awd transfer case?

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shortchevy

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Hey guys I have an odd question, I cant find a good 2dr 2wd tahoe around here but there are a couple nice 4x4 units in the area. Is it possible to convert a selectable 4x4 tahoe into an all time allwheel drive truck? the thought I had was to lower a 4x4 model and swap the t-case to an awd astro case. what problems do you see with this? I want to have a truck that handles like its on rails and is a little different. thanks in advance!
 

great white

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Hey guys I have an odd question, I cant find a good 2dr 2wd tahoe around here but there are a couple nice 4x4 units in the area. Is it possible to convert a selectable 4x4 tahoe into an all time allwheel drive truck? the thought I had was to lower a 4x4 model and swap the t-case to an awd astro case. what problems do you see with this? I want to have a truck that handles like its on rails and is a little different. thanks in advance!

Possible? yup.

Not sure I woudl use and astro/cyclone/typhoon transfer case though. I doubt it would be rated for the torque loads it would get from a V8 and a full sized truck.

4x4's only go so low also. It has to do with teh track width and the cv joints.

Just as cranking the torsion bars up mess up the CV angles, so can overly lowering them.

If it were me, I'd probably drop the Auto Tahoe down to where I wanted it and use the auto position on the selector.

Toss in some nice anitroll bars like hellwig big wigs or similar.

Some nice wide sticky meats.

Then look to drop as much weight as high up as I could.

Add HP to preference.

:)
 

shortchevy

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Possible? yup.

Not sure I woudl use and astro/cyclone/typhoon transfer case though. I doubt it would be rated for the torque loads it would get from a V8 and a full sized truck.

4x4's only go so low also. It has to do with teh track width and the cv joints.

Just as cranking the torsion bars up mess up the CV angles, so can overly lowering them.

If it were me, I'd probably drop the Auto Tahoe down to where I wanted it and use the auto position on the selector.

Toss in some nice anitroll bars like hellwig big wigs or similar.

Some nice wide sticky meats.

Then look to drop as much weight as high up as I could.

Add HP to preference.

:)

Very interesting indeed, I was wondering about the auto4. I will admit that I am not a 4x4 guru, Im a 2wd guy at heart. Does the auto4 function operate similarly to the awd function is an astro? I would like to plan this build out and build a pretty stout daily driver that I could autocross on the weekends, I know the easy way to go is to buy a suburu but I love me some 2dr tahoe and that would put me in a less crowded class.
 

michael hurd

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Many years ago GMPP had a GM pickup test mule with a 600 hp BBC that used an AWD transfer case, and it was slightly lowered. I doubt I still have the magazine it was in, but you might be able to pull it up in a google search.
 

great white

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A little digging around seems to indicate a BW 4481 was used in the awd escalades and such. Might be worth looking in to. No idea haow much work it will be as I'm not familiar with them.

Some references seemed to also indicate BW 4470, but that might be an error.

Dig into it a little bit and see what you can find.

I won't swear to it, but I think your "auto" box can run awd all the time. The problem is the differences in front and rear years that leads to binding. I've only ever seen a couple and it was long ago, but I seem to remember a front driveshaft with a coupling or something in the box that allowed some slip so it didn't bind.

Once upon a time, you used to be able to buy a viscous coupling you could put in the front driveshaft for this purpose and run a selectable box in 4x4 all the time.

Or you could go old school and just install a full time 4x4 box like a NP203 which has a differential built into the box and was available behind gm transmissions in then70'-80's iirc. Those will take a lot of abuse. You'll still have 4hi and 4low, as well as hi lock and low lock (which lock the differential action for real 4x4). Its a manual box though, gotta shift the levers....but once you're in, you're in. Leave it alone and just hammer the pedal.

Ah, levers....such fond memories....:rofl:

I'd look up as much as I could about your "auto" box first though. It may fit your needs "as is".

:)
 

Sheldon

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Hey guys I have an odd question, I cant find a good 2dr 2wd tahoe around here but there are a couple nice 4x4 units in the area. Is it possible to convert a selectable 4x4 tahoe into an all time allwheel drive truck? the thought I had was to lower a 4x4 model and swap the t-case to an awd astro case. what problems do you see with this? I want to have a truck that handles like its on rails and is a little different. thanks in advance!

have you made any progress on this and if can you let me know because I am wanting to do an awd truck
 
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