way..

[chevrunner21]

and also could i put my blazer body onto a 2wd short bed pickup frame?

[raggedjim]

you could if you shortened the frame, the wheel base is different.

[Captkaos]

Originally Posted by chevrunner21

and also could i put my blazer body onto a 2wd short bed pickup frame?

No, the frames are completely different from the rear doors back.

[chevrunner21]

thanks, does any one have a spair blazer frame by any chance?

[chevrunner21]

i was recently told that 2wd blazers were made from like 73-82 or something like that and that they were hard to find so is this true and would i be better off swapping the front end suspension from a truck to my blazer, and also could i take the front end suspension off of any 2wd chevrolet truck?

thanks for all the help that has been given

[AirMale]

I'm 95% sure that all you need is a complete 2wd front crosmember and add your own drop spindles. These are very common and can be found anywhere....they are just a PITA to remove so get the junkyard to cut one off and save it for you.

[chevrunner21]

i thought the cross member was the piece that held up the tranny I never heard of a front crossmember.

[sixty8c10]

if you do the front xmember swap you will also need to change the rear spring hangers, as the 4wd drive hangars are longer than the 2wd

[chevrunner21]

i was going to try and do like you sixty8c10 and swap the front and rear suspension but would swapping the x member be easier? i want to have the truck sit close to like 4-5 inches maybe from the ground without airbags because i still wana drive it everyday but i want it real low say i buy this 1985 2wd silverado what else do i need to buy to make it sit low?

[Captkaos]

If you have a 4x4 and you are converting it to 4x2, in a nutshell, you are going to have to
1)get a 4x2 front suspension which included the crossmember (section with the upper/lower control arms) from motor mounts down including everything out to the wheels
2)4x2 transmission crossmember
3)hangers/shackles from 4x2 donor

If you want the same bolt pattern front/rear (which I am sure you want) you can either get the axle from the 4x2 donor, or swap the rear axles shafts out.

Basically you need the complete rolling chassis minus engine (you need a 4x2 transmission and driveshaft) or a collection of these parts. The only thing that is the same is basically the framerails with 4x4 vs 4x2 Blazers.

[chevrunner21]

thanks alot.

[chevrunner21]

say its all 2wd now what would i need to buy to lower it completely and what about a c notch, does that lower the whole body or front or back end? i've heard about everything but never knew about what it did.

[sixty8c10]

i would start with 3" drop spindles for the front.....then a rear flip kit which will get you 5" in the rear...then if it is still not low enough for your liking add 2" drop springs in the front and 2" drop shackles in the rear....the c-notch is for axle clearance in the rear you should not need it for a 5" drop in the rear, 7" most likely.

[chevrunner21]

well i want it to sit about 3-4 inches off the ground so do you think i could do that off of the drop spindles and all that you said

[sixty8c10]

i don't know what parts exactly will get you where you are looking to be.....i will just say that a 5"/7" drop is the most i would go for a daily driver...and with as big as the potholes are around here i personally would wouldn't go more than a 3"/ 5" without some sort of adjustbility.

[chevrunner21]

when i swap the k member from the silverado will that sit the front end lower, and do i have to swap the rear and rear suspension parts too like the leafsprings??

[sixty8c10]

you will need the rear axle, the rear hangars, and will have to have a drive shaft made(you shouls be able to shorten the one from the pick-up, as you will need its tranny to)....... i will get a pic of mine this weekend....i just did this swap with no lowering at all........it will give you an idea of how it will sit

[chevrunner21]

thanks and say i chop and weld the driveshaft would it take a beating? even though its gonna be low as hell i still wana burnout and am supposed to meet a friend at atco to race the 98 expedition his dad gave him