2WD SAS Possible?

[NightRunner]

I guess it was only to be expected at this point. From planning to lower this truck to lifting it. Now I'm really ready to see some mud and dirt in this thing. I know the general consensus is that selling it and buying a 4WD would be easier, but I feel such a personal connection to this truck. I've put a lot of time, money and effort into making it look and ride the way I want. I don't think I could live with myself if I did sell it.

That being said, let's talk 2WD SAS. I've done a ton of reading in the past few months about it, and I'm ready to get serious about it. I have someone that I can take the truck to for the labor and custom fabrication, but I'd like to get the parts list and stuff out of the way. I've visited the SAS thread but it seems more aimed at 4WD trucks. A lot of threads have discussed the idea of it, but some have said it's impossible since the crossmember is so massive and would require extensive surgery to remedy. Is that still the case? A lot of the threads mentioning this were years old, hopefully someone's found a solution that's not as "cutty".

The next issue is my transmission. It's 2WD so I've been looking for a good Divorced transfer case (passenger drop as I assume I'll be using a set of GM axles with the flat top knuckle conversion). Is finding a divorced transfer case just an absurd hope? My hope is that I can find one, custom fab up a crossmember for it to sit on and get some custom driveshafts for the front and rear to accompany this setup.

Any help is appreciated. I'd like to be able to at least mount up the front axle successfully and have the transfer case in hand before I get my guy involved for the fabrication and driveshafts.

 

[smdk2500]

I don't think finding a divorced transfer case would be to difficult. If you end up using a passenger side drop front axle you have a lot more options. Gm, dodge, international harvester all had them. Finding one in your price range might be a different story. I did do a quick search on ebay and there where some available for 500-900 dollars.

One thing ive done in the past is do some back road driving and see if there might be some old trucks sitting in a field rotting away that the land owner might let go for a good deal. Im not very familiar with the DFW area but where I live there are fields full of older cars and trucks rotting away that Id love to get ahold of and save but don't have the cash to do it.

 

[jdla140]

If I were you, i'd find a set of axles to throw under it get the SAS done, then worry about making it 4wd. The easiest route by far would be just to find another 700r4 with a transfer case that is on the correct side for the axles you choose.

What I would do: superduty axles, 700r4, np241c, factory shifter, done. Cheap, plentiful, easy to source parts, factory look inside.

Just my .02

 

[GarrettGmc]

How are u thinkin? Leafs or coils?

 

[NightRunner]

I'm open to either one at this point. Whatever would help me find a more abundance of parts to use. Trying to find the specific 77-79 F250 front axle is near impossible these days.

 

[GarrettGmc]

This link might help you out, theres a couple ppl that have SAS a 2wd
https://www.gmt400.com/threads/radius-arm-coil-sas-stability-problem.40586/

 

[NightRunner]

Looks good, but I get nervous thinking about cutting up the crossmember right under the engine. I get that it's probably a necessity at this point unless I'm going to build a 6"+ lifted truck.

 

[smdk2500]

i just remembered about this. They say that the 2wd 1500 frames will work with there conversion kit. From what they say on the website there is no frame modification to a 2wd 1500 just the 2500 and 3500. Here is the link for the kit. The nice thing is they say it is almost completely bolt on with some drilling. Just remember that it is for leaf springs if you choose that route. From the way it looks the kits work with gm or ford leaf spring axles.

http://offroaddesign.com/catalog/88-98SolidAxleConversion.htm

 

[smdk2500]

Also it does say that the kit add 3 inches of lift due to the brackets.

 

[Eskimomann209]

That crossmmember will more than likely need to be cut
I did leaf spring sas My c1500 And I was close, but it needed to be cut in the end.
I am now on coils with a linked front
It took a while for me to get the divorced t case highway worthy but I got it.. but of course now I’m swapping in a manual trans.
I DDs my sas c1500 in 2012 been driving it daily since

The 2500/3500 issue is the slant in the frame horns
The “c” issue is the boat crossmember that gets in the way of the crossover steering.
There’s a built in skid plate and just a lot of steel
I have noticed NO change after cutting mine but I did weld on that front leaf hanger
Maybe that helped stiffen the front.
But I have also never heard any complaints about trimming the bottom off it