What’s the DIFF GM? ARB doesn’t know!

[justinfeaverhead]

Someone trying to help me said this:" After examining the pumpkin photos you have I'm thinking a conversion to an earlier frt/ifs/diff can be done keeping in mind you would need the earlier cv shafts maybe hubs too unless splines are the same. The earlier K2500/3500 ifs/diff is very stout and many aftermarket options exist for it. mounting tabs can be fabricated if different, axle shafts can be made too to " Any thoughts on this on this site? I replied that I think I need to get a hard core off road shop to look at this angle. Can anyone recommend one in the Houston Tx area?

[dave_benn]

I agree with frogfish, if your looking to spend that much time and money you mine as well go all out with the SAS and Dana 60. Your gonna be close to the same money and the upgrade to SAS would never leave you missing anything.

[justinfeaverhead]

Thanks Wires, I could see it being a lot of strain if you are rock climbing and the tires are bouncing around or if you engaged them while the tires are spinning. At a dead stop in sand and mud, engage then add foot it shouldn't tear things up. On dry pavement I would not engage. The g80 adds a lot of trauma due to the tire spinning then locks while the other is not spinning when it locks up. A softer approach would be to engage both at the same time then step on it.

 

Thanks Frogfish and gmc10, but if I was going to rock crawl that would be the way to go. I think stright is a rougher ride and it might be my only option in the end if I decide to stay with the truck. It seams to be more evolved and costly and with the new things they've done under the truck Is it a an option and what would something like that cost?

 

They say it's not the destination but the journey. This journey is not so nice knowing that some good things come at a price. I love the truck, it's the best one I ever had. But my goal was to build a full size truck with selectable lockers and if ARB would have not told me it could be done I doubt I would have purchased it. It's a beautiful truck but just a tool to me. I want all of the advantages I can afford to get me in and out of a beach that is 60 miles long and there is only one way in and one way out. The way out is the same as you go in. Weather can change quickly here in Texas. So I'm looking on how to salvage my situation.

[justinfeaverhead]

Thank to all that have replied. I think I'll go Dodge! Sorry GM it's the DIFF!

[kstruckcountry]

Good luck.

[uh6tdrvr]

You know that a locked rear helps out alot in any 4wd situation. But if you are somewhere that you NEED all 4 locked, probably shouldn't be there in your 60K truck. If you dont mind it then why not throw another +5K into a solid front end?

[justinfeaverhead]

uh6tdrvr: I was told it would be another 10K. would it not be better to get a truck with factory installed stright?

[Duronimal]

uh6tdrvr: I was told it would be another 10K. would it not be better to get a truck with factory installed stright?

 

You could easily spend 5-8K on a Currie or Dynatrac D60 front alone. Add to that, custom suspension, steering, driveshaft, modified exhaust routing and all the fabrication costs... I don't have all the answers, but it could get very expensive, very quick.

 

I put a solid front axle in a 2wd Jeep Cherokee, but that was easy. Their 2wd uses a beam type axle, just remove and replace.