4x4 conversion thread idea.

Fixed it !!
Thanks

 

Ok... First of all, props to the OP for posting this thread. I was finding the EXACT situation you were when searching for answers. Everything was all over the place, with multiple assholes with the whole "just sell your truck and buy a 4x" line sprinkled in.

I'm in the VERY begining stages of doing this swap. I have a 2002 V6 Auto now. I plan on doing manual locking hubs with none of the ADD/wiring/vacuum line nonsense.

My first question is... if I buy manual locking hubs (like 1998 4x4 hubs) what year spindles am I looking for? Will any 4x4 spindle 1996 up to 2004 work for my application?

 

You'll need spindles/steering knuckles from a truck that had manual hubs. I'm actually in the middle of doing my 4x4 conversion right now. I finished rebuilding the front differential, and today I did the FR steering knuckle. Still trying to press the FL upper ball joint out.

Here's the FR side I just rebuilt. New hubs, pawl and clutch, and powder coated manual hub faces.

 

to be fair that's legit advice for the many assholes who have never turned a wrench or broken a sweat

 

I've been watching your progress in "What have you done 1st gen thread"

Damn, you've been having a bitch of a time with those ball joints!

So a manual locking hub will not fit in a spindle (steering knuckle assembly) that had an auto locker?

 

The actual hubs that are pressed inside the steering knuckle will fit in any steering knuckle regardless of 2WD/ABS/4WD, but you will have to press out the hub/bearing assembly with a hydraulic press which is rather difficult. It's much easier to buy Steering knuckles that are set up for manual Hubs.

 

Ok, I get what ypur saying about difficulty of pressing the hub assembly. But I just wanted to find out if it is possible. Trying to source steering knuckles from ONLY trucks that had manual hubs, severly limits the donor pool.

Toyota stopped offering manual hubs in 1999.

 

I have some manual hubs and hub bodies that you can use - I rebuilt mine with all new parts and I kept the old ones. The dial face is brand new never been on a vehicle before, since I powder coated my old ones I didn't swap them over. Toyota does still sell them to this day.

 

I freshly repacked then with grease. The dial face is completely brand new from Toyota and never used.

 

My plan is to buy these... I just need to make sure what spindle (steering knuckle) will work.

 

You can use any spindle. You need the hubs for manual hubs to press in if they are not manual already

 

That's kind of what I thoight. If I'm planning on replacing the entire locking hub assembly, I was figuring any 1st gen 4x4 spindle would work.

 

You can even use 2WD spindles. It's the hub that matters.

 

Well shit... that makes things even easier!

 

I’ve got a set from a 2004 Prerunner if interested.

 

Where are you located?

And just to make sure, the spindles from a Prerunner have the ablility for the cv to pass through into the hub? I just had the spindles off me Prerunner last weekend but didn't really look at the hubs or the back side of the spindle where the hub mounts.

 

Yep, the dust cover comes off yhe back and you would just press out the Prerunner hubs and press in 4x4 manual hub, hubs.

I’m in Texas but will ship

 

Let me check and see if there's anything here local, so we don't have to get in to shipping expenses. I'll let ya know.

 

Wait what? You don't need to buy new spindles if you're pressing in the hubs you just use the ones on your truck already.

 

Ya... I know. But I'm looking to get a set to clean up, have gussets welded on, then paint them up. Then I'll install SPC upper races, clean, paint and trim the dust covers to accept Tundra calipers and mount the manual locking hubs.

In other words, I want a set of spindles that I can rebuild and prep while I'm running the set I have on my daily driver.

If that makes any sense.