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Old 12-10-2010, 01:12 PM
Overkill Overkill is offline
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Join Date: May 2009
Location: Cloverdale, CA
Posts: 1,233
Default Front wheel drive

Kerry,

Please check into using a 1T 4x4, or 4x4 independent, axle for front wheel drive only. Something sticks in my head about there being an issue with this setup, but I can't recall what it is.

The only independent I would consider is the Chevy. Have had it and the Ford and Ford is a nightmare of never ending repair bills.

As for turning the motor and tranny around backwards and driving an axle, you'll need to consider a number of things. Fluids in the tranny and engine were meant to run to the rear, with it turned around, you'd have to address fluid pick up and the pan sumps.

The rock crawler transfer cases use straight cut gears for strength, and are noisy. Stock transfer cases are quieter, but still it's another box of gears that does have gear noise. Same with using a V drive out of a boat (mind the torque spec's on these for this application).

Transfer cases to stay away from are those with a differential component between the front and back wheels inside.

Reverse cut gears for axles are available from Currie, so direction of the rotation at the pinion can be solved.

4L80E is a strong tranny, and if it could be adapted to the Olds front wheel drive unit, might be a thought - but I've never heard of the conversion being done.

Many sand buggies are now mid engined with independent axles. Not sure what tranny's they are using, but it might be something to investigate. You'd have to invent the front steering component. However, this would stick your motor a fair distance out front. Lack of weight on the rear axle might make for some interesting driving conditions. Unloaded, with a 20' long bed, our Int'l truck can't make it up a gravel road with a 10% grade.

Re-thinking what I said about motorhome/trailer combo. Perhaps simply making it a motorhome with drive in rear (toy hauler trailer style) would give you the most useable vehicle in the end. Without a car in the back, you've got a motorhome with big sitting area. Just a thought.

As for the GMC motorhome. There is a forum out there with lots of information. I've come across them for as little as $1500.

John
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