[regalman]

My rainier has 230,000 miles on it and my mechanic says it needs a new front differential, so I'm researching the option to make it a rear wheel drive only. It still runs and drives, but when turning sharp the front wheels get a little angry, hopping and binding. Can someone verify if any of the following options are possible to make it rear wheel drive? There is not option on the AWD to select 2WD.

1. Saw this video on youtube where the guy pulled the front driveline, and took the front axles out. He actually took the u-joints apart and left couplers connected to the inside of the wheels. Unplugged the AWD fuse and claims it is now rear wheel drive.
2. Put in a transfer case from a 2WD/4WD trailblazer and set it for 2WD before installing it, and disengage the front axles by removing the insides? (Not sure if I understood how to disengage the front axles but leave them connected......from the person who suggested this option?
3. Read on a forum (Maybe this one) that one could disconnect the encoder motor and pull the AWD fuse to make it 2WD.

 

[miketexas]

Just take the front drive shaft off.

 

[metalmike187]

Just remove the front driveshaft.

 

[Brad_]

Just get rid of the front driveshaft.

 

[regalman]

Thanks for the replies. Is there anything else I need to do with the transfer case and diff, like covering up the hole where the drive line was?

 

[EnvoyBoy2004]

The hole can be covered with a Gatorade bottle cap

 

[Schurkey]

Make sure the front differential still has lube. They don't hold much, if the seals leak they run dry pretty quick.

 

[regalman]

Make sure the front differential still has lube. They don't hold much, if the seals leak they run dry pretty quick.

That's what caused the diff to go bad...not enough fluid. When my mechanic changed it, he said what little fluid came out had a lot of metal. And now that it's filled, the front diff is leaking....I think from one of the axle seals going into the diff.

So I'm assuming that the front axles need to come out in addition to the drive shaft? If the diff is too damaged or runs out of fluid, will the binding, grinding problem still happen without the front drive shaft? (and the axles still in place)

 

[Schurkey]

In MY driveway, I'd be looking for a "good used" front differential, as I value 4WD.

If the differential really is bad like you say...yeah, you'll need to pull the front CV shafts AND the front driveshaft, or the front diff will still be turning with the wheels on damaged bearings and with contaminated lube.

Still not comfortable with a Gatorade bottle-cap sealing the transfer case. I don't have a good solution for that. Maybe Gatorade is as good as it gets.

 

[regalman]

In MY driveway, I'd be looking for a "good used" front differential, as I value 4WD.

If the differential really is bad like you say...yeah, you'll need to pull the front CV shafts AND the front driveshaft, or the front diff will still be turning with the wheels on damaged bearings and with contaminated lube.

Still not comfortable with a Gatorade bottle-cap sealing the transfer case. I don't have a good solution for that. Maybe Gatorade is as good as it gets.

Thanks again for the reply. I agree with you on the value of the AWD. My mechanic friend found a used differential for $800 and said that it would cost $1000 in labor to install it….$1800 total. The car has 230,000 miles on it, so I decided it’s not really worth putting that kind of money into it when the transmission will also need to be replaced in the near future. My goal was to see if converting it to 2WD would work with the type of transfer case the Rainier AWD car has, to get some more use out of the car.

 

[pewtermetallic]

My rainier has 230,000 miles on it and my mechanic says it needs a new front differential, so I'm researching the option to make it a rear wheel drive only. It still runs and drives, but when turning sharp the front wheels get a little angry, hopping and binding. Can someone verify if any of the following options are possible to make it rear wheel drive? There is not option on the AWD to select 2WD.

1. Saw this video on youtube where the guy pulled the front driveline, and took the front axles out. He actually took the u-joints apart and left couplers connected to the inside of the wheels. Unplugged the AWD fuse and claims it is now rear wheel drive.
2. Put in a transfer case from a 2WD/4WD trailblazer and set it for 2WD before installing it, and disengage the front axles by removing the insides? (Not sure if I understood how to disengage the front axles but leave them connected......from the person who suggested this option?
3. Read on a forum (Maybe this one) that one could disconnect the encoder motor and pull the AWD fuse to make it 2WD.

I've wondered about doing this to an AWD bravada and many people are saying the AWD system directs power roughly 40/60 to the front/rear wheels. So when there is zero load on front wheels due to removing front drive shaft, the system will try to direct all power to the front wheels, and the rear wheels won't even move, making it undrivable. I'm not sure if this is true or if I correctly explained it, but it seems to be what other discussions/YouTube channels have said.

 

[Ravalli Surfer]

I've wondered about doing this to an AWD bravada and many people are saying the AWD system directs power roughly 40/60 to the front/rear wheels. So when there is zero load on front wheels due to removing front drive shaft, the system will try to direct all power to the front wheels, and the rear wheels won't even move, making it undrivable. I'm not sure if this is true or if I correctly explained it, but it seems to be what other discussions/YouTube channels have said.

That's right --- AWD and 4WD are NOT the same.

AWD has to stay AWD unless a LOT of parts are changed --- and then I bet the computer will throw a hissy too.

You can drop/disconnect the driveshaft and the axles from a 4WD and make it 2WD --- but an AWD dog won't even try to fight.

 

[like2wheel]

I disagree with this. That transfer case is rwd until it senses the disparity of the front/rear wheel speed then the shift motor engages the front driveshaft. Then it is 40/60.

Remove the awd fuse while in rwd. Then remove the front driveshaft, cv shafts, and Bobs your uncle.

The Trailblazer SS & Saab 9-7x Aero (only) are a different story.

 

[Ravalli Surfer]

I disagree with this. That transfer case is rwd until it senses the disparity of the front/rear wheel speed then the shift motor engages the front driveshaft. Then it is 40/60.

Remove the awd fuse while in rwd. Then remove the front driveshaft, cv shafts, and Bobs your uncle.

The Trailblazer SS & Saab 9-7x Aero (only) are a different story.

Nope. The TCM is IN all the time - and the front drive clutchpack is constantly being modulated to shift torque to front-rear or any combination of that.

There is NO 40/60% ratio --- not anywhere in it's design --- that is a LIMIT, but not a constant process as you think it is.

HOWEVER --- it cannot apply 100% power to either end of the vehicle (front OR rear differentials) because it is NOT true 4WD.

Proof of this is if the VSS or one of the wheel speed sensors dies, the system throws a hissy and fires up the ABS and TRAC or Service AWD lights.

It is also a "floating system" that demands the same sized tires be at all four corners --- ALL THE TIME or the clutchpack will burn out - or up - or the smoke will escape.

Having somewhat dissimilar tires in any position puts a real strain on that clutchpack inside the TC.​

If you remove the fuse, as you stated, you will THINK you've accomplished your desired result --- but you haven't and you're fooling yourself.

I may need some enlightenment here --- but do none of the AWD vehicles even have a spare tire?

Many Eurobox AWDs and a lot of the Japanese AWDs do not have a spare tire --- I have a buddy who bought a new 2023 Cadillac with AWD and there is no spare and the dealer told him why.​

They said: "You've got an AWD Cadillac and there is NO SPARE TIRE FOR YOU! Call your nearest dealer (use the satellite phone you paid for) and get a truck to flatbed your new car to a dealer to buy 4 new tires."

A newish Subaru may be an exception now with Asynchronous AWD --- I dunnow for sure --- I'm retired and don't really give a poop anyway.

Phwtthf!

 

[regalman]

Nope. The TCM is IN all the time - and the front drive clutchpack is constantly being modulated to shift torque to front-rear or any combination of that.

There is NO 40/60% ratio --- not anywhere in it's design --- that is a LIMIT, but not a constant process as you think it is.

HOWEVER --- it cannot apply 100% power to either end of the vehicle (front OR rear differentials) because it is NOT true 4WD.

Proof of this is if the VSS or one of the wheel speed sensors dies, the system throws a hissy and fires up the ABS and TRAC or Service AWD lights.

It is also a "floating system" that demands the same sized tires be at all four corners --- ALL THE TIME or the clutchpack will burn out - or up - or the smoke will escape.

Having somewhat dissimilar tires in any position puts a real strain on that clutchpack inside the TC.​

If you remove the fuse, as you stated, you will THINK you've accomplished your desired result --- but you haven't and you're fooling yourself.

I may need some enlightenment here --- but do none of the AWD vehicles even have a spare tire?

Many Eurobox AWDs and a lot of the Japanese AWDs do not have a spare tire --- I have a buddy who bought a new 2023 Cadillac with AWD and there is no spare and the dealer told him why.​

They said: "You've got an AWD Cadillac and there is NO SPARE TIRE FOR YOU! Call your nearest dealer (use the satellite phone you paid for) and get a truck to flatbed your new car to a dealer to buy 4 new tires."

A newish Subaru may be an exception now with Asynchronous AWD --- I dunnow for sure --- I'm retired and don't really give a poop anyway.

Phwtthf!

Here's an update on the AWD to 2WD conversion on my 2004 Buick Rainier AWD CXL, with the 4.2 liter engine. I just had this done today and it was successful. The front driveline and axles were removed, along with removing the 4WD fuse under the back seat. Giving it enough gas to spin the rear tires on dirt left two tracks as if it has positraction. It runs and drives great and there are no lights on the dash to indicate that the PCM or anything else is unhappy. There is another thread about this on the GMTnation forum, where someone did this on an Oldsmobile Bravada successfully and has been driving it for 7 years with only 2WD. Also, as I mentioned in my first post, there is this video (

) on YouTube of a someone doing this on an 03 Bravada.

 

[Ravalli Surfer]

I am now enlightened. Thanks.

I still think it's a bad idea --- but this being the interwebs 'n all --- well ---> ya know?

 

[like2wheel]

Here's an update on the AWD to 2WD conversion on my 2004 Buick Rainier AWD CXL, with the 4.2 liter engine. I just had this done today and it was successful. The front driveline and axles were removed, along with removing the 4WD fuse under the back seat. Giving it enough gas to spin the rear tires on dirt left two tracks as if it has positraction. It runs and drives great and there are no lights on the dash to indicate that the PCM or anything else is unhappy. There is another thread about this on the GMTnation forum, where someone did this on an Oldsmobile Bravada successfully and has been driving it for 7 years with only 2WD. Also, as I mentioned in my first post, there is this video on YouTube of a someone doing this on an 03 Bravada.

Ignore the noise, you will be fine.
There is a direct connection (via shaft) between the input from the transmission & transfer case output to the rear driveshaft. IE: no clutches, sprag, viscous coupling, disconnect, etc. Only the front output has the clutches to modulate awd.
Many people have installed the Trailblazer/Envoy front axle disconnect to their Bravada/Rainier/9-7x to achieve selectable awd/rwd with good results.
Have fun doing doughnuts & enjoy a little extra mpg.

 

[VoyBoy919]

I've wondered about doing this to an AWD bravada and many people are saying the AWD system directs power roughly 40/60 to the front/rear wheels. So when there is zero load on front wheels due to removing front drive shaft, the system will try to direct all power to the front wheels, and the rear wheels won't even move, making it undrivable. I'm not sure if this is true or if I correctly explained it, but it seems to be what other discussions/YouTube channels have said.

Maybe that is what is solved by removing the awd fuse, I don't know.

 

[regalman]

Maybe that is what is solved by removing the awd fuse, I don't know.

I tried removing the 4WD fuse before removing the front driveline and axles. It didn't eliminate the hopping, binding and grinding when turning sharply and one of the lights on the dash came on. I think it was the ABS light.