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Solid axle swap in a 1500 Avalanche?

Oberloh

Full Member
Joined
Dec 2, 2020
Messages
109
Location
Northern California
I love my 2003 1500 Avalanche except for it having the payload of a mini-truck. I would like to "overland" but the less than 1300 lb payload won't allow for steel racks, a fold out tent on top, a winch and aftermarket steel bumpers, tools, extra gas and water etc., especially with 4 adult occupants, after roughly 700 lbs for 4 adults that leaves less than 500 lb for every new thing added onto it.

Before you say trade it for a 2500 model, I have thought of that but I bought my Av new in 03 and know every maintenance issue, so I am leery of looking for a 2500 base model to start with. I only want to run only 35" tires but hate the coil/torsion bar suspension. I am considering a Dana 60 rear and Dana 60 or 8-lug Dana 44 in front for the clearance. I don't care about the stiff ride quality because I have been used to 1-ton work trucks my whole adult life. I realize I have to really beef up the frame, tranny and engine coolers, front steering components, shocks as well as a larger brake booster and better rotor/calipers. (anything else?)

Has any one do this and have suggestions of regrets.

Thank you.

Don Oberloh
 
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A lot of 1500 AV owners have successfully modified their AV to handle a little bit more load with springs, airbags HD components etc. and then adding a cam and heads or Supercharger to push the added load.

The only thing I see in going with a straight axle swap on the front is once done, you can't go back or very difficult to do so and the ones that have done it regretted it when they went to sell it. Nobody wanted it after the swap so the value hit the basement. I new one guy that had his for over six months and finally took a low ball $2,500 offer for when he had put in over $20,000 just in suspension work. He could of made more parting it out be he didn't have the time or space to do so..

Good luck in whatever route you go..
 
Petterson OffRoad and 4x4 had a Multili part article on doing a Chevy IFS to solid axle.
I plan on next upgrade for my AV is going to RCY Ultimate IFS
 
Petterson OffRoad and 4x4 had a Multili part article on doing a Chevy IFS to solid axle.
I plan on next upgrade for my AV is going to RCY Ultimate IFS
Can't find it now... If you have links on valid information I would appreciate it. I want to do something similar to mine. Although theirs was a 2500 it should be similar. Already have an H2 rearend on mine. Trying to figure out what to do with the front end. Keep IFS or go SAS
 
Can't find it now... If you have links on valid information I would appreciate it. I want to do something similar to mine. Although theirs was a 2500 it should be similar. Already have an H2 rearend on mine. Trying to figure out what to do with the front end. Keep IFS or go SAS
I have upgraded every thing on steering and Suspension But still running stock Drive shafts.
Have a lot of cognito parts up front.
 
A lot of 1500 AV owners have successfully modified their AV to handle a little bit more load with springs, airbags HD components etc. and then adding a cam and heads or Supercharger to push the added load.

The only thing I see in going with a straight axle swap on the front is once done, you can't go back or very difficult to do so and the ones that have done it regretted it when they went to sell it. Nobody wanted it after your your the swap so the value hit the basement. I new one guy that had his for over six months and finally took a low ball $2,500 offer for when he had put in over $20,000 just in suspension work. He could of made more parting it out be he didn't have the time or space to do so..

Good luck in whatever route you go..
Thanks for your help.
 
Thanks for the info. When you said the H2 rear end, did you replace the entire rear end?
Yes I did. The H2 Hummer Rear end is a 3/4 ton 9.5" carrier 14 bolt rear? I think I got that all right.
The H2 has springs and everything lines up really nice except the shocks. Someone else also described this setup. All of the suspension components were direct bolt on. I has to notch one side on the shocks because they are not a straight shot. I will likely have the shock mounts modified when I lift the truck but fine for now. Used the original hard brake lines and just had to use the H2 flex brake lines. Also had to modify the driveshaft. But other than that it was pretty much bolt in. My rear is sitting a little higher now too about an inch or two.

It is an 8 lug axle so you either have to have 2 different types of rims, put an adapter that lets you put 8 lug tires on the front, upgrade the front to accept 3/4 hubs or have custom rear axles made to drop it back to 6 lug. For now the spacer/adapter is the route I will go until I get ready to upgrade the front. I will likely upgrade the front to the 3/4 ton drivetrain one way or another.
 
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