Anyone want to chime in on whether this could be pulled off? I've got a bad tranny that's apparently not covered under the extended warranty. Here's the thread I started about that whole ball of fun.

Tranny fun

Anyway, if I am going to have to put in a tranny anyway why not put in a 4wd? I am thinking I could find a totalled 4runner or taco from a junkyard and get all the parts I need. Think it could be pulled off?

 

i think it could be pulled off... just keep in mind it will cost more doing it then you will anticipate, at least 2x as much and you must also evaluate if it is worth it to you to do it....

i have an 85 4x2 and i will one day be converting it to a SAS 4x4, from all that i have pieced together, i am looking @ spending about $3500 on making it a 4x4, thats a tcase, tranny, front diff, and all the little things needed tom ake it work, plus some labor of having a professional do the welding.... i will be doing all my own footwork, and modifiying of parts myself though, and hten just take it somewhere and be like weld this here and so on...

 

DO IT!
Schaefer is selling his front diff with 5.29's and an ARB locker for $900. A steal if you ask me.

 

An A340F trans shouldn't cost any more than another A340E that's in there now. What I would do is look for a junk yard deal on an A340F with transfer case and drive shaft. That shouldn't be too much more than just the trans since you're buying somebody's "junk" all at one time. That way you have half the conversion done. You need to get a new plastic piece in front of the console so your transer case shifter will fit. When all that is done, you'll have 2wd hi and lo plus the transmission you needed in the first place.

 

I'm sure it's doable, you would need tranny, tcase, driveshaft (front and rear I assume), probably all springs (if you want it at the same height as stock 4x4), front diff/axle, harness, maybe ECU if you want it to light the dash/turn off ABS in 4lo, and I'm sure a bunch of other stuff I am not aware of. Seems like the best way would be to get everything you need from 1 wrecked 4runner, a Taco would probably work too.

 

I didn't even think about the ECU and wiring harness part of it. I wonder if the 2wd ecu is different that the 4wd.

I'm starting to think that me trying to make the best out a bad situation may not work this time. Crap. The dealer wants 4200 bucks to put in a new tranny. Guess I'll be calling some junk yards.

 

I'd run from that too. Nitro has a page that describes his 4x2 to 4x4 conversion, and it's a great reference for what parts you'll need. If you've got the cash, then I'd say go for it.

 

this might help a tad:
http://fastq.com/~sschaefer/2WDto4WD...sion/index.htm

 

I bought a 5spd tranny for about $300US and a elocking diff with matching front diff (same gear ratio) for about $700. I paid mostly for the elocking diff, because the guy at the yard said he had a lot of front axles. There is no demand for front diffs from 4runners.
I don't think it should cost you more then $1500 in parts and some time. I think over here I could do it for about $1000 to $1200. I lucked out that I get along with the guy at the yard, and I make sure I am not unreasonable to him either.

 

Check your PM's

 

I'd consider just buting a 4x4 before attempting that nightmare. I know the frame on my '93 truck was beefed up compared to the 2wd/4 banger frames...