O/T Chevy Suburban front axle actuator ?

Steve A W · Mar 14, 2017

After sticking my 03 Suburban and not being able to go fishing I'd like
to know if there is a manual conversion for the front axle actuator?
The guy that pulled me out with a jeep said he thought there was a cable
system available.
Anybody know?
Thanks

Steve A W

.

Duner Wi · Mar 14, 2017

Here might be one that will work for you.

http://4x4posi-lok.com/

Some people make their own.

Do a search.

mj · Mar 14, 2017

Yep, I think that's right. I have an electric gear-driven actuator on my '91 1500 that works real good, too.

Steve A W · Mar 14, 2017

Duner Wi
Thanks
That's what I'm looking for but it doesn't show anything newer
than 1998.
I sent an email to the company, just waiting for a reply.

Steve A W

fixerupper · Mar 14, 2017

My son changed his 04 F250 over to Warn manual hubs last weekend. For the life of me I can't remember who made the axle though.

4play · Mar 15, 2017

There are not a lot of problems with that design of actuator, I replace far more buttons, encoder motors (t-case shift motor), modules and even t-cases before the newer design actuator. The cable actuator is probably not available because it's a different and better design than the older one. For the guys with the older design actuators, they can be converted to the newer style too.

K Effective · Mar 15, 2017

My cousin used a lawn mower choke cable to convert his old Ford.

Bob · Mar 15, 2017

If you are determined to go to the "choke cable" system, well and good.

On the other hand, later units left the factory with a motorized linear actuator rather than the ridiculous "heat motor" units like yours has.

Conversion is simple, requires an new-style actuator and a small wiring harness.

GOOGLE "Dorman 600-600" and "Dorman 600-101".

rustyfarmall · Mar 15, 2017

My 2001 K3500 has a lever on the floor, right next to the shifter. Allows me to select 2 wheel high, 4 wheel high, or 4 wheel low.

Steve A W · Mar 15, 2017

Bummer, 4x4 Posilock doesn't make it for anything newer than '98.
My Sub is an '03, it has what people say is the better electric
actuator. However the d@#! thing left me and my daughter stuck
near the fishing pond.
I'm not going for groceries, I'm going fishing, I'm launching my
boat at a dirt launch ramp, I'm getting my mother in law to the
cancer center for a treatment!
I want to know that I'm in four wheel drive.
If this push button system is so good, That last system must of
really been junk.
Rusty Farmall, I'm jealous.

Steve A W

rustyfarmall · Mar 15, 2017

(quoted from post at 10:35:33 03/15/17) Bummer, 4x4 Posilock doesn't make it for anything newer than '98.
My Sub is an '03, it has what people say is the better electric
actuator. However the d@#! thing left me and my daughter stuck
near the fishing pond.
I'm not going for groceries, I'm going fishing, I'm launching my
boat at a dirt launch ramp, I'm getting my mother in law to the
cancer center for a treatment!
I want to know that I'm in four wheel drive.
If this push button system is so good, That last system must of
really been junk.
Rusty Farmall, I'm jealous.

Steve A W

By comparison, the wife's 2012 K1500 has a tiny lttle knob on the dash. Almost hidden.

4play · Mar 15, 2017

(quoted from post at 12:35:33 03/15/17) Bummer, 4x4 Posilock doesn't make it for anything newer than '98.
My Sub is an '03, it has what people say is the better electric
actuator. However the d@#! thing left me and my daughter stuck
near the fishing pond.
I'm not going for groceries, I'm going fishing, I'm launching my
boat at a dirt launch ramp, I'm getting my mother in law to the
cancer center for a treatment!
I want to know that I'm in four wheel drive.
If this push button system is so good, That last system must of
really been junk.
Rusty Farmall, I'm jealous.

Steve A W

It is a good system, are you sure of what's wrong with it yet? Like I said earlier its usually not the actuator that fails on these trucks. If the actuator was a notorious problem then you would probably find aftermarket options like the older ones. You 'burb is 14-15 years old now, what else do you expect to last forever, this problem is rather trivial for other things that can and will go wrong if they haven't already. If the actuator is bad then replace it and move on, afterall is lasted for quite awhile.

kcm.MN · Mar 15, 2017

Sorry, I didn't quite understand what you were asking when I read this earlier. Just watched several videos last night about such things. Seems there is a very common problem that occurs on many 4x4 trucks. Lemme see if I can find the video again....Ah! Here it is - will actually post 3 links. The first two are short; the 3rd is nearly 1/2 hour and quite thorough:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgI1tdS98Gk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bi1cX15T28E

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPze_fn6c4g&t=158s

Here's a video about the Posi-Lock cable. This vid is 22 minutes long:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmAq7v93mjE&t=476s

Hope this helps!

mj · Mar 16, 2017

(quoted from post at 09:40:07 03/15/17)
My 2001 K3500 has a lever on the floor, right next to the shifter. Allows me to select 2 wheel high, 4 wheel high, or 4 wheel low.

Yep - somethings should never change - that's the same as my 1969 K20.

chevytaHOE5674 · Mar 16, 2017

(quoted from post at 08:40:07 03/15/17)
My 2001 K3500 has a lever on the floor, right next to the shifter. Allows me to select 2 wheel high, 4 wheel high, or 4 wheel low.

The lever shifts the transfer case but there is still an electronic actuator in the front axle that has to function as well.

Steve A W · Mar 16, 2017

4play
It's only 14yrs old.
My 1989 Ford F150 4wd lasted 23 years [I bought it new.] and every time
I locked the hubs and pulled the transfer case shift lever it was ready
to take me fishing.
What I asked is if there is a manual conversion for this system.
I would like to keep this truck till it's 23 yrs old.

Steve A W

chevytaHOE5674 · Mar 16, 2017

Are you sure its the front actuator? In all the newer chevys I've worked on I can't remember one of the linear actuators go bad.

It is usually the push button switch in the dash (very common problem), or the electronic motor on the transfer case.

Steve A W · Mar 16, 2017

[size=18:ab5973cf0e]No I'm not sure yet.
The weather turned cold and snowy and I haven't
had a chance to get it in the air yet.
However, I was hoping to find out if there were
manual conversions for the axle and transfer case.
I guess I'm old school and like the manual linkages.

Steve A W

[/size:ab5973cf0e]

chevytaHOE5674 · Mar 16, 2017

Sure swap in a NP241 transfer case out of a late 90's chevy with the floor shifter. You will need to do some wiring to get the transmission to shift correctly when in low range.

As for the front axle the posi-lok setup will work because the front axle is the same as the 90's models. But the in cab mounting and such will be different.

chevytaHOE5674 · Mar 16, 2017

Or you can get a NP261 transfer case out of a late model truck with the shifter and all.

O/T Chevy Suburban front axle actuator ?

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