just starting a 3/4 ton 2wd to a 3/4 ton 4x4 build. Will be using a 86 3/4 ton 2WD pickup frame and axles and drivetrain from an 87 burb. Basicly making one truck with all the spare parts we got laying around. Motor will be a 350, unsure which one we'll use as we got a few laying around. Its a father/son project. Should be a fun truck when done. :metal: More pictures(better quality too)/updates on the way.

nice! a member on here did a 4x4 to 2wd swap and a 2wd to 4x4 swap a while back. i am forgetting his name though. took a 4x4 blazer and a 2wd pick up and came out with a 2wd blazer and a 4x4 pick up. IT is a great build up to read through and alot of work was done

i've seen that tread. It was really well done. For some reason, my pictures aren't showing. I'll have to re-post them when i get home. Got the front cross memember and suspension off the front of the frame.

heres what we started with.

got the 2wd suspension off.

The rear spring hangers are different from a 2x4 and 4x4. I am doing the same swap with a crew cab. I am using all the suspension mounts from the 4x4 on the rear and the entire front suspension mounts and all up front. The core support mounts on the frame are different as the front spring,front hangers are made to attach to them. The front crossmember that the proportioning valve mounts to is also different. It stinks that all this stuff is riveted on, but ya gotta love the ol acetylene torch to burn them suckers off.

so what all is involved with this swap..i been thinginking of it for awhile,,but my frined doesnt want to try it,,thinks it cant be done..i got a 84 2wd 3/4 gmc..i can get all the parts dirt cheap..i know the whole front 2wd setup has to come off..then mount the 4x4 on it...wow sounds easy when i put it that way..but would it be better to just take all my stuff and put on a 4x4 frame...

it would be easier to find a 4x4 and swap things over, but in my case we had the parts to make one. So instead of buying another truck, we decided to make one with the parts we have. Its a lot of work, but if you have the tools, its not too bad of an job. Like stano said, an acetylene torch can make a difference. Having the whole body off, also makes things alot easier. Next step for me is to dig the old burb out of the garage.

ok thanks...will have to wait until 68 is running anyway...but i want another
4x4 eventualy..

heres the 4x4 donor. Its an 87 3/4 ton 4x4. TBI 350. Pretty sure it has a dana 44/semi floating 14 bolt. Truck has 3.73 and posi. The burb has 5 rows of options. Was a police package suburban or police suburban. Has got skid plates and oil/tranny coolers. Anyone know a good site besides 73-87.com to decode these rpo.

good progress...I'm the one that did this Blazer/ Pick-up swap summer 05' I will find the link if you want

i've seen your tread and will be using it as a reference. Was very well done and the blazer goods awsome.:metal:

yeserday, the front clip was taking off, along with the gastank and misc parts. Today we were abe to yank the motor/trans/transfer case all in one go. The whole exhaust system was also removed in one piece.

Great progress so far. Keep up the good work. BTW, the fornt axle on the burb is a 10 bolt. (the two triangle shaped ears at the bottom of the housing are the giveaway) No real big difference in strength though.

thanks zoomad. Was dana 60, dana 44, and gm corp 10 bolts the only options for front diffs? Or was their others?

No problem. Yep those are it. I've heard about guys going after dodge D60's but they are not a bolt in swap. I'd wheel on that 10 bolt for now, while you got your eyes peeled for a D60 down the road. If you keep the tire size to 35-36" and are careful with the skinny pedal, the 10 bolt will last for a while.

anyone know why my 87 3/4 ton 4x4 suburban frame is different from my 2wd 3/4 ton ton frame? The 4x4 has the larger hump and taller frame rails

someone has to know why there is a difference. sixty8c10 had no problems with his blazer/pickup swap. Anyone??

I don't have answer for you on that one, mine where both 1/2 tons. the only problem i had there was the frame's thickness, and the width the rails were from each other. the width was only problem on the blazer, easily corrected with a different crossmember. all i can say is if you want it bad enough the solution will present itself, that's what happened to me anyway. I know that's not what you want to hear, but give me some time i may be able to think of something better.

More important than the frame itself is the brackets bolted to it. The truck and burb both share front diffs, so it should all pretty much work out in the end.

Post some pics of the front diff backetry, and I'll post a few pics of my 3/4 ton 4x4 truck frame for you to compare with...

The first time I did a 2wd to 4wd swap, I just changed frames out, as you can see below. I'm about to do another conversion to my 77 stepside though, but swb 4x4s are next to impossible to find here, so I'll be doing the swap similarly to how you've done it.

burb is outside and pickup is inside.

Burb stuff looks like like my 80's stuff, I'd say its probally good to go :)

the motor mounts are too big to fit into the pickup frame? So do i need pickup 4x4 mounts?

Russ so the Steppe is going under the knife??

Back on topic

I don't know how your frame wlding skills are but why not just use the burban frame and then attach new mounts and leangthen or shorten it as needed?

Good luck with your project

The burb has a pretty different shape to it, won't be able to make the pickup body fit without some pretty major modifications...

And yeah, I suppose you'll need to find a pickup 4x4 engine crossmember and engine mounts, but it looks like the outside mounts for the springs are all the same.

And yep, stepside is going the way of a swb 3/4 ton 4x4 toy. The truck's body is just horrible, less the box. I'll probally buy a beat up / rusted out box to replace it with so I don't ruin the nice one. They are quite rare around here, and if you do find them, they are in horrible shape.

why does the burb frame have more room for the diff to move? I guess i have to keep an eye out for 3/4 ton 4x4 p/u mounts and engine crossmember. Another option is to cut the burb frame back where it has the same height and same frame dimensons as the pickup frame and weld the front portion of the burb frame to the pickup frame. Friends of ours have made 2 or 3 of those 4door shortbox trucks.

why can't you use the whole burban front clip and just z the frame to make everything line up.

I'd reccomend finding a donor 1/2 ton with a 350 to grab the engine crossmember, front crossmember, and engine mounts out of, easier, and less likely to have problems in the future than if you cut and weld the two frames together, unless you are a really good welder.

That, and when you go to insure the thing, the insurance company is going to drag your truck through the coals of a nasty inspection to try and find some excuse not to insure your rig. Thats my biggest battle now that most everything is basically done. My current company won't even consider insuring it, no matter what kind of safety inspection it passes.

Most likely going to have the frame zed by our friends whos done multiple shortbox conversions. Saves having to grid or cut out all the rivits.

You may have already seen this site. If not heres a link to chassis dimensions, RPO codes and VIN # info.


Lots of info, helped me out tons,
Good luck with your project.


http://www.chuckschevytruckpages.com/framespecs.html
http://www.chuckschevytruckpages.com/73-87specs.html
http://www.chuckschevytruckpages.com/rpo_codes_1973-87.html

Any updates Vern? I'm starting my swap tommorow...

not awhole lot, bought an 78 stepper yesterday. Probably going to cut off teh front end of the burb with enough room for play. Take the rear axles and rear hangers, and any necessary parts. Room is getting tough to come by now. What swap are you doing again? An 3/4ton 4x4 swap under a stepper?

Actually, 1/2 ton swap under the stepper now, wound up buying a K5 to do the swap...

Eventually put the 3/4 ton stuff I found under the K5 after I get new spring hangers and stuff for it.

Well, looks like its not gonna happen anymore. Outta the blue my buddy just straight up gave up on me, and I'm not gonna spend my time and money on a truck that I'll never use on my own....

I'd rather fix my quad, and have nearly unlimited access on crown land, with a big group of buddies I know well than to have a few hundred kilometers of trails to ride in a fullsize, with a group of people I barely know, and half the time don't even want to be associated with due to their serious alcohol and drug problems.

Yeah, I'm a little annoyed at the moment, I just dropped like 500 bucks on parts for all this, and now I have to try and sell all of it cause he is acting like a 13 year old kid who is afraid of a little elbow grease.

bummer, were you going halves on the truck?

yeah, we did... I'll have to buy out his half of the K5 then sell it.

The fortunate news is that I may have sold my 77... It'll go for between 1500 - 1700 as is, while I've got about 500 into it, lol Not quite done negotiating yet...

getting the front 4x4 frame welded to the rear part of the 2wd pickup frame today. Pictures will be coming tonight. I have been busy with college and other activities, so hopefully things get back up to speed shortly.

i've got the frame cleaned up, just wondering if I should paint it or leave it and have it oiled? I figure if i paint it and then 2 or 3 yrs later if it flakes, water/salt/dirt will be able to build up and rust. What do you think?

I've got the frame painted now, along with the tranny and tcase cleaned up. Next steps are to run fuel lines, and finish the brake lines and then the motor and tranny/tcase will be dropped in. I'll be ordering a 4" lift with in the next couple of days. Any suggestions for a 4" lift?

Wow that looks nice. so you ended up putting the burban front frame on the pickup rear half?? Did you keep the rear pickup setup or swap that for the burban rear suspention

Do a shackle flip out back, and 4" springs up front :)

its burb up front and pickup in the rear with burb axle. I saw a shackle flip somewhere, i'm going to look into it. It needs new springs in the front so, why not lift it? right?

we'll i got the parts truck home. You may have seen it in the "what have you got done" thread already. Frame is a little weak in the middle, and the missing engine doesn't help.

Motors in and new brakes are installed. Still debating what to do for a lift.

Gotten any more Done on the Project?

Thanks, Rick

Russel

I have 2 SWB 4x4 frames I know of around here , with diffs and ! I can get the T case and drive shafts too... and some beater box sides.....

Now you tell me!

Just sold my stepside, lol

not a whole lot as been happening. Been busy with school, as I have exams in 2 weeks. Got the cab off the shortbox truck and stripped. Its rougher than we want, so where going to look for something else. Not a loss, because the fenders are in excellent shape and i may be able to use the box. My old man and myself are toying of the idea of going down south for a truck or putting my dads 86 scotsdale on it.

finally found a solid truck for a body, minus a cab. Was out for a drive one day and saw this 82 sitting in a driveway without plates, so i went a knocking and here she is. Has got 390,000 kms on it. Body was redone a few years back, southern box, doors, etc. Cab corners, rockers, and mounts are shot. The 350 still runs strong, has got full gauge cluster, 8" rallys to name a few bonus' of the truck. Body work is just around the corner.

its been awhile since i've updated this tread. Truck really hasn't been touched. I now have a very solid cab for it. I just purchased a 6" rough country lift kit for it yesterday. Other projects, school, and work have put this truck on hold. Openfully have it back in the garage within 2 weeks.

I don't know how long this project has been put off, but its time to get back at it. My father and myself will be using his 86 scottsdale body on this truck, as his is getting tough in some areas and needs some attention. The mint cab that I found will be kept for something nicer than a 4x4 that will see winter. Rolled the frame back into the shop part of the garage tonight. Progess will begin shortly. Pictures to follow.

Looking forward to seeing your progress! ...Joe

cool to see this being brought back. So what happened with the 82? Also since your dad is donating his 86 what square is replacing his or is he gonna use this one?

Should look good with the 6 inch lift.

The 82 is still kicking around for parts. My dad will be using an 87 chevy pickup we just got on the road. Dads truck need some attention and the 305/700R4/3.08 is getting tired with around 330,000 kms. We have been using it for all our towing....:lol: so its only fair it gets some freshing up. Tucked the cab away in the corner for now, the garage needs major cleaning and organizing.

Both front and rear axles were dropped for some cleaning up/paint and to make way for 6" lift. Burned up the rubber seal on the top ball joint on the drivers side while removing the stock steering arm. Stock steering arm is to be replaced with one that has correction for lift. So new ball joints for drivers side. Hopefully have the diffs back under the truck early this up coming week with new oil, seals, and brakes installed. U-bolts are to be ready for pickup monday afternoon. Had to get some made for 3/4 ton axles.

more

Looking good!

Dad went to the states today to get some parts;

front calipers
pads
steering damper
rear wheel cylinders
brake lines for the rear
diff cover gaskets
pinion seals
positraction differential fluid additive

U bolts were also ready for pickup. So hopefully get things back together shortly.

Got the rear diff in tonight, still needs fluid.

looks good.

Front axle is bolted in, rear brakes are installed. Installation of front brakes, hubs, axle shafts, etc is next. Hopefully have the truck rolling shortly, to free the hoist up. Going to need to pick out some rims and tires for this beast shorty. I need to order longer brake lines, shock boots, and a front sway bar drop. Off Road Design has a nice quick disconnect one. I think down the road I'll replace the 4" blocks with ORD 4" shackle flip.

Well its rolling again. Only thing not done on the front axle is the calipers and pads, which will be put on when its ready to hit the road. Came across a small problem with the rear hanger not being a 4x4 version, but thanks to softballrnd27 we'll on our merry way again. Heres a picture of the 2wd hanger currently on the truck and how much shorter it is then a 4x4 one.

Update: dad started tearing apart his own truck! Getting ready to do some minor rust repair on his cab and to insert a 4x4 transmission hump. Decided to use this truck for the body donor because its at the state where the rust needs attention before it gets worse. Also added a picture of the helper.

hahah your dads helper looks alot like mine........

Not much done to the truck since the 4 week break over the holidays, been busy with school and dad with work. Had a chance this pass weekend to do some work in the garage, got a box on the truck just temporary while fixing up another 87 pickup. Got an idea how it will sit with the lift minus the front of the rear 4x4 hangers and some bigger tires.

looking good

Finally found some rims for the truck, some old 16.5x9.75 slots. I will be getting 35" BFG all terrain for them. Very limited choice in tires, BFG may be the only company to make a bigger 16.5 tire. Discount tire said they can still get them. I wanted to make sure I could get a decent tire before getting the rims.

Double post, please delete.

what's going on with this bad-boy??
updates?

Just waiting on time for myself and dad to get to time together, and I need parts like brake lines, tires, etc. Just a matter of putting it together. Hopefully some updates over the holidays.