4x4 conversion

Well Ive been seriously entertaining the idea of a bolt in 4x4 conversion on my flareside, im looking at the Dana 44 IFS and had a big question.

What ring and pinion ratios can be had for this axle?  I was looking and all I could find on summit and jegs is 3.55:1 or lower which would not work with my 3.25:1 ratio I am looking at for the rear.

If a 3.25:1 isnt offered for the front, how about the transfer case?  Is there any way to swap the high/low ratio of the transfer case for 1:1 to be low and a overdrive kind of ratio for high to drop the 3.55:1 down to a 3.25:1?

This right here is the determining factor if I waste time going further into this as I am trying to do a highway build with 75 mph some where with in 2,400 - 3,000 rpm ideally 2,750 rpm so 3.55:1 axle ratio is out of the question for me.

My Bronco has 3.08 front and rear. I got the replacment gears from Yukon through the local Ford dealer

I don't know what's available in the aftermarket, but all of the 4x4 F150's I have looked at have had 3.08's or 3.55's (I'm referring to the trucks with 8.8 rear diffs...so, 1983-1996). I know with the 9" rear end they translate to 3.00 and 3.50, but the 2wd trucks had they even taller gears...the 2.75's and higher. I guess what I'm trying to say is that 3.00, 3.08, 3.50, and 3.55 are definitely available as they were the most common factory options.

I have to ask though, why do you want it revving so hard on the highway?

My 1984 Flareside, which has a 300HP 302 with a 5spd and 3.08 diff runs along at only about 2000 RPM at 65-70 MPH, and it would drive me crazy to drive at those speeds in the 2800 RPM range.

The 1980 F150 4x4 I'm building is on a 1995 chassis with 5spd and 3.55 diffs. I'm running 31" tires on it, so it should cruise along alright. I don't really plan to be on the highway with it much, so it's not really a big concern with this truck.

My bronco, 308's in the diffs and AOD cruses at 65 at around 1850 rpm

old55pete wrote

My Bronco has 3.08 front and rear. I got the replacment gears from Yukon through the local Ford dealer

Yukon doesnt offer anything commercially under 3.55:1 for the Dana 44 IFS.  Through the Ford Dealership it makes me wonder if it was a OE kind of gear made for fords by Yukon but not a ratio you can get from Yukon themselves.

Rembrant wrote

I don't know what's available in the aftermarket, but all of the 4x4 F150's I have looked at have had 3.08's or 3.55's (I'm referring to the trucks with 8.8 rear diffs...so, 1983-1996). I know with the 9" rear end they translate to 3.00 and 3.50, but the 2wd trucks had they even taller gears...the 2.75's and higher. I guess what I'm trying to say is that 3.00, 3.08, 3.50, and 3.55 are definitely available as they were the most common factory options.

I have to ask though, why do you want it revving so hard on the highway?

My 1984 Flareside, which has a 300HP 302 with a 5spd and 3.08 diff runs along at only about 2000 RPM at 65-70 MPH, and it would drive me crazy to drive at those speeds in the 2800 RPM range.

The 1980 F150 4x4 I'm building is on a 1995 chassis with 5spd and 3.55 diffs. I'm running 31" tires on it, so it should cruise along alright. I don't really plan to be on the highway with it much, so it's not really a big concern with this truck.

For me 3.08:1 would be ideal, it would put me at OE stock axle ratio 2.75:1 after accounting for my taller 31x10.50-15 tires.  I cant find a 3.08:1 from anyone, I can get from Currie a 9" third member loaded with a Detroit Truetrac in 3.00:1 or 3.25:1 and I am leaning towards 3.25:1 if the slip of the transmission is between 3% to 5% if its over 5% then I will go with the 3.00:1.  The 3.25:1 will put me at 2.90:1 with my taller tires a little lower than stock and the 3.00:1 would put me at 2.70:1 slightly higher than stock.

Now why do I want it to be at that rpm on the highway, well I am putting the speed I will be doing on the highway in the cruise range listed for the cam I have.  Cruise rpm where the cam will be most efficient is 2,400 - 3,000 rpm and a 3.25:1 with my 31x10.50-15 tires would put me around 2,750-2,800 rpm @ 75 mph, a 3.00:1 with my 31x10.50-15 tires would put me in the neighborhood of 2,500 rpm @ 75 mph.  While most of my highway driving will be at 75 mph, I would like to try and fit 65 mph with in that 2,400 - 3,000 rpm cruise range.

As far as the 4x4 goes, I am still making the decision, if I can get a 3.00:1 I would seriously consider just going with a 3.00:1 Currie third member and then get a 3.00:1 for the Dana 44 IFS up front.  Only down side is Detroit doesnt make a TrueTrac for a Dana 44 IFS for gears below 3.73:1.  I just got home from work and I am currently doing some math figuring what my options are.  The transfer case wont be a problem I found a reman unit that is listed for my truck I can get for $800 and throw in another $300 I can get a 8 year warranty on it.  The C6 how ever would be the big thing, would have to get a 4x4 C6 and then have to see how much it would cost to do the same mods I want on it.  I also need to find out if there is an aftermarket for the Dana 44 IFS beams as well.  But my goal is engine first then transmission so I have time to make a decision on this if this is something I would do or not.  I would like to do it but I am also thinking about the final cost and the time to do it and if its going to be something that I will never use and thus taking up floor space for my usual center passenger with the shifter.

Well been doing a lot of reading and looking.  First off aftermarket parts are not really there when it comes to the TTB themselves, I found a bunch but they have been cut and flipped or widened which I dont need as I am not lifting my truck, just going to add a 2" lift to the front to level the truck out.  Still I found some NOS parts and if I keep looking I might find the rest to do the conversion.

The big thing is the ring and pinion which is what this post is really about.  From what I am have been reading it seems that for on road use the axle ratio difference should not be any more than 1% between ratios front and rear.  Off road Ive seen it stated 2% is the limit and others stated that there is no limit in very slippery situations such as on ice or in slick mud.  My thing is the 4x4 conversion I want to do for two reasons, one for pulling if I have to pull something like say a decently sized tree for example, Sure I can pull it with my tractor but what if I am on the road and I have one I need to move out of the way.  In this case my vision is using the 4x4 on the street to get traction to pull said tree out of the way.  Or if there is a vehicle stuck off the side of the road.  Really lots of things I could use it for, not really building to go do mudding, just think it would be beneficial to have 4wd for those times I may need it.

If my figuring is right, I found a listing drivetrain shop for a out of stock 3.08:1 reverse ring and pinion for a Dana 44 which should work in the Dana 44 IFS, if I go with the 3.00:1 if I am figuring it right that is giving me a 2.6% difference which wouldnt work for me.  The closest I found is running a 3.25:1 rear and a 3.31:1 front for a 1.85% difference but the 3.31:1 I found is not a reverse Dana 44 so it wont work on a front axle.

I will have to go back looking at 9" ring and pinion gears and see what I can find that would be closer to get me with in that 1% range.  Down side is I wouldnt be able to simply order a prebuilt third member like I had planned if I dont go with 3.00:1 or 3.25:1.

Some math that may help others that are thinking about doing a 4x4 conversion on their 2wd trucks.

This is a comparison for final drive ratios with a Borg warner 1345 transfer case which I believe is the correct transfer case for a C6 transmission, its the only one I was able to find online from a rebuilder that has a warranty listed for 80 - 92 F-series trucks.

First is with a stock C6 with 31" tall tires

3.00:1 axle ratio (TC Range / 1st / 2nd / 3rd)

HI / 7.38 / 4.38 / 3.00
LO / 20.07 / 11.91 / 8.16

3.08:1 axle ratio (TC Range / 1st / 2nd / 3rd)

HI / 7.58 / 4.50 / 3.08
LO / 20.61 / 12.23/ 8.38

3.25:1 axle ratio (TC Range / 1st / 2nd / 3rd)

HI / 8.00 / 4.75 / 3.25
LO / 21.75 / 12.91 / 8.84

I how ever wont be running a stock C6, I had already planned on running a E4OD wide ratio planetary gear set that will give me a lower first and second gear to help with my pulling and acceleration with the highway gears I am looking at.  Below is with the E4OD planetary gearset conversion.

3.00:1 axle ratio (TC Range / 1st / 2nd / 3rd)

HI / 8.25 / 4.62 / 3.00
LO / 22.44 / 12.57 / 8.16

3.08:1 axle ratio (TC Range / 1st / 2nd / 3rd)

HI / 8.47 / 4.74 / 3.08
LO / 23.04 / 12.90 / 8.38

3.25:1 axle ratio (TC Range / 1st / 2nd / 3rd)

HI / 8.94 / 5.00 / 3.25
LO / 24.31 / 13.61 / 8.84

As can be seen above 3.08 would be ideal for me in a number of ways.  In a wide ratio C6 build like I have planned a 3.08:1 axle ratio will net me a lower ratio in first gear compared to a stock C6 with 3.25:1 and net me almost a equal ratio in 2nd gear compared to a stock C6 with 3.25:1 gears all the while giving me a higher ratio in direct drive.

This means with a 75 mph goal my engine speed with a 3.08:1 axle would be 2,645 rpm and with the 31x10.50-15 tires would put my axle ratio with in OE ratio of 2.75:1.  Only reason I settled on 3.25:1 is I rather have my 75 mph speed with in range of the 2,400 - 3,000 rpm cruise range and with a 3.00:1 my 75 mph range was at the very bottom end right around 2,500 rpm when accounting for tire size change.

So this is why I am still trying to locate a 3.08:1 ring and pinion set for a Ford 9" rear axle which seems no one in the aftermarket makes as its all 3.00:1 or 3.25:1 and no one seems to make a 3.00:1 or 3.25:1 Dana 44 IFS ring and pinion to make life easier for me.

The other thing I noticed that I have to look into is the springs.  Looking at Eaton Detroit Spring they have some different listings for 2wd and 4wd springs.

For 2wd the front springs can either be a 3404 which is a standard duty coil spring w/o factory AC or a 508 spring which is a standard duty coil spring w/ factory AC or a heavy duty coil spring w/o factory AC.  The rear leaf springs could either be a 2019 spring 1850 lb rating 4/1 leaves in 2 1/2" width, then there is a 2539 spring 1660 lb rating 4/1 leaves in 2 1/2" width, or a 2749 spring 1250 lb rating 3/1 leaves in 2 1/2" or a 2995 spring 2400 lb rating 4/1 leaves in 2 1/2" width.

For the 4wd there are three coil springs for the front the 3404 and 508 listed on the 2wd but they also have a 1406 which is a heavy duty coil spring w/ factory AC.  For the leaf springs there are only two a 2797 spring 1389lb 3/1 leaves in 3" width and a 2817 1854lb 3/1 leaves in 3" width.

I dont know currently if a 3" width leaf spring would bolt in place of a 2 1/2" leaf spring or if you have to change quite a bit to do this conversion right and use 4wd springs in the back.  Like wise I dont know how much stronger the 1406 HD spring is with factory A/C.  My truck is dealer AC but it was also a 2wd from the factory and I need to continue doing research on this matter to see what would be the proper springs for a factory 4wd setup as if I do this I want this to be done how Ford would have built my truck.  Will have to do quite a bit of digging in my parts and illustration guide and make comparisons to see what springs could have been used on my specific truck but that may be a chore as the spring charts dont go so much by application Ive seen in the past.

Needless to say this might be a huge waste of my time if I cant find a source for a matched ring and pinion gear set for a 9" and Dana 44 IFS in the 3.00:1 - 3.25:1 ratio range.

Or you could simply use the calculator at Documentation/Driveline/Calculators.  Lets you see the various transmission and t-case options, change the tire size, pick the speed and see the RPM or pick the RPM and see the speed.  

Gary Lewis wrote

Or you could simply use the calculator at Documentation/Driveline/Calculators.  Lets you see the various transmission and t-case options, change the tire size, pick the speed and see the RPM or pick the RPM and see the speed.  

Ive actually been using that, thats kinda how I decided that 3.08:1 would be ideal at offsetting my 31x10.50-15 tires to bring my axle ratio back to a 2.75:1 stock ratio as if I still had the stock P215-75R15 tires on the truck.

Only trouble I am running into is finding a 3.08:1 ring and pinion for a Ford 9" rear end.  3.00:1 and 3.25:1 easy to find.  For a Dana 44 IFS, 3.00:1, 3.25:1 just doesnt exist but a 3.08:1 I have found some listings for them but they are out of stock but I dont see them listed on Yukon`s website but I do have a part number of YG-D44R-308R how ever.

The other trouble I am finding is springs.  The parts and illustration guide doesnt show a application for springs after 1981 just a part number/reference number based off your certification label code for the springs.

For example my '82 has a VH code spaced after Axle code which as far as my parts and illustration guide is concerned is my front and rear spring codes.  V being front and H being rear I was able to find the following.

E0TZ-5310-M for the front coil spring but no spec.

E5TZ-5560-G for the rear leaf spring but no spec.

Going back to 1981 before March 13, 1981 looking at the 116" w/b F150 for the 2wd there isnt a spring listing by E0TZ-5310-M. But there is a listing for a F100. There is a listing under the F150 4wd with 116" w/b listed as a 2675 lb average capacity.

no E5TZ listing for the rear leaf spring but it does state all 5250 GVW trucks had a 4/1 leaves with only one being a 5/1.

But looking at the brackets it looks like there is a difference between 2wd and 4wd.

F100/150 2wd - 82/85
E0TZ-5775-F : Bracket - Spring Front
E2TZ-5775-A : Bracket - Spring Rear (r/b E0TZ-5775-B)
E2TZ-5776-A : Shackle - Spring Rear

F-U150/350 4wd - 80/
E0TZ-5775-H : Bracket - Spring Front
E0TZ-5775-C : Bracket - Spring Rear
E0TZ-5776-A : Shackle - Spring Rear

Basically to do a proper 4wd conversion I will have to cut the rear spring mounts off the frame and swap them over to the 4wd mounts.  Not sure if that is something I will want to do to do a proper 4wd conversion.  I can buy those brackets to do the conversion just not sure if I want to go removing riveted suspension brackets off to install other suspension brackets.  I guess I could go with a heavier duty 2wd leaf spring in the rear to mimic the 4wd ones.

the two 4wd leaf springs from Eaton Detroit Springs are as follows.

2797 : 1389lb 3/1 leaf 3" wide 126/257 rate
2817 : 1854lb 3/1 leaf 3" wide 154/312 rate

For a 2wd the options are as follows

2019 : 1850lb 4/1 leaf 2 1/2" wide 207/339 rate
2539 : 1660lb 4/1 leaf 2 1/2" wide 159/293 rate
2749 : 1250lb 3/1 leaf 2 1/2" wide 236/226 rate
2995 : 2400lb 4/1 leaf 2 1/2" wide unknown rate

The closest 2wd match to the spec for a 4wd would be the 2539 with a 159/293 rate which is very close to the heavy duty 4wd spring but is lower in weight capacity.  Could get closer on the weight capacity with 2019 at 1850lb but the rate is considerably higher.  Not sure if that would really matter or if I am just over complicating things but I do want to make sure everything is right if I do this I dont want any issues.  I know my truck currently with the original springs are a 3/1 leaf setup which is the 1250lb capacity at 236/226 rate.

This is why it I am doing my research first on all this cause I need to know exactly what I am going to have to do to make this right.  As of right now my leaning is slightly towards sticking with the 2wd setup and go with the 3.25:1 axle ratio like I had planned.  The trouble I am having sourcing a 3.08:1 9" ring and pinion is holding me back along with sourcing the I beams.  I did find quite a bit of part numbers in the parts and illustration guide for 3.07/3.08:1 ring and pinion gears but not sure why there are so many different part numbers.

D9ZZ-4209-D (3.08:1 / 37-12 teeth)
E25Y-4209-A (3.08:1 / 37-12 teeth)
E3AZ-4209-C (3.08:1 / 40-13 teeth) r/b E7TZ-4209-A
E3TZ-4209-H (3.08:1 / 40-13 teeth) r/b E7TZ-4209-A
E5TZ-4209-A (3.08:1 / 40-13 teeth)
E7TZ-4209-A (3.08:1 / 40-13 teeth)
E4TZ-4209-C (3.07:1 / 43-14 teeth)
E0TZ-4209-E (3.07:1 / 43-14 teeth)

Any of those would be fine with a 3.08:1 Dana 44 IFS ring and pinion gear.

Rusty_S85 wrote

Basically to do a proper 4wd conversion I will have to cut the rear spring mounts off the frame and swap them over to the 4wd mounts.  Not sure if that is something I will want to do to do a proper 4wd conversion.  I can buy those brackets to do the conversion just not sure if I want to go removing riveted suspension brackets off to install other suspension brackets.  I guess I could go with a heavier duty 2wd leaf spring in the rear to mimic the 4wd ones.

It's easy as anything. People replace those spring hangers all the time. I've done them on my '84 (all four leaf spring hangers) and I'm removing them all on my 1980 over the next couple weeks.

Don't let those rivets stop ya, I've removed dozens of them, and I have to drill out 19 more of them in the next couple weekends. ha.

Rembrant wrote

Rusty_S85 wrote

Basically to do a proper 4wd conversion I will have to cut the rear spring mounts off the frame and swap them over to the 4wd mounts.  Not sure if that is something I will want to do to do a proper 4wd conversion.  I can buy those brackets to do the conversion just not sure if I want to go removing riveted suspension brackets off to install other suspension brackets.  I guess I could go with a heavier duty 2wd leaf spring in the rear to mimic the 4wd ones.

It's easy as anything. People replace those spring hangers all the time. I've done them on my '84 (all four leaf spring hangers) and I'm removing them all on my 1980 over the next couple weeks.

Don't let those rivets stop ya, I've removed dozens of them, and I have to drill out 19 more of them in the next couple weekends. ha.

Oh I dont mind removing them, I removed them on a '82 5.0 coyote swap I did at work the guy wanted to lower the truck so we put lowering springs out back and drop beams up front.  My thing is I just dont like the thought of having a bolt instead of a rivet holding the suspension components on.

I know a proper sized bolt with the shoulder fitting the hole properly has no more risk of sheering than a rivet, its just a worry point for me none the less.

Then there is the other problem of how do I decide on what spring to run in the back.  Based off Detroit Spring who I would be having make my springs as they make them to OE specifications, they only list two for my truck a 1389lb spring with 126/257 rate and a 1854 spring with 152/312 rate.  My truck does have 3/1 springs out back currently and Eaton lists the 3/1 springs as being 1250 lb springs with 236/226 rate.

So my limited understanding of spring rates does that mean that the 1854lb springs with their 152/312 rate mean it will be a softer spring initially than what I currently have.  The heavier 1854lb spring capacity 3/1 4wd springs would take just 154 lbs to compress the springs 1" vs my 1250lb spring capacity would take 236lbs to compress the springs 1" but it appears mine goes down after that to 226 lbs where as the 4x4 goes up to 312lbs.  But the 4x4 spring has a capacity of 1,854lbs at specified height where as my current 3/1 spring only has a 1,250lbs at specified height.  This is probably why my suspension was able to be worn out so quickly in the rear to the point where just me climbing in the back of the truck drops the rear down a good amount ie more than 1".

I could go with the lighter 4x4 rated springs which is 1,389 lbs capacity at specified height with a 126/257 spring rate.  That would be a bit closer to my OE 2wd springs but would be considerably softer.

But then it poses the question what about the front.  There are two springs that crosses over from 2wd to 4wd but then there is a HD spring with factory AC which my truck doesnt have but I do have dealer AC and I question would the addition of things such as auxiliary lights, my chrome push bar make up the difference in weight on the front suspension.  But then again I am dumping the cast iron intake and heads for aluminum and dumping the cast iron manifolds for steel shorty headers.  But then I am adding weight in the form of aftermarket efi.  There is no specified weight by Eaton or spring rate for the coil springs, but it is something for me to consider as I do want to level the truck out, I dont want the truck to be high in the rear as 95% of the time I will be driving without a trailer and not only that but I will be running the Timbren Suspension Assist System on the rear of my truck which should help with supporting the truck when loaded down.

Personally before my thoughts of doing the 4wd conversion I was leaning towards the 2749 leaf springs the 1,250lb springs with 3/1 leaves and a 236/226 spring rate and for the front I was looking at the 508 HD springs w/o factory AC with a 2" rise over stock to emulate a leveling kit without the use of a spring pad.  I found out at work that having a spring that is longer provides a softer ride when raising a vehicle while a spacer block under the spring can actually make the vehicle ride rougher.  But now with the idea of 4wd being introduced do I want to stick with the 508 HD springs as they are listed for both 4wd and 2wd.  But then it raises the question the 4wd leaf springs are they going to raise the height of the truck over the 2wd springs.  I know they are designed to support a given weight at a specified height but is the 1,854 lbs at the same specified heigth as the 1,250 lb 2wd spring.

Think I might have found some I beams.

I first found a E0TZ-3B402-C I beam, the passengerside one brand new for $149.95.  The driverside with the Dana 44 center chunk wasnt in stock.

I found the driverside Dana 44 axle at another place part number E9TZ-3B403-A for $279.00.  I know this is the number that replaced the old number but I am kind of curious if there will be any kind of issue running a 1989 revised I beam while running the original 1980 design of I beam on the other side.

I dont think ford would have done that as it replaced that number but one never knows.  This basically puts me currently at $428.95 for the I beams alone without cost of shipping.

The same store has the radius arms OEM Ford, E9TZ-3A360-D RH for $147 and E8TZ-3A292-A LH for $159.  They also sell reproduction radius arms for $59 a piece.

I would most likely go with the OEM pieces made by Ford which would put me at $734.95 for the twin traction I beams and the radius arms.  If I went with the reproduction radius arms which I feel might be weaker could save me quite a bit of money by bringing the cost to just $546.95.

Not too bad cause the transfer case I found for $800 with warranty.  That would put me at $1,534.95 for the 4WD conversion up front.  Still have to source the steering knuckles as well as the ring and pinion gear.  I found some on ebay but I rather find a shop online that way I can buy most of my stuff from one place and only pay shipping once.

The following are part numbers of what I am still finding a source for

E1TZ-3010-A : Dana 44 IFS Housing Assembly
E0TZ-2K004-D : Dust Shield RH
E0TZ-2K005-D : Dust Shield LH
E1TZ-1102-C : Hub & Rotor Assembly
E0TZ-3130-A : Arm, Spindle RH
E0TZ-3131-A : Arm, Spindle LH
E0TZ-3105-H : Spindle Assembly (2 req)
E3TZ-3222-J : Ring and Pinion Kit - Dana 44 IFS (3.00:1) (highest ratio listed for my truck)

I am still compiling a list for the rear 4wd conversion currently.  What I am doing is cross referencing 4wd and 2wd components to see what is and isnt different between the trucks.

The 4x4 1/2 ton trucks have 3" springs, while the 4x2 1/2 ton trucks have 2.5" springs. So the shackles, shackle hangers, and springs are different. The 4x4 rear lift blocks will work fine with the 2.5" springs however.

The 4x4 trucks have the rear bump stop attached to a bracket that is riveted to the frame. The 1/2 ton 4x2 trucks have the bump stop bolted directly to the frame.

The rear sway bar end links on a 4x4 truck mount to a bracket that is riveted to the frame. Broncos and 4x2 trucks have rear sway bar end links that bolt directly to a hole in the side of the frame rail.

You still need a 4x4 transmission and the coupler, transfer case linkage and stick, a transmission cover with a hole for the stick and the elusive 4x4 shift boot with trim collar.
Then you need the front drive shaft. And the rear (or shorten it).
A new, longer speedo cable, and the correct drive gear for your R&P.
The list goes on... but you get the idea.

salans7 wrote

The 4x4 1/2 ton trucks have 3" springs, while the 4x2 1/2 ton trucks have 2.5" springs. So the shackles, shackle hangers, and springs are different. The 4x4 rear lift blocks will work fine with the 2.5" springs however.

The 4x4 trucks have the rear bump stop attached to a bracket that is riveted to the frame. The 1/2 ton 4x2 trucks have the bump stop bolted directly to the frame.

The rear sway bar end links on a 4x4 truck mount to a bracket that is riveted to the frame. Broncos and 4x2 trucks have rear sway bar end links that bolt directly to a hole in the side of the frame rail.

Yep I looked at that on the diragrams, no part number listed for the F150`s and it states if the application isnt listed to fashion it from plate steel.

I had my eyes set on the Timbren suspension assist system that replaces the axle bumper but just checked to see if its the same part number for 4wd as 2wd, well there isnt one for the 4wd, just states "Not used on this vehicle" so I would have to fabricate my own bracket which wouldnt be too hard or source one from another vehicle.

Thankfully I dont have swaybars front or rear on my truck so I dont have to worry about that.  Not sure I would want to add them if I go 4wd as it would hinder off road capability.  I also looked at the dual front shock setup which was on the 4wd but it appears it was an upgrade option so I can keep my single front shocks with 4wd.

The rear springs I can get things such as the rear leaf spring brackets and hangers for 4wd so thats not a big issue.

For me the biggest issue that has me starting to lean slightly away from this conversion is finding the ring and pinion set.  Found out late last night that there was never a 3.08:1 axle ratio for the 9" rear end it was only offered in the 8.8" rear end so I would have to go with a 3.00:1 axle ratio which I did find was an offering for the Dana 44 IFS, but I cant find any how ever for sale.  OE part number of E3TZ-3222-J has no hits online for any for sale, doing a search for Dana 44 IFS 3.00:1 ring and pinion brings up no results either.  Seems everything aftermarket is 3.50:1 and lower there is a listing for a 3.08 but not on Yukons website and its listed as out of stock on the offroad site I found it on.

Not going to get involved with this big of a conversion if I cant locate the vital components and so far I have found the majority of the vital components just not the most vital the ring and pinion.

ArdWrknTrk wrote

You still need a 4x4 transmission and the coupler, transfer case linkage and stick, a transmission cover with a hole for the stick and the elusive 4x4 shift boot with trim collar.
Then you need the front drive shaft. And the rear (or shorten it).
A new, longer speedo cable, and the correct drive gear for your R&P.
The list goes on... but you get the idea.

Yep the 4x4 transmission wouldnt be too hard to locate, found many C6 4wd transmissions rebuilt, found the transfer case as well rebuilt for $800 with a 7/8 year warranty.  Drive shafts are easily found online as well on 4wd websites I came across.  I didnt try to find the shift boot and the trim collar nor did I look for the so called transmission cover as mine is all a one piece floor so I would have to cut a hole.  The speedometer cable wouldnt be a issue either as I can look that stuff up over time and locate the correct ones.

The biggest issue I am faced with is the ring and pinion.  My goal was to run a 3.25:1 axle ratio but I can run a 3.00:1 to be slightly higher geared than my OE 2.75:1 ring and pinion when taking my 31x10.50-15 tires into account.  Problem is though I havent found any Dana 44 IFS ring and pinion in 3.25:1, I found one listing of a Yukon brand for 3.08:1 but it is out of stock and its not listed on Yukon`s website.  Never found a 3.00:1 which is the closest option I found in the parts and illustration guide E3TZ-3222-J for a 3.00:1 dana 44 IFS ring and pinion.  Next ratio would be a 3.50:1 which is too much for a street build I am doing.  3.25:1 is the absolute lowest I would want to go and 3.00:1 the absolute highest with my tires.

Rear axle I cant find a 3.08:1 which would be ideal at putting me right back to 2.75:1 with my taller tires.  I might be able to locate a Dana 44 IFS 3.08:1 in stock some where but I cant find a single listing for a 9" in 3.08:1, only 3.08:1 I could find in my parts and illustration guide is for the 8.8" rear end and I am not going to down grade from a 9" rear axle to a 8.8" rear axle.

This is why I am doing this piecing together research as it will determine if this is something I will do or not.  I want to do it but the ring and pinion ratio is making me start to lean away from doing it.  Only way I could run a 3.50:1 is if I went with a AOD so I can drive on the highway still and I dont like the thought of a AOD being used for the simple fact that you have to put more money in them to get them on par strength wise as a C6.  Plus to not have my final drive ratio in OD not too low I would have to go with a 4.11:1 axle ratio so with my taller tires and OD I would be right around 2.75:1 ratio and I can get a 4.11:1 for the dana 44 IFS, but I just dont know if I want to make all these changes as it is quickly becoming one change after another.

I could probably run a 3.08:1 front and 3.00:1 rear but thats a 2.5% difference which would be ok in a low traction off road situation, but I could never use 4wd on paved surfaces for pulling as the 2.5% difference is too much.  1% is the most youd want I have been reading for paved surface use and I just cant justify going to all this trouble to have 4wd and have it setup for off road use only.  Not worth the cost and time in my opinion.