Re: Converting my 4wd S-10 Blazer to AWD?
Birdman said:
Thanks JustDreamin, I'll do just that.
I've already researched the V8 swap and all, that's not a problem. I was just wondering about converting to AWD, but it seems like this was the wrong place to look. :roll:
Not necessarily the wrong place to look. Just trying to say that you'll get better answers if you ask specific questions.
And there is a wealth of knowledge (and knowledgeable folks) here on this board who are happy to help with questions that require some thought / experience / etc.
Basically, you've got to show that you're not the 2,457th person of the month who wants to put a Sy / Ty turbo setup on their stock 4.3 Blazer (it gets asked alot, maybe not that often). Because of alot of newbie / stupid questions, these guys are somewhat hesitant to jump in and provide answers for entry level questions.
The basic answer to your question is this: AWD and 4WD aren't all that different, boils down to a few hardware changes. You need an AWD transfer case, and I'd suggest the BW4472 (which is the case these guys run). There are some other cases (NV149 or NV136/236/246) which could be used, but they're not necessarily any better. The NV149 is the case used in the AWD Silverado SS. The NV136 et al is an "active on demand" tcase which requires a computer to kick the clutch for the front end on and off (there is no differential action), which means the integration is much harder. BW4472 was available in Bravadas thru '96 (or was it '97), Sy's and Ty's, and AWD Astro's / Safari's thru '97 (or '98).
You will also need to figure out what trans you want to run. The 700R4 is an acceptable trans up to a certain power limit in AWD. It will live at much higher HP in a 2wd application because tire spin will help "pad" the shock loading. I'd guess a well built 700R4 would probably serve well in the under 400hp range, assuming you take reasonable care of it and freshen it up every so often (depending upon usage, maybe every 2 years?). You've got other options, but the only other 4 speed auto that is worth considering is the 4L80E. Its big, expensive, computer controlled, and pretty darn stout. Basically, its the old TH400 with a .75:1 overdrive. Did I mention its expensive? Not to scare you off, its the better choice, but its not for the shy of pocketbook. A couple of these guys could give you a much better opinion on the capabilities of the 700R4 (like George Blake, a trans builder).
Front diffs are basically the same. The 4wd front diff's pass side axle shaft has a on / off mechanical linkage, which the AWD's don't have (solid shaft). Other than that, no real change there. And you could keep the stock front diff and just lock out the on / off feature (or keep it for short burnouts at the track).
Front driveshaft will have to be up to the constant spinning. Well built, balanced, and may need a CV joint, depending upon your driveline angles (you'll have to figure that out).
AWD will require you to make sure that your tires are all the same size. I would suggest full matched sets (same size / brand / amount of wear) but the tcase will tolerate some amount of difference. If you decide to change gear ratios, you gotta do both ends (some people don't think about that, but it is important).
Hope that helps answer some of your questions. Please feel free to ask additional questions, but try to make them a bit narrower in scope.
'JustDreamin'
