Chevy AWD

[zuren]

I did a 500 mile road trip today and I got 19 mpg on the first tank and 20 mpg on the second tank. I sure am going to miss this great gas mileage when I go to 33s.

Have you still been getting mileage in the 19=20 mpg range? These vans are interesting but fueleconomy.gov has them listed at 17 mpg on the highway. I have been encouraged by reports that diesel GM vans get 20+ mpg on the highway but they are hard to find.

Does anyone know if you can do a junkyard low range 4WD conversion like you can on an AWD Chevy Astro?

Thanks!

 

[ihatemybike]

Just another transfer case, I'm sure something can be done.

 

[kntr]

Have you still been getting mileage in the 19=20 mpg range? These vans are interesting but fueleconomy.gov has them listed at 17 mpg on the highway. I have been encouraged by reports that diesel GM vans get 20+ mpg on the highway but they are hard to find.

Does anyone know if you can do a junkyard low range 4WD conversion like you can on an AWD Chevy Astro?

Thanks!

I did another trip. We did about 1800 miles to Vancouver and back. I got 20mpg on one tank, 19.5mpg on one tank, 19 mpg on one tank and 18.7mpg on another. This was ALL hwy. I used my GPS as the odometer is off about 2-3mph. It doesnt get any more accurate. I did drive 65-75mph most of the way.

 

[zuren]

Just another transfer case, I'm sure something can be done.

That is what I was wondering. I would prefer a manual shift transfer case but was curious if anyone has ever looked into doing something similar to what T.Low did to his AWD Chevy Astro (swapped in an electronic shift NP233C transfer case and associated parts from a S10).

I need to do a lot more reading but thought I would ask the question. If the TC and controls could be swapped from a Chevy 1500 pickup, that could be an interesting project!

Does dwalt still visit these forums? He has a nice van!

 

[Loopie]

Sorry to see you didn't do a lift.
I love body lifts. While you may not find an off-the-shelf purchase for this application...it shouldn't be that hard to piece together. So there's 1-2". 3-4" if you went with a weld on 'pipe-lift' body lift and were careful with the details.
Plus torsion bar tweaks. Lift the rear as needed(blocks and/or springs)

35's???

 

[kntr]

Sorry to see you didn't do a lift.
I love body lifts. While you may not find an off-the-shelf purchase for this application...it shouldn't be that hard to piece together. So there's 1-2". 3-4" if you went with a weld on 'pipe-lift' body lift and were careful with the details.
Plus torsion bar tweaks. Lift the rear as needed(blocks and/or springs)

35's???

Id love to lift it, but I travel too much and need the mileage, plus all the parking garages are 6'8" and the van sits at 6'7" right now. I did some offroading this weekend and had the van in some deep water and mud. It did fine until I almost ripped off the front air dam.

 

[zuren]

Wheels and tires are on. I went with BFG ATs and 17" Gunners. No lift.

kntr - What size BFG AT's did you go with?

Count me in on the AWD van club! I just bought this van this past weekend. I hope to get it next weekend! :wings:

 

[kntr]

kntr - What size BFG AT's did you go with?

Count me in on the AWD van club! I just bought this van this past weekend. I hope to get it next weekend! :wings:

Same size as stock just 17".

I added a Billit grill and a tread pattern sticker.

 

[zuren]

Id love to lift it, but I travel too much and need the mileage, plus all the parking garages are 6'8" and the van sits at 6'7" right now. I did some offroading this weekend and had the van in some deep water and mud. It did fine until I almost ripped off the front air dam.

So there hasn't been 100% confirmation that new torsion keys for a Silverado would work on these vans?

I contacted ReadyLift and they said nothing they make can be adapted. I also thought there the was a spot on their site that said if your current keys have an orange color code that no lift may be obtained (my 2005 AWD Express is orange). I'll contact RoughCountry next but sounds like rear susp. blocks and cranking up the torsion bars are the only choices.

 

[kntr]

My buddy owns a high end performance shop and he said he could do a 2" body lift and then crank the bars and a 1-2" block in the rear. This should yield about 4" of lift. I think 35s might just fit with a little triming.

If I go with 33s will I need a gear change?
If I go with 35s will I need a gear change?

 

[JMyerz]

FWIW Revtek says their silverado keys fit blue labeled bars. My 2006 AWD Bars have the blue sticker so these should work... maybe you can source different torsion bars?

Revtek is local, I need to find time to chat with them about it.

J

 

[Loopie]

Nice tread graphic. I run Minion DHF's front/rear...hot setup:costumed-smiley-007

 

[zuren]

FWIW Revtek says their silverado keys fit blue labeled bars. My 2006 AWD Bars have the blue sticker so these should work... maybe you can source different torsion bars?

Revtek is local, I need to find time to chat with them about it.

J

I turned my adjustment bolt in a few turns and got a little lift. I'm not sure what goes into selecting different torsion bars and assume I would have to go to a suspension shop. I don't have my head around what the different color designations mean either. I would assume the key has more to do with lift than bar itself. Please keep this thread up to date with anything you find!

 

[Accrete]

My wife and i just joined the Express AWD club : ) got a nice deal on a 2010 year end cargo van with rear locker. The only _mod_ we did was take the useless stock General rubber off and put on some nice Wild Country XTX Sport traction tires with a nice aggressive look to them.

VanSpecialties in Portland has the bubble top roof on order and will fit that and a fiamma awning on top within a couple weeks or so. Then we'll start doing some interior insullating and trim. Then Froli Sleep System for a lightweight bed/storage-platform in back. Battery bank and Solar will be next phase in early spring.

We'd like to LineX the rocker panels. Funny how the prices are all over the board with different dealers!!

ramblin as i pass through...cheers,
Thom

 

[Photog]

We have a 2008 Chevy van, and I have been researching the lift options.

On the truck websites, it looks like the front factory shocks limit the travel, long before the arms hit the extension stops. When the torsion bars are tightened up, the suspension bangs, as it drives the shocks to full extension.

The preferred lift was to crank the factory keys all the way up, and install longer shocks.

The van suspension is a little different than the trucks, in that the spindle is taller, between the ball joints, and the steering arm is in a different location.