Is it possible to add 4x4

I say get the best off road tires you can
for Mud in the biggest size that works with no lift and enjoy. As long as you live in FL you really don’t need 4wd.

 

OP, FWIW, stick some good tires and a locker in it and it’ll do 90% of what you want. I’ve had my truck for a better part of a decade, TRD OR Prerunner and it’s been a slow build, now doing a swap 8 years later, but the only thing I can’t really do is rock crawling over boulders. Fire roads. Easier trails, sand, snow, mud. It’ll teach you to be a better driver and learn to work within the capabilities of the vehicle. If you’re worried about getting stuck, run a hidden winch plate and have some recovery gear on board and Enjoy the truck!

 

Oh yeah, it's possible, but before you start inform the kids they are on their own for college cause all the money is going into the beast.

 

I think if you set your goals to only do the following it is plausible, and perhaps reasonable. This is what I would pursue:

1-add manual transfer case.

2-add front diff assembly and 4WD components with ADD defeated.

3-add manually locking hubs.

You will have a 3G Tacoma with manual 4WD, which is what we all want anyways.

Conversely:

To make the truck factory identical to a 4WD Tacoma is possible, but will be a very long road. Basically from the dashboard to the ECU to the brake cylinder, you are going to need to go shopping. This will be expensive, but maybe worth it to you.

Good luck. I hope you do your brother’s memory proud.

 

In before the

 

Sorry to hear your brother pass and wanted you to have his truck ..I would cherish it a lot too...
Best thing for you and your brother..is keep it the way it is.2-wheel drive ...he may have wanted it that way? Or not? Only you know your brother.

Maybe it might be best to buy another truck with four wheel drive... I am sure he didn’ t want you to spent all of your money
Aloha,

 

He’s not exactly wrong with his comment. He’s said the same thing multiple times....basically trading the truck is not an option, yet next post is....”trade it for a 4x4”. Lol. It’s funny how people have forgotten how to read.

@Dirty_lu954
My vote is tires, locker and recovery gear. I have a 4x2, so I get it. You will be able to do 90% of what a 4wd can do with nothing but ability. They will argue with me, but I have seen it

 

you should super charge it, drop it, and put street tires on it.

 

Are...are you trying to say "once again"?

 

oh look!! You can read!!! Add some substance to the post. This is good, though!!!! Let’s point out everyone’s l
“autocorrections” #seewhatididthere

 

I have a front diff I bought years ago.never used it and sold my taco.it weighs a ton would be expensive to ship.and nobody likes a grammar nazi,just saying.

 

Courtesy of @Brian422

4x4 Conversion Informational Guide


Finally, the post that I have been waiting to make. This is not a how to, but informational about the process of a 4x4 conversion. The purpose of me putting this together is to give you some more insight into the process and some useful info i have acquired during my process. Hope this helps!


A little background as to what made my decision. My truck started out as a daily driver that i got back in college. I added the typical 3inch leveling kit and 33-inch tires and drove it around town. But as I started to invest more and more time in TW and going on group rides i learned that I needed more capability out of my truck. I started with a rear ARB locker and let me tell you that was the best bang for your buck in performance outside of tires. While the locker gave me a newfound capability it still did not give me all i wanted. So, there was only one way to go.... As my knowledge of these trucks grew i decided it was time to tackle the task of a 4x4 conversion.


Most people will say just sell and buy a 4x4. Well I’m not most ppl. I did not for plenty of reason. My truck is not my DD, it also is paid off and has about 10 grand plus of parts already into it. Low miles at only 108,000 I also like the idea of having a unique vehicle that not many people would have. I also love challenges. This defiantly was a challenge.



The first step into the conversion was doing my hw. Plenty of threads here on TW. (I will have links later to some threads that helped me). I researched for about 6 months before I started to collect parts. Collecting all the parts is the most time-consuming part of this conversion.

How to Instructions:

• https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/transmission-swap-write-up-s.384303/
• https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/prerunner-to-4x4-conversion-guide.534480/
• https://www.tacomaworld.com/media/albums/4wd-conversion.42715/

You will need the following:


Main Components

• Front Differential (aka Clamshell)
• FJ Cruiser T-case
• Front/Rear Driveshafts
• CV Axles
• 4x4 Transmission (or you can convert yours) I found it easier to just buy a new one.
• Transmission Mount
• Wheel Bearings/ Hub (https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/wheel-bearings-hubs-press-service-4x4-prerunner.537080/
• Cross-member modification
• ADD Harness (if you choose to keep it) I recommend.(https://www.rocksolidtoys.com/product-page/rst-add-harness-and-switch)

Minor Parts

• Hub seals
• dust caps
• tcase bolts
• driveshaft bolts
• breather lines
• lock nuts for cv x2
• front diff mount nut x2
• front diff mount bolt x2
• Front diff mount washer x2
• Front diff mount top bushing x2

Misc

• Transmission Oil (10.8 qt)
• Gear oil (4 qt)
• sound deadening mat to seal floor
• tcase oil
• fuse taps for add switch
• rear main seal
• shifter boot
• 20guage wire (for tcase to cluster for dash illumination for 4x4 engagement)

I sourced most of my materials from:

· https://www.benzeenautoparts.com/toyota/tacoma-all-parttype


· https://racewayauto.com/?gclid=Cj0K...MZnHcbXENZy1sxnTevopAaFcQZu-JOeEaAqytEALw_wcB


· Ebay


· Amazon


Pics of what is needed












Once you have talked all the parts the only thing left is to get them in the truck. I would recommend carving out at least 2-4 weeks for this if you have limited time to work on it. I was only able to work on it on weekends and it took me about 4 weeks to get it finished working all day on sat/sun.

Some tools I found to be extremely helpful was:


· Super long extensions

· Transmission jack

· Jack stands

· Impact wrench

· Welder

· Flexhead ratchets

· Wobble sockets

· Creeper

· Cutoff wheel

· Dremel

· Multi tool


Also helps to have 2 or 3 hands if you can get them during the transmission install.



Once you get everything installed make sure that you have torqued everything bolt and used lock tight where applicable.


Torque Spec sheet: https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/the-torque-spec-guide.318116/


Make sure to test everything extensively before you take out on road. Make sure shifts are smooth and you are not getting any grinding noises.


This happened to me because I left off some parts on my front diff. Thank god, I was still on my property……





Anyways have fun and be careful. And enjoy your new 4x4!

More Pics

 

I won't argue. I'm the crazy bastard who, after owning a 4x4, had the means to get another 4x4 and yet I specifically chose to get a 2WD instead. I bought my truck to go places, I'm no longer into pointlessly humping boulders or rutting out mud puddles, and the 2WD will comfotably go more places than most people realize.

I just figured if this guy wants to honor his heirloom by tearing it up on the trail, that's his business and right to do so.

 

Before reading your post, I thought this was going to be the regular dipshit coming in here asking this same beat to death question.

However, given your circumstances, I think your truck is the perfect candidate for this "useless" swap.

There are two ways you can approach this.

1. Make the truck how Toyota intended.

IMO. The best and cheapest way to do this is to buy a rolled or damaged 4x4 tacoma from COPART or similar auction and just swap everything over. Best part is you have every component from 4X4 switch, plug, wire, axles, diff, tcase, etc.


2. Improve on the truck to make it more unique/easier/funner.

@Stocklocker hit the nail on the head with Step 2. It would require a lot of trial and error, money, and due diligence. But in the end it would be very unique and an awesome way to remember your brother. Im sure forum members will help you along the way, @Jeff Lange already posted some golden info.

 

Sorry to hear of your loss. I think I would just remove the seat and buy a 4wd and put the seat in the new truck. You still keep his presence and save yourself a lot of time and money.

 

THIS
You dont have any fancy ATRAC or MTS or Crawl Control to preserve, so there is really ZERO reason to get the ECUs involved... And believe me, you DONT want the ECUs involved.

An example why I say that, the 4wd ECU is the same P/N on a 2wd OR truck (with rear locker) as 4wd truck. But the 4wd ECU behaves very differently in the two vehicles, because a different ECU in the truck tells the 4wd ECU to behave as a 2wd or 4wd truck (I am 99% sure).

So it would be likely that you would also have to change the Body Computer (to a different P/N) to try to make the newly installed 4wd ECU happy... and how many other computers (such as the security ECU) will you tick off in that process... Pretty soon you have a bricked truck.

If you go the route of the manual transfer case, and manual (or independently, non-ECU controlled) front diff/hubs, then there will be no magic voodoo ECUs to get pissed off and we are just talking mechanical parts/issues that can be figured out, one-by-one. If you go that route, then the 2nd gen instructions are basically applicable as well...

I will guarantee one thing, installing a 4wd ECU by itself in your truck will get zero success...

 

Look into a company called Rock Solid Toys if you are not inclined to do the work yourself.

 

Honestly no. I don't see what you did besides including an errant "I" in your sentence.

 

Exactly this. We don't have an idea of how close you are to turning over the truck to his boy - maybe he should be in on the decision how he keeps his dad's truck.

What you're doing is admirable. Sorry for your loss.