SAS with a twist, walk me through this.

[SmoothKriminal]

Ive got a 98' sport 2wd. Say I wanted to convert her to 4wd. I think it would be easier (or just as difficult, certainly not any more difficult) to go ahead and swap a axle in there right away. My main concern is in the area of the transmission. I'm guessing its not as easy as just swapping tailshafts and trowing a transfercase on the end is it? Am I better off finding a used 4wd tranny and rebuilding it? What about the computer side of things? Are the harnesses already on the truck somewhere?

Kinda just testing the waters here, but thanks for any advice.

 

[410Fortune]

your thinking is correct.

Which engine is in your truck? OHV or SOHC?
auto or stick?
No wiring needed unless you go with a electric shift t case

a 4wd trans and a rebuild is a great idea.

 

[section525]

I think you're incorrect. It would be 10x easier to convert to 4wd using the factory SLA stuff. At least it is all bolt in and you can use 90% of your current parts. A SAS would require a whole lot more money, custom work, and new parts.

 

[410Fortune]

i meant as far as the transmission goes, you have to go inside the auto trans to convert it from 2wd to 4wd, the output shaft is different, which is the first part of the trans to get assembled during a rebuild.

solid axle kinda depends on what the trucks gonna be used for? I assume 4x4ing since you want a t case and a solid axle, going stock IFS 4x stuff is a waste if you are jsut going to rip it out in 3 years and go solid axle...

 

[SmoothKriminal]

I assume 4x4ing since you want a t case and a solid axle, going stock IFS 4x stuff is a waste if you are jsut going to rip it out in 3 years and go solid axle...

Exactly my thinking, I don't want to spend all that money on the IFS stuff just to rip it out later. It would probly be just as much money to go ahead and put the axle in there. Custom fabbing on the front end is the least of my worries, its getting the power to the axle after I put it in there. What about the drive switch on the dash (4hi, 4low, 2x) is the harness already in there for that as well?

 

[CodePoet]

Put in a manual x-fer case then you don't have to worry about any switches

 

[gluvsave35]

if ur goin to try and rebuild a tranny dont bother

put in a jasper tranny!!!!!
its worth the money!!

 

[SmoothKriminal]

As in put a completely different case in there? Can you convert the stock unit to manual shift?

And no, I'm not gonna rebuild the tranny myself. I'm confident in my mechanic skill, but not that confident.

 

[gluvsave35]

well thats cool most mechanics around me wont touch a tranny as for the shop i work at... we will however put a jasper tranny in which im doin to my truck in about a year or 2!!

 

[IZwack]

put in a jasper tranny!!!!!
its worth the money!!

I Just looked at the Jasper site for a 5r55e and wow, $2585.00 !

I think a gm-700r4 with the proper adapter would a better option for that price. All you would need is the engine-transmission adapter. You can switch over to any transfer case you want that bolts up to the 700r4 - of which there are many (np 205,203,208, etc..). in other words, once you have the 700r4 in, you can forget about the Explorer/Ranger/BII transfer cases.

 

[gluvsave35]

well i get at cost and its like 1500 but that price is with 3 year 75000 mile warrenty plus they pay 4 labor

o and that price(my price 1500 is 4 a stage 2 tranny!!!!