I have a 85 S-10 Blazer 4x4(2.8/7004R)that I am considering converting to 4x2 drive. I know it'spossible to remove the transfer case, change the tail housing on the tranny, and change the drive shaft. I want to know if the front differential and the half shafts can be removed without causing problems with the suspension or steering? Also curious about the weight savings after removing these parts.Any advice or suggesions would be welcomed.

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You will also need to replace the output shaft in the transmission.
Remove the front chunck, half shafts, steering knuckles. Replace teh steering knuckles with 2wdr versions (spindles), if they fit into the 4wdr a-arms. You can leave the torsion bars for the springs, they tie into the lower a-arm. If the 2wdr steering knuckle wont work ont eh 4wdr a-arms, you will have to replace the a-arms, and figure out if the coil springs will work.

You will also need to install a speedometer gear into the tailhousing of the tranny. It runs up to your speedo and the computer uses it to control torque converter lock up. No lock up and you will fry your tranny. I am not sure, however you might be able to use the speedo set-up off the t-case.

I have not seen this done, and these are just some of the things you should check into. I do know the 2wdr versions have spindles and coil springs. While the 4wdr version uses torsion bars as springs. I also know you need to move the speedo gear, and you must replace the output shaft ont he tranny to run the 2wdr tailhousing.

 

Hmmm. Just off the top of my head, if you removed the front diff and axles. You would need to replace the front steering knuckles (spindles), hubs, rotors and wheel bearings and maybe the calipers..
You would need to lower the torsion bars to even out the ride hight and align the wheels.

Why not just leave the front diff and axles on the truck, it's not that much weight.

Just some of my thoughts.

 

Thanks for the reply guys. After looking at the set up and comparing it to the set-upon my '82 S-10 p/u, I don't think swaping the spindles is an option without swaping the A-arms to match. And the mounting points for the arms appear to have different mounting points for each vehicle. I would be happy to use the torsion bar suspension to adjust the ride height, and avoid any problems with fabracating coil spring mounts ans shock location. The big question is finding a spindle that fits. Does anyboby know if it's possible to seperate the axle at the C-V joint and retain the end that passes through the spinle, or if pressing the shaft out of spindle that has the same diameter and spline count as the half shafts would work? I'm looking for as much weight savings as possible. It has a fresh 2.8 thats been upgraded to 3.1 liters, but thats still a lot of weight to move around. If it were a 2wd I'd just drop in a V-8 but I dont want to go through the clearence issues with the engine cradle or the expense of another tranny. Weight is a concern because I carry about 200 lbs. of tools an ocasionally will do some towing with a dolly.

 

As long as you have the outer portion of hte cv axle in the hub you can lose the rest of the cv axle.

Honestly, your not going to reduce the weight that much. The older S10-blazers weigh around 3500 pounds or so. Not much to begin with. Besides 200 pounds isn't much weight to haul around.

As for droping a V8 in, install a 2" body lift and you wont have as much clearancing to do. Still will need the radiator, motor mounts, and tranny though.

 

Guys, I have a new problem. The '85 Blazer I have has no foward gears. this was not a progressive occurance. I was driving at 55 mph in overdrive, the tranny shifted into 3rd gear at speed and continued to pull. after stopping for a light it had no foward gears. Reverse works fine. The shop is telling me that the tranny is still good, (they had recently done work on it three weeks prior, and it's under warranty). They claim the problem is the transfer case. That fluid pressure is being lost as fluid passes through the transfer case thus causing a pressure loss to the clutch packs in the tranny. Is this possible or are these guys trying to put one over on me?

 

Are they saying the tranny fluid is filling up the t-case? If so, you need to replace the input seal on the t-case. $5 part.

That is the only way I can interpret what you said. There is no throughput on the t-case. You fill it with fluid. It doesn't have a pump, filter, or anything like that. Teh fluid is slung around via the gears and chain. If reverse works, then your t-case works. Now if the tranny is low on fluid (because it is drianing into the t-case) then yes it may not have enough fluid to give you forward gears.

Take out the top plug on the t-case, if you have a gusher, your input seal is toast and you need to replace it. If all you get is a trickle or no fluid, add ATF until it trickles out and put the plug back in. Then call the tranny shop up and get clarification on what the hell they are smoking.

The t-case either works or it don't in 2wdr. The fact that you have reverse means the t-case works in 2wdr.

What did the tranny shop do to your tranny recently? If they pulled the tranny (t-case has to come off), then they could have very well damaged the seal on the t-case when they reinstalled it.