After doing my homework on gear upgrade i am opting for the zr2 axle swap instead to get to the 3.73 gearing. I have read several threads on the swap and have one question...i may have missed the answer. The rear swap i get..easy. its the front...do i keep my cv shafts off my ride? I know that the zr2 shafts are longer...i think yes..but want to be sure. I have dropped the front diff before...just want to be clear on what swaps.
Thanks guys.

 

I was thinking about upgrading too, what made you change your mind to do zr2 axle swap as opposed to using the same gears they use?

 

Cost. Can do an axle swap myself...gears not so much.

 

You keep your CV's, the axle itself is identical except for the gears.

 

+1

The only thing to be careful of is if your diff comes from a different year. 95-97 use the same bolt together CV axle as the older 1st gen S-series trucks. 98+ all use the same newer design. When I did my swap I got my axle and diff from a 99 ZR2 and I had to swap the CV's to the newer style because the CV axle outer seals on the newer diff are different and are not compatible with the older style CV's.

 

If you get the front dif from a 5 speed ZR2 pickup or Blazer they are iron case I read somewhere.

 

Iron front diff poll

 

Also true. A good idea if you can find one, but they're worse than trying to find ZR2 flares though. If you're searching a pick-n-pull place having a magnet in your kit helps for confirming it's an iron diff.

 

I have one ..... and flares

 

Sure sure. Rub it in our faces.
I almost scored one from a 5 speed ZR2 pickup I helped my brother part out, but someone offered him cash for it, and all I was offering was some elbow grease. Punk took the cash.