Solid Axle Swap
 

Alright, so just out of curiosity, instead of doing a cognito 2" lift, I thought why not make my truck into a REAL truck, and get some leafsprings and a solid Dana 60 underneath? There are bolt on conversion kits for $600, but the required axles I'm beginning to see are very hard to find used, plus the leafsprings. Offroad Unlimited said they could build me an axle, but it sure isn't cheap, plus the minimum lift for their kit is 6.5"...All I want is 2-3", I want my truck to look like it came from the factory with a solid axle up front and fool everybody...but it looks like it can't be done for <$3000 which is what I was hoping...

Any ideas?

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I searched the net all day and it looks like no one offers a <6" solid axle swap lift kit. Nuts...I guess I could trade for a CTD :humm:

if i were to do a sas i would use coil springs and trailing arms and panhard . but i can fab my own parts.

I thought I saw some PLACE that someone was doing a spring under SAS. Not sure how they are getting around the clearance issues.

What are the biggest clearance issues in the duramaxes?
It's damn cold here again right now, but I'll have to take a look underneath and see what I'm up against...it might explain why every offering is only for 6.5"+ of lift.

Haven't had a chance to read the thread.

Lowest SAS swap - Diesel Place

Thanks for posting that dude, looks like it could be some good help. :U:

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From what I'm seeing in that thread, the kit is a spring-under kit instead of running leaf springs on top of the axle. The kit costs $5000, a new axle costs $7000, and will enable the use of 35" tires and truck height @ cab will be ~84" tall (7ft). It looks freakin sweet, but that's hella expensive!!! Considering GM duramaxes new run as much or more than Dodges and Fords, they should come with more durable front ends on 4x4s!!!

It looks like I'm not the only one who really wants a nice low SAS, they're still working on the new kit...Unfortunately I don't think they'll be able to get anywhere near as low as a stock Silverado, or even 3" taller, because the oil pan poses some real clearance issues.

Pure Performance sells a coilover kit........they use a 2003-2008 dodge 9.5 inch ring gear AAM solid axle (same center section as your chevy IFS).......and your truck will never know its a solid axle because the chevy's ABS sensor hooks right up to the dodge setup and the computer thinks its still got the IFS.........Pure Performance, Inc.

or you can just cut everything off the dodge axles, weld on spring perches, build front hangers, rear shackles and figure out the rest.....

if you want to go stock try and find someone that can get you Kevin Ikenberry's (SP?) email from diesel place (i think he's on diesel place or CompD), he is a sled puller in Ohio, he did a stock looking SAS on his chevy and that thing looked like it came from the factory like that......

id trade for a cummins :p

:tttt:
hehe, I thought I'd get a few of those... IF I did, I'd get a nice 6spd...

it is possible.offroad direct Off-Road Direct - Lift Kit and Custom Suspension System Specialists sells a kit thats uses ford super duty front spring that workd very well.about $1500.they also are doin a coilover kit as well now $2800 i think.now thats not a axle,t-case,springs or odds n ends.but $3000-3500 is a good number.mine would have been under that if it wasnt for the amount of lift i did(22" of lift).I'm lookin into a new tow rig n this is wat I'd build.most of it bolts on as well.get a 78-79 ford dana 60HP(drivers drop).kit from ORD,stock front super duty spring.make sure it had a diesel in it there a little heavier.a transfer case from a 1 ton n up ford.its a NV271 manual shift.you dont have to use a new t-case the problem is that the GM t-cases have the drive shaft sliping in n out of them which poses a prob in the front.now you could drill a set screw in the flang of the front slip sleave or use some sort of a C-clip to stop the front drive shaft from slippin in n out.would save some $$.transfer case express Transfer Case Express, Inc. ? New, rebuilt transfer cases ( transfercase ). Lowest prices. In California, world-wide delivery can put a inputshaft in it that makes it bolt right up to a alison tranny.the kit adds 3" of lift to the truck n seeing that i would be useing stock SD springs I'm guessing I'd get about a 5-6 inch kit.in the end I wud get a truck equal to if not a tad taller than a stock dodge or ford.which for me would be perfect.there is more odd n end things that go into it but this is the jest of it.sorry for blabbering on.hope this helps...you can also see my truck n some pics of it at mudbillys.com its not a diesel tho i wish it was :dang::dang: