2WD to AWD Conversion 07

[dwinters14]

I've been doing research on doing an AWD conversion on my '07 Suburban. So far there hasn't been any clear answers or a process for the GMT900 series SUV's although I'm sure it's almost identical to the GMT800. I hate the traction the RWD has with A/T's even in the rain so I'm going to put an LSD in the rear end at some point, but I wonder if I should just bite the bullet and do the whole thing.

So far the consensus has been to buy an already 4WD truck. I will not do that for 2 reasons, firstly, I don't think it's nearly as difficult or expensive as everyone claims. A trip to the junkyard and I can fully pull all the components off of a totalled 4WD truck and most likely do the swap in a weekend.

Secondly, I do not like the variability of the OEM "4 Wheel Drive" system, so I will not need to involve computers or any modulation from the ECM of the car. I'm going to gut the diffs and put full time LSD's in the front and rear so I have true AWD all the time. I really only need the transfer case, CV axles, drive shafts, Diff housing and I guess a cross member.

Does anyone know which model truck would have the components I would need to get this done? NV149 seems to be the transfer case for the GMT800's but I'm not entirely sure it'll work perfectly with the GMT900's.

I'm also quite shocked this isn't more common? Seems like more vans get these conversions but our trucks don't.

 

[B-train]

And.....why would you want to do said conversion?

 

[mikez71]

Yukon XL AWD?

 

[dwinters14]

Yukon XL AWD?

Is it a true AWD or the part-time 4WD with the axle disconnect?

 

[B-train]

This could work ^^^^^^^ if you get all the pieces needed. I'd probably just look for a clean 4wd version though instead of the headache

 

[wjburken]

Every person that I’ve seen come on here and say they are going to turn a 2WD vehicle into a 4WD vehicle have concluded that it’s better to just buy a 4WD vehicle.

Good luck and post your progress.

 

[wjburken]

Is it a true AWD or the part-time 4WD with the axle disconnect?

The Denali’s came with full time AWD.

 

[Marky Dissod]

... doing research on doing an AWD conversion on my '07 Suburban.
... hasn't been any clear answers or a process for the GMT900 series SUV's although I'm sure it's almost identical to the GMT800 ...

So far the consensus has been to buy an already 4WD truck.
I will not do that ... don't think it's nearly as difficult or expensive as everyone claims.
A trip to the junkyard and I can fully pull all the components off of a totalled 4WD truck and most likely do the swap in a weekend.

... do not like the variability of the OEM "4 Wheel Drive" system, so I will not need to involve computers or any modulation from the ECM of the car.
I'm going to gut the diffs and put full time LSD's in the front and rear so I have true AWD all the time.
I really only need the transfer case, CV axles, drive shafts, Diff housing and I guess a cross member.

Does anyone know which model truck would have the components I would need to get this done?
...
Seems like more vans get these conversions but our trucks don't.

To oversimplify, you want permanently engaged '4Hi' / 4WD for your 2WD GMT900 Suburban?
You believe this can be done while the ecm & tcm think they are operating in 2WD mode?

I say go for it.
By the way, the vans you're thinking of are called Quigleys.

 

[j91z28d1]

are you going off roaring where you want full spool front and back 4wd? or just street driving and want more traction in the rain?


if it's just steet driving, get a nice clutch style limited slip diff. I think with that you'll find much more traction. I haven't once taken mine out of 2wd besides to test that it still works. thats on sandy beaches and the local icy roads here last week. I have the stock g80 diff, which works but is fragile enough, I'd say go with a clutch style.

if you're actually driving tons of off road, locker from and rear.

 

[dwinters14]

This could work ^^^^^^^ if you get all the pieces needed. I'd probably just look for a clean 4wd version though instead of the headache

The issue is I do not want 4WD. Full time AWD.

Every person that I’ve seen come on here and say they are going to turn a 2WD vehicle into a 4WD vehicle have concluded that it’s better to just buy a 4WD vehicle.

Good luck and post your progress.

Why is that? Off the top of my head looking at numbers, we're looking at about the same cost as a supercharger. It's also about the same amount of work...

The Denali’s came with full time AWD.

Okay let me find out what the transfer case number is.

To oversimplify, you want permanently engaged '4Hi' / 4WD for your 2WD GMT900 Suburban?
You believe this can be done while the ecm & tcm think they are operating in 2WD mode?

I say go for it.
By the way, the vans you're thinking of are called Quigleys.

Yes. A purely mechanical 60/40 rear/front bias AWD system. Like on a Subaru/Audi. Although I'm sure their systems are far more complex than that now, but that is the gist.

are you going off roaring where you want full spool front and back 4wd? or just street driving and want more traction in the rain?


if it's just steet driving, get a nice clutch style limited slip diff. I think with that you'll find much more traction. I haven't once taken mine out of 2wd besides to test that it still works. thats on sandy beaches and the local icy roads here last week. I have the stock g80 diff, which works but is fragile enough, I'd say go with a clutch style.

if you're actually driving tons of off road, locker from and rear.

This is where it all started, because the open diff is abysmal right now. Probably some of the worst traction I've ever experienced. I've been looking into the Yukon positraction diff. for the rear. I had a G80 in my previous Yukon XL, and it was cool, but still not a true LSD as I believe it disengages after a certain speed? Correct me if I'm wrong.

I have plans in the future to travel to places that would benefit from the traction. I'm not an off-roader by any means, but snow covered mountain roads, and sandy off-road trails are most likely impossible with the setup as it is right now. I'm sure a rear diff would help a good bit, but a full time AWD setup doesn't seem like an insane amount more work and it would make my truck 10x more useful.