Chevrolet Express Van - AWD to 4x4 conversion

[zuren]

Oh man! Of course you had to post this just when I've been considering selling mine! Good job on all the research. I'm curious though, did you explore the route of push button 4WD from a later model truck? I'm wondering if it would work or not.

A swap with an electronic shift transfer case is definitely possible just like what has been done in the AWD Astro vans. I never researched the electronic option fully since I didn't have a donor truck (scrounging up wiring harnesses & electronic parts can be a challenge) and my personal aversion to making things too complicated electrically. I also didn't like the idea of the shift solenoid on an electronic t-case going bad at a time when you would need 4WD.

 

[ben2go]

Push button electric shift is one more possible failuar point.I prefer to keep things as mechanical as possible.It makes trail repairs possible.

 

[T.Low]

Hi endneu913 -

I'm thinking something a bit simpler like a bull bar but the mounting underneath should be similar to your solution. Something like this:

QUOTE]





Excellent job on he swap.

I do a certain amount of offroading so the 4Lo is essential. I'm sure it extends the life of my transmission when I end up using it during times where it may not be totally necessary.

I would have liked to go with the 4 way option of 2hi, awd, 4hi, 4lo, because i travel a certain amount over mountain passes on the rain slicked hwy where the awd would be really nice, but it seemed to be uncharted territory and maybe not so workable. I did a fairly common swap in the end, and it was pretty simple.

I've been thinking about going with a Roo Bar like this also. I'd want to fabricate recovery points that would pass just under (and be welded to) the crossbar to the frame .

 

[pgchustla]

Very nice! I know exactly what you mean about needing the low range. I'm pretty hesitant about where I go due to the limitations of the AWD. AWD is great, however, most of the time.

I wish the Express AWD came (stock) in the 3500. It's too easy to weigh her down....

Can you tell us how to do the lift next? :elkgrin:

 

[chasespeed]

Actually, I do have interest in this topic... We have a couple quigleys in the company, and probably gonna add some more... but... AWDs would be a great option for another portion, IF they came in 1 ton........

Chase

 

[zuren]

Actually, I do have interest in this topic... We have a couple quigleys in the company, and probably gonna add some more... but... AWDs would be a great option for another portion, IF they came in 1 ton........

Chase

I didn't go back in this thread to look if we discussed it here but the models that did come with AWD have been discussed. There is no such thing as an AWD 1 ton.....they never made them. AWD 3/4 ton vans do exist but they are a rare animal. I believe they were made in 2003-2004. Anything else that is AWD is the 1/2 ton and there are far more passenger models that came with the AWD option than the cargo version.

 

[TroySmith80]

... I gathered a couple fuel mileage data points before the conversion vs. after and for the driving I do, there seems to be no difference (what I mostly expected) so you neither gain nor lose in that category.

What kind of mileage exactly do you get?

I was pretty dead-set on Ford, and bought one, and have been a bit shocked by the mileage. Granted mine is a lited, one ton 4x4 with a huge top on it. The Chevy seems to get quite a lot better mileage. My brother has an AWD Express for work, loaded fairly heavy he swears he gets 18-20 on the highway. I'm not sure i even believe him, but he says he's checked several times. He says he gets 16 mixed use.

That would be enough of a money saver to conceivably sway me from the ford.

 

[pgchustla]

What kind of mileage exactly do you get?

I was pretty dead-set on Ford, and bought one, and have been a bit shocked by the mileage. Granted mine is a lited, one ton 4x4 with a huge top on it. The Chevy seems to get quite a lot better mileage. My brother has an AWD Express for work, loaded fairly heavy he swears he gets 18-20 on the highway. I'm not sure i even believe him, but he says he's checked several times. He says he gets 16 mixed use.

That would be enough of a money saver to conceivably sway me from the ford.

2004 Express AWD, Loaded down or not I see from 16-21 MPG all day long...When I first bought it I though I was doing the math wrong.

 

[zuren]

What kind of mileage exactly do you get?

I track every tank of fuel in both of my vehicles from the day I've owned them. The van has seen 14 fills over 3300 miles so far that I track with a spreadsheet:

Fill # - Odometer - Miles - Gallons - Cost --- MPG
1..........121340........483.....27.00.....78.49....17.90
2..........121391.........51.......4.00.....11.74....12.75
3..........121748........357.....20.35.....60.24....17.54
4..........121871........123.......7.35.....21.90....16.73
5..........122242........371......22.30.....62.21....16.64
6..........122549........307......20.70.....56.98....14.83
7..........122690........141.......7.29......20.71....19.34*
8..........123015........325......18.55.....55.63....17.52
9..........123319........304......16.85.....54.75....18.04
10........123570.........251.....14.00......48.00...17.93
11........123894.........324.....16.63......51.21...19.48
12........124141.........247.....16.24......51.30...15.21
13........124458.........317.....25.31......87.58...12.52
14........124649.........191.....14.97......54.80...12.76

Total Average to Date = 16.37 MPG

Of that 3300 miles:

2000 miles - Major highway road trip between MI and MA
1300 miles - Very mixed driving. Mostly short trips with a lot of stop'n'go. I live in the greater Boston area where traffic is brutal.

I have a ScanGauge and I definitely see mileage in the 20s when rolling on flat highway with the cruise on. Those higher values of 18-20 MPG were mostly highway miles.

Starting at Fill #7 is when the van was converted to 4x4. Keep in mind that this is a lightly loaded 1/2 ton with the 5.3L V8, 3.42 gears, 265/70-16 all terrain tires, Mobil1 lubricants throughout, fresh filters and burning 87 octane gas. The only thing I haven't done yet is check/replace spark plugs and plug wires. I drive like my grandma, typically setting the cruise at 60-65 MPH and no jack-rabbit-starts from stop lights. How you drive, gears and tire size make the biggest effects.

Vans are about as aerodynamic as a barn so that big top on yours is definitely penalizing you. I'm looking forward to getting rid of the winter blend gas since that typically hurts mileage as well. Hope this helps!

 

[TroySmith80]

pgchustla, 21mpg, really?! Is that a 'live' reading from a scanguage at a particular moment, or is that an average over a whole tank of fuel? I just can't see 21 happening in a full size v8 van. That's awesome though if it really is an average!

Zuren, you are obviously tracking the data carefully (spreadsheet, nice). I see mixed/city driving can dip you into the 12 range, which is reasonable for a rig like these. I'm encouraged to see 16-19 on the highway. My van would be almost exclusively for highway travel, so i'd mostly see the upper range of things. 60-65 is the same as i'd generally drive, as well.

Looks to be about 35% better than my van, maybe more. My high ground clearance and giant top are surely responsible for a fair chunk of that difference, and they do provide some advantages that i like. Especially the big top. It's beautiful to be able to stand up at ANY time and it's always warm, dry and quiet. (it's ugly to look at though! lol)

Although, Accrete has the same van as you but with the 24" bubble top. It seems to me like i saw him state that the addition of the top didn't seem to have much affect on fuel mileage. I'd be interested to hear more about that after he's had more time with it.

Life is compromise eh? I think i just need to keep the van i have and make more money!! Then i can have it all, lol (except environmental responsibility... damn! Although, it's still better than an RV)

Anyway, i better shutup, i don't want to sidetrack your thread. It's very exciting to see the 4WD Chev. option. Options are always good. Can't wait to see some lifts!

 

[foytix]

This thread is awesome and if I ever need 4low I will use this for reference. However I don't think I'd compare the AWD system on these vans to other AWD systems out there. Our T-case is like the ones found in the late 90's tahoe/suburban's it just doesn't have 2 speeds.

Having said that I came across an np246 viscous coupling electrically shifted out of a 99 Tahoe for $150 that the guy swapped in a np241 (manual) for his solid axle swap. I don't know if I should just grab this baby up to have for the future. This is the 27spline input so it should be a pretty direct swap in sans wiring and drive shaft.

Does $150 sound like a good deal?

 

[zuren]

This thread is awesome and if I ever need 4low I will use this for reference. However I don't think I'd compare the AWD system on these vans to other AWD systems out there. Our T-case is like the ones found in the late 90's tahoe/suburban's it just doesn't have 2 speeds.

Having said that I came across an np246 viscous coupling electrically shifted out of a 99 Tahoe for $150 that the guy swapped in a np241 (manual) for his solid axle swap. I don't know if I should just grab this baby up to have for the future. This is the 27spline input so it should be a pretty direct swap in sans wiring and drive shaft.

Does $150 sound like a good deal?

If it is in good shape, includes the speed sensor and the electric solenoid works for the shifting, it is a steal for what it is. My rebuilt manual shift t/c cost over $400 delivered. That being said, my preference lies with the manual shift units. As mentioned in another thread somewhere, if my shifting in the cab goes out, I can crawl underneath and yank on the shift arm to put it in or out of 4WD. You can't do that with an electric shift if something goes wrong.

The AWD t/c in these vans certainly looks beefy but I'm not sure that I would say it is better or worse than other systems out there. It functions much the same and is designed to be on the road where traction is lost very infrequently. In loose gravel or mud there would be a constant transfer of power back and forth, back and forth, back and forth......to the point where you would really be heating up that viscous coupling. How much heat and power transfer it could take before failing is anyone's guess.

 

[foytix]

thanks for the head up on the sensor and solenoid, I'll be sure to verify before buying. :ylsmoke:

 

[arlon]

Thanks for the right up. Some may apply to my AWD Astro if I ever decide to go with a 4x4 t-case..

 

[todpod]

I was just reading this thread and I remembered that during my search last night I remembered seeing a couple of these, They are located in the Eastern part of PA.

http://www.pinetreemotors.com/inventory.asp

I have never dealt with them, but they sound uncommon so i thought I would through this out