SAS/Straight Axle Conversion on '02 2500 HD

JMLB7 said:
Another nice riding Chevy put back in the stone age with a straight front axle swap, what a waste.The factory frontend with tie rod sleeves and a good straight centerlink will last alot longer than that solid axle ever dreamed of and is just as tough or tougher. To each his own though i guess...
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Oh. So what about your ride in Lee's truck didn't you care for? The coil over set up as opposed to leafs should've rode pretty nice. How has that straight centerlink on your truck affected your turning radius and tire wear on the street? Or, did you just feel like being negative from several hundred miles away with no firsthand knowledge?
Just wondering.
 
Big Angry said:
Oh. So what about your ride in Lee's truck didn't you care for? The coil over set up as opposed to leafs should've rode pretty nice. How has that straight centerlink on your truck affected your turning radius and tire wear on the street? Or, did you just feel like being negative from several hundred miles away with no firsthand knowledge?
Just wondering.
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JMO, chill!!!
 
If your gonna spout off with negative chit, better take it like a man instead of a girl when it comes back around.
 
I've been looking at doing something very similar to my Dmax (and based on its 4x4 handling in the snow drifts earlier today the time is near...). Do you have any pictures from under the truck? I've been right on the verge of building a 3 link front end with coil overs and a sway bar - but maybe using the Ford stuff will work better for my app. Any pictures or info you could share would be greatly appreciated.

That being said - my stock IFS has actually treated me well considering how much I abuse it. But I am tired of cringing everytime I am hooked to a trailer pulling out of a muddy field and I pop it into 4x4 and tring not to think about what my front tires are actually doing. The straight center link and tie rod sleeves have been sitting on the shelf collecting dust - I figure just owning the parts has kept it from actually breaking.
 
Here it is! ;)
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Looks pretty good Lee... But IFS can perform and ride well... We just finished installing the Pure Performance long travel IFS suspension system on my LB7 project truck and honestly it is the best riding lifted truck I have ever driven and I have driven a lot of lifted trucks... Also with their suspension and steering design combined with the dual coil-over shocks on each side the tires stay pointed straight even in 4WD!!! I'll be writing up the install in Diesel World in a few more issues... Everyone who has ridden in the truck really likes the ride and handling!

I think your straight axle conversion was the best idea for going from 2WD to 4WD though and since you retained most of the Ford stuff it should ride pretty good. Looks like you did good fab work too!!!
 
Mine is lifted about 4.5 to 5-inches but I am able to fit 37-inch tires and it is long travel for some serious off roading!!!
 
Thanks guys! Like Chris pointed out, I did it this way because I'm going from 2wd to 4wd. I do prefer lower trucks but now that I have this together I like it...kind of grew on me like new truck body designs do. LOL Besides everywhere I go someone makes a stupid remark that Ford wheels don't fit on a Chevy...then I tell them the wheels are not the only Ford parts on it...you should see the puzzled looks that follow. :hehe:
 
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LReiff said:
Here it is! ;)
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How does that 4x4 work with that invisible driveshaft installed? :stab:

Thanks for the pics - now I need to do some measuring and studying to figure out if that is the route I want to take. Out of curiosity - what size tires are you running - and what is the measurement from the ground to bottom of the fender in the middle of the wheel well? How much up-travel does your setup offer?

Thanks again!
Jason
 
HotRodTractor said:
How does that 4x4 work with that invisible driveshaft installed? :stab:

Thanks again!
Jason
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I never claimed that the truck was 4wd...just a work in progress. :Cheer:

285/65R18 tires and 45" from the ground to the center of the wheel opening. I do not know what axle travel is but I'm going to assume that it's very close to the same as a '05 F350 that it came out of. Right now the shocks are the limiting factor. About a month ago I got off road, I accidentally dropped the RF wheel into a 3'x3' hole, the LR wheel was all but off the ground, I drove out in 2wd but barely. I will say that the truck would not have performed the same with the IFS front suspension and 2wd.
 
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Thanks for the reply - I need to do some comparison measuring while I have the truck on the lift tonight replacing one of those fantastic wheel bearings I love so much....
 
HotRodTractor said:
Thanks for the reply - I need to do some comparison measuring while I have the truck on the lift tonight replacing one of those fantastic wheel bearings I love so much....
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if you lived on a paved road you wouldn't need new wheel bearings or a straight axle!
 
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