# Converting Escalade to 2 wheel drive



## DownLow350 (Dec 30, 2002)

Anyone on here ever converted from all wheel drive to 2 wheel? What all needs to be removed, added, cut and/or made. Any advice is greatly appericiated! Thanks.


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## nyccustomizer (Dec 13, 2005)

What year? Is it AWD or 4WD? Does it have the 2wd/4wd selector switch? Ive done the conversions as well as bagged the AWD with leaving the front axles so give me some more info.


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## DownLow350 (Dec 30, 2002)

Ok, Heres the deal, It's a '02, All Wheel Drive. The rear is already bagged, and we lowered the front bumpstops, so the tires are resting on the fenders, wich are getting cut too. We want it lower. Thats why we want ot remove the transfer case, ect. We have a pretty good idea on how to do it with the axles in, and mounting the bag on the upper a-arms, But, We are not liking it.

I want to know what has to be done to make it an actual 2 wheel drive front-end. Whats compatible, what has to be removed, installed, altered, ect. Thanks again!


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## baghdady (Sep 21, 2004)

> _Originally posted by nyccustomizer_@Jun 21 2006, 04:50 PM~5646837
> *What year? Is it AWD or 4WD? Does it have the 2wd/4wd selector switch?  Ive done the conversions as well as bagged the AWD with leaving the front axles so give me some more info.
> *



DAmn i want to see the picture on your avatar full size :biggrin:


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## SQUEAKYG (Mar 29, 2003)

> _Originally posted by DownLow350_@Jun 21 2006, 04:28 PM~5646798
> *Anyone on here ever converted from all wheel drive to 2 wheel? What all needs to be removed, added, cut and/or made. Any advice is greatly appericiated!  Thanks.
> *


if you remove the front axels the truck will not move .... you will have to modify the transfer case to make it rwd only ..... i have done about 5 of these conversions .. each transfer case was slightly different ... the best spot for the air bag is in between the control arms with the axels half shafted .... i have seen air bags on top of the control arm and the bag does not sit too pretty and all bent .. only when it is deflated is the bag sitting right ...


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## SQUEAKYG (Mar 29, 2003)

> _Originally posted by nyccustomizer_@Jun 21 2006, 04:50 PM~5646837
> *What year? Is it AWD or 4WD? Does it have the 2wd/4wd selector switch?  Ive done the conversions as well as bagged the AWD with leaving the front axles so give me some more info.
> *


 i beleive all escalades are awd all of the time ... at least 01-07 correct me if I am wrong ....  :biggrin:


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## baghdady (Sep 21, 2004)

> _Originally posted by SQUEAKYG_@Jun 21 2006, 06:42 PM~5647246
> *if you remove the front axels the truck will not move .... you will have to modify the transfer case to make it rwd only ..... i have done about 5 of these conversions .. each transfer case was slightly different ... the best spot for the air bag is in between the control arms with the axels half shafted .... i have seen air bags on top of the control arm and the bag does not sit too pretty and all bent .. only when it is deflated is the bag sitting right ...
> 
> 
> ...



Damn, I love these trucks :biggrin: I have been looking for one for a minute :biggrin: Whose truck is that :cheesy:


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## SQUEAKYG (Mar 29, 2003)

> _Originally posted by baghdady_@Jun 21 2006, 07:27 PM~5647373
> *Damn, I love these trucks  :biggrin:  I have been looking for one for a minute  :biggrin:  Whose truck is that  :cheesy:
> *


A customer's ....  :biggrin:


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## nyccustomizer (Dec 13, 2005)

Depending on the year some are AWD where the front axles cannot be taken out, and some of the earlier ones were 4wd where the axles can be taken out. On a lift you can test it by spinning a rear tire when its in park. If the rears lock up in park you can pull the axles. If the fronts spin and the rears dont lock, then you cant pull them out. 
Squeaky, what needs to be done on the transfer cases. You pull it out? or is something done externally on the AWD's.


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## SQUEAKYG (Mar 29, 2003)

> _Originally posted by nyccustomizer_@Jun 22 2006, 09:05 AM~5650140
> *Squeaky, what needs to be done on the transfer cases.  You pull it out? or is something done externally on the AWD's.
> *



nyc ..... tranfer cases are removed from truck and gears are modified and then put back in to make truck rwd only .....  :biggrin:


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## nyccustomizer (Dec 13, 2005)

Wow, doesnt seem worth it. All the ones Ive done Ive left the AWD in place and the customers have been more then happy. They actually dont wanna take out the AWD. Id be scared to do a transfer can modification like that. After that you marry it for any problems in the future.


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## SQUEAKYG (Mar 29, 2003)

> _Originally posted by nyccustomizer_@Jun 23 2006, 04:14 PM~5658523
> *Wow, doesnt seem worth it.  All the ones Ive done Ive left the AWD in place and the customers have been more then happy.  They actually dont wanna take out the AWD.  Id be scared to do a transfer can modification like that.  After that you marry it for any problems in the future.
> *


Actually there are a few positives about converting to 2wd .. the ride is 10 times better because the bag is not bent like a pretzel .. it is sitting in the lower control arm and travels allot smoother in its up and down motion .... shocks are not always needed either (depending on bag choice) so you do not lose your turning radius .... better gas mileage because of being rwd only .... and more power to boot ....  :biggrin:


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## 1usamotorsports.com (Sep 17, 2003)

> _Originally posted by SQUEAKYG_@Jun 25 2006, 12:08 PM~5665688
> *Actually there are a few positives about converting to 2wd .. the ride is 10 times better because the bag is not bent like a pretzel .. it is sitting in the lower control arm and travels allot smoother in its up and down motion .... shocks are not always needed either (depending on bag choice) so you do not lose your turning radius .... better gas mileage because of being rwd only .... and more power to boot ....    :biggrin:
> 
> *



:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:


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## nyccustomizer (Dec 13, 2005)

Not necessarily true. I have done 4 AWD upper control arm kits and they ride better than factory. I have a few things that Ive learned from doing them and I can say and compare with anyont that has done that set-up before that my method only uses about 80 to 90 psi to get to ride height, and with my bag placement the bag sits nicely at that pressure. Yes it doesnt get alot of lower end side to side movement but Ive never had a bag blow due to the use of the bag on the upper control arm. Just recently had a guy go back to stock rims and tore a bag from the tire rubbing it. What pressure does your upper a-arm set-up require to lift and get to ride height. Id say at 120psi its maxed out with my kit. I would prefer the lower control arm it, but hey whatever the customer wants right?


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## 1usamotorsports.com (Sep 17, 2003)

> _Originally posted by nyccustomizer_@Jun 25 2006, 05:07 PM~5666606
> *Not necessarily true.  I have done 4 AWD upper control arm kits and they ride better than factory.  I have a few things that Ive learned from doing them and I can say and compare with anyont that has done that set-up before that my method only uses about 80 to 90 psi to get to ride height, and with my bag placement the bag sits nicely at that pressure.  Yes it doesnt get alot of lower end side to side movement but Ive never had a bag blow due to the use of the bag on the upper control arm.  Just recently had a guy go back to stock rims and tore a bag from the tire rubbing it.  What pressure does your upper a-arm set-up require to lift and get to ride height. Id say at 120psi its maxed out with my kit.  I would prefer the lower control arm it, but hey whatever the customer wants right?
> *




Ive done that also , leave in the torsions and adjust them to lift @ 80 psi . It will work . On the other hand , drops slower , side to side sucks , and you get a little wobble when you go over a rough road . Best ride and performance and if you want the bag to last is a 2 wheel drive transfer or tranny extension . Ive spend alot of time to get the position of the bag using the upper control arm bracket method or the bridge over the shafts , they both put the bag through alot . Best is mounted without the cvs.


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## nyccustomizer (Dec 13, 2005)

USA1, what needs to be done to remove the axles and run an AWD truck as a 2wd. In the end what extra time and money is spent or wasted as compared to a 2wd suburban or a truck where you can just pull the axles and drive it like that. Hey Im always open to new ideas, and in this case you guys know more than me about doin the 2wd thing.


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## Huggies (Sep 14, 2005)

Like I always say... the best way to go is to buy a 2WD... Don't you guys have 2WD Escalade and Denali trucks in the US anywyas?

Here, theyr'e all AWD :uh:


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## nyccustomizer (Dec 13, 2005)

Yup, we have the same problem. The escalades and denalis are AWD now. Early models were 4wd so you could yank the front axles. In particular I am in NY and all my customers buy 4wd or Awd trucks then they want me to lower them and keep the 4wd. Ive seen some trucks from the south such as navigators and suburbans that were 2wd. I dont even think its popular for the dealers to sell the 2wd trucks.


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## nyccustomizer (Dec 13, 2005)

Wow must be a big secret. :uh:


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