IZZY_BRITTON
Member
- Joined
- Jul 8, 2019
- Posts
- 64
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I dont know where else to post this question/discussion, so here it is.
Let me start off by saying/asking, please! I have heard it all and read it all before, so please if you cannot entertain the thought of what i am asking, or just want to be a naysayer and tell me to not waste my time or sell my 4x4 and buy a 2wd truck, please keep it to yourself. I am asking these questions for more than the obvious reason and i like to know the info. If you have personal experience with with subject or know someone personally or on the interwebs that has done this conversion and can point to the info, i would appreciate the discussion. if you have extensive knowledge of this subject and can comment with constructive criticism please do so. if you are a GM employee or work at a GM only wrecking yard or some other something similar, please speak up.
I say all of this up front because i have read all the BS and naysaying going the opposite way from 2WD to 4x4. I know what people are saying and why they are advising against the conversion. however i dont much care for opinion that doesnt matter to anyone else other than the negative people with the negative opinions.
I recently purchased a 2003 Tahoe 4x4 that is 99.9% stock. it has like 250k miles on it and the suspension parts are starting to wear or in some cases completely worn out. I am of the mindset that if the asphalt doesnt go there, neither does my truck. I have 13 trucks and every single one is 4x4 or AWD, I want a true street suspension 2 wheel drive truck that i can play with on the street.
So, here is where i start asking the hard to get answers from questions.
HOW hard will it be to convert the 4x4 tahoe to a true 2WD tahoe. I know that i could cheat the system and just remove the axle shafts and front driveline. this is however not the route i wish to go. I could remove the transfer case and install a 2wd transmission, again not the direction i wish to go. what i would really like to do is convert the front suspension over to true 2WD coil spring suspension, just like the front of the 2005 1500 crew cab that i once had. I had that truck long enough to pull the engine and trans and sawsall the truck into bits because it was crashed, never really paid attention to what the front suspension actually consisted of.
My parents 2004 Tahoe is 2WD but it is a Torsion Bar front suspension.
At my job a few jobs ago we got in a crashed 2006 Denali 2WD that was bagged on all 4 corners to the point it laid frame but i dont know how 'stock type' any of the suspension was because it was 100% custom fabricated control arms in the front and trailing arms in the rear.
I have checked out the GM upfitter website but have been unable to confirm that there is any difference between the frames. I have called on 2WD tahoes for sale on craigslist and facebook to find out if they are coil spring fronts but have not been able to get any solid info. the local wrecking yard has 2WD tahoes and escalades (i didnt know the escalde was available in anything other than AWD) but they are unable to tell me if they are torsion bar or coil spring in the front. GOOD info is so difficult to find.
The only other option i have at this point would be to buy the front frame half of a 2WD truck including the complete suspension and compare the actual hardware and mount points on the frame to see what the actual difference is. AND then start swapping parts.
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY SOLID INFO ABOUT THE DIFFERENCES IN THE FRAMES BETWEEN A 2WD COIL SPRING AND 4X4 TORSION FRONT SUSPENSION?
What are the changes that need to be done to the ECM or the BCM or ??? electronics? simply remove the dash switch and fuse and be done with the electronics portion? or is there likely to be more to it?
Any info would be greatly appreciated. I welcome the discussion. Thanks in advance.
Let me start off by saying/asking, please! I have heard it all and read it all before, so please if you cannot entertain the thought of what i am asking, or just want to be a naysayer and tell me to not waste my time or sell my 4x4 and buy a 2wd truck, please keep it to yourself. I am asking these questions for more than the obvious reason and i like to know the info. If you have personal experience with with subject or know someone personally or on the interwebs that has done this conversion and can point to the info, i would appreciate the discussion. if you have extensive knowledge of this subject and can comment with constructive criticism please do so. if you are a GM employee or work at a GM only wrecking yard or some other something similar, please speak up.
I say all of this up front because i have read all the BS and naysaying going the opposite way from 2WD to 4x4. I know what people are saying and why they are advising against the conversion. however i dont much care for opinion that doesnt matter to anyone else other than the negative people with the negative opinions.
I recently purchased a 2003 Tahoe 4x4 that is 99.9% stock. it has like 250k miles on it and the suspension parts are starting to wear or in some cases completely worn out. I am of the mindset that if the asphalt doesnt go there, neither does my truck. I have 13 trucks and every single one is 4x4 or AWD, I want a true street suspension 2 wheel drive truck that i can play with on the street.
So, here is where i start asking the hard to get answers from questions.
HOW hard will it be to convert the 4x4 tahoe to a true 2WD tahoe. I know that i could cheat the system and just remove the axle shafts and front driveline. this is however not the route i wish to go. I could remove the transfer case and install a 2wd transmission, again not the direction i wish to go. what i would really like to do is convert the front suspension over to true 2WD coil spring suspension, just like the front of the 2005 1500 crew cab that i once had. I had that truck long enough to pull the engine and trans and sawsall the truck into bits because it was crashed, never really paid attention to what the front suspension actually consisted of.
My parents 2004 Tahoe is 2WD but it is a Torsion Bar front suspension.
At my job a few jobs ago we got in a crashed 2006 Denali 2WD that was bagged on all 4 corners to the point it laid frame but i dont know how 'stock type' any of the suspension was because it was 100% custom fabricated control arms in the front and trailing arms in the rear.
I have checked out the GM upfitter website but have been unable to confirm that there is any difference between the frames. I have called on 2WD tahoes for sale on craigslist and facebook to find out if they are coil spring fronts but have not been able to get any solid info. the local wrecking yard has 2WD tahoes and escalades (i didnt know the escalde was available in anything other than AWD) but they are unable to tell me if they are torsion bar or coil spring in the front. GOOD info is so difficult to find.
The only other option i have at this point would be to buy the front frame half of a 2WD truck including the complete suspension and compare the actual hardware and mount points on the frame to see what the actual difference is. AND then start swapping parts.
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY SOLID INFO ABOUT THE DIFFERENCES IN THE FRAMES BETWEEN A 2WD COIL SPRING AND 4X4 TORSION FRONT SUSPENSION?
What are the changes that need to be done to the ECM or the BCM or ??? electronics? simply remove the dash switch and fuse and be done with the electronics portion? or is there likely to be more to it?
Any info would be greatly appreciated. I welcome the discussion. Thanks in advance.
