Well, you'd definitely end up with a better axle. Computer issues might cause some problems on a D2?
You forget, I'm the guy that just put an R380 in a D2.
But now that I'm thinking about it... I'd lose the speedometer. That would mildly suck.
If you are going to take it that far you might want to consider other axles besides the LR stuff. I'm not a big fan of Dana stuff from a engineering/design point of view (****** were they thinking?) but cheap and easy is hard to resist some times. I like the Aisin stuff better (TLC) but it's typically not as cheap and easy as the Dana stuff.
I'd expect a high pinion Dana 44 with aftermarket carrier and maybe axles would be all a D2 needs for your usage. Something blingy like a custom 609 type axle (60 outers, 9" diff) would be cool. There's lots of other issues to going these routes of course (fitment, axle geometry, bolt pattern, etc.).
If you eliminate all the electronics don't you get rid of the hill descent control and such? Sure you want to do that? Just fix what's broke and move on?
All good points.
Yes, HDC would be gone, but I don't care with the manual transmission. I don't see why I'd ever use it now. Traction control and ABS would be gone. I don't care about the traction control so much once I have lockers. The ABS I do somewhat care about... Though I could live with it. I don't have ABS on my trackday car and it doesn't bother me. But it stops just a little better than my truck so...
Yeah, there's lots of issues to solve. But it also solves lots of issues. So let's say I'm sitting here, wanting a locker, and wanting to regear, and wanting stronger axles, and wanting steel wheels which is hampered by the odd bolt pattern. And maybe even wanting to upgrade to 4 piston opposed calipers... Wouldn't changing to a more common axle make all these problems easier and cheaper? Couldn't it actually pay for itself, in fact? I wonder.
To just fix what's broke means spending $500 on a wheel bearing. Then $1000 on each locker, $500 on each gear? $1000 on axles? And then $1500 on the other 3 wheel bearings, and then maybe $1500 for the SLABS actuator some day....
The extra length of a D2 lets me use it as a "tent" though.
Exactly. I like the D2 for it's extra cargo capacity, comfort, sound deadening, etc. etc. etc. I'd just like to simplify a few things that they took too far.