how much work???

[4x4Poet]

IIRC, Off Road Unlimited has some experience with converting 2wds into 4x4s. Around $10,000 for them to do it all. You might get enough info out of them on how its done, basically. Especially whether you can use your 2wd frame.

I have an old mag article about a white 71 C10 that was converted to 4x4 using the 2wd frame. The guy put a F**d D44 straight, disc brake axle under the front by welding on coil spring perches and c-bushing brackets to the tubes. Ran F**d C-struts from custom frame brackets. Looked like a late '70s F**d 4x4 front-end, complete with driver's side diff. He just used a F**d, driver's side NP205 with a 71/2 GM 4x4 crossmember. He had to lift it at least 6" to help the diff clear the 2wd engine cross member. Cool how he used the 2wd upper coil buckets but not the A-arms. I think he used F250 lift coils

For the rear, he flipped the trailing arms to the top of the axles by welding on the same kind of 2wd perch on top as is on the axle tube bottom. Actually, I can't remember if he used a different axle with 2wd perches on top, vice leaf spring perches. In any case, he only needed to have the u-bolts round the bottom of the tube, instead of the top. He used 71 C20 coils which stayed lined up with the buckets. The rest was little stuff (longer brake hoses, etc.)

From what I could tell, he ended up with a nice riding, four-coil suspension that set the truck a bit high. I think he ran 33" tires. Maybe larger. I can't speak to the strength. The article only addressed the mods. I thought about doing this to my C10 Sub, but what a hassle. Mucho planning and fabbing. I could do some of the welding, but bracket fabbing that lines up axles/suspension parts perfectly is out of my league.