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I am in the midst of converting my 2 door yukon to 2 wheel drive so that i can use the long tube headers and i am wondering if I can remove my front axle as well? Does it play a role in the strength in the frame? I know they produced these trucks in two wheel drive but i cant even find a picture of one let alone look under one to see what it looks like. So what do you guys think? Should I fab a brace to replace it, or can i just ditch it?
If I'm not mistaken, you need the axle to hold the wheel bearings inplace. 2wd have a spindle to hold it all together. You could probably fab something up by cutting the ends off the axles, but seems like a pain. The newer trucks have sealed assemblies so it doesn't matter, it's just one unit, and axle goes through center.
I'd have to look at a picture of your setup though. Been a while since I messed with that body style. Always have older or newer lol.
yeah i planned on just pulling the cv joint apart and leaving the ends bolted in. And you are correct the bearing would fall apart within a few feet with no axles, but ill leave the ends of mine in to remedy that and keep my abs. I am more worried about how the axle housing ties the frame together, if it plays a significant role in frame rigidity. If so thats fine, ill make a brace to bolt in its place, but i'd rather not if i dont have to, know what i mean? ill try to get a pic of the under side.
oh and shifty, whenever we do go for a cruise you cant laugh at my truck! yours looks waaaaaaaaay nicer;)
haha, that's cuz I don't take pictures of all the dents/scratches from trees lol
They have 2 flexible joints in them, can't provide very much strength.
the cv shafts provide no strength, its the diff housing that i want to remove. the diff bolts to the drivers side frame and the extension tube comes off that and bolts to the passenger side.
well my truck was hit in two places by a tow truck, and the typical 1993 rust.... but over all its not too bad