S10 Live Axle Conversion

junior3382 · 03-08-2007, 06:07 AM

I have a 1996 Chevrolet S-10 pick-up and I am looking for some deffinitive information on swapping out the ifs with a solid axle. I have seen it done on some rides, but can't find information on how, the cost or even where to get it done. My goal is to fit at least 35's on the truck, but the 5" trailmaster lift won't give me the flex and height that i need. Can anyone help? you can email me at junior3382@hotmail.com or post a response.

I thank anyone in advance if they can help me.

Joshua

chevyguy · 03-08-2007, 08:38 PM

I recommend using a chevy donor truck and you need some pretty solid fab skills. I bought a IFS conversion kit once and now I make them. In your application you could use a dana 44 front end but it is wider than your rear so you will need to swap out the rear axle as well to make it look right or narrow the front end. Either way this is a costly endeavor and very time consuming. If you do go on with this, it will make a great wheeler, but please use highsteer instead fo some homemade center link.

75K30 · 03-08-2007, 10:04 PM

Good info from chevyguy.
Although finding a chev donor will be difficult to do, because the width is tough to match.
The easiest part of the conversion is finding a donor axle. Some guys use jeep D30's, D35's, or D44's. Some of these are kinda hard to find, and can be a little spendy.
I just did a SAS for an S-10 on 35's using Toyota axles. I did re-build them with burfield eliminators, chro-mo shafts, and Detroits, because this thing is gonna get beat like a rental.
These are really strong axles, and can hold up to much abuse. These are commonly overlooked, for this conversion, but can be purchased for cheap, and I can't tell you how strong they are.
As far as springs go, well I used coilovers, but there is no reason that Toyota springs would not work great for this application. They flex great, and ride well. If i were to do a SAS on another one for little dough, and little modification, this would be the way to go.
Aftermarket crossover, (not necessarilly "high steer") is also easy to purchase for the Toyota front axle, and is bolt on, unlike the machining required for the Dana axles.
Crossover steering is a must for any SAS conversion, and is so easy to do, and carries so many benifits, that any other type of steering would be a waste.
Good luck with the "Solid axle swap", it sounds like fun......

junior3382 · 03-10-2007, 12:14 AM

Okay, thanks for the advice guys. So, if I understand this right, there is no "kit" for this, i have to create one, right? And what Chevy donor truck are you talking about? Full-size? Cause the S10 hasn't had a solid axle up front for as long as i can remember.

Now, if i do pursue this, should I use coil springs or leaf springs? what are the advantanges and disadvantages to these? And if i get an axle from a toyota or a jeep, do I need another transfer case?

I know these are a lot of questions, feel free to only answer one. I am just looking for extreme off-road capability but still have drivability.... So should I even be considering a live axle swap?

75K30 · 03-10-2007, 07:30 AM

S-10's never had a solid axle from the factory.
A commercially store bought kit can be a little spendy. I am fortunate to have the ability to fab. my own stuff, so looking to the aftermarket is no longer necessary. However, you can piece your own kit together with a few key components. Some things have to be considered first, such as type of spring? Coil, coilover, leaf?
Coil spring..... need to decide on which method to use for axle mounting, and how you will attatch the coil spring to the truck chassis, i.e. coil bucket. Many kits from other vehicles can be modified to work in your truck. I have seen early bronco, (pre-78) front suspensions used here with great success. Have also seen Jeep TJ long arm kits used with equal success.
Coilover....... Determine axle mounting, and upper shock mounting once again, this time, three link? four link? five link? trac bar? triangulated system? All configurations will require much thought, and mad fabrication skills. This requires a bunch of math so the steering geometry stays correct, and the axle has free up, and down movement without those angles changing. Many home made trucks are dangerous to drive on the street, (and some off-road) because the suspension geometry is wrong. If none of the above terms made sense, or you have not heard of them before, this may not be the way to go, this time around.
Leaf spring...... the easiest of the three to install. This simply requires a set of springs that have enough arch to provide lift for desired tire clearance, and a way to mount them. An aftermarket spring hanger kit is easy to track down, and u-bolts, and spring plates are just as easy. Usually the vehicle you yanked the axle out of, will have all of the hardware you need. Measure up the frame to square up the axle, (obviously important), and either bolt up the front fixed hanger or weld it in, then make your measurement for shackle location, (easy way to do this, is to copy the distance from the donor vehicle), and mount the pivot. Some attention has to be made to the differences in the frame drop from the front of the spring to the rear of the spring mounting locations, but is easy to do. Once everything is satisfactory, you will have a solid axle up front. Mount up some shocks, adapt some brake lines, address your steering linkage, and you are down the road.
As far as axle selection goes, the D44 will have to come out of a donor that has an equal width, a fullsize will not work here. Some jeeps had 44's with the right width, some early bronco's too. May find some in early cherokees, and a scout or two. These are often a little hard to find, and they are not giving them away.
Your case is o.k. as long as you find an axle with the diff on the same side as the driveshaft, you will be fine. It will require a custom front shaft with one end that fits the case, and one that fits any axle you install. That will be the easiest thing you do here.
Again, for what you are trying to do, I still would run a complete Toyata front end. I would use the springs because they work well with many aftermarket options available. Many aftermarket springs flex very, very well, and ride great, spring hangers for these are easy to find, and as i mentioned before, the axles are mega strong, and cheap to buid.

junior3382 · 03-10-2007, 08:22 AM

Well, I appreciate your detail. i knew it would be involved, but if it was easy, every one would have it right? Anyways, I will start looking around for the parts. I will see what i can find. Thank you for your help.

bigblockdually · 03-17-2007, 08:21 PM

hey chevy guy... your condoning putting 35s on an s-10 but talked all kinds of **** to me for wanting to put a 37 or 40 inch tire on a fullsize suburban...
i know you know your stuff i have seen your posts, alot of good opinions and your correct alot of the time but to condone 35s on a mini truck and knock 40's on a fullsize c'mon man get off my back

ikos10 · 03-18-2007, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigblockdually

hey chevy guy... your condoning putting 35s on an s-10 but talked all kinds of **** to me for wanting to put a 37 or 40 inch tire on a fullsize suburban...
i know you know your stuff i have seen your posts, alot of good opinions and your correct alot of the time but to condone 35s on a mini truck and knock 40's on a fullsize c'mon man get off my back

Hey i lust wanna say that the upgrades to a truck and tires sizes are a personal choice. If Junior3382 wants to put 35's on his s10 and you wanna put 40's on your suburban then fine, but there is not need to get hostel. Save your negative opinions for the argument between ford and chevy, huh? what do you say? Can't we all just get along?

chevyguy · 03-18-2007, 11:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigblockdually

hey chevy guy... your condoning putting 35s on an s-10 but talked all kinds of **** to me for wanting to put a 37 or 40 inch tire on a fullsize suburban...
i know you know your stuff i have seen your posts, alot of good opinions and your correct alot of the time but to condone 35s on a mini truck and knock 40's on a fullsize c'mon man get off my back

First off, Stop PMing me whining about your burb.
Yes I condone 35s on an s10 because it will have the same axles you are trying to put under your burb. This isnt rocket science here. i didi say 35 is the biggest I would recommend on a dana 44 and a FF14. The same combo i am recommending for the s-10

Bet you feel a alittle stupid now huh? Too late to take it back, I quoted ya. Maybe if you want to attack me you should send a PM instead of public venue next time so you dont make such a fool out of yourself. Sorry for the rant, but you called out the thunder.

bigblockdually · 03-18-2007, 11:32 PM

buddy it takes more than a grease monkey to make a guy like me feel stupid.
and i wasnt whinin i just wanted to know where you got the conversion...
your the one who started on all the opinions, and you know what they say about those!
like i said get off my back.

03-08-2007, 06:07 AM	#1
junior3382 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Currently, I live in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania. Posts: 3,170	HELP>>S10 Live Axle Conversion! I have a 1996 Chevrolet S-10 pick-up and I am looking for some deffinitive information on swapping out the ifs with a solid axle. I have seen it done on some rides, but can't find information on how, the cost or even where to get it done. My goal is to fit at least 35's on the truck, but the 5" trailmaster lift won't give me the flex and height that i need. Can anyone help? you can email me at junior3382@hotmail.com or post a response. I thank anyone in advance if they can help me. Joshua Last edited by junior3382; 03-08-2007 at 06:42 AM.

03-08-2007, 08:38 PM	#2
chevyguy Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: ALABAMA Posts: 3,370	I recommend using a chevy donor truck and you need some pretty solid fab skills. I bought a IFS conversion kit once and now I make them. In your application you could use a dana 44 front end but it is wider than your rear so you will need to swap out the rear axle as well to make it look right or narrow the front end. Either way this is a costly endeavor and very time consuming. If you do go on with this, it will make a great wheeler, but please use highsteer instead fo some homemade center link. __________________ Friends dont let friends use body lifts USMC 92-96 USCG 98 to present

03-10-2007, 12:14 AM	#4
junior3382 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Currently, I live in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania. Posts: 3,170	Okay, thanks for the advice guys. So, if I understand this right, there is no "kit" for this, i have to create one, right? And what Chevy donor truck are you talking about? Full-size? Cause the S10 hasn't had a solid axle up front for as long as i can remember. Now, if i do pursue this, should I use coil springs or leaf springs? what are the advantanges and disadvantages to these? And if i get an axle from a toyota or a jeep, do I need another transfer case? I know these are a lot of questions, feel free to only answer one. I am just looking for extreme off-road capability but still have drivability.... So should I even be considering a live axle swap? __________________ *The Blazer is dead, so I pumped her with lead, laid her to bed, and bought a FORD instead!*

03-10-2007, 08:22 AM	#6
junior3382 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Currently, I live in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania. Posts: 3,170	Well, I appreciate your detail. i knew it would be involved, but if it was easy, every one would have it right? Anyways, I will start looking around for the parts. I will see what i can find. Thank you for your help. __________________ *The Blazer is dead, so I pumped her with lead, laid her to bed, and bought a FORD instead!*

03-17-2007, 08:21 PM	#7
bigblockdually Full Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 12	hey chevy guy... your condoning putting 35s on an s-10 but talked all kinds of **** to me for wanting to put a 37 or 40 inch tire on a fullsize suburban... i know you know your stuff i have seen your posts, alot of good opinions and your correct alot of the time but to condone 35s on a mini truck and knock 40's on a fullsize c'mon man get off my back __________________ 91 suburban dually w a 454??? can you tell me how many were made?

03-08-2007, 10:04 PM	#3
75K30 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 2,992	Good info from chevyguy. Although finding a chev donor will be difficult to do, because the width is tough to match. The easiest part of the conversion is finding a donor axle. Some guys use jeep D30's, D35's, or D44's. Some of these are kinda hard to find, and can be a little spendy. I just did a SAS for an S-10 on 35's using Toyota axles. I did re-build them with burfield eliminators, chro-mo shafts, and Detroits, because this thing is gonna get beat like a rental. These are really strong axles, and can hold up to much abuse. These are commonly overlooked, for this conversion, but can be purchased for cheap, and I can't tell you how strong they are. As far as springs go, well I used coilovers, but there is no reason that Toyota springs would not work great for this application. They flex great, and ride well. If i were to do a SAS on another one for little dough, and little modification, this would be the way to go. Aftermarket crossover, (not necessarilly "high steer") is also easy to purchase for the Toyota front axle, and is bolt on, unlike the machining required for the Dana axles. Crossover steering is a must for any SAS conversion, and is so easy to do, and carries so many benifits, that any other type of steering would be a waste. Good luck with the "Solid axle swap", it sounds like fun......

03-10-2007, 07:30 AM	#5
75K30 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 2,992	S-10's never had a solid axle from the factory. A commercially store bought kit can be a little spendy. I am fortunate to have the ability to fab. my own stuff, so looking to the aftermarket is no longer necessary. However, you can piece your own kit together with a few key components. Some things have to be considered first, such as type of spring? Coil, coilover, leaf? Coil spring..... need to decide on which method to use for axle mounting, and how you will attatch the coil spring to the truck chassis, i.e. coil bucket. Many kits from other vehicles can be modified to work in your truck. I have seen early bronco, (pre-78) front suspensions used here with great success. Have also seen Jeep TJ long arm kits used with equal success. Coilover....... Determine axle mounting, and upper shock mounting once again, this time, three link? four link? five link? trac bar? triangulated system? All configurations will require much thought, and mad fabrication skills. This requires a bunch of math so the steering geometry stays correct, and the axle has free up, and down movement without those angles changing. Many home made trucks are dangerous to drive on the street, (and some off-road) because the suspension geometry is wrong. If none of the above terms made sense, or you have not heard of them before, this may not be the way to go, this time around. Leaf spring...... the easiest of the three to install. This simply requires a set of springs that have enough arch to provide lift for desired tire clearance, and a way to mount them. An aftermarket spring hanger kit is easy to track down, and u-bolts, and spring plates are just as easy. Usually the vehicle you yanked the axle out of, will have all of the hardware you need. Measure up the frame to square up the axle, (obviously important), and either bolt up the front fixed hanger or weld it in, then make your measurement for shackle location, (easy way to do this, is to copy the distance from the donor vehicle), and mount the pivot. Some attention has to be made to the differences in the frame drop from the front of the spring to the rear of the spring mounting locations, but is easy to do. Once everything is satisfactory, you will have a solid axle up front. Mount up some shocks, adapt some brake lines, address your steering linkage, and you are down the road. As far as axle selection goes, the D44 will have to come out of a donor that has an equal width, a fullsize will not work here. Some jeeps had 44's with the right width, some early bronco's too. May find some in early cherokees, and a scout or two. These are often a little hard to find, and they are not giving them away. Your case is o.k. as long as you find an axle with the diff on the same side as the driveshaft, you will be fine. It will require a custom front shaft with one end that fits the case, and one that fits any axle you install. That will be the easiest thing you do here. Again, for what you are trying to do, I still would run a complete Toyata front end. I would use the springs because they work well with many aftermarket options available. Many aftermarket springs flex very, very well, and ride great, spring hangers for these are easy to find, and as i mentioned before, the axles are mega strong, and cheap to buid.

03-18-2007, 11:32 PM	#10
bigblockdually Full Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 12	buddy it takes more than a grease monkey to make a guy like me feel stupid. and i wasnt whinin i just wanted to know where you got the conversion... your the one who started on all the opinions, and you know what they say about those! like i said get off my back. __________________ 91 suburban dually w a 454??? can you tell me how many were made?

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