Chevy Van Express 4x4 conversion Quigley?

[expeditionvan]

Anyone here have experience/opinions/inputs on a chevy based van express 4x4 (quigley) for expedition, versus that of a Ford...
I see plenty of ford based 4x4 such as smb quigley and some salem kroger, etc..
but not much or if any based on a chevy chassis...albeit there is on thread here with a pic. of a chevy...
Again, pros or cons going chevy based 4x4?
thank you in advance for your time

[ujoint]

I've only been able to look @ one Chevy Quigley up close. It has a solid axle, spring under. Late model. There are obviously more Fords on the road, so mods & repairs will be easier/cheaper.

[dieselcruiserhead]

If you get a diesel option, I think the Duramax engines are excellent. They are also more efficient and have plenty if not more power than the Ford options. I personally would very strongly consider the Chevy option...

[kcowyo]

GM puts the D-max in their vans?

[dieselcruiserhead]

Yes, and Quigley converts to 4x4. I would probably start with a diesel cargo van personally, send or buy direct from Quigley, and then convert privately or with some components from SportsMobile. There are some neat SportsMobile components but friends and some web site reviews have called some of their components very "camperish" meaning very cheaply built and light weight and not durable. It would be a fun project as well if one were to have the time..

[Grim Reaper]

Errrr you can buy the 1500 vans from the factory with AWD. Swap the transfer case with a push button case from a Suburban to get low range and you are there.

Not quite as tough as a solid axle but it looks like it wouldn't be hard to use a lift kit off a truck on it and it would probably have about as much wheel travel as the stock sports mobile.

I drive one of these for work and I am consistently getting 17mpg hauling about 600lb of gear.

[expeditionvan]

i would prefer the gm/duramax over the ford/psd...6.0 L.,
i saw the ford 2008 van, a bit unpleasing to the eye..i must say,
re: the gm stock van awd 1500, that comes in IFS...and cargo capacity on the 1/2 ton is just too low..
my only concern re: the chevy van is the frame/chassis's ability to handle the rough terrain, and availability of parts
my plan/goal is getting a cargo van, (ford or gm), personally prefer gm/duramax, always had chevy, never owned a ford, had the pop up top put in by sportsmobile, and convert the interior myself as $$/time becomes available, i plan to do minimal conversion, with Maraine components...

[expeditionvan]

anyone know why no duramax diesel on the 2008 model year, (i went to the gm site to build and the duramax not offered as an option)
also, why aren't they paired up with the allision tranny..like it is on the silverado..
i think the duramax with allision makes for a nice set up..

[Grim Reaper]

anyone know why no duramax diesel on the 2008 model year, (i went to the gm site to build and the duramax not offered as an option)
also, why aren't they paired up with the allision tranny..like it is on the silverado..
i think the duramax with allision makes for a nice set up..

I would bet you answered your own question. The Van body predates the Alison transmission. It may not fit in the van. That may have nixed the Duramax out of fears of the engine granading the lesser transmission.

To get the Alison in a H1 Hummer they had to put a body lift on it? The Van is Unit body in the 1500 and 2500 trim so that cannot be done.

GM did that all the time. Example: You could not get a 454 in a 4x4 Suburban before 92. They simply would not put it in front of that 10bolt solid front axle. If you find a solid axle 4x4 Suburban witha 454 it is not factory.

[ujoint]

GM is probably having the same issues as Ford with the diesel in the van, THE NEW EMISSIONS STANDARDS!!!! That sucks....... Has anyone compared or found out what the front suspension components are under the GM AWD vans? Are they unique to the van? Is it standard half ton 4wd stuff? Due to the frame differences, I doubt they could just stick a half ton IFS under it, so I wouldn't assume that an IFS lift will work. Someone wuld have done it by now, I would think.........