Dually SAS ???

[BackNBlackTJ]

My daily driver / towrig is an 04' Duramax CC/LB/DRW love this truck, has nearly 300k on it now... runs and tows awesome. Hate the front end... I have to rebuild the IFS again, third or fourth time now (lost track)

I see guys doing SAS conversions to SRW 4x4 trucks all the time... I'm curious if any of you have suggestions for maybe a beam axle I could put under the front of this truck...

years ago I saw an old ford service truck that had a beam front axle and that's what I'm basing my idea on...

idea rattling around in my brain:
> leaf springs (nearly flat, no need for a lift)
> beam axle with 8 lug dually hub outers
> mod the steering box like the 4x4 SAS guys do to use TRE's

What say you?

 

[quadracer37]

thats what i did :thumb: except mine is 4 link, coil over shocks, ride is nicer than leaf spring and more adjustable. with leaf spring you need to use a 78-79 ford dana 60, hard to find and youll pay for em. the other years the spring pad width is to wide for the leaf spring setup to work correctly with our frame. with the 4 link setup you can use any year axle, most preferable is the newer superduty axles, dana super 60's. 35 spline shafts and 3.73 gears from factory and can have the hubs converted to chevy pattern, dually, working abs. ive got pics of my swap on my website, i used an 86 ford dana 60, requred more fab to make the 4 link work vs using a newer style ford axle. and by the time i completely rebuilt and changed the gears in this old 86 i could of bought the newer style one! live and learn

 

[BackNBlackTJ]

2wd DRW truck... no need for a kingpin D60, have one but it's under my Jeep.

I'm hunting right now for an early 90's 3500hd front beam axle (funky bolt pattern cab/chassis heavy duty trucks)

 

[quadracer37]

ahh gotcha didnt know it was 2wd

 

[BackNBlackTJ]

couple guys on Pirate where talking about the 88' - 94' GMC heavy duty cab & chassis trucks. That beam axle looks to be the right width, still researching the pad width, I'd have to change out the hubs to 8x6.5 and mod the steering to run a DL/TR setup. But that would possibly make it to where I would be able to stay roughly stock height.


Now I just need to find one to get better measurements from...

 

[Harbin_22]

What about dodge 4x2, 1 ton. They use a low beam design from axle. Not sure if they are leaf springs or no though

 

[BackNBlackTJ]

What about dodge 4x2, 1 ton. They use a low beam design from axle. Not sure if they are leaf springs or no though

Hmmm...

What years, you think?

 

[Harbin_22]

I had a buddy with a 96 with it. Not sure if it was cab and chassis or regular 1 ton. Let me ask him and I will let you know. Really thinking it was coil spring but not 100%

 

[hondarider552]

They are coil front ends for 2wd.

 

[dirttymaxx]

the old AT&T trucks 94-02 3500 hd cab & chassie all have a i beam front end, its a king pin axle...but its only like a 5 lug rotor..so u would need to find a rotor that would change over to a 8 lug..once you find that..then the fun starts matching up bearings to fit the spindle of the chevy and what ever rotor you come up with...they also use a crossover type steering. if i have time to day i will throw a tape and see what the spring's width is. im pretty sure you need to be about 32" center to center so it will hit the frame rails up front and in back. also keep in mind 9 times out of ten this will lift the front of your truck,not much but it will.

 

[BackNBlackTJ]

A little bit of lift wouldn't hurt anything... just don't want to have to carry around a friggin step ladder... I could throw a block in the rear to level it out...