A100/A110 Four Wheel Drive

Has anyone contemplated or completed a 4-wheel drive conversion for A100, A110, A108 or A120? The footprint is nearly the same as a small Jeep. Probably would use the 4wd version of a Dodge A727 trannie and Dana 44 axles from an International Scout II if the transfer case on both is on the left.

With leaf springs on 4 corners it should be a chinch to lift the body to clear the front driveline and then mount 8" wheels with wide tires to widen the stance for increased stability. Probably add inflatible air bags above the springs and individually inflate them.

I know this group is reluctant to express an opinion, but please make an exception in this case. Who says its crazy and who says "go for it."

It sounds like you have put some good thoughts in to it. they have been done but i don't know any one.

GO FOR IT!!!

Look at the Jeep FC150 and FC170. They are a forward control design and it looks to me that their driveline would work perfect in an A-van or truck if you can find one. I am actually a 4x4 fanatic and have built several of the goofiest 4x4 contraptions that you have ever seen. I have installed an entire Aries driveline and front frame section under the back of an Aries wagon. Twin engine and four wheel drive! It sat at stock height and looked stock, but ran like the wind! It was never a show piece, but it was a blast to drive! I still own my first conversion. It is a 84 Plymouth police car on a Dakota 4x4 chassis. It turned out really cool and clean with the independent front end. I stripped that car completely and laid it over on its roof and laid the bare Dakota frame on it upside down and started cutting the floors and uni rails until the Dakota frame dropped in and fit perfect. Its amazing what you can accomplish when there is nobody around to tell you it can't be done! Welded it all up and flipped it over to finish it. My original intentions with my first A100 pickup were to build a 4x4. The frame rails and the A pillars and roof were so far gone that the door actually fell when you opened it so I scrapped it and hunted up another truck. Now my current truck is just way too solid so I am keeping it 2wd and going for the gasser look. Now for your answer......Do it, and good luck!

I found this picture for you on another Mopar site. I have no idea how they did the conversion, but it is cool!   

Seen this one ... but the picture is Poor ... and Don't know what they used !!!!!! When doing the conversion .. you will want Late 70's gear .. you will want front disc Brakes !!!!

My 1968 Dodge A100 Lazy Daze Sportsman Housecar Class C motorhome needs some camper repair after which we are considering converting it to a 4-wheel-drive RV. Here is a photo of a factory restored LD (on an A100 pickup) and an original print advertisement:

https://i.servimg.com/u/f33/18/34/35/63/lazyda13.jpg

https://i.servimg.com/u/f33/18/34/35/63/01_laz12.jpg

The drive train is standard heavy duty A110 (A100 with 5,200 GVWR package) 318 V8 automatic transmission. The plan is to remove front and rear axle, the driveshaft, and the tail housing from the transmission.

We have a 1979 International Scout II with an A727 automatic transmission (same as A100), a Dana 300 4wd transfer case and Dana 44 axles front and rear. We install the Scout tail housing on the Dodge transmission and connect to the Dana transfer case. Then we will add a twin stick shifter kit which permits running six ways: front axle only (1) high gear and (2) low, rear axle only (3) high gear and (4) low, or both axles - 4wd (5) high gear or (6) low. The Dana 300 is the only transfer case which has this flexibility.

The Scout front axle has disc brakes. The Dana rear axle is the same as the Dodge except the ratio is 3.73:1 while the A100 is 3.91:1. The stance on the Scout is 61" which is 1" wider than A100. The Scout 100" wheelbase is 10" longer than the 90" Dodge so one or both drive shafts will have to be modified. The Scout axles will bolt to the Dodge springs. We will lift both front and rear by 1-2" to accomodate wider 31X10.50R15LT (roughly 265/75R15 LT) tires which have a 31" diameter rather than the A100 stock 29" diameter. Probably we will have to adapt the steering drag link. Most likely we will add Firestone air bag suspension to manage any sway caused by the camper body now on 1" higher tire sidewalls and on lift blocks.

The only modifications required to the basicly bolt-on 4wd is the drag link, the driveshafts and a place to mount the shifter kit.

The short 90" wheelbase makes this an almost perfect off-road camper. The combination of larger diameter tires and lower rear end ratio should make for improved fuel economy compared to the stock A100.

When we get to it, we will take a series of photos to post here.

This would work for any A100 or A108, van or pickup. A108 might need to lengthen a rear driveshaft.

this should put the disc on the rears. http://centralcarolinamoparclub.com/jeep-to-8.75-rearend-conversion.html

We considered that but it probably is not necessary. We may still do it.

once it's done there is a lot less service to do. and they will work a lot better...

My son just did that to a Dana 44 axle he put on his rock-climbing Jeep. He said it cost about $500 installed and putting it on any Dana 44 would be a cinch -- including on the heavy duty version of the A100 compact trucks (an A110 or A120).

He felt it was necessary on his rock climber so if he got cut off at the top of a hill climb and had to back down, he had disc brakes on the leading axle.

I can't see it costing $200. to 250.00 Junk yard for the Ebrake cables and calipers . turn the calipers in at the auto parts store when you buy new ones then rotors and brakes for the most part...