UKrunner

Im hoping to be picking up a complete body shell to drop on my 4Runner shortly. My wife flattened the drivers side during an ice storm and quotes to fix it where ridiculous. So body swap it is, because I don't want to loose a perfect chassis and running gear housing a nice running 3.4 swap.

So, has anyone got a guide on how to swap over a shell? Someone also mentioned to me that they have a 3rd gen shell I could take but neither of us knows if it would fit to a second gen frame. Anyone got any experience fitting a 3rd gen body to a 2nd gen frame?

wii_tarded

My father-in-law drives a 3rd, and I will be at his house tonight, I'll look at the mounting points where I can have the two different styles side by side. Right off, I don't think it will work.

blake.nemitz

im also curious about this. i wanna swap a 3rd onto my 2nd gen runner. keep us posted

peow130

Are you talking about swapping a 1989 to 1995 4runner body onto a 1986 to 1989 frame?
Or a 1995+ body onto a 89-95 frame?

UKrunner

I want to swap a 90 - 95 body on a 91 frame. This is the help I'm looking for.
However I've heard that it might be possible to swap a 95 - 00 body on a 90 - 95 frame. I was wondering if anyone had done it.

wii_tarded

As far as the same gen swap, you will need a lot of space and a lift. The rest would be the straight forward things that make sense (wiring harness, gas filler....that's why a 3rd gen wont go on a 2nd gen frame..... gas tanks are on different sides and thus the exhaust is ran differently. If the body mounts were to actually line up, you'd still have to deal with those issues.

blake.nemitz

if it were me i would just add a gas door to the passenger side and seam in the old one on the drivers side.

peow130

Or do it the right way, swap in a "3rd" generation tank, and have the exhaust shop run the exhaust the other side.

Or save yourself the trouble and just buy a "3rd" gen.

Terrys87

iTrader: (1)

I havent tried swapping different generation of bodys to frames. You said you have a 3.4, so I dont know what will be different. I did pickups, but there arent any real changes that I have seen that would make this more difficult, other than weight when doing a 4Runner. I do know on the 1st gen 4Runner on the driverside behind the rear tire there is a wire disconnect point that would make removing the wiring and the body from the frame easier. But about everything is the same for a 84-88 pickup and 89-95 pick up.

On my #88 post is a how too also. https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f199...99/index4.html

Fierohinks Frame Rot https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f116...s-pics-228184/

Body Swap / Frame Swap

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I have talked to a couple of other people on here about doing frame swap or body swaps. I have done two and tried to write out a nice way of doing this. I did the swaps before finding Yotatech and wish I would of taken pictures. I figured I would put this in my thread so if others do a search on it, it might make finding this thread easier and so I can call it up quick if I need it. I havent done a 4runner but the steps would be about the same. If you can pull a motor or tranny you can swap bodies/frames. Its very doable and nothing to be afraid of. I did the 22re's.

I did the 22re's. Apparently a 3.0 and 22res frame arent interchangeable without redoing the motor mounts. I am sure everythign here would apply to a 3.0, but I havent done this so will not say for sure. 84-88 Pickup frames and 89-95 frames are not interchange able from what I have been told.

On the 84-89 4runner behind the Drivers rear tire is a wire disconnect point, for the tailgate and lights that would make separating the wires for body removal. Im sure a 90-95 4Runner would be the same, but I havent done one so cant say for sure.

Fierohinks has some pic in his thread for some ideas and what things will look like. https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f116...s-pics-228184/



I didnt have a lift, so if you were going to leave the drive train in, there are some steps that would be different and I will try and write them up as best as I can at a later time.

First I center the Steering Wheel and remove the motor and tranny. If you have a lift and can get the body high enough this would really help, but this is how I have to do this.

Getting the Steering Wheel and wheels straight just makes it alot easier for later. When I take the cab off and put it back on is when I install and remove the Steering Rod is probably the most hardest. You may find another way, but this works for me.

Then on the frame by the right front tire you have 2 brake lines to disconnect. This is the best place to do it as it keeps the lines on the cab intact and the frame lines will stay intact. This will take care of your brake issues.

I then disconnect the Wiring harness under the Passenger side seat and this will let the cab come off with out any problems other than you front blinkers and I take the Front Bumper off just so I dont have to lift the cab so high. Leave the wiring harness to the Tail lights/ Fuel Pump on the back half of the frame til later. You can get it when you take the bed off. All of your electrical and computer wires will come with the cab. This is set up quite nice. Just mark all of your wires and such when you pull your motor. When you pull your motor, you will have taken care of alot of other steps like fuel lines.

You have 6 bolts that hold the cab to the frame. The cab and front end come off in one piece. I already have the hood off. I leave fenders, doors, and interior in. 2 bolts by the Radiator, 2 bolts behind the front tires, and 2 bolts toward the rear of the cab is all that hold the cab to the frame. You can tell them as they sit on the outside of the frame and have rubber bushings. You may have to lift your carpet to hold them with wrench to take the nut off.

You have 8-10 bolts that hold the bed on. They have a tab that sticks in the bed so you dont have to have a wrench to hold the top. You should take some PB Blaster a nite or two ahead of time before you do this as most or all of the bolts will break. They are special so you will need to get some from Toyota or the salvage. Also I have had problems of these nuts backing off when I have had a bed bolt off before so I would suggest using locktite. I use 4 concrete blocks and set the bed on these with the floor of the bed on the blocks so I dont have to worry about damaging the bed sides.

Once all of this is done, I use some concrete blocks and 4x4 wood to support the cab. If your rocker panels are in good shape you can rest it on the wood. If not you might want to support it using blocks of wood between the 4x4 and floor. I set the concrete blocks about a foot from the cab to clear the front tires. This way could be a little unstable so be careful or you might have some other way of doing this. Here is whereI get 3 other guys to help lift the cab. 2 lifting and 2 setting up the stand for the cab. The back is heavy, but the front is light. I go about a foot high off of the frame for everything to clear, but work the frame out slowly and make sure it is high enough. I back the frame out as the front part of the frame is lower than the back part.

I get the new frame with axles in them or you can just put yours in. Put the wiring harness for the back part of the truck and fuel tank in and hopefully you will have brake lines and fuel lines already on or you will get to do that too. Try and get a frame with this stuff already on It will save you a lot of time. Put your exhaust in before you move the new frame under the cab.

Before I start all of this, I try to have the new frame prepped as far as I can. Without counting motor/tranny removal and having the frame ready. I have done this in about 20 total hours using basic tools in a weekend by myself except lifting the cab and body. Cutting torch for bolts, air tools, and a lift would be soooo nice. If you can get the body high enough it would make swapping alot easier, but I dont have access to a lift so this is how I do it. The first time I did this I was intimidated, but by the time I had the old frame out I wasnt in the least bit concerened. If you can pull a motor and tranny out, you wont have any problems. You will be quite surprised when you do it. Any questions that come up, feel free to ask.

If you are going to use a lift and keep the drive train in you will need to

Disconnect your fuel line from fuel filter.
Remove your electrical lines from your injectors and sensors.
Disconnect your electrical lines from your transmission, O2 sensor and transfer case.

These are some steps that are different from pulling the motor. Im sure there are more steps but this will get you started in the right direction.

tlrskunk

If you try this i would like to know. As a double cab Tacoma with a Flat bed would look sick for the back of my 4runner. I just really don't want to have to chop off the back of my 4runner.