jimbo74

i currently have a 1985 (second gen truck front end/first gen 4 runner front end) 4x2 toyota pickup with a japanese bed on it (exterior bedrails) not sure if anyone has done this before, as i have never seen any like it, but i am planning on making it a 4x4... i figure, while i am at it, i will go with leaf sprung front suspension with a solid axle versus doing that of a later model ifs... the front end frame is the same, as should the rear... however, i currently have 5 lug axles, so i will also be upgrading to a rear end out of an IFS 86+ axle to get the 8" that comes with a wider housing than the current 1985" has, also it will be from a 4x4, so it will have an soa design instead on the rear...

im my quest to gather parts... im looking at the allpro SAS kit for the 86+ 4x4 trucks.... i wont be getting this kit, but parts of it will be included in my buildup.... can anyone think of what i need other than the list im about to list... i have a 5 speed tranny right now on my 4x4, im going to need the tc, i know that, but will it bolt up to my tranny? or will i need a 4x4 tranny? i will have crossover steering, leaf springs, solid axle from a toyota with upgrade bf, will need to convert to power steering, custom driveshaft... what else will i need?

fourwd1

t-case won't bolt-up to your 2WD tranny
you'll need a t-case x-member and mount
4WD IFS PS box for your x-over steering
front and rear drive shafts
a lot of time
a lot of $$



Getting a 4WD truck or Runner will be a heck of a lot easier and cheaper !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

914runner

and stronger

kyle_22r

the only things you'll really have to get other than the ones needed for a garden variety SAS are a 4wd transmission and transfer case, drivelines, and buy a crossmember or rig one up yourself. i think the stock crossmember on a 2wd truck is welded in, so you'd have to torch or grind it off.

you can even use the stock steering box, it's supposedly a little weaker than a 4x4 one but i've never heard of one breaking. however you say you want PS, so i'd just go with a power steering setup from a 4x4 and swap it in.

2wd frames have about as much arch in front as a solid axle 4x4 frame, which is much more than an IFS 4x4 has. makes it easier to run crossover steering with less lift.

SloPoke

Run a divorced tcase and you don't have to worry bout swappin' tannies. Just fab up some mounts, mount it, and rig up some levers. One friend of mine uses air cylinders for air shifters. His shifts by air from 2H to 4h to 4L. Took himn a few moinths to get it all workin' good and the quirks worked out but it's a sweet ass set up. He's recently moved so it may be kinda hard trackin' him down. If you have interest in runnin' a divorced tc, let me know and I'll do my best to hook ya up with him. I know he'll be more than happy to share his experiences with it.

jimbo74

hmmmmm lot of good ideas here....... about the power steering setup... someone mentioned from a 4x4 IFS? or would i want one from a 4x4 with a solid axle? i want crossover steering.... and lift isnt going to be an issue, i want to keep in minimal and still clear 35s, however, 33s will suffice if i can get solid 4x4 with lockers... and i really shouldnt need much lift to be able to do that

jimbo74

as for it being a lot of $ and time, its going to be slowly pieced together over the course of the next few years..... and then the truck will be taken out of general everyday service for awhile once i have accumulated everything...... before the swap, i need to get a street legal dirtbike and a bike license.... so this is a long term plan, not something im just going to have done next week....

superjoe83

you want a box from a IFS rig unless you want push-pull steering which is whats on stock solid axle rigs '79-85', I'm not sure if they will bolt up but i would suggest 4wd front fenders or some fiberglass pre-runner style fenders to fit 35's with out too much lift, maybe a 4wd bed too if the wheel openings are bigger

jimbo74

at the point of tire/fender issues, the fenders will be cut or just removed as needed, so that isnt a problem...... for crossmembers, at that point looking towards budbuilt.... will swap tranny and get a tcase in a heartbeat... so not a problem... custom driveshafts will not be a problem either.... jsut trying to figure out whats needed to be done to make it work... doesnt seem like too much really, as its basically all mechanical.....

kyle_22r

the thing that kind of sucks about a divorced case is that if you don't line it up perfectly, you'll get vibration problems from the u-joint. besides, i think you'll have no problems finding something like a W56 or G52/G54 tranny for less than the $300 that the divorced adapter would cost you.

you'll definitely want a steering box from an IFS truck if you want crossover steering, factory solid axle steering won't let you flex as well without binding

jimbo74

IFS 4x4 Power Steering Box
4x4 Tranny
Transfercase
Budbuilt crossmember
front and rear driveshafts
Front leaf springs
front axle with birfield improvements
parts from the allpro kit to mount the leafs
all bolts and stuff
custom hydraulic lines (ps?, clutch, brake)

kyle_22r

clutch lines should be the same, might need to get some longer rubber brake lines, but the hardlines should work as-is.

as for power steering, just find a truck that has it in a junkyard(easiest way is to find an IFS one and grab the box too) and pull all of that out. it'll bolt right up to your engine. don't forget some kind of steering setup, you'll either want standard crossover or hy-steer

heartsdead

I'm looking to do the same thing, I have a Ranger, selling or trading it isnt an option, i would have gone with 4x4 as an option when i got it, but insurance is too much with 4x4. so i want to convert it to 4x4, i have done a lot of reading the past while, people that have done it before said its not too bad for work and cost, usually around 3,000 or 4,000. Anyone know the cost of it, and if it would work on the existing frame?

rocket

iTrader: (1)

Joins a Toyota forum to ask a Ford question.
Here you go...
http://www.rangerpowersports.com/forum/
http://www.offroadrangers.com/forum/