Solid axle conversion

I know you all have heard this idea a million times but im asking anyways. i have 93' gmc sierra half ton extended cab short bed. Im moveing in august to go to tech school. well in the winter months they get alot of snow and have a 4x4 law that goes into affect if the roads are bad.i love my truck and it has alot of sentimental value to me so i dont want to get rid of it and bye one thats already 4 wheel drive. I kno you can convert a the z71 trucks over to a solid front axle. my question is, is the frame (chassis) the same up front between a 2 wheel drive and four wheel drive. i have a good set of half ton axles that came out of my 80 chevy. and dont want alot of lift on this truck. i have a divorced transfer case that my cousin gave me. I also see this as a challenge for me to take on. im not really looking for practical but am looking for a safe and functional way to do this. any ideas or knowledge would be apreciated thanx.  

We've covered this topic a lot. The main thing you need to remember is there is a lot more to a solid-axle swap than just axles and a transfer case. Get a note pad out and make a check list of everything you'll need. For example.

Brake lines
Driveshafts
Steering
Bearings and ball joints
Brackets
Are you fabricating a kit or buying one

You will see more on this and modern ways to approach solid axle conversions in up coming issues. Take your time and do it the right way, which often equates into the safe way.

Ali
Feature Editor
4WOR  
Ali Mansour
Feature Editor
4-Wheel & Off-Road

ive taken all that in to consideration. but the thing of fabricating or buying. i havent found a kit to change over from 2 wheel drive to four wheel drive. so i was trying to find if the chassis was the same as what in the z71 trucks. if not im more than capable of fabricating it. im very mechanicaly inclined so i shouldnt have much trouble and it isnt my first build up of a truck. its just my first conversion from 2wd to 4wd  

What does it matter any way if the frames are the same? In that year they were all IFS anyway so anything that you do will have to be totally custom. What you pulled from the 80 won't just bolt up to your 93. I know that is not what you are asking... but I had to point it out anyway.  
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Long Travel 4WD - The best of Both Worlds

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just the fact that if its the same i could by a conversion kit that is designed for the z71!  

if your planning on going solid, my advice is to plan everthing, and then some! What ever you think it costs, double it. If you off road alot it's worth it. If not, just get your self a rear locker and call it good.  
'99 Full Width Solid Axle Explorer XL 4x4 ~ Toy!

'05 F-150 Super Crew XLT ~ Tow Rig/DD

offroadunlimited.com has 2wd to 4wd conversion kits. they run about 1000 bucks and like any cutsom work you should know how to weld or know someone that can. but there are kits out there. if the t-case is divorced im guessin it came out of a ford? also a 2wd tranny is made from a lighter case then a 4wd so if its put under a lot of stress it could crack. if you want to keep your 5lug wheels you could go with a set of axles from a half ton ford or 94+ dodge. its a lot more involved with a 2wd but it can be done. im thinking about doing a swap on my 93 z71 so goodluck with it.  

converting a 2wd of that body style to a live axel 4x4 is a little easer if you want to use a coil sprung front because you can use your factory coil buckets on the frame, I have done live axel conversions using bolth leaf springs and coils, I pefer the coils because of a little better ride on the road but it's all personal prefrence, is the devorced t-case a ford, dodge or chevy (the latter of which is rair as far as I can tell?  
if it ain't dirty, you ain't doing it rite, RNC club motto

Digging up threads from the past are we?  
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Long Travel 4WD - The best of Both Worlds

Questions? Comments? Concerns? PM Me!