tech2

...Putz

keithinwa

If you climb underneath identical trucks, one 2 wheel drive, and the other 4 wheel drive, you'll see they're very similar. Now that this body style is a few years old, there are Chevy trucks of this vintage in about every wrecking yard in the country.

I have researched this topic extensively. Here's what I've concluded:

You will need to take your transmission out. The output shaft will need to be replaced with one from a 4x4. The extension housing is different, but easily sourced, either from eBay, a transmission shop, or a wrecking yard core. The actual job of changing the output shaft involves removing the guts from the 4L80E, unclipping a snap ring, and swapping the actual shafts. It's not a big deal to someone who works on transmissions every day. I'm not comfortable doing it myself, however, I have a friend who did transmissions in college, for side cash, and I'd just give him a couple hundred bucks to do it for me. If yours has high miles, it might be a good idea to consider having it rebuilt while you have it apart.

There's two options for transfer cases. The lower end models had the shifter on the floor. From what I've gathered, that's the one to use for this application. It requires a lot less electrical work, and allows you to keep the same computer. One caveat here, is that unless you change your PCM, and run a couple wires, the transmission won't shift right in 4-low. By design, the computer uses throttle position and speed to determine the speed in which the trans will shift at. If you use 4 low, the computer still wants to shift out of first at ~20 MPH. I've heard there's an option of using the speed sensor on the transmission, but then it thinks you're going 50, when you're really going 18, in 4 low, due to the transfer case ratio in low range. <-- that part's still a little muddy for me, BUT I think I'd have no problem, because I would really only ever use 4 low for crawling out of something, or pulling someone really hard, and I think I'd be fine with just having first gear in low range.

The control arms, springs and cross member should swap from one vehicle to the other, fairly easily. I haven't looked close enough to see if welding is required for the transfer case cross member, but I sort of doubt it. They use the same frames for both models. Just tonight before posting this response, I was looking at eBay for the parts involved. Here's what I found so far:

Transfer case: $300 - $600, depending on mileage. Rebuilt for $950
Front differential: $250-$500, depending on mileage. Rebuilt for $900
Drivelines: $150 - $300, each
CV shafts: $65 each, new.
Transfer Case shifter, with linkage: $75
Front differential brackets $100
Tailshaft from 700R4 / 4L60, used $50
4WD tailshaft housing $50

I haven't looked at A-Arms or spindles, but I'd buy them from a wrecking yard. Chances are $200 would buy everything for the front suspension swap.

This doesn't seem like that much money. If someone was mechanically savvy, this SHOULD fit together pretty easily.

All these parts could probably be sourced from a wrecking yard, as a package deal for about $1000. I've never seen a wrecking yard owner who wasn't willing to deal. Well, one, but he went out of business because he chased all his customers away.

I will now sit back and await all the "experts" to call me names and tell me I'm wrong ..

keithinwa

I meant to say 4L60E!!

Serg2xl

Dont ever take advise from "men" that wont even do the work them selves. Its actually cheap enough to do and worth it, if you'er MAN enough to do it yourself. Its really no that hard and now a days with google and youtube on your phone you cant go wrong. I really hope you kept your Grandfathers truck

tech2

are they running the same suspension for this gen ? Its about time, effort and cost. You would be limited to a manual shift as an push button shift would be on a CAN bus circuit.

Andrew Matthew Gorey

[QUOTE=keithinwa;337945]If you climb underneath identical trucks, one 2 wheel drive, and the other 4 wheel drive, you'll see they're very similar. Now that this body style is a few years old, there are Chevy trucks of this vintage in about every wrecking yard in the country.

I have researched this topic extensively. Here's what I've concluded:

You will need to take your transmission out. The output shaft will need to be replaced with one from a 4x4. The extension housing is different, but easily sourced, either from eBay, a transmission shop, or a wrecking yard core. The actual job of changing the output shaft involves removing the guts from the 4L80E, unclipping a snap ring, and swapping the actual shafts. It's not a big deal to someone who works on transmissions every day. I'm not comfortable doing it myself, however, I have a friend who did transmissions in college, for side cash, and I'd just give him a couple hundred bucks to do it for me. If yours has high miles, it might be a good idea to consider having it rebuilt while you have it apart.

There's two options for transfer cases. The lower end models had the shifter on the floor. From what I've gathered, that's the one to use for this application. It requires a lot less electrical work, and allows you to keep the same computer. One caveat here, is that unless you change your PCM, and run a couple wires, the transmission won't shift right in 4-low. By design, the computer uses throttle position and speed to determine the speed in which the trans will shift at. If you use 4 low, the computer still wants to shift out of first at ~20 MPH. I've heard there's an option of using the speed sensor on the transmission, but then it thinks you're going 50, when you're really going 18, in 4 low, due to the transfer case ratio in low range. <-- that part's still a little muddy for me, BUT I think I'd have no problem, because I would really only ever use 4 low for crawling out of something, or pulling someone really hard, and I think I'd be fine with just having first gear in low range.

The control arms, springs and cross member should swap from one vehicle to the other, fairly easily. I haven't looked close enough to see if welding is required for the transfer case cross member, but I sort of doubt it. They use the same frames for both models. Just tonight before posting this response, I was looking at eBay for the parts involved. Here's what I found so far:

Transfer case: $300 - $600, depending on mileage. Rebuilt for $950
Front differential: $250-$500, depending on mileage. Rebuilt for $900
Drivelines: $150 - $300, each
CV shafts: $65 each, new.
Transfer Case shifter, with linkage: $75
Front differential brackets $100
Tailshaft from 700R4 / 4L60, used $50
4WD tailshaft housing $50

I haven't looked at A-Arms or spindles, but I'd buy them from a wrecking yard. Chances are $200 would buy everything for the front suspension swap.

This doesn't seem like that much money. If someone was mechanically savvy, this SHOULD fit together pretty easily.

All these parts could probably be sourced from a wrecking yard, as a package deal for about $1000. I've never seen a wrecking yard owner who wasn't willing to deal. Well, one, but he went out of business because he chased all his customers away.

I will now sit back and await all the "experts" to call me names and tell me I'm wrong ..

[
So what I would like to know is the holes in the frame to mount the front diff?]

Andrew Matthew Gorey

What I would like to know is if the mounting holes for the front diff are already there or how do I go about that

Luke Beahm

Andrew Gorey I would also like to know if the front diff bracket can be bolted onto the 2wd truck frame.

WaxGMC

Thanks to whoever mentioned the ratios being the same. I think if you have a truck that is already paid off and would rather not have a monthly payment, then you should do the conversion. If you want a project, then do the conversion. I am in the same situation. I have just paid off my truck and have wanted it to be 4 wheel drive for the last couple of years. The only thing i am really concerned about is the computer communicating with the transmission and engine.

Little Bear

I might be wrong but aren't the frames totally different between 2wd and 4wd, making this much more than swapping parts. I'm not familiar with the 09 models, but that was the case for earlier body styles.