Sas

[batty1214]

has anyone done solid axle swap on a 1990's chevy 1/2 ton? How hard and what axles would you recommend?

[2.5chevy]

ive done several.

you need to first decide the main purpose of your axle swap and what your intentions are for the truck. boggin, rockcrawlin, etc....

then you can decide what type of suspension best fits your needs, coils, air shocks, leafs, etc...

also you should determine what size tire you intend to run wich will lead to what axle you need.

things to consider:

departure angles

articulation

amount of lift

wheelbase

steering options,etc...

for most instances a leafspring setup is the obvious choice.
they are simple, inexpensive to build, low maintanence, durable, and if designed right will yield great results in all of the categories listed above.

a SAS kit from ORD is always a good option, or if you are any kinda welder/fabricator it can easily be done yourself as well.

my personal truck is a 1991 with a 3 link coil front and 2.5 ton rockwells sportin 49 inch rubber.

all in all i would recomend leafs for most people since the advantages gained from link type suspensions are nominal unless a great deal of thought and planning goes into the build itself.

[bradrhale]

batty, PM junior 3382 concerning SAS on his blazer. he has dont quite a bit of research finding out just how to do it and do it right. he should be able to give you quite a few ideas.

[junior3382]

Brad is right, I have done a TON of research on this. Actually have located all the parts I need to complete the project, will be starting this comming spring.... 2.5Chevy has all kinds of great points here, there is a lot involved, but the end result, (I think) is more then worth the effort.

Finding the axle is the first key. And like it was mentioned, suspension choice is another BIG key. Beiung that you have a full sizer to play with here, a leaf spring will look alright, and by far be the cheapest solution. However, for ride quality and for travel if you plan to use it off road, the coil setup, either seperate coil and shocks, or coilover would be the better choice.

Here is a link to a site that you can get ANY part you need for the suspension, including some fabbing parts if you feel inclined to take this on yourself...

King Shocks, Fox Shocks, Sway Away Off Road Racing Shocks and Info

Now, depending on the amount of travel you want, and the size tires you plan to run, the sky is the limit here..... and contrary to some things i have read, resaerch has indicated that the front suspension does not HAVE to match the rear for capabilities, but is is nice. If you chose the leafs, a couple simple brakets and some springs from a bone yard is all you will need. But with the other two setups, you will need control arms, larger bum stops and a lot more welding.

Here are a few pics pics, both of a mid size truck, but good examples of these setups....

This one is a coilover setup


this is a coil/shock setup


And this is the leaf setup





Again, I am working with a MidSize truck, so most of the pics I have are related to that size... sorry.... BUt that should give you an idea of what each topic is.... As for the axle choices.... Dana 44 is a strong axle and would pair nicely to the rear you have already.... but the Dana 60 is probably a better choice. Harder to find though. However, i think the Dana44's for the chevys all had a passanger side diff up front, when GM went to IFS, they moved the front drive shaft to the drivers side, ... ... So when trying to find one in a junk yard or on eBay or craigslist, I would look for an axle from the front of either an F150 or a Ram 1500.... But I could be wrong there, and I do not know the years to look for......., 75K30 would be better to answer that question. The axles I have hunted for have been for a smaller vehicle...LOL...


If you want any closer shots of these setups, I have those too, I just did not want to spam this thread with pics.... Although I think is it appearent that this subject gets me excited, can ya tell? LOL

[harley9703]

ive done a few chevys. dana 60's... im in the process of doing coilover and 2.5 tons on a ford. i think i have some pics of the front end on how i set it up with leafs if interested let me know

[batty1214]

Ive got both a passenger side drop and driver side drop in both Dana 44 and dana 60's........ Been collecting for a while....... The 93 S10 is gonna be my guinea pig for the axle swap...... then When I get it figured out, the 95k1500 is gonna get the treatment....... unless, I buy my friends 98 4 door k3500.....

[Lonesome7.3]

My buddy swapped in two D44's in S10 out of a Wagoneer. They were leaf sprunf but worked great. They fit the truck perfectly and he could nto break them. Trust me, he tried.

[75K30]

These are a piece of cake. I did a double take when I lokked at some of those pics. Who in their right mind would build a vehicle with a front swing shackle?
All that work just to get the front suspension wrong......... Thats too bad.
I also see a 4 link truck with an improper panhard bar. Again, all of that work, just to miss the target.

Several companies make kits for this sas deal.
We do them all of the time............

Before:



After:


No tires yet. This one is fresh out of surgery, and the tire size cant be determined until several suspension cycles can be performed.

[Lonesome7.3]

That is nice.

[batty1214]

that is nice........ 75, I have heard that front shackle is better for rocks than rear shackle setups........... I have heard that this is due to when the suspension compresses under pressure it forces the front axle forward, and therefore helps pull you up and over obstacles....... I have also heard that rear shackle setup works better....... Which in your mind works better and Why?