z71 SAS

[Violentv8toy]

Me and my buddy Bubba and Kyle are thinking about SASIN Kyle's z71. The truck in question is a red 97 ext cab with 120k miles. Recently had an engine fire and insurance paid to get it rewired, and kyle has about 1500 to spend on the swap. We've been thinking about ways to go about it in a really cheap manner...but effective cause its gonna be a road warrior and occasional drunk 4wd romps. Kyle isn't gay, but hes got a thing for the big lift trucks w/tires you see around town....none of the fancy ones on 44s...just a nice lift and 35s37s....

So i've been researching it, and from what i gather in planning, it has a 4L60e transmission and a driver drop np241 with a vss speedo plug. A little more research and supposedly, if u find a passenger drop np241 from a k5, it will bolt and plug right up and boom, you've got driver drop.

So i've got a fullwidth pass. d44 that we may use....gonna go crossover steering with 3/4" heims, since we've got em. 52" 4" lift chevy springs....small hanger up front with 4" shackles in back...gonna inboard shackle hanger using a rear axle hanger.

probably run something big that wears well....think we can do it with 1500?...minus tires of course. Also, anyone that knows about a chevy SFA swap...see anything im overlooking?

[Violentv8toy]

also, supposedly i can use a ford d44 and not have to swap the t-cases....but then the wheel bolt pattern sucks....and yes, we're using the stock rear 10b.

[bburris]

Couldn't you swap older Chevy D44 6-lug outers on a Ford D44 front? The axle will probably need a rebuild/regear anyway... Then it'll all match up and you won't have to worry about finding a different t-case and making it work.

[StevenAg03]

you would have to find a ford 44 from a 3/4 ton..there fore making it 8 lug...in my opinion that would be best cause then you could get a cheap 14 bolt and possibly not worry about regearing...

[Sharpe]

I dont think a NP241 from a TH700 will bolt up to a 4L60E but I'm not sure. I would forgo the t-case swap and just use a driver's side drop axle. Convert the whole damn thing to 8 lug while hes at it. A fully rebuilt 14 bolt tops is $500 and you can find usable ones for less. Thats just my opinion.

[bburris]

you would have to find a ford 44 from a 3/4 ton..

Why? Just use one from a half ton like Nix or I have, or the one Robert has for sale and swap Chevy outers on it. It'll be 6 lug and will match the rear 10 bolt so there won't be any worries about new wheels and whatnot. Slap some 35s on it and have a mild SAS Chebby.

[StevenAg03]

Why? Just use one from a half ton like Nix or I have, or the one Robert has for sale and swap Chevy outers on it. It'll be 6 lug and will match the rear 10 bolt so there won't be any worries about new wheels and whatnot. Slap some 35s on it and have a mild SAS Chebby.

because the 1/2 ton has radius arm mounts and the 3/4 ton has leaf mounts....the same reason you swapped housings with tate/austin to begin with...

[BigRedFord04]

he'd need the 3/4 ton housing, which is what nix has, to have the leaf spring perches on the axle....unless they just LOVE grinding and wanna cut the c-cups off a 1/2 ton housing to put perches on. if thats the case, they're right in thinking they'll need to inboard the spring perches b.c. the frame widths on the older Fords is super narrow for a fullsize.

i do think the 3/4 ton Ford 44 w/ Chevy outers is probably the best bet if y'all are looking to do it cheap. sure, 8-lugs all around would be nice but then new wheels are in order which is just more $$. that could be spent better elsewhere like new gears, and for how it sounds like it'll be used, 8 lugs would be overkill. i spent ~$1750 on my axle swap which included axle purchase and rebuild, new gears F/R, random parts at the store, somewhat beefy heim jointed steering, and 37" MT/Rs.

[StevenAg03]

i dont think its overkill...specially when he has that awsom 10b in the back...plus how much are a set of 15x10 8lug steel wheels? 50 a piece...i think it would look pretty damn good on them and wouldnt cost that much. also if he finds a 3/4 ton 44/14bolt, chances are that they will have 4:10's in them and therefore he wouldnt need to regear the axles for 35's...plus the full detroit for a 14 bolt is cheap(comparetivly) and is a drop in locker requiring no gear setup

[Violentv8toy]

we've got 8 lug wheels, just not nice ones. Hes got nice wheels on there now, thats why we don't wanna chage em.

We're looking at getting a hp44 possibly....then we may not even have to go crossover.

and no lockers...

[uglyota]

totally talkin out my ass here, but I wonder if you can get the Thermal Linear Actuator electronics to power a vacuum disconnect. Then you could use a dodge axle?

[BigRedFord04]

still the wrong bolt pattern Eric.

[usmcagg02]

totally talkin out my ass here, but I wonder if you can get the Thermal Linear Actuator electronics to power a vacuum disconnect. Then you could use a dodge axle?

this was actually something that i was considering when considering a sas for mine which would be slightly easier since mine is solonoid. however, i know there is one company that makes a conversion for the TL actuator to pull-cable actuator, if there is the same for dodge would be VERY easy.

still the wrong bolt pattern Eric.

if ya could find a wrecked 3/4 ton and swap rear also. just a thought.

[JB]

link to that thermal actuator thingy

http://www.4x4posi-lok.com/chevy_page.html

I was thinking about converting to this after the electronic shift crap on our 99 goes out.

[BigRedFord04]

if ya could find a wrecked 3/4 ton and swap rear also. just a thought.

back to the problem of buying new rims...

3/4 ton Ford 44, 1/2 ton chevy outers, 4.10s in the axles, 35"s and the same rims. fab up some leaf spring hangers/shackles, buy some leaf springs, axle's mounted. steering....y'all are on your own.