'06 Prerunner conversion to 4x4

Wow, $4500. I got lucky and sourced most $$$ parts from friends, a750f, crossmember, front diff with mounts/hardware, cv's, a set spindles with hubs, another set of hubs, front driveshaft, and FJ case for $1500 and I have the electronic tcase to sell. I still need a harness, rear driveshaft, shifter, and 4.10 gears installed

 

He bought the inchworm adapter and had the FJ case converted to twin sticks. It can be done for much less than 4500 but that's if you use all stock parts.

 

I read the whole thread, so I understand his cost, and I understand first hand that it can be done cheaper with and without stock parts.

 

Yep. Can be done much cheaper if you are patient and know people that have parts. I was hesitant to put the number out there because I didn't want to deter anyone who was looking to do the conversion. What started adding up for me are all of the mounting brackets, cross member, and converted t-case. I wanted to get it done quick so I had take what I could get and couldn't wait for a lower price.

Thanks for sharing your costs so others know it can be done cheaper. I don't think most people have as good of friends as you, you got a steal for those parts! Some say you would be better off trading in for a 4x4 and most of those saying that are people who don't have a Prerunner and haven't done the homework. In my case I am about even, in yours it is cheaper to convert. I will be closer to $4k after returning some parts that I didn't need.

 

Yea like I said, I got lucky, I have some pretty good friends lol. I wasn't trying to sound like a dick, just sharing what I have spent so far. I pretty much got the crossmember and front shaft for free with the trans and electronic case. I bought my FJ case on eBay for around $430 shipped with around 36k miles on it which was awesome, BUT it didn't come with a shifter, no big deal though. The FJ case is much easier to use for the conversion.

 

I laugh when I see someone tell a person to just trade it in for a 4x4.

 

I would normally say yes trade it in because most the people that ask have now idea how many parts are involved and are not capable of the conversion. OP did his homework and knows the little things like different tail housing for the tranny and hubs. Most the guys think oh diff transfer case that's it. I say good job, there was a member that did the conversion and now he is I believe in the process of doing the SAS.

 

Very true. Like the saying goes, "If you have to ask, then you're not ready for it." Nowadays there is plenty of info out there on the conversion.

 

I still say IFS is a bigger bitch to convert, I conveted a Cherokee I had to 4X4 and on that thing, tranny, front axle, transfer case and driveshafts, that thing was a breeze.

 

You have to do your homework but it is possible for an amateur to do it. I am glad that others have shared their experiences. Everyone's conversion is different because you don't know where they will source there parts from and what shape those parts are going to be in. So the converter has to have some intuition.

@ajohnson, you can get the wiring harness, shifter, and knobs from Wyatt @awsumdc at rocksolidtoys.com (I am sure you know of him if you have done research for this conversion). I don't think any of it is on his website but you can email him. All of my stuff from him will be here on Thursday so I can post a pic of it all if you are interested to see it.

 

Yes we are interested, we are picture people

 

The switch can be sourced from OTRATTW for $20, the most expensive thing is the twin sticks for the FJ case, as not too many people make them.

 

RST ftw! Wyatt is da man!

 

He is helpful. I think he is very busy so you have to be patient.

@Nimble9, @HomerTaco said he has a lot of the parts needed for this conversion over in Bucks County, PA. I wasn't sure if you were interested but I figured I would connect you two.

I received my Tcase last week and am waiting on my harness, sticks, and some flange bolts to come in. I found that if you are not putting in the 4x4 sensors on the tcase, the tcase drain plug works just as well. I will be wrenching this weekend if all goes well! Then she will go on a road trip to SC if I feel like I did my job right.

In the mean time I have installed a new radio head and UltraGauge. Radio head because I wanted to play music from my phone, and the ultra gauge to see what kind of gas mileage I am getting. About 19 right now.

 

if your dealing with Davez off road be patient.

 

I would love to! But when it's paid off

 

At the end of the day, wouldn't it be easier (and probably not much more money) to just do a solid axle swap up front?

 

No.

 

No clue. As far as ease, the IFS was not hard to install. I have never really looked at doing an SAS because I don't think I will want/need it in the future. Wouldn't you have to regear the rear diff with a SAS?

 

You can find front axles with 3.73's but regearing to at least 4.56 is not a bad idea at all. I have 33.5" tires and my truck feels sluggish in certain situations. I mostly ride around in 4th gear instead of drive.

Also with the SAS you lose traction control and ABS since you remove the sensors from the hubs. I'm sure there's a way to reuse them but I haven't heard of such yet.

If you go SAS you might as well go 3 link from the get go instead of leafs which drives the price up tremendously but well worth it.

To sum it up, stay IFS if you're not a hardcore offroader lol