The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The HiPo Shop s-10 4x4 frame swap

I got my 53 mocked up on the 4x4 frame,. the frame was an extended cab. I now have about a 9.5 inch gap between the cab and box. I know the wheel base measures out at 122.5 and i have to cut it down to 116, but that will still leave me with about 3 inch between cab and box. I like the way it sits on the frame, easy to lower the front end eith the torsion bars and the rear frame rails don't have to be cut, but cutting about 8 inches out of the frame make my truck look funny at 115 inches or affect the driving of it. any info will help. oyu guys are the best, lots of very usefull info for projects like this.

Do you have the wheels and tires on the truck that you plan to run once finished? I'm wondering if the tires are centered in the wheel openings exactly the way they will look best when you are finished.

While a six inch gap would make sense, the nine inch gap doesn't feel like everything is right.

If budget does not allow buying the desired wheels and tires right now you might consider cutting disks out of plywood in the diameter of the tires, and drilling the disks to bolt on the hubs. While not as good as real thing this approach can help make sure the tires fit in the fender openings just the way you want. Remember that the weight of the motor and trans and transfer case along with the interior and fuel and such will lower the truck more if they are not part of the mock-up.

Can you post some pictures? I'd love to see what it looks like. I have a standard cab long box 4x4 frame that I keep thinking I'll mount a '54 cab and bed on. Don't hold your breath its behind another project and I'm not working on either consistently right now.

as far as the wheels and tires, I'm going to keep the 15" ralleys i have on it now only with some better tires. I just like the looks of those rims. as far as tire centering i think they don't look to bad. Got the frame cut (8") and welded back together this weekend. Bed sits about an 1" to 1.5" back from the cab. it looks pretty good. as far as the 4x4 stuff, all that has been removed by the PO. He did leave the outer axle nubs there for the bearings. I also lowered the a-arms with the torsion bars, I couldn't believe how easy it was. next i'll have to get some lowering blocks for the rear. I'll try to get some pics posted of the truck in the next couple of days, as soon as i can figure out how. also i found on another site where a guy used the floor out of an s-10 . so thats what i did, and it fit really good. i have to do a little filling along the edges( not to straight with a sawsall).

I'm told without those stub axles the bearings will fail quickly. I don't have any personal experience with it though.

as far as personnel experience i have none on that part, but the PO has been driving the S-10 truck like this for quite awhile without any problem. I was told on my other posts, that you HAVE to have those stubs in or else the bearings and the wheels will fall of after a very short time. On mine they were removed at the CV joint, they act as the spindle for the pre load on the bearings.

Hey Guys, This is my first time posting. I love the AD chevy trucks, I have a 50 suburban im restoring, I would REALLY love to have 4x4. I have weighed all options, the s10 conversion, the Full size frame swap, Looking for a napco. I want something the tires wont stick out too far. I have come up with this. now dont yell at me too much, a 99-03 durango frame 4x4 swap. the wheel base is almost that of an AD truck. so im good there, the track width is pretty good. anyone have experience with this before? thanks

There's 3 major issues with the Durango/Dakota. 1, they are well known for balljoint failures, so yoou'll want to replace those first thing. 2, if you use a 6 lug version, wheel choices are very limited, as they use an odd small 6 lug pattern. 3, they are hard to get aligned correctly, especially with a V8 engine, and if not done correctly, do not hold an alignment very well.
The balljoint issue is relatively easy to take care of, as the originals are rivetted in and are easy to replace. I suggest using the Moog Problem Solver balljoints, which are an improved design. The alignment issue can be handled if ou take it to a alignment shop well versed in the quirks of that suspension, and knows to torque the upper control arm bolts instead fo just snugging them. Unfortunatly, there is no real good way around the RH manifold issue, which is what caused most of the problem setting the right side when aligning. On wheels, about the only thing I can suggest there would be to swap out the hubs/rotors and the rear axle shafts/drums to the early Dakota 5 lug, which is the Ford/Crysler common 5x4.5 bolt circle, which opens up almost any wheel you couls want to use. Others may suggest adapters, but working in the brake/alignment/tire/wheel industry, I do not suggest them, failure rate is too high.

Or re-drill the hubs for the original 6-bolt pattern. Bill, I agree that most shops cant read the manual to torque the upper a-arms.

Hanny, the original wheels were never centered in the wheel wells. 1" up front, 2" in back gives you the mystery 3" that your looking for.