Another 98 Astro solid axle swap

[LiftedAWDAstro]

Since you got crappy gear ratios and are possibly looking for a new rear...(leave it alone Petey!), I would look for a SF 14 Bolt from a 3/4 ton light duty truck. They have the 6x5.5" bolt pattern and are 9.5" ring gear diameter. They are very beefy and are common in 3.73 and 4.10 ratios. Another option is a GM 10 bolt out of basically any 4x4 truck or suburban and 99 and newer all GM trucks, suburbans and tahoes/yukons. If you can find a 99 or newer you also get disc brakes!

[astrosafari]

that a posi? :-k

[jakepatch]

Haven't made much progress here. Between lack of time and snow flying when I do have a little time, I haven't had a cance to get anything done. I have fabbed up a few more parts at work, just waiting to get it all together. Next step will be to pull the subframe back out and take it into work with me so I can get it all welded up nicely, sandblast it and then paint. Not allowed to take a camera inside work so have to wait to take pics once I get it back home. I'm hoping to get this step done in the next 2-3 weeks, depending on how time goes, and how busy we are at work. I'll keep posting as progress is made.
No certain plans on the rear yet, thanks for all the info and options, things to be considered. Trying to focus on getting the front done for now, then I'll figure out the back for sure.

[jakepatch]

Well, finally got the time to pull the subframe and take it to work. Got all the brackets welded in place, but wasn't able to get it blasted and painted like I had hoped to do, to much going on at work for that. So I'll end up shooting some spray paint on it for now so I can get this put together. I will be putting the subframe back in with the axle attached, then I'll have to move the van into the backyard and be done for this year, it's getting too cold and with snow coming I won't be able to do much else with it this year. At least in the spring I have all my parts to put this back together now so I should be able to have it on the road I'm thinking around May, depending on weather of course.
As for the rear end, not sure why I didn't think of this before, but I have my 93 Chevy truck that is donating it's motor to my van, so I think it will be donating it's rear end too. Have to do a little more research to see how that's going to work out, but main focus is getting the front done first.

[original_balzer]

Sounds awesome! The gears sound awfully high even though the grand waggy was a more lux class vehicle they shouldnt have that high of gears. My 85 grand waggy had 3.42 gears and even those seamed high with the stock 235x75x15 tires. the waggys are heavy and the biggest engine was a 360. I cant imagine pushing that heavy of a truck with 2.73's. I could be wrong though Im no expert. My 79 lincon cont. on the other hand had a 460 and 2.73 gears and seamed to do fine even though it was a heavy car.

The rear should be replaced anyway its only marginaly(so small I consiter them to be equil) stronger than a GM 10 bolt stock. Also upgrade parts are actually more expencive for the AMC 20 than they are for a GM 10 bolt(stronger axle shafts, lockers ect.) My vote would also be for the sf 14b out of a chevy truck 88-98 this axle came standard in the 6 lug 2500's and was an option for the 1500 Z71's and some of the reg 1500 2wd's (tow package) also got lucky. The one in your 93 could be either since I dont have info on your donor truck. Either way I would use that axle since you already have it.

You didnt mention what transfer case you will be using. The waggy could have one of a few differnt ones. older waggys had th400 GM trans with a few differnt transfer cases, auto trac, select trac, or dana 300. If yours is an older waggy you may be able to adapt one of those. Newer waggys had a mopar 727 tranny and had 3 differnt transfer cases as well. I dont know the names maybe they are the same but you either got a part time only, a full time only, or a full time part time that had both. Im pretty sure the dana 300 wasnt used on newer waggys at all. I mention this cuz a dana 300 is consitered BEEF and had the lowest low range gear set of them all.

The 93 truck if 4wd should have a decent NP 241 transfer case and should be the easiest to use in your application.

[LiftedAWDAstro]

I am pretty sure this project has been scrapped. Jake was trying to sell everything off back in 2006.

[peter]

Sure would be cool if he started another one up again, though. He's close to being paid up on that government debt

[jakepatch]

Well, beleive it or not, i do still have the van sitting in my back yard. Nobody seemed interested in buying anything, and I just couldn't scrap her so there she sits collecting dust. The front axle is in, nothing done to the rear, no motor, just a ton of parts sitting there. Hopefully someday I'll be able to get back to doing something with it. I had to sell my 93 truck for some cash, so when/if I get back to it I'll have to find a motor and rear for it.
I had a bit of a set back getting my debt paid. I was out of work for about two months with a back injury. If I'm thinking correctly I beleive I should be paid off about October. Hopefully things will get better then, though it's looking like I'll be single by then.
To answer original_blazer, I have a push button transfer case out of an s-10 blazer in the van, can't think of the model number off the top of my head, been a long time since I've worked on it.

[original_balzer]

Resurect this thing please. Sorry about your setbacks. You got a start far better than mine, even just a little work every once in a while will get you a long way. After all this time Im sure theres a ton of free and cheap work you could do. (I shoulda looked at the date HAHAHA) You can get it out of moth balls, clean it up, sort out the little stuff. Basicaly get it ready so when you overcome the setbacks and have extra time and money, it wont be overbearing to jump back into this project. You have come a long way to simply give up on it.

Paint some stuff, clean some stuff, do the little things.

[Cobra]

now i'm not one to talk i've got plenty of partial projects laying around my home but i agree try to get little things done here and there when you get bored and such. you might be surprised you can get done like that... (hmmm maybe i should listen to myself more often)

[original_balzer]

I cant say Im any better at getting projects done, only differnt. I have too many projects! I work on what ever one im in the mood for. So my time is spread out over 4-5 projects and it seams none of them will ever get anywhere. Most of last summer I worked on my crew cab project, but its still needs a TON of work. It went from a 2wd cab and 9' chassis to a shortened 4x4 with a d60 and 14b. THe drive train needs to be sorted out along with steering I need to build a bed mod the body, GAH just so much to do! Yet I find other things to do instead.

Heres a few pics

[peter]

That'll be funky. How long will the box be when you're finished?

[original_balzer]

The bed will only be 4ft, sort of a box/flatbed.

[peter]

Well, it'll be different, that's fer sure. And different's what I live for, so....

[TheChopFather]

Well, it'll be different, that's fer sure. And different's what I live for, so....

You'ld be able to lay down in that box and still have plenty of room to spare lol.