AWD Conversion help?

[Raspizdjajs]

Hi all! A friend has a 1999 Chevy Astro RWD and a spare parts donor Chevy astro AWD which to be used for the conversion. The question is, is it possible to swap the AWD transmission to the RWD car? And what would be the steps for that. Really interested if the AWD stuff all bolts up, cause the awd uses torsions in front rather than springs. What will need to be modified? Does the wiring need to be redone? (the donor has some wiring loss). Have searched on this and some say the wiring needs to be changed, even the ecu. some say everything should fit. Would really apreciate some help on this, without ofcourse the "buy a awd and thats all" (we dont have to many of them here in Latvia)

[icebrrg3rd]

If you use the sub frame (with engine/tranny/transfer case/suspension etc.) from the AWD, your mechanical bits should be taken care of, keeping mind that the rear end ratio should match the front end ratio. You didn't say what year the donor was, right around '98 or '99 they switched the method of power transfer, from mechanical to electrical, so you might have some issues if they're not the same year. Wiring, that will have to come from someone else, I don't have that info.

I don't have an AWD, plus mine is older so the engine controls are not as strict as the later years, so my comments are observational only. If you've never turned a wrench, this might be too much to undertake yourself. If you've been fixing and tinkering on vehicles for years, it's do-able. Problem you might encounter on the other side of the ocean is the amount of junkyard vehicles or parts stores that have Astro parts, ones you might need for the swap. That seems to be the common complaint for those not on the N. American continent.

-Andrew

[Raspizdjajs]

Thank you very much for the info! Will try to find something on the wiring

[rayc01]

Hello Ras, I have a 99 AWD and a 97 2WD Cargo Van. I want to swap the cargo body onto the AWD Chassis. Has you continued on your project? How is it? Mine is similar and would like advice as well. Thanks

[sixsix]

He has not posted since mid 2015 - doubt he's paying attention.
BUT...
Maybe you could start a new thread - get some answers from the AWD guys n' gal.



Mike

[markmitch]

the difference between the two is basically this: the AWD frame has everything that makes the AWD an AWD. But you will need to swap the complete wiring harness, and possibly the rear axle (unless its the same gear ratio. the ECM too and not sure if the engines are the same from the two years you have that's the only part I am not sure of.

[AstroWill]

Shouldn't be too hard, probably easiest to grab a Borg-Warner 4472 transfer case from a 90-98 and use that instead of the one from the 99. Other than that, no reason to change your engine/wiring harness/PCM/etc. Unless you want to.

[sixsix]

the difference between the two is basically this: the AWD frame has everything that makes the AWD an AWD. But you will need to swap the complete wiring harness, and possibly the rear axle (unless its the same gear ratio. the ECM too and not sure if the engines are the same from the two years you have that's the only part I am not sure of.

Mighty succinct there Mark. In particular - that First Sentence.



Mike

the OP has another Post where he is going to drop the body of his 2WD Cargo onto the AWD Subframe:
https://www.astrosafari.com/viewtopic.p ... 8#p1511578