Kodiak 4wd Conversion

StretchASU

StretchASU

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 17, 2006
Location
Creedmoor, NC/Claudville, VA
GMT530 Platform C7500
Cat 3116
5 speed manual
2 speed rear end
Air brakes.

Looking at possibly converting one of our 7500’s to 4wd and while the smaller 4500-5500’s seem to have some info out there on 4wd. There isn’t much about what tcase and front axle to use on the 7500.

Besides the 70 front and NP273 that look to be used in the slightly lighter duty GMT530
Trucks, what would be some good options for a 7500 with the driveline above. There look to be some dump truck and bucket truck 4wd conversions but not much info on them.

What say ye NC4x4ers.
 
MT17 Front axle, rated at 14k lbs.

Air shift, 2 speed, Marmon-Herrington MVG750R transfer case.

Where can you find them? Absolutely no idea...but that 70HD aint gunna cut it in that truck. It's basically a semi with a pickup cab.

If you Google search Kodiak C7500 4x4 Navy truck, you can see pictures of the ones they used. I've seen them around here, except they were Coasties, hauling BIG ass boats.
 
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MT17s were used in 4wd Ford F800s. Already 10 lug and have air brakes. They've got some LOW gears too. I found one for sale with 7.19s in it! Looks like they have planetary hubs. You may have to find a matching rear for ratio purposes. You can always use military tires to make up for it.

MT22s were mostly found in those BIG ass 6x6 cement mixer trucks.

Setting Rockwells up for air brakes would likely prove to not be very cost effective. They're also not super wide.

www.heavytruckparts.net has a lot of stuff for sale and lots of pictures for research purposes.

Here's some info from the manufacturer. Shows all of the available gear ratios, confirms planetary hubs, and shows the WMS at 94"!

Marmon-Herrington - MT-17 Steerable Axle: 12-16,000 lb. capacity

mh.dfl-studios.com mh.dfl-studios.com
 
Croatan_Kid said:
MT17 Front axle, rated at 14k lbs.

Air shift, 2 speed, Marmon-Herrington MVG750R transfer case.

Where can you find them? Absolutely no idea...but that 70HD aint gunna cut it in that truck. It's basically a semi with a pickup cab.

If you Google search Kodiak C7400 4x4 Navy truck, you can see pictures of the ones they used. I've seen them around here, except they were Coasties, hauling BIG ass boats.
Click to expand...

Looks like we were on the same track with M-H cases and axles. This is more of my bro in laws project than something I care to tackle, but hey, I’ll help out with spending his money.

Also, that navy truck is sick.
 
Axletech 4000s might be easier to come across, or cheaper atleast. Matching the gear ratios is the biggest concern for me. Id say, with 4wd and low range, I would get a pair of Axletechs and loose the 2spd rear.
 
paradisePWoffrd said:
Axletech 4000s might be easier to come across, or cheaper atleast. Matching the gear ratios is the biggest concern for me. Id say, with 4wd and low range, I would get a pair of Axletechs and loose the 2spd rear.
Click to expand...
That is actually what I recommended to him initially. The split in that 2spd rear is so close that unless you are hauling really heavy that it is almost useless so he is ok with changing it out.
 
Plus, forgetting to put it back in high gear and then hitting 4wd could be baddd!
 
Croatan_Kid said:
MT17 Front axle, rated at 14k lbs.

Air shift, 2 speed, Marmon-Herrington MVG750R transfer case.

Where can you find them? Absolutely no idea...but that 70HD aint gunna cut it in that truck. It's basically a semi with a pickup cab.

If you Google search Kodiak C7400 4x4 Navy truck, you can see pictures of the ones they used. I've seen them around here, except they were Coasties, hauling BIG ass boats.
Click to expand...

MT17's are apparently pretty available from LKQ's Heavy Truck division and the cases are new on Ebay from multiple sellers surprisingly. Cost + shipping and parts to ensure they're ready to go...changes the game a bit. It would end up running around $15k for parts before fab work.

Now that I have given him the estimated cost for the parts and he cleaned up his pants, he may just sell it while the market is good and go get an already converted medium duty 4wd Cab and Chassis.
 
Does he NEED the C7500's payload capacity? Otherwise he could buy an off-the-shelf 5500 4x4 (and even get a Ram or Ford that isn't so unnecessarily tall).
 
jeepinmatt said:
Does he NEED the C7500's payload capacity? Otherwise he could buy an off-the-shelf 5500 4x4 (and even get a Ram or Ford that isn't so unnecessarily tall).
Click to expand...

Hell no it isn’t needed. Lol. But moderation is for cowards. We just got two of them from an Altec auction way back in the day before prices got silly. I’ll snap a picture. It’s pretty sweet now that it has a cut down deuce and a half bed on it. The other one is set up as a day cab tractor.
 
Buy a LMTV and put the Kodiak cab on it----probably easier in the long run... If you want an Allison/transfer case that will bolt to that 3116 I have a few. I also have a couple divorced transfer cases that are new (on MH, one Navistar). The 7 speed Allison/transfer case combo would be the cheapest option and they are stout transmissions.
 
Tacoma747 said:
Buy a LMTV and put the Kodiak cab on it----probably easier in the long run... If you want an Allison/transfer case that will bolt to that 3116 I have a few. I also have a couple divorced transfer cases that are new (on MH, one Navistar). The 7 speed Allison/transfer case combo would be the cheapest option and they are stout transmissions.
Click to expand...

I’m in complete agreement. I’d rather just have the LMTV from the get go. If they’d come back down to planet earth at auctions I’d get more serious about one. One would be ideal to put our sprayer body on.
 
skyhighZJ said:
My .02 is on a LMTV the only thing that hasn’t ever broke is the engine/trans/tcase. They take a BEATING!!
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And the axles. They are stout. I sell axles to mud truck guys all the time, they are super popular. They are very good trucks overall.
 
StretchASU said:
I’m in complete agreement. I’d rather just have the LMTV from the get go. If they’d come back down to planet earth at auctions I’d get more serious about one. One would be ideal to put our sprayer body on.
Click to expand...

Agreed on price, I don't really even watch them anymore as they sell for more than I can justify putting in them.
 
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