4x4 two 2 wheel drive????

[Oldironracing]

How hard is it to convert a 4 wheel drive to a 2 wheel drive? What to use to do so? Good idea or just keep looking for a 2 wheel drive?
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[truckster]

OK, please understand I'm not bashing here - I'm truly curious. I know there are a lot of guys who like the 2wd, but why? Why take a 4wd and make it a 2wd? The 4wd can do a whole lot more.

[1972K20]

Not bashing either. I just don't understand why you would convert a 4wd into 2wd.

[YBNORML]

Different strokes for different folks. I have no interest in going off road, therefore a 4wd makes no sense for me. I was gonna buy a 4wd and convert it before I found my factory 2wd.

OldIron : it is actually quite simple. There are a few conversion threads in the build section. If I can find one I'll post a link for you.
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[bouncytruck]

I love a nice 2wd - converted or factory. I've thought about converting mine more than once.

Here's a great article on the conversion - http://www.sporttruck.com/techarticl...wd_conversion/

[Mint68]

It should be pretty easy I would think, just take the front drive shaft out.....tools wise, I'm sure a wrench would do the job.

I think it would probably be easiest to buy a junk 2wd truck and swap everything you need from it.

[Oldironracing]

Originally Posted by YBNORML

Different strokes for different folks. I have no interest in going off road, therefore a 4wd makes no sense for me. I was gonna buy a 4wd and convert it before I found my factory 2wd.

OldIron : it is actually quite simple. There are a few conversion threads in the build section. If I can find one I'll post a link for you.
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I agree don't won't to go off road. Been there done that. Run a pro mod mud drags for 5 years. Went back to the hot rod street stuff. Not that the off road thing ant fun just not what I won't.
There seams to be a lot more of the 4x4 out there.
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[fxdxharley]

Its not to hard at all. find a 2wd truck and swap out the parts. you will need to drill a few holes in the frame for the front cross memeber and maybe a few in the rear for cross members and such. also will have to fab upper spring mounts as the frames are different. then swap trans out.
But why do it? becuase there is alot more 4wd's then 2wd's and a lowerd 2wd looks sweet. plus if your not into 4x4 why have something you dont like, convert it. its all in what you like.

[BlazinC5]

I did it with my 71. and I have a build thread going too. Even though i haven't had time to work on the blazer in a long time. But you can see how I ended up going about it. I 4-wheeled the snot outa my blazer in the day but time and money, ect. put a damper on things. A good blazer tub is hard to find around here without breaking the bank. And I didn't need 2 4x4's but wanted a 2wd gitaround rig. Well my tub was pretty dang good shape vs. most others out here. So I couldn't part with the tub. and went with a 2wd frame. Then sold off the 4x4 parts under a pickup cab and got some good money out of it. Anyhow you can look up my build thread in my signiture. I prolly would do some things a lil different with how I went about it if I was to do it again but it still turned out pretty good with the frame. though i am nowhere near done.

[beonkey]

I'm doing a conversion right now. Not terribly tough, but time consuming although I am spending a lot of time cleaning and correcting things while it is apart. Mine is almost done now (the conversion) and the only advice I can give is buy an air hammer to start! I grinder, chiseled and punched all of the rivets out and would have been a lot further with a air hammer. They fought me the whole way. I'm will post details someday, but try to spend free time finishing it.

Why convert one? Because I want a 2wd....and there are a lot more paved roads than dirt roads in SoCal.
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[Blazer383]

Mine was a 4x4 when it was born but somewhere along the line it was converted to two wheel. I would rather have the 4x4 but I'm not going threw all the trouble to convert it back. I would sell mine but its an Arizona blazer and has no rust what so ever anywhere on it, so it's a two wheel life for me.
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[BlazinC5]

Originally Posted by beonkey

Mine is almost done now (the conversion) and the only advice I can give is buy an air hammer to start! I grinder, chiseled and punched all of the rivets out and would have been a lot further with a air hammer. They fought me the whole way. I'm will post details someday, but try to spend free time finishing it.

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I tried the air hammer stuff with mine and accually had better luck with grinders and a punch.. Both my air hammer just didn't like how hard those rivets are. They may not be of the top quality but they aren't bottom bargains either. I used a 4.5" disc hand grinder to hog most the rivet head off and then a sanding disc of 80 grit then a 120 to smooth it out flush and not gouge into the parts I aimed to keep. Then I would take my punch that is about half the diameter of the rivet and wack it hard with a heavy hammer... There were a few that went real well like that. But most like you said, were fought the whole way. And even a few just wouldn't budge due to the holes not matching up well when they squashed the rivet in. So I ended up drilling the rivet in the center so the sidewalls were thin and could collaps as I punch and hammered them out. Lots of work, but not very hard.

[beonkey]

Originally Posted by BlazinC5

I tried the air hammer stuff with mine and accually had better luck with grinders and a punch.. Both my air hammer just didn't like how hard those rivets are. They may not be of the top quality but they aren't bottom bargains either. I used a 4.5" disc hand grinder to hog most the rivet head off and then a sanding disc of 80 grit then a 120 to smooth it out flush and not gouge into the parts I aimed to keep. Then I would take my punch that is about half the diameter of the rivet and wack it hard with a heavy hammer... There were a few that went real well like that. But most like you said, were fought the whole way. And even a few just wouldn't budge due to the holes not matching up well when they squashed the rivet in. So I ended up drilling the rivet in the center so the sidewalls were thin and could collaps as I punch and hammered them out. Lots of work, but not very hard.

X2 on drilling the hole through the rivet. Took me too long to figure that out!
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[BlazinC5]

Originally Posted by beonkey

X2 on drilling the hole through the rivet. Took me too long to figure that out!
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It's all good, It's taken me many a years to learn my magic. I've also used a similar trick, Just more refined to remove broke off, froze up bolts in many things. including the unders side of my top for the mounting bolts. (double wall) I saved like 5 or 6 of them and didn't have to cut into the top. Just you have to be good with the drill.

Back on topic, the hardest part I think about swapping frames is finding where to cut the section out in the middle of the frame from a pickup. and then working up the nerve for the first cut and trust your measurments.

[Wasted Income]

In process on converting a cherry 72 4x4 to a street rod