generalee7

OK, I know someone here has to know an answer to this. In January I'll be doing a solid axle swap on my 98 Tacoma Limited. Right now, I have the 4wd shifter with the button on it. (Push the button and engage the 4wd) I've searched all the sites (TTORA, pirate, 4x4 wire) but can't figure out if pushing that button will engage the t-case when I do the swap. Even with the IFS cut out and the ADD gone, will the "4WD" button still engage the t-case? Thanks guys

Glenn

I believe that pushing the button should still shift the transfer case into 4wd. You aren't changing the transfer case, so that part should remain unaffected.

Why are you doing a SAS?

generalee7

So I'm not spending double the amount of money lifting IFS and buying tires and all that stuff. Might as well do it now while I live at home so that when I move out, I won't have to worry about paying rent and saving money for the SAS then. If I cut the IFS off now while it's still somewhat good, I can sell a lot of it easier. I already have like 3/4 the parts I need, just asking some questions as I go along.

Nobody

When you get to doin' the change out....

I would like to purchase your half shafts

they should fit my SR5 99 Runner (3.4)

generalee7

Sorry man, already have a buyer for my whole front suspension. He's converting from 2wd to 4wd on his Tacoma

Nobody

No worries...

Converting from 2wd??
tell him to please do some kind of writeup on it~! - thats gonna be interesting...

Brown

There's a TTORA member here in GA who just completed a 2wd to 4wd conversion. Haven't seen any pics or writeup yet, but it has already been done-- and I'm sure he wasn't the first either.

Tacoma Dude

Some guy on 4x4 wire has offered his help with this stuff.
I e-mailed him and this was his response:

Hi Pete, I'd be glad to fill you in on the details if you're interested in pursuing a conversion for your Prerunner. I poked all over the internet and I swear I think I'm the only person that has done this so far. Most of the response that I have gotten is "well why didn't you just BUY a 4wd to begin with?" Well it wasn't quite that simple for me. I knew what truck I wanted and I needed it to fit in my budget, so at the time, a Prerunner was the only thing that would work. I knew that I could later make it 4wd if I could only find a complete donor truck for a reasonable price. This is what I did. Is your prerunner an automatic or 5 speed? I don't think I've seen too many 5 speed prerunners and if I'm not mistaken, I don't think they even offered a 5 speed with the V6 in my year ('98). I don't know about later years. What you will need is a complete front axle, a transmission and transfer case (can't use your existing transmission because it does not have the right tail shaft to accept a transfer case), you'll need a clutch assembly and flywheel if converting from auto to manual and you'll need a front driveshaft and at least the front portion of the rear driveshaft for a 4wd. I would recommend you use the entire driveshaft from another truck to avoid and balance problems. (A prerunner driveshaft is longer than one for a 4wd) The hardest part about the conversion if you don't have a complete donor truck is getting the front hubs ready to accept a drive axle. The prerunner hubs are essentially a manual type 4wd hub that don't have any guts in em. They're not drilled for studs and they don't have any stub axle support bearings in them. THey'll have to be changed. I would not recommend you use an ADD type axle mainly because it's kind of a complicated task to get the vacuum switched part of the axle set up to work right without the factory equipment. I ran into this problem because I had first bought JUST an ADD axle (ADD means automatic disconnecting drive axle) when I got ready to start the conversion. I had not yet located the rest of the parts. Later I found a complete truck that had manual hubs, which is what I eventually switched to. ANYWAY, the best thing to do with your front hubs for whatever type of axle you use is to just swap out the entire spindle/hub assembly from a 4wd truck. They're the same as the Prerunner spindle, but the hubs are different and they're pressed into the wheel bearing TIGHTER THAN HELL and they are an absolute BITCH to get out. I would highly recommend you just swap the entire assembly. The rest of the conversion is pretty straight forward. If you're converting from an original automatic trans to a 5 speed like I did you'll have to install the clutch pedal assembly and clutch master cylinder on the firewall. You'll also have to jumper some wiring on the transmission harness in order to be able to start your truck and you'lll have to jumper some wiring in the same connector to get back up lights. You will have a check engine light after the removal of the auto trans....because the ECU will be looking for feedback from various sensors on the auto tranny and it won't be getting it. I removed my check engine light bulb, but if you really wanted to, you could procure a wiring diagram and figure out what kinda resistance the various tranny sensors offer and go to radio shack and get the correct resistor to install in the blank plug on the tranny harness. I didn't bother with this because it has absolutely NO effect on the way your truck will run. The manual trans shifters will fit right in the hole that the auto trans shifter will leave in your cab floor when you remove it. Might take some slight trimming on the front part of the hole. Then you'll have to install the shifter boot out of the 5 speed truck and get a different front piece for you console. I bought a new one from toyota that matched my interior. If you are an experienced mechanic and have a reasonable amount of finess, you'll be able to accomplish this in the course of one day provided you have everything you need. I'm sure there's probably some small details I've left out here. If you are serious about doing this and feel like you might need some help or more advice, my phone number at home is xxx-xxx-xxxx. When you get ready to do it you can give me a call if you want to.

Nitro Hotpants

well now, this is getting very interesting.
it definitely sounds possible. however, i am worried about the cost that would go into a project like this. and i hate to say it, but an experienced mechanic (not me) would have to do most of the work for me.

or we could have a wrench-a-thon!

-Casey

Tacoma Dude

Hey I'm all for that!
Just give me about 10 years to save up, get the experience, get the parts, etc...

beachtaco

that sounds like alot of work. to me, it sounds cheaper just to sas the pre-runner and getting the transmission/transfer case from a donor taco. i think there's one guy in FL who has done this. except he used a toyota axle versus a d44 and an older toy trans/t/c.

joshik

jjdeneen and i have a friend that converted a 2wd 1st gen truck to 4wd... it was quite a task i hear.

JJDENEEN chime in and tell us the story of how Elias converted his truck in his backyard!

kyle_22r

a 2wd 1st gen truck? like a stout? :p

there were a few different pickups toyota made before '79. 2 or 3 generations, if i remember correctly

i'd love to have a '78 with full toyota running gear, those are some cool trucks, my buddy had one(minus 4wd)

joshik

oops... maybe not 1st gen 2wd truck

i think it was like 79 or 80 ... not sure.

JJDENEEN? story please!

atarinaper

first off, hi brian glad to see you here

and that email is quite a task that im sure glad i didnt take on, thank the lord i have 4wd