2wd to 4wd (someday?)

[Beefcake]

I have a great daily driver. Its my 72 GMC Camper Special. Love the thing… But every winter I just wish It was a 4x4. I just don’t have the time right now to completely convert the truck to a 4x4. But it dose need a new front suspension desperately.

So this summer, I was wondering if I can kill to birds with one stone, and get closer to a 4x4 by sliding a dana44 underneath it? I know I need to relocate the p/s, and gear ratios must match… But Im unfamiliar divorcing the front axle. – will this give me any problems??

am I ?

[4x4Poet]

Yes, you are crazy, but in a motorhead kinda way.

If you'll forgive me for not addressing the question, I would add a super smooth traction aid to the rear axle, such as a TrueTrac, Auburn cone clutch, Auburn Ected (untried in snow to me), etc. Then add easily removeable weight to the bed. With weight, a very smooth traction aiding differential, and you camper special's long wheelbase, you'll have all the on-road traction you'll need to handle Winter snows. Most pickups suffer from a lack of rear wheel traction when unladen. Easy and cheap fix: Add weight.

Oh, and a set of studded tires for the rear would help, too. Or even chains.

Edit: Add the weight first, then try the tires, then the traction aid. Cheaper in that direction.

[Beefcake]

I think we are all in the same boat.

Its a posi... er, something like that. Dana 60 open nuckel. Stock?? dont know. I have weight in the back... and good tires....

Just want this truck to be a 4x4... just cant do it all now....

[Beefcake]

Thanks... But I need 8. Id just be swapping out the front end with yours... I believe I need a dana 44....

Anyone else???

[booth]

Hey Zoomy where in WIS are you? I'd might be interested in the frame, any pics? How was it converted, did they use the 4x4 crossmember or the 2x4? The reason I ask I am curently working on a conversion from an inline six to big block I think the 4x4 crossmember might cause me some problems.
Thanks,
Paul

[Beefcake]

anybody want to answer my question... Hee hee.

[Mudder]

Its a pretty tuff conversion. Does your truck have leafs in the rear? You 'll need a high hump floor pan, different tranny with transfer case, frony end with all the steering links and box. It can be done and has been done but I think most here believe its easier just switching the body over to a 4x4 chassis. Oh and driveshafts will have to be made/found.

[Beefcake]

yes, leafs in the rear... Its a GMC. Not sure, but dont all GMCs have leafs in rear???

Just want to know ahead of time what to expect. Buy my parts and have them re-maned ahead of time.

Its a time thing really, I dont have much of it anymore... and would like to have this thing back on the road by next fall.

I just put a new motor in it last summer, like I said, I love the truck and its one hell of a work horse.. just want it to also be a 4x4.

the high hump and the drive-train can wait till next summer.

[beagler]

From what I hear about the conversion you would need to cut the front frame horns off your and get ones from a 4x4 and weld on. (not sure though)

Then you'd need to buy leaf spring for the front a defferintal like a dana 44

Then you'd have to redo the brake line going to it (not sure though)

A transfer case and maybe trans depending on what kind you got. a axle going to the defferintal

I think that's about it not sure how you would go about the power steering thing.

I was thinking about doing it but after looking at it I think it would be easier and about the same price to buy a new frame and just swap the body. Like mudder said.

[ABHaulR]

you dont need a 4wd trans, you can use a divorced transfer from a 72 to 78 dodge. you'll need to make a short shaft from the trans to the case. you dont need to cut the frame. you need to change the front cross member, the power steering box, unless you convert to cross over steering, you need the 2wd box and pitman arm for this to work. its alot of work, but its worth it. i did mine almost 2 yrs ago.
Dwayne

[Russell]

Arn't the divorced cases 74 or prior?

Personally, I just bought a 3/4 ton 4x4 chassis, and will put my truck's body on it with the divorced 205 t-case.

Another question -- I need to stick a newer steering box onto the frame so it will work with the serpentine PS pump I have, I heard somewhere that the 2wd box from my 80 will bolt right up and work with the stock 10 bolt steering setup. Is this true?

[ABHaulR]

you dont have to change the box. on the back of the pump where the power hose hooks up you can wrench off the hook up and change the fitting. thats what i did, i had to change from a 2wd box to a 4wd box but used the same pump. on the 2wd pump it hase a flared fitting and on the 4wd box it has a o-ring fitting. you can change the fitting in the back of the pump to the right one for your pump/box combo.
Dwayne

[racerx]

hey guys, i am a new member to the board. i am really glad that there is a few men that are a daring as me. this 4x4 swap is just what i have wanted to do for a while. i have a 70 2wd long bed. i love the truck, i have had it since 1990. bought it for $3500 and since then i have strippeddown to cab only and painted it. put a 1970 LT1 350 in it just before that. now i want to put a tuned port injection on it that i recently acquired, and make it 4wd. thanks a whole lot, i will keep an eye on the thread to "how to". if there is any thing that i can help you with let me know.

[Beefcake]

well, If I start on this thing this summer Ill try to send you some pics racerx. Im not sure though... I have a lot of projects. In my mind, I'd like to do the following:

Have the local yard cut the frame off a doner 4x4 from behind the springs. This way I get the whole p/s linkage, springs, and front axle. I have a dana 60-8 lugger in the back (limited slip), so I believe im looking for a dana 44 front?? - I want disks in the front. Im not conserned with the transfer case and the driveshafts at this point

Im sending everything out for rebuild, have the same ring pinion put in as the rear.

When I get everything back, Im going to try and bolt everying up this fall. Im hoping that the front conversion will only take a long weekend. - but, seems with every project time is an illusion.... probley will take 2 weeks

[OhioChevy]

I just converted my 71 2wd to 4wd. Its not a difficult job, just takes a lot
of work. I installed a skyjacker 8" lift kit and went with crossover steering
so I didn't have any issues with the steering box. I bought a donor truck
in order to get the dana front and rears, transfer case etc. I bought new
rear hangers and I got the front hangers and shackles from board members.
You will NOT have to cut the frame horns. I did however do some work on
the frame. Where the shackles on the rear of the front springs will locate
there are bump outs and bump ins on the 2wd frame where the shocks
and emer. brake cables were located. I made a cut to the bump outs in
order to flatten them out and weld up to make the frame smooth in this
area. I welded up most all of the holes in the frame that weren't being
used for crossmembers and such from front to rear of the truck to get
the smooth look that I wanted. Frame looks pretty nice after sand blasting
and painting. I will try and post a few pics in the next few days. Along
with my day job I have been working a lot of hours so I don't always get
the time to come here and visit the board very often so bare with me if
you don't hear from me for a few days.

Don

[chevyblazer7446]

I know that this isn't what your thinking but it would be easier to buy a rolling chassis and swap your body and motor. just the easiest way. plus you can actually do it for free by selling the left over parts.

[kamikazegmc]

is it posible to put some put coil spring perch on the axle and do a 4 link set up instead of do leaf spring setup to do th 2wd to 4wd convertion? or would that be more work?

[1FaastC10]

dont do it

[kamikazegmc]

thanx for the help. why not?

[jlhusa1]

I totally agree with the chassis swap. I like it because there's no mismatched parts. What I did was take a '72 C10 pickup and put the body on a '72 K20 Suburban chassis. I did have to cut 11" off of the back of the frame which was no big deal at all. Then I had to transfer the rear cab mounting brackets and all the bed mounts on to the 4x4 chassis. If you can score a K series chassis for a pick up then you won't have to do any of this. When I was all done I sold the 2wd chassis to a guy that wanted in so that he could have disc brakes and power steering on an earlier truck. It all worked out well and when it was done I had a basically stock '72 K20 pick up. If you like I could probably send pics.

[MAC67]

i to have done this swap , ive done the chasis swap and done the slipping the front axle underneath , besides everything everyone else already mentioned , and this may have been mentioned and i have not seen it yet , but you will need a set of core support mounts from a 4wd , doesnt have to be 67-72 , because they have youre front spring mounts on them , youll need the reare spring hangers and bushings for the front axle also , but the biggest tip i can give you is measure measure measure , then when you think youve got it all down , measure once more , you want it dead true the best i can tell you is to get your wheel base measurment , and when you go to get the axle true dont measure each side front to rear , always measure in an X pattern , measure from a fixed point on the rear axle , say left side on rear to right side on front , then right side on rear to left side on front , go from shock mounts if you want , and make sure it is dead nuts , thats what i did , didnt want the truck goin tdown the road cockeyed , we did it in a day , started with a 2wd shortbed with no motor or tranny at 8 oclock in the morning and at 6 oclock that night was driving it as a shortbed 4wd down the road , but there were 6 guys there that knew what they were doin and we slammed it out

[chevy69er]

Im getting ready to do this swap to my 69...do any of you have pics of the springs mounts including core support mounts and the crossmember used that you can post up or email me?Thanks.

[griswold510]

im about to do the same with a 76 chevy c10. dont really know if i feel like doing the whole conversion to 4x4. just right now really want to be able to add the kind of lift you can with a 4x4. on the front of the 76, how hard would it be to convert over to springs up front instead of coils? was thinking of just putting in a front axle off a 4x4 and welding up mounts on the frame for the springs. what all else would i need?