Is the only difference between 4WD S10 and an AWD S10 in the transfer case? Over the years there have been both, with the AWD showing up in the Olds Bravada and S-blazer as well as the Typhoon/Syclone. Are the front suspensions the same? Same basic animal, but the transfer cases are different?
Basically I want an S10 truck to soup up a little and I want it to be AWD. Is the best way to duplicate that to get a 4x4 S10, and swap out the t-case and springs? I want the Typhoon/Syclone stance and AWD without having to buy a $15,000 Typhoon. I'm thinking more along the lines of a $700 truck with a $300 t-case swap
the front drive shaft is different you need one from an AWD and one of the front axles is different too 4wd axles have a slip collar to lock it into 4wd. an awd axle is solid. I cant think of anything else right now
You are on the right track. The Bravada and the Sy/Ty's both use the Borg Warner 4472 transfer case, I believe the AWD Astros also use the same. I have a first gen Bravada, there is only a VSS connection on the case, nothing else. The case splits the torque 35/65 f/r when the transfer case senses rear wheel slip, the torque split is 50/50.
The front axle assembly is different as mentioned, I don't know if it is possible to engage the lockup axle permanently then only have to swap to the 4472 case or if you would have to locate a Bravada axle and case.
From time to time I check out www.s10forum.com there have been a couple of people talking about the same swap in the suspension and steering section. I am not sure if anyone there has done it. Might be some more info.
I think it sounds like a good project.
Thanks for the great replies. Are the front axles totally different, or is just the carrier/differential different? Possible to swap the guts, or is it a whole different animal? When you describe the collar on the 4x4, is that what engages and disengages the hubs? Think I can use an Astro front, or is there too much different? I can just imagine that a front axle for a Sy/Ty would cost more than a week with a hooker. A GOOD hooker, too.
I was taking an idea to its most abstract the other day which is what gave me this expensive/hairbrained idea. I always wanted a first-gen S10/S15 truck. I like the boxy look. I always wanted to do a smog-legal V8 swap with a T56. Now I'm thinking even more about it since I bought a new boat, but V8 torque, manual tranny, light tail, plus dirt boat ramp at the lake doesn't make sense. I'd be buried up the diff trying to pull my 2500-lb boat out of the water. Plus, on the street a V8 with nothing holding the bed down wouldn't be as fun. AWD would be much more fun
So, I found a swap kit for an LT1 or LS1/T56 into an S10, an adapter for the T56 to the transfer case, so I'm running out of excuses to not do it
The cases are different, the 4x has the actuator attached to it, the AWD doesn't. I am not sure of the 4x's engagement, if it can be permanently engaged and left that way. I have heard that the Astro/Safari AWD will work, but I am not sure of that either. My parents have have several A/S AWD's and I have been under them doing misc. maintanice but I never looked close at the front diff to see if they are identical.
Finding an actual Sy/Ty front would be costly, but a Bravada can be had very reasonable, plus some people like the Bravada front fascia with the built in air dam it could be a plus. Also if you have to change front diffs, you will need to find the proper ratio to match your rear, again a Bravada would have both.
There have been a couple of vids on the web of AWD S-10's, they can be pretty wicked.
Might be wise to find the 4x4 truck I want along with the chassis of a wasted Bravada (or astro/safari if they're the same) and mix the two together.
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