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4wd conversion

76K views 153 replies 35 participants last post by  Ritchie 
#1 · (Edited)
I'm starting my conversion.

Today I installed my transfercase.

Removing the 2wd tranny to swap out the output shaft.


Bellhousing and pump removed

some internal parts

removing valvebody


without VB

removing snap ring from output shaft

all this work just to swap out this shaft

2wd shaft

4wd shaft and VB reinstalled

transfercase adapter thingy

RAN OUT OF SPACE!!!
 
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#2 ·
Continuation
transfercase and adapter

trany and transfercase bolted together and ready for install

almost done

4wd mount and 30" center driveshaft

finished with all the work from underneath


I started at 2pm and finished at 9:30pm. Drove it home, but still need to finish up the inside (shifter). The only problem I ran into was the speed sensor, so I will be driving around with a handheld GPS for a speedometer till I find one.:cool:

Step 2 will be spindles and diff. Need spindles with manual hubs.
Step 3 wiring everything up, and wheeling it!:D
 
#4 ·
CColin- Great WORK!! Nice pics and write up as well. I'm looking to do the same with my truck soon.

Wanted to ask where you found your transfer case?
And where did you pic up the 4WD shaft?

I've been looking for about 6 months for the right one for my 04 V6... I can't seem to get it though. I work overseas a lot so unable to actually go and scout the junk yards regularly.

Good luck with the build. Keep us POSTED!!!
 
#5 ·
I bought a whole setup (motor, trans, transercase) about 2 yrs ago to swap out the motor on my 94, ended up just fixin my motor, and left the whole setup in the garage. Then I bought my 03 last year and figured I should make it 4wd since All I needed was to find the stuff for the front (diff, spindles with hubs). I had a 4wd shaft but after I measured everything it was 2" short, so I posted up on here, and luckily someone had one.

Try to pm Jomentum, he might be able to help you.
 
#12 ·
Thanks for the info to all.
I have read Jamie's thread before, good stuff too.

CColin- if your able to keep taking pics of your work in progress please do. Even if you don't post them I'd like to ask if you'd be willing to email them to me. I find pics great for references when trying to do my work. Thanks
 
#15 ·
shifter installation

Installed the shifter today!
removing the shifter


Had to trim floor :saw:

transfercase shifter installed

shifter installed - I used a 4wd base and swapped out the stuff on the shifter

trim installed - I still need to bend the lever a bit, pops out of low.


testing out 2wd low



finished inside look


IT'S ALMOST 4WD :D
 
#17 ·
Installed the shifter today!
removing the shifter


Had to trim floor :saw:

transfercase shifter installed

shifter installed - I used a 4wd base and swapped out the stuff on the shifter

trim installed - I still need to bend the lever a bit, pops out of low.


testing out 2wd low



finished inside look


IT'S ALMOST 4WD :D
most of your pics didnt work
 
#28 ·
Sweet. When I did the swap My UCA's were attached to my spindles, so I just put them on too to avoid dealign with balljoints.

That part (I already had the diff in) probably only took me 3-4 hours solo and having never done it before. I did already have the spindles + hubs cleaned up.

Get some FSM diagrams and make sure you have the washers, clips and whatever though. I had to order them from Shannon cause the dealer in town couldnt find them. Only was like 12 bucks.
 
#31 ·
Yeah, Champion in Texas.

Hey is good at finding parts. I'm not sure of his job at the moment due to his medical condition.

When I was referring to the washers and shit....in the manaul hub when the drive shaft goes through the spindle. There is a clip, washer and a hub gasket I recall for the hub to spindle. Not a whole lot... Cant leave them out though.
 
#41 ·
Way to many hours.... More on research/internet searching than actual wrenching....

I've read threads where some have done the conversion over the course of a single 2-day weekend. I can see how that is possible - It sure wasn't in my case...

Shopping around for parts, it is possible to spend as little as $1,500 for all the parts. - (assuming that no other work is needed, etc.)

I'm not sure if a professional shop could do it any quicker. Unless the shop has done one or more of these conversions already, the cost is going to greatly increase as they spend time researching... John (Stealth4x4) is the first person I've ever heard from that paid a shop to do the conversion. If he doesn't mind sharing, I'd be interested in knowing what they charged him.. ;)

At least I think I remember reading that he took his truck to YotaMasters for the conversion.... Correct me if I'm wrong.
 
#40 ·
Nice work getting it all worked out this far. As you know, a 4wd conversion is not really a quick simple project for most guys. You are going to be so happy with your newfound off-roading ability in that truck when its all done. I drove my Prerunner for 5 years before doing the conversion, and when it was done, the first time I had it in the hills in 4wd I was AMAZED at how different it feels behind the wheel. As a Prerunner it felt like the truck was always pushing, bouncing and hopping its way over obstacles. In 4wd it pulls itself over the obstacles in a nice controlled crawl. You're gonna love it.

I have manual hubs on my conversion too and I really like them. I have not had any of the cold weather issues that some others have had with them "sticking" either, since I live and spend most of my time in Arizona and Southern CA or Mexico. You probably won't have any problems in TX either.

I know you're not quite done yet, but congratulations on getting this far anyway. Post up some more pics as you complete the project.
 
#42 ·
You should head out to Spring creek with us sometime :D
 
#43 ·
Hey Rick,

Yeah, I paid the good folks at Yotamasters to do the conversion for us while we were busy working 7 days a week on a job out in southern CA using our other Taco for transportation. We knew we needed 4wd for an upcoming desert project (they refused to hire us unless we had a 4wd), and were looking at either renting a 4wd for 2-3 weeks and basically throwing that money away, trading in one of our Tacos and buying a new 4wd ($30k), or else paying someone to do the conversion for us in a hurry before the desert job started up, and getting something in return for that expense. So we had some unique incentive to get it done in a hurry. If we had more time and weren't under the gun and so far from home at the time, I would have liked to do the conversion at my place. But I was really happy with how it worked out in the end. Since we were looking at spending a load on renting/insuring a capable 4wd for so long anyway, we felt like it was a better deal to just pay someone to convert our truck, then we'd have it whenever we needed it for another project. As it worked out, that one job in the desert more than paid for the conversion, and now we have a 4wd to go wheeling in and for future jobs.

That is basically the only wrenching besides oil changes and tires that we have anyone else do to our truck. I generally feel like doing my own wrenching is the best way to really know my vehicle, and if you have some tools it just makes sense not to pay someone for work that you could do yourself. Parts are cheap compared to labor. It required a lot of trust and faith to just let someone else do it, to be honest. But Eric and Jay took good care of me and my truck, and kept me in the loop as the build progressed. We exchanged a lot of phone calls, e-mails, and made a few trips to the shop to see how it was going. Most of the time involved was in finding parts. It was a little stressful just handing the keys over for such a big job, and in retrospect I wish I could have been even more involved, but we were just too busy with work. In the end it worked out well for us. Also, we agreed on a price for the whole job before they got started. So I didn't get into that scenario where the longer the shop has my truck, the more it costs.

Cost will vary depending on what you do with your old parts, how much you get for them, etc. On my conversion we went with a 4wd tranny, not an inchworm, so my old 2wd tranny, spindles, etc. were there to sell to offset some of the cost of the new parts and labor. Yotamasters charged me $5,000 for the conversion, which seemed a little steep at the time, but we were sort of in a bind, and like I say it paid for itself after the first job where we used the truck. Also they left me the used parts to sell to offset my costs a little. And like I said, we were gonna drop a bunch on a rental or a new truck anyway.

In retrospect it worked out great, and Mel and I were very happy with the work they did for us, and the cost. I do wish I had been able to take the time and do the work at our place myself, though. You know how it is when you're really into your truck, you want to do everything yourself.
 
#44 ·
I understand, and it is good to know that shops such as YotaMasters are willing to undertake a job like this... And I know what you mean /feel about leaving the keys with someone else to do the work...

In the end, you have the truck you wanted - and that's all that counts - specially if the income from one job paid for the conversion!

Say "Hi" to Mel from me and Dianne...
 
#45 ·
She's right here, and says hello. She paused for a minute when I told her Rick and Dianne say hi. Then a light went on and she said, " oh yeah, I remember. She's a Miami fan, right?"

Hahaha, you gotta love it! When your wife remembers people by what football team they like = she's a keeper!

John
 
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