ok so i bought a 2006 gmc 2500HD from my work for 500 bucks, its an extended cab short bed. the truck is in awesome shape with no rot or body damage and it runs awesome. i was able to scoop it up for 500 because it has 288,000 miles on it and im the lead fleet mechanic and they told me a price and i didnt hesitate and bought it.....the only dilemma i have with the truck is that it is a 2wd, it sits like a 4wd but lacks the important part.

Today i picked up a 2005 chevy 2500HD regular cab long bed with 143,000 miles on it for 1700 bucks from a friend of mine that was wrecked in the front end (He had a whoops on some ice and bought it back from the insurance company, air bags went off and it needs a bumper, hood, and all front end goodies besides fenders)

my question is can i removed the trans, manual transfer case, and front axle and make it adapt to my 2wd frame? i know my frame lacks the drivers side mounts for the front axle but i have the other frame to cut apart. has anyone done this or know if the frames are interchangeable? i really like my extended cab short bed and just wish it was 4wd.

i wouldn't consider doing this if it wasnt for the fact that im into both trucks for 2200 bucks.

 

I've asked this question before about the 80's model trucks, and have pretty much always been told it's easier to just swap bodies if you have the capability to lift them.
I assume the wheel base is close to the same between your trucks, it might be pretty easy to do.
Personally though if I was going to go through the trouble to swap a newer truck to 4wd, I would try to put a solid axle in it, but that's just me. I hate IFS. You'll have to do some fabrication either way, so it may be a wash as far as the work involved.

This probably didn't help, but that's all I've got.

 

They both share the same suspension and front end. Just need to weld in mounts were the front diff bolts to. I dont see why not.

 

Yeah that's what I figured, I have the 4wd frame so I coyld always hack the mounts off if I needed too, Im not so much concerned with the work involved since I have a lift at my house and I bought the 2006 chevy to part out and take the drive train out as a spare. I couldn't go out and buy an 06 gmc 4wd in the same condition as my truck for less then 8,000 locally so I feel it's worth it.

 

If you don't want to just swap bodies, or you buy one thats smashed from behind, you can cut it under the cab and just graph the front clip to your existing truck. Cutting the frame is fine as long as you do it correctly, and much easier to square up than cutting mounts from one frame and welding them to the other.

 

I never thought about cutting the frames under the cab on the straight section. I bet it wouldn't be that bad either since I have a lift and plan to yank the motor and Trans out of both trucks and build it.

 

lol cutting two frames in half and welding them together is easier than cutting and welding a mount?

 

Does your 2WD 2500HD have a torsion bar front suspension?

 

Yeah it is a torsion bar front suspension, I wish the frames were the same so I could just swap bodies.

 

Most likely the front is the same and you can swap the 4x4 components on to the 2WD frame.

Most likely the wrecked truck's front frame is damaged. Any time there is Bag deployment the frame is usually damaged.