4wd Launch

[goatman1107]

Hey,

Wondering if you guys have any suggestions on how to make the front end any stronger. Ill go ahead and say im not doing a straight axle conversion. Im going to have to leave in 4wd bc w the mods 2wd is not an option unless i run slicks or go from a roll. which slicks is not what im looking for right now. i recently re did a lot of the parts pretty much just replacing wear and tear parts. i did add tie rod sleeves along w everything else. All front end parts are new except control arms, center link and stablizer. what can i do to keep it from breaking.. or atleast make it stronger. all the cv axles i see are just oem. and the front axle has been gutted out and redone as well as the rear. hardened axle shafts are otw for the rear. if it helps clearify things i have 4:56 gears and a 3200 yank.


Thanks

[goatman1107]

*04 silverado 1500

[1998454]

How much power are you trying to put to the ground? There is a nbs 1500 near me with a 5.3 and a ton of mods, weight bar on the front and has never broken a front axle at the pulls.

[goatman1107]

Ill have the dyno sheet next saturday. I really have no clue. I just got done changing a lot of stuff on it and its at a shop right now getting a stage 5 tranny in it. I have never broken anything in my front end on this truck. but i dont want to ya know. id rather be preparred then stranded.

[daved931]

If you have an auto trak transfer case, that may be the first thing to come apart.

[Busted Knuckles]

Check out this thread. If you're not already a member there, join for free. You can get in touch with the truck's owner with questions. He told me that he's still running stock half-ton front diff and axles, the t-case is all he's reworked.
http://www.chevelles.com/forums/showthread.php?t=314762&highlight=truck+turbo
I'm taking it a step further...with a '95 shortbed dually with 1-ton front clip. Starting with a pump gas 565, hope to go twin turbos on E-85 with six 10.5 tires for traction.

[1989K1500]

Just get cognito pitman and idler arm supports. And keep the front end low, if its cranked up its going to fight you and its a lot more apt to break stuff.


If you have an auto trak transfer case, that may be the first thing to come apart.

It should break everything in the front end before the transfer case.

[1989K1500]

Check out this thread. If you're not already a member there, join for free. You can get in touch with the truck's owner with questions. He told me that he's still running stock half-ton front diff and axles, the t-case is all he's reworked.
http://www.chevelles.com/forums/showthread.php?t=314762&highlight=truck+turbo
I'm taking it a step further...with a '95 shortbed dually with 1-ton front clip. Starting with a pump gas 565, hope to go twin turbos on E-85 with six 10.5 tires for traction.
That truck was running 10s with a stock t case. It broke shifting from 4wd to 2wd wide open during a 10 second pass. He posts on performancetrucks.net under the same username.

He also has a lifted 70 rcsb with a pump gas iron headed 505 that runs mid 11s.

[Busted Knuckles]

^ thanks for the link, hadn't been to that site before.
Tons of LS guys there, should be a great source for performance info on that engine family.

[oldred95]

It should break everything in the front end before the transfer case.

There are tables in the PCM that limit the torque to the front axle. Those clutches can't handle a whole lot. I had mine turned pretty tight sitting in a 3 foot deep snow drift and I gave it some gas and heard a clutch chattering type noise near my feet. It sounded like the old school buses with a manual transmission when they would wind them out and slip the hell out of the clutch taking off. I straightened it out a little and tried again and it was ok that time. I'm about 100% positive it was the clutches slipping and the clutches are not worn. I checked everything over while I was putting the pump rub kit in.

A 263 or 261 transfer case would be a better option once the auto trak fails.. Thats a NBS 3/4 ton or 1 ton push button or floor shift model.

[1989K1500]

I kind of doubt the clutches are that weak. My white truck with a stock t case would do 4wd burnouts without any funny feeling or noise from the t case. And my friends 700whp turbo truck with 35s would handle 4wd launches and burnouts on pavement without a problem or sound from the t case.

Maybe you should put some fresh Auto trac fluid in yours.

[daved931]

It probably handled it because the tires were breaking loose. I think they ever bound or hooked during that procedure, you would have scattered the t-case like a handful of marbles.

[Badass69]

I think you people worry too much about things that don't matter. Don't use the Auto feature if you want it to last for a long time and keep fresh fluid in it.

If the OP's t case breaks eventually, who cares, he can deal with swapping it then.

[bigbob6988]

I beat the crap out of my truck in 4wd and I haven't hurt a thing yet. When I was 17 and it was lifted on 35's with the stock 5.3, I used to drive around in 4 low, popping a front tire up in the air on the 1-2 shift. SEE SIG, now I have a heads/cam 6.0 with a high stall converter and I race in 4wd at the track with the truck wheel-hopping all over the place.

Now I have limiting chains on my front suspension and it helps the truck launch nice and smooth. Also have the cognito supports and tierod sleeves.

[GreenVortec]

theres a guy in Houston that launches in 4wd and runs 10's, 427 lsx and spray

his xfer case held up good on the street and at the track, there's an article in trucking where the owner (Paco) said he used an RPM window switch to turn off the 4wd after launching. You should look into that.

look up "Paco LS7"

[1989K1500]

It probably handled it because the tires were breaking loose. I think they ever bound or hooked during that procedure, you would have scattered the t-case like a handful of marbles.

It hooked at the track.

You are basing everything you are saying off of a complete guess because you think it wont work. I know it will.