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Arctic-Rodz
Full Access Member
this whole autotrac situation is 
Front drive shaft needed for over 4" lift?
- Thread starter Arctic-Rodz
- Start date
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Dlong30
Member
totally agree... thats why ive put off the full diff drop. I feel your pain on wantin more room. ive got some trail grapplers too and it doesnt feel right tuckin em in the fender wells lol
bowtiefreak
No Quarter
A new front drive shaft is no reason not to lift. Considering the cost of a lift, tires, gears, brake lines, possibly wheels, exhaust modifications, shocks. The shaft is not the more expensive stuff here. Don't get biger tires right away, get the shaft and the lift.
96ProCompTahoe
Full Access Member
thats what it was! front shaft spins on auto-tracs, not on the older style. (mine doesn't spin)
so if you have someone look under your truck is your shaft spinning or not?
so if you have someone look under your truck is your shaft spinning or not?
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Arctic-Rodz
Full Access Member
i dont know... but i can spin the drive shaft with my hand freely
arveetek
Full Access Member
Peterson's 4-wheel and Off Road just printed an article in their January 2011 issue showing a 6" lift install on a 98 2-door Tahoe. This Tahoe also has the Auto trac. They left the front driveshaft alone, saying they didn't notice any vibrations in 2 HI.
I'm guessing the reason the MFG's suggest replacing the front driveshaft with a CV style on the Auto Trac units is that these particular trucks will see more highway speeds in 4WD. The regular part time units probably won't see near as much highway speeds in 4WD, but the vibrations will probably be evident in either kind of vehicle.
Casey
I'm guessing the reason the MFG's suggest replacing the front driveshaft with a CV style on the Auto Trac units is that these particular trucks will see more highway speeds in 4WD. The regular part time units probably won't see near as much highway speeds in 4WD, but the vibrations will probably be evident in either kind of vehicle.
Casey
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Arctic-Rodz
Full Access Member
Thats what i was thinking, for those who drive on 4hi on at highway speeds i imagine that they will feel a vibration. I guess ill stick to 4" lift since I got 33" tires and theyre pretty new. Also got 4.10s going in
newmarketeod
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A big difference that I saw between the two cases is the design of the front output. The Autotrac has the slip yoke in the transfer case much like the rear output. The part time (NP205) has a fixed output with the slip in the driveshaft.
Honestly I would recommend getting rid of the Autotrac all together. It is a problematic transfer case to begin with. If you pull a part time transfer case and driveshaft from a truck it is a bolt in swap. If you pull up your carpet the outline of where the shifter needs to go is embossed in the floor and the wires for the lights in the shifter housing are even there. All the connectors on the transfer case will plug in EXCEPT one. You will need to wire a switch to the front axle disconnect.
Honestly I would recommend getting rid of the Autotrac all together. It is a problematic transfer case to begin with. If you pull a part time transfer case and driveshaft from a truck it is a bolt in swap. If you pull up your carpet the outline of where the shifter needs to go is embossed in the floor and the wires for the lights in the shifter housing are even there. All the connectors on the transfer case will plug in EXCEPT one. You will need to wire a switch to the front axle disconnect.
grimm
Full Access Member
I have push button 4wd. I do not have Auto-trac, mine is part time. If you wanted to swap transfer cases, get a setup out of a 97 with-out Auto-trac, but with electronic push button 4wd. Perhaps it would save you the trouble of installing the floor mount setup, unless you would prefer that?
EastTXYukon
Full Access Member
Id love to swap transfer cases with someone who has a manual stick t-case. Mine is like Grimm's....96 push button but doesnt have autotrac. IMO, the less buttons, the better!
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Arctic-Rodz
Full Access Member
Im considering selling my 08 Sierra (on the for sale section already 
)... If it sells Ill go balls out with this Yukon since its my work horse.
6" lift 35" tires on 18" wheels, body work/paint, off-road lights,
smooth bumpers (line-x'ed)
Ill stick with the AutoTrack. Wanna keep the push button 4x4 and I guess ill try the 6" lift with the stock DS if it vibes, ill get the other DS..
Then ill buy my next toy.... Z06 Vette
)... If it sells Ill go balls out with this Yukon since its my work horse. 6" lift 35" tires on 18" wheels, body work/paint, off-road lights,
smooth bumpers (line-x'ed)
Ill stick with the AutoTrack. Wanna keep the push button 4x4 and I guess ill try the 6" lift with the stock DS if it vibes, ill get the other DS..
Then ill buy my next toy.... Z06 Vette
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Arctic-Rodz
Full Access Member
So i did a bit more digging on this issue and found this:
http://www.fullsizechevy.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-198649.html
one of the posts reads,
"If the vehicle has Auto Track, it will have pushbutton 4WD with a button that reads, “Auto 4WD”. You will not need the driveline if your vehicle has the floor shift 4WD or the pushbutton 4WD without the “Auto 4WD” button. If the truck has the newer Auto Track version, it will not need the driveline either. To check for the newer version, leave the truck engine off, transmission in park, and transfer case in 2WD. Grab the tube of the front driveline and try and spin it. If you can spin it freely then you have the newer Auto Track version, no CV driveline required, unless you spend a lot of time in 4WD. If you cannot spin the driveline, then you have the older version and you will need the driveline because it is always turning even when in 2WD."
And mine DOES spin freely when I have it in park and 2WD!!! Theres a 6" lift in TXGMC's future
Apparently the "autotrac" was updated sooner than some of us knew?
http://www.fullsizechevy.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-198649.html
one of the posts reads,
"If the vehicle has Auto Track, it will have pushbutton 4WD with a button that reads, “Auto 4WD”. You will not need the driveline if your vehicle has the floor shift 4WD or the pushbutton 4WD without the “Auto 4WD” button. If the truck has the newer Auto Track version, it will not need the driveline either. To check for the newer version, leave the truck engine off, transmission in park, and transfer case in 2WD. Grab the tube of the front driveline and try and spin it. If you can spin it freely then you have the newer Auto Track version, no CV driveline required, unless you spend a lot of time in 4WD. If you cannot spin the driveline, then you have the older version and you will need the driveline because it is always turning even when in 2WD."
And mine DOES spin freely when I have it in park and 2WD!!! Theres a 6" lift in TXGMC's future
Apparently the "autotrac" was updated sooner than some of us knew?
96ProCompTahoe
Full Access Member
good find!
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Arctic-Rodz
Full Access Member
gotta tell Brandon about this, i think he posted a thread about getting a 6" lift right?
Devious_Tahoe96
Mr. Budwieser
Im getting an RCX 6" lift some time this week or next week and i looked into the rear sway bar links, but do i really need them?? The sway bars are what keeps you from flexing isn't it??
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Arctic-Rodz
Full Access Member
oh im not sure... havent heard anything about "needing" rear sway bars..
are they listed as "needed" by the suspension lift companies?
are they listed as "needed" by the suspension lift companies?
96ProCompTahoe
Full Access Member
no rear sway bar here.
grimm
Full Access Member
Never read anything about needing sway bars, myself. I think it would be counter-productive for the off-roader. Sway bars act as a link between the springs, so that when cornering, compression occurs between the inside and outside springs relative to eachother and the chassis (e.g. compressing one is like attempting to compress both, in an effort to keep your springs level).
Like 96Procomp's Hoe, most lifted trucks do not have rear sway bars for more articulation when driving over uneven terrain. Actually, if I'm not mistaken, a lot of 2 door Tahoes and Yukons never came stock with rear sway bars (correct me if I'm wrong). A truck with 99.9% street time, that often corners hard would probably benefit from having sway bars, haha.
Like 96Procomp's Hoe, most lifted trucks do not have rear sway bars for more articulation when driving over uneven terrain. Actually, if I'm not mistaken, a lot of 2 door Tahoes and Yukons never came stock with rear sway bars (correct me if I'm wrong). A truck with 99.9% street time, that often corners hard would probably benefit from having sway bars, haha.
bowtiefreak
No Quarter
Grimm, I think you are correct. Many if not all 2 doors did not have them.
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