1. Welcome to Tacoma World!

    You are currently viewing as a guest! To get full-access, you need to register for a FREE account.

    As a registered member, you’ll be able to:
    • Participate in all Tacoma discussion topics
    • Communicate privately with other Tacoma owners from around the world
    • Post your own photos in our Members Gallery
    • Access all special features of the site

3rd Gen or 4x4 Conversion?

Discussion in '1st Gen. Tacomas (1995-2004)' started by KidWithATacoma, Oct 25, 2020.

  1. Oct 25, 2020 at 8:00 PM
    #1
    KidWithATacoma

    KidWithATacoma [OP] Taco and Tacos Lover

    Joined:
    Jul 4, 2016
    Member:
    #191186
    Messages:
    534
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Mac
    Arlington, VA
    Vehicle:
    2021 TRD Offroad
    Debt
    Good Evening,

    I am in a situation. I have a 2003 Toyota Tacoma 2WD with a locking rear diff. This truck has impressed me with how much it can do but it will never be on the same level as a 4x4. I want to be able to play with the better trucks and more intense trails.

    I see myself with some options:
    1) Sell my truck and get a 3rd gen with 4x4
    2) Sell my truck and get an older 4x4 Toyota
    3) 4x4 swap my current taco so I can keep all my current mods
    4) Try and find a 2003 4x4 taco and swap all my mods over to it

    I don't really want to sell the truck just to take on a bunch of debt and have to make monthly payments on top of monthly insurance bills. Additionally, a new truck means a clean slate.

    Interested to see what y'all think of!

    -Mac

    IMG_1571.jpg
    2003 Toyota Tacoma
     
  2. Oct 25, 2020 at 8:10 PM
    #2
    Black DOG Lila

    Black DOG Lila Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 14, 2019
    Member:
    #296344
    Messages:
    9,116
    Virginia
    Vehicle:
    2003 Tacoma SR5 2.7 5 speed 4WD
    Stock. EZ pass.Dump pass.Inspection sticker.Convict printed lic.plates.FG cap.
    #3
    If yours is an automatic transmission
    find a MT matched to Jshift Tcase and wire harness/4wd ECU
    Manually locking front hubs optional but recommended.
     
  3. Oct 25, 2020 at 8:10 PM
    #3
    Dalandser

    Dalandser ¡Me Gustan Las Tacos-mas!

    Joined:
    Feb 19, 2015
    Member:
    #149090
    Messages:
    17,644
    First Name:
    Anthony
    Downey
    Vehicle:
    08 PreRunner Regular Cab / 98 4x4 Extra Cab
    Empty Wallet Mod
    How much modding can you do yourself?
     
  4. Oct 25, 2020 at 8:18 PM
    #4
    markmizzou

    markmizzou Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 2, 2016
    Member:
    #203823
    Messages:
    2,631
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Mark
    Missouri
    Vehicle:
    17 SR5 V6 4x4 AC AT tow pkg. Blue as they come
    A back step for when I get older, Carhartt seatcovers, 4Runner wheels, Topper, and "tats all folks"! --for now!!
    Great lookin truck!
     
  5. Oct 25, 2020 at 8:19 PM
    #5
    KidWithATacoma

    KidWithATacoma [OP] Taco and Tacos Lover

    Joined:
    Jul 4, 2016
    Member:
    #191186
    Messages:
    534
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Mac
    Arlington, VA
    Vehicle:
    2021 TRD Offroad
    Debt
    Between friends, the auto hobby shop on base, and my experience I'd say quite a bit if I had someone to walk me through a conversion that would be ideal!
     
  6. Oct 25, 2020 at 8:20 PM
    #6
    KidWithATacoma

    KidWithATacoma [OP] Taco and Tacos Lover

    Joined:
    Jul 4, 2016
    Member:
    #191186
    Messages:
    534
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Mac
    Arlington, VA
    Vehicle:
    2021 TRD Offroad
    Debt
    Do you have experience with a swap?
     
  7. Oct 25, 2020 at 8:28 PM
    #7
    KidWithATacoma

    KidWithATacoma [OP] Taco and Tacos Lover

    Joined:
    Jul 4, 2016
    Member:
    #191186
    Messages:
    534
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Mac
    Arlington, VA
    Vehicle:
    2021 TRD Offroad
    Debt
  8. Oct 25, 2020 at 8:29 PM
    #8
    Dalandser

    Dalandser ¡Me Gustan Las Tacos-mas!

    Joined:
    Feb 19, 2015
    Member:
    #149090
    Messages:
    17,644
    First Name:
    Anthony
    Downey
    Vehicle:
    08 PreRunner Regular Cab / 98 4x4 Extra Cab
    Empty Wallet Mod
  9. Oct 25, 2020 at 8:35 PM
    #9
    KidWithATacoma

    KidWithATacoma [OP] Taco and Tacos Lover

    Joined:
    Jul 4, 2016
    Member:
    #191186
    Messages:
    534
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Mac
    Arlington, VA
    Vehicle:
    2021 TRD Offroad
    Debt
    I'm way over my head here. I need to do a lot more research...
     
    Dalandser and High Noon like this.
  10. Oct 25, 2020 at 8:44 PM
    #10
    KidWithATacoma

    KidWithATacoma [OP] Taco and Tacos Lover

    Joined:
    Jul 4, 2016
    Member:
    #191186
    Messages:
    534
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Mac
    Arlington, VA
    Vehicle:
    2021 TRD Offroad
    Debt
    That would be so great and if I had someone up in my region to guide me!

    Ideally would be to slowly gather everything and then power through the swap in a weekend!
     
  11. Oct 25, 2020 at 8:49 PM
    #11
    KidWithATacoma

    KidWithATacoma [OP] Taco and Tacos Lover

    Joined:
    Jul 4, 2016
    Member:
    #191186
    Messages:
    534
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Mac
    Arlington, VA
    Vehicle:
    2021 TRD Offroad
    Debt
    That he did, that was much appreciated @Dalandser
     
  12. Oct 25, 2020 at 8:50 PM
    #12
    Nano909

    Nano909 Stirrer Of Pots

    Joined:
    May 8, 2020
    Member:
    #327296
    Messages:
    1,169
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    Xcab 3.4 4wd 5MT
    Definitely 4wd conversion. You already have the truck and you know everything about it.
     
    Ritchie, Chako and KidWithATacoma[OP] like this.
  13. Oct 25, 2020 at 8:51 PM
    #13
    Dalandser

    Dalandser ¡Me Gustan Las Tacos-mas!

    Joined:
    Feb 19, 2015
    Member:
    #149090
    Messages:
    17,644
    First Name:
    Anthony
    Downey
    Vehicle:
    08 PreRunner Regular Cab / 98 4x4 Extra Cab
    Empty Wallet Mod
    Try the search menu here. I put the key word "conversion" in the first gen builds section and narrowed the results with "search titles only" and "search this forum only" - the search option has to really be narrowed down in order to be useful unfortunately.

    https://www.tacomaworld.com/forums/1st-gen-builds-1995-2004.102/
     
  14. Oct 25, 2020 at 8:58 PM
    #14
    TacoG214

    TacoG214 Member

    Joined:
    Jul 31, 2020
    Member:
    #336174
    Messages:
    6
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Garrett
    Vehicle:
    2003 Tacoma 2.4
    swapped from 2WD to 4WD
    I swapped my 03 pre runner. I recommend doing it as well, it was some interesting shit and pretty fun. Took me and my dad a long weekend, could have done it quicker, but we are no mechanics. Keep the mods and do the conversion.
     
    POSTacoMike, High Noon and Dalandser like this.
  15. Oct 25, 2020 at 9:00 PM
    #15
    KidWithATacoma

    KidWithATacoma [OP] Taco and Tacos Lover

    Joined:
    Jul 4, 2016
    Member:
    #191186
    Messages:
    534
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Mac
    Arlington, VA
    Vehicle:
    2021 TRD Offroad
    Debt
    Wanna help a brother out with a parts list?
     
  16. Oct 25, 2020 at 9:01 PM
    #16
    KidWithATacoma

    KidWithATacoma [OP] Taco and Tacos Lover

    Joined:
    Jul 4, 2016
    Member:
    #191186
    Messages:
    534
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Mac
    Arlington, VA
    Vehicle:
    2021 TRD Offroad
    Debt
    Yeah and with a small house, keeping parts somewhere is gonna be interesting. Although I bet I could bother my buddy with an actual house to keep his parts there.
     
  17. Oct 25, 2020 at 9:06 PM
    #17
    Kwikvette

    Kwikvette Well-Known Member Vendor

    Joined:
    Feb 27, 2019
    Member:
    #284735
    Messages:
    82,173
    Gender:
    Male
    Fresno County
    4 run, 2 don't
    Yeah parts were surprisingly quick to gather, and even quicker to sell :rofl:

    Only thing is, the OP has drive by wire so he'll have to source the right transmission.
     
    KidWithATacoma[OP] and High Noon like this.
  18. Oct 25, 2020 at 9:08 PM
    #18
    TacoG214

    TacoG214 Member

    Joined:
    Jul 31, 2020
    Member:
    #336174
    Messages:
    6
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Garrett
    Vehicle:
    2003 Tacoma 2.4
    swapped from 2WD to 4WD
    Got most of my parts from a wrecked 97' The tranny with only 100 k on it as well as front spindles, front diff, Manuel hubs, front driveline, the shifter. Bought the front axels brand new and the gear ratio in the front diff were 4.10s as my back diff is 4.56s so we sent it to some guy and had it rebuilt for a few hundred bucks. Also had to pay $200 to a driveline shop to have the stock back driveline shortened by like 20 inches so that it would fit.
     
  19. Oct 25, 2020 at 9:18 PM
    #19
    KidWithATacoma

    KidWithATacoma [OP] Taco and Tacos Lover

    Joined:
    Jul 4, 2016
    Member:
    #191186
    Messages:
    534
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Mac
    Arlington, VA
    Vehicle:
    2021 TRD Offroad
    Debt
    I bet they were. Slay bodies, Devil.
     
  20. Oct 25, 2020 at 9:20 PM
    #20
    KidWithATacoma

    KidWithATacoma [OP] Taco and Tacos Lover

    Joined:
    Jul 4, 2016
    Member:
    #191186
    Messages:
    534
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Mac
    Arlington, VA
    Vehicle:
    2021 TRD Offroad
    Debt
    Hows my list going?
    Transmission
    Front spindles
    Front diff
    Manuel hubs
    Front driveline
    The shifter
    Front axels
     

Products Discussed in

To Top