K15000 to k2500 drivetrain

[Mikeymush]

Im looking for some insight.

I recently got a 2000 k1500 with a 6"lift. It was a friend of mine who passed away. I dont know much of what he had done to the truck 

 Before he passed, he put a k2500 rear in the truck. Didnt change the tranny.

I believe He had to have the the driveshaft customized. 

I noticed he doesnt have the front axles installed. The truck is 6 lug.

 

My question would be can i just pick up new axles for the front and install them? Im assuming he didnt put them in due to gear ratio.

Also, can i install a 2500 front differential and match gear ratio and if i do that will the 2500 front diff require any customizing to install?

Thanks in advance for any info. 

 

[davester]

I believe the front diff will bolt right up, and the actuator should be the same, the front driveshaft might even be the same.

 

The two cv shafts between the front diff and the two front wheels would need to be for a 2500.

 

I believe you might have some difficulty getting the hubs from a 2500 to bolt up to your front end.

[Mikeymush]

Thanks Davester,

So. The 2 cv shafts would have to be 2500 shafts. Is that only of i replafe rhe front diff woth a 2500?

[davester]

Well, I don't know why you are doing this.  If the existing front diff ratio is the same as the rear diff ratio, you're good to go, 4wd works, everything is fine.  The bigger diff really only makes a difference if you are really working the truck hard in 4wd, and have the engine tuned up as well.

 

Sorry about the info in my previous post. From doing some research on it, the 9.25 diff isn't a bolt up match, needs a bunch of fabbing to get it in there.  The 6" lift you mentioned helps, as the diff is physically bigger, and it should be easier to fab the mounting points for the diff, but it's still a bunch of work.

 

And then I believe (but don't know for sure) you'll have to modify the spindles so you can mount the 2500 hubs up front.  And given that the diff is larger, you probably will also need to find (or possibly fab) a driveshaft to work with it as well.

 

Unless you are just set on doing this, or you are going to get the engine to put out a bunch more power and go off-roading with it, I would suggest just leaving it alone...

[swathdiver]

Go to DemandAAM and look up the differences between the stock 8.25 and the 9.25 or whatever your buddy put under there.  Swaps to 3/4 ton running do require some modification but less then most expect and it varies depending on the year of the patient and parts used.

[Mikeymush]

Ok thanks. Basically i just want thw 4wd to work with the least amount of work to do. Im not sure what the ratios are on either diff. I guess thatll be the next step. I appreciate it

[davester]

If it's just to get 4wd working, then first check the existing ratios of the front and rear diffs, and if they are different, then get a 1500 diff with the same ratio as the rear one.  It should be cheaper and more commonly available, and will bolt right up.

[Mikeymush]

 Great. Thanks for the help. 

[swathdiver]

Right, your buddy might have been in the middle of a conversion and if the ratios are different, the truck won't like it if both axles are engaged with different ratios!  Remember the easy way to check, get the wheels off the ground and spin the tire one revolution while taking not of how much the yoke spins around.  About 3 and 1/2 times would be a 3.42 gear, 3-3/4 times would be a 3.73 and so on.