I have an '87 GL 2WD (motor died) that I'm using as a parts car to fix up an '87 GL 4WD. What parts can be swapped. The axles are just about new on the 2wd. I need a drivers side axle, spindle, brakes, etc. Are the axles / spindles the same or different? It's a freebie, but the person who had the 4wd had the axle welded to the hub in order to move the car. So I'm having to replace everything on the front drivers side. Any ideas?

Yep, same spline count on the CV stub shaft and inner DOJ.

 

There's a few ways to do this.... You could pull just the knuckle and axle out. You could take off the whole control arm/axle/strut/radius rod as a complete assembly. Could also just take off the knuckle/control arm/axle. Really depends on how grainular you want to get with the swap. I'd swap the whole control arm/axle/strut/radius rod all as one assembly. Upto you really; might be a good time to really strip it all apart up there and do brakes/bearings/balljoints.

 

Good luck and just ask if you need further help with the repairs.

So the front axles are completely interchangeable between 2wd and 4wd?

So the front axles are completely interchangeable between 2wd and 4wd?

 

Yup. They may vary in thickness, but are interchangeable..

 

Only ones that don't swap directly in are turbo axles.. different DOJ end spline count.

if you can pop th eball joint, take out the knuckle with the axle and strut as an assembly,

 

do this to both cars. now, put the 4wd struts on the parts cars knuckles and put the whole thing in together like it came out.

 

pop the tie rod, the ball joint, 3 nuts and a brake line, axle pin and thats it

 

remove the axle pin first when you take it apart. make sure the axle lines up with the pin before installing the ball joint to make sure it fits

 

the pin fits only one way. use a 3/16" or 6mm drift punch to remove it, and also to slip through the hole before installing the pin to make sure of the alignment

 

undoing the brake line from the caliper is easier then swapping from the body end. the caliper end will fith through the little eyelet on the strut.