A prerunner to a 4x4...worth it???

There's a couple guys on here that have done it for about a grand. First gens have it way easy on sourcing parts for cheap. I looked into it on my 2011 and I was looking at easily 5k+ to change over to 4x4. Decided to just return to stock and trade in in the end. If I had a good paid off first gen though I'd tackle it for sure

 

Changing out a transmission and adding a front drive line would be nowhere near a reconstructed vehicle.

Insurance would not change. As it is still a 2wd truck in anyone who runs the vins eyes. You just added pieces to make it 4wd. Nothing would change it just comes down to when or if you decide to sell it you would just say it is a converted 4x4.

 

wow so much negativity about this.

1. It's not hard and you utilize factory made parts
2. There is tons of information and how to's all over the forums
3. This can be done in 2 phases, 1 front drivetrain / 2 transmission
4. Frankenstein is a matter of the installer.

It took me several years of collecting parts based on my budget of fun money. I collected all parts and spares off of forums as they became available. I did phase 1 of a suspension rebuild, knuckle change to manual hubs, installed front diff, and associated tasks. Drove it for 6 months before i got my transmission swapped out. Then another 3 weeks to finalize the wiring of my transfer case wiring as I couldn't source a j shift TC for a price i thought was fair. None the less, I wired up the motor to a DPDT switch with a relay and have an active light/2wd light/4wd light. Works like is should. Finished my install at 180k miles and still daily driving at 240k miles. Take your time, do your homework, and then fully plan out your swap. Take the time to do some maintenance while you have things apart like ball joints/tie rod ends/u-joints and the like. Get the people you need lined up as you will need help, I had a Toyota Master Mechanic help me with the transmission swap. Last step is to smile wide when you use it for the first time!!!

 

Interested in doing this to my 03 PreRunner as well. Just picked up two 4WD pickups for $1500 . Is it possible to use the 4x4 components from a 94-95 to do the conversion? One of the trucks is missing rear end but has all of the 4x4 components I would need.

 

The only issue would be the driveshaft I would think. Most parts are interchangeable

 

Thanks

 

None of the parts are interchangeable. Unless modified.

 

Pre 95 are torsion bar setup on front the Tacoma/3rd gen 4runners are coil overs. Totally different setup.
Front driveshaft are on opposite sides, the front diffs are different. The rear ends are different, leaf springs are different. It can be done with a lot of cutting and welding, but not a unbolt and rebolt conversion. You might as well do a SAS.

 

Lmao