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SAS Noob

956 views 13 replies 9 participants last post by  slm222 
#1 · (Edited)
I bought my first 4x4 a few months back. Its a 1998 Z71 Silverado extended cab. i wanted one of these since i was 10 and i finally got one, but now im ready to do some wheeling. i have a buddy with the same truck 6 inch skyjacker and 3 inch body lift geared on 39.5 iroks, and the ifs breaks alot so i have decided i want to go solid axle. i have pretty basic knowledge but im learning more through books, research and pirate4x4.

anyway, i want to go sas this summer. i was hoping you guys could give me a ton of help, suggesting axles and giving tips and such. i figured you guys were the experts so thisll be my build page.

ill be doing plenty of mudding, and hitting trails whenever possible. what axles would you recommend, transfer cases, and anything else ill need? i basically want to know whats involved and the best way to go..
 
#2 ·
If you plan on wheeling your truck at all, a SAS is a great idea. Off Road Unlimited makes a nices complete axle swap It is a bolt up kit that you can install in your driveway in a day with basic hand tools. As far as axle choices if it was me I would try to find a HP Dana 60 out of a 78 or 79 ford, which will run you around $1000 and then probally go with a GM 14 bolt rear which is very common in many Chevy 1 ton applications. They are also very inexpensive to build, buy (ussually you can find them for around $150) and detroit lockers for them are around $350 if you shop. It also helps that it is a FF and they have 1.5 " 30 spline axle shafts. That should be a good starting point for you. I really don't know how much of a budget you are on....If you have anymore questions let us know.
 
#3 ·
What size tires you plan on running? There is alot more info we need. If you want to run above a 37 then i would say chevy Dana 60. Anything lower and you could run a modded dana 44. Read alot of build ups in the chevy section.

Mark
 
#4 · (Edited)
thanks for the quick responses guys..firemedic that was the kit i was looking at and that setup sounds great..wasnt looking to spend quite that much on the front but i dont want it breaking all the time because itll be my dd unless so i might have to.

rainer..i planned on running 39.5 iroks or something similar. feel free to post up better tire choices. im starting to read the buildups now..probably not doing this until summer or when the rotc checks start coming so i will be doing alot of research until then.

thanks for the help guys if theres anymore info you need ill post it up.
 
#5 ·
If you are going to be running 39.5 tires I would definetely go with a dana 60 front. Go with a ford Front and you will be able to retain your stock t-case. (pumpkin on same side) As far as what tire you run depends alot on what kind of wheeling you plan on doing and how much time you spend on the roads. I know that you mentioned that you primarily will be mudding. If that is the case I would probally go with a Bogger...They look awesome, perform in the mud even better and contary on what alot of people say they don't ride that bad on the road, especially in the smaller sizes..........It all depends on what you are trying to accomplish.

Oh yeah...gearing I would probally go with 5.13's with 39.5's
 
#9 · (Edited)
ive heard iroks do pretty well in the snow though and im in minnesota so theres plenty of it. do the tsls really wear that much better? right now i put maybe 500 miles a month on the truck..maybe a little more when i go to college but if i can get 30k+ i should be okay

is the sky kit as good as oru's? it seems like oru's has less cutting/welding but maybe they dont mention it as much on their web site.

any other axles thatll handle the 39.5s thatre less expensive? preferably ford..my buddy is getting a trailer full of ford axles in the next few weeks so maybe i can get one at a good price. preferably one i can use with my stock transfer case
 
#11 · (Edited)
id like to go with the d60/14bolt but it might get kindve pricey. if i stay under 40" tires could i keep my stock rear and go with a d44 or 10 bolt or something like that? it would only be for maybe a year max or until stuff starts breaking. i also want to use my stock transfer case at least for now..
 
#13 ·
Hi I also have a Z-71 its a 97', its my DD and it was also going to be a trail toy. I really considered this swap and did quit a bit of research. I found that I could keep it stock and put the money into a beater such my Toyota and have a lot more fun and still keep my DD nice. Also, for the front have to go with a ford axle to keep the drivers drop. The easiest would be a 3/4 or 1 ton front axle (with flat top knuckles) then you can find a matching 8 lug rear axle for cheap. The plus side is these axles usually have lower gears 4.11 or 4.56. Remember, you also have to have cross over steering which can get very pricey.
 
#14 ·
Easier axles to find, than the 78-79, would be axles from a 1984-1997 f-350, as well as being more cost effective...They have a dana 60 from and a sterling 10.25 in back from what i k now...or you can use the 60 front and get a 14 bolt in the back. if your going to use it as a trail rig try to remember to keep the height down...i got over zealous on my first SAS kit that i built and went up 20 inches...now lowered it to 15
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=546009
 
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