2wd to 4x4 build

[vern350]

just starting a 3/4 ton 2wd to a 3/4 ton 4x4 build. Will be using a 86 3/4 ton 2WD pickup frame and axles and drivetrain from an 87 burb. Basicly making one truck with all the spare parts we got laying around. Motor will be a 350, unsure which one we'll use as we got a few laying around. Its a father/son project. Should be a fun truck when done. More pictures(better quality too)/updates on the way.

[84 400]

nice! a member on here did a 4x4 to 2wd swap and a 2wd to 4x4 swap a while back. i am forgetting his name though. took a 4x4 blazer and a 2wd pick up and came out with a 2wd blazer and a 4x4 pick up. IT is a great build up to read through and alot of work was done

[vern350]

i've seen that tread. It was really well done. For some reason, my pictures aren't showing. I'll have to re-post them when i get home. Got the front cross memember and suspension off the front of the frame.

[vern350]

heres what we started with.

[vern350]

got the 2wd suspension off.

[Stano]

The rear spring hangers are different from a 2x4 and 4x4. I am doing the same swap with a crew cab. I am using all the suspension mounts from the 4x4 on the rear and the entire front suspension mounts and all up front. The core support mounts on the frame are different as the front spring,front hangers are made to attach to them. The front crossmember that the proportioning valve mounts to is also different. It stinks that all this stuff is riveted on, but ya gotta love the ol acetylene torch to burn them suckers off.

[68GMC454]

so what all is involved with this swap..i been thinginking of it for awhile,,but my frined doesnt want to try it,,thinks it cant be done..i got a 84 2wd 3/4 gmc..i can get all the parts dirt cheap..i know the whole front 2wd setup has to come off..then mount the 4x4 on it...wow sounds easy when i put it that way..but would it be better to just take all my stuff and put on a 4x4 frame...

[vern350]

it would be easier to find a 4x4 and swap things over, but in my case we had the parts to make one. So instead of buying another truck, we decided to make one with the parts we have. Its a lot of work, but if you have the tools, its not too bad of an job. Like stano said, an acetylene torch can make a difference. Having the whole body off, also makes things alot easier. Next step for me is to dig the old burb out of the garage.

[68GMC454]

ok thanks...will have to wait until 68 is running anyway...but i want another
4x4 eventualy..

[vern350]

heres the 4x4 donor. Its an 87 3/4 ton 4x4. TBI 350. Pretty sure it has a dana 44/semi floating 14 bolt. Truck has 3.73 and posi. The burb has 5 rows of options. Was a police package suburban or police suburban. Has got skid plates and oil/tranny coolers. Anyone know a good site besides 73-87.com to decode these rpo.

[sixty8c10]

good progress...I'm the one that did this Blazer/ Pick-up swap summer 05' I will find the link if you want

[vern350]

i've seen your tread and will be using it as a reference. Was very well done and the blazer goods awsome.

[vern350]

yeserday, the front clip was taking off, along with the gastank and misc parts. Today we were abe to yank the motor/trans/transfer case all in one go. The whole exhaust system was also removed in one piece.

[Zoomad75]

Great progress so far. Keep up the good work. BTW, the fornt axle on the burb is a 10 bolt. (the two triangle shaped ears at the bottom of the housing are the giveaway) No real big difference in strength though.

[vern350]

thanks zoomad. Was dana 60, dana 44, and gm corp 10 bolts the only options for front diffs? Or was their others?

[Zoomad75]

No problem. Yep those are it. I've heard about guys going after dodge D60's but they are not a bolt in swap. I'd wheel on that 10 bolt for now, while you got your eyes peeled for a D60 down the road. If you keep the tire size to 35-36" and are careful with the skinny pedal, the 10 bolt will last for a while.

[vern350]

anyone know why my 87 3/4 ton 4x4 suburban frame is different from my 2wd 3/4 ton ton frame? The 4x4 has the larger hump and taller frame rails

[vern350]

someone has to know why there is a difference. sixty8c10 had no problems with his blazer/pickup swap. Anyone??

[sixty8c10]

I don't have answer for you on that one, mine where both 1/2 tons. the only problem i had there was the frame's thickness, and the width the rails were from each other. the width was only problem on the blazer, easily corrected with a different crossmember. all i can say is if you want it bad enough the solution will present itself, that's what happened to me anyway. I know that's not what you want to hear, but give me some time i may be able to think of something better.

[Russell]

More important than the frame itself is the brackets bolted to it. The truck and burb both share front diffs, so it should all pretty much work out in the end.

Post some pics of the front diff backetry, and I'll post a few pics of my 3/4 ton 4x4 truck frame for you to compare with...

The first time I did a 2wd to 4wd swap, I just changed frames out, as you can see below. I'm about to do another conversion to my 77 stepside though, but swb 4x4s are next to impossible to find here, so I'll be doing the swap similarly to how you've done it.

[vern350]

burb is outside and pickup is inside.

[Russell]

Burb stuff looks like like my 80's stuff, I'd say its probally good to go

[vern350]

the motor mounts are too big to fit into the pickup frame? So do i need pickup 4x4 mounts?

[84 400]

Russ so the Steppe is going under the knife??

Back on topic

I don't know how your frame wlding skills are but why not just use the burban frame and then attach new mounts and leangthen or shorten it as needed?

Good luck with your project

[Russell]

The burb has a pretty different shape to it, won't be able to make the pickup body fit without some pretty major modifications...

And yeah, I suppose you'll need to find a pickup 4x4 engine crossmember and engine mounts, but it looks like the outside mounts for the springs are all the same.

And yep, stepside is going the way of a swb 3/4 ton 4x4 toy. The truck's body is just horrible, less the box. I'll probally buy a beat up / rusted out box to replace it with so I don't ruin the nice one. They are quite rare around here, and if you do find them, they are in horrible shape.