Camping Truck 04 DC Build (4x4 Conversion)

Here is my mess of a build thread. The truck was successfully converted to 4WD in November 2018. I've been daily driving it since and have taken it wheeling three times.

Intro
Bought this truck in December 2016 bone stock from a retired guy. It had been maintained by Alamo Toyota in San Antonio, TX that sold it in late 2003. I do all the maintenance on it now. It is a 2004 Lunar Mist color matched SR5 double cab PreRunner without a rear locker and a dealer installed roof rack. The truck was at ~109,000 when I bought it. I'm at ~135,000 now.

As it sits 12/20/20.

As it sits on 4/21/19. Skid plate removed for front diff inspection. Cleanest it's been since I bought it.

As is sits after a summer of wheeling and a wash before winter. Camper has been a nice addition.

My first picture of it was a blurry vertical Snapchat so here is the first horizontal. Truck hadn't changed since I bought it.

Mods/Repair

• New Roof rack seals/feet out of marine grade rubber
• Dealer black trim is a love/hate thing. I kinda like it and always stop myself from removing it.
• Repainted roof rack
• Repainted skid plate with bedliner
• Sanded down rock chips to bare metal and added touch up paint
• Deer went under the truck in 2004 so I grinded the surface rust it had caused and frame painted those areas. Really worried about the frame even though the truck never left Texas.
• Removed dealer nerf bars
  
• Paracord wrapped the oh shit handles
• Bluetooth stereo (set to match amber dash lights) with microphone in a pillar
• 4Runner locking glove box handle
• Weather Tech Gray Floor mats
• ARB Bumper
• KC Spot Lights
• OME 882s coils, nitrochargers, dakar rear leaf springs
• SPC light racing UCAs
• 265/75R16 BFG KO2s
• LED map/dome lights
• DuroBump front bump stops from @Plastics Guy
• Does a 4WD conversion count as a mod?

Planned Mods

(Won't have the $ for most of these until I quit collegiate running and get a real job and graduate from college)

• Protect the bed sides. Maybe with a bed liner that goes over them.
• 9.5lb Winch
• Front Locker
• Rear Locker
• Ditch Lights
• Projector Retrofit Headlights
• Sliders
• Relentless rear bumper
• Replace front seats.

 

4Runner back window has been covered until I get a 3 day weekend to trailer it. Also trying to find someone with a trailer I can borrow. Uhaul is expensive.

10/10 tape/drop cloth cover. Never thought I would ever be in the position where taping up a window was necessary. If someone breaks in I hope they leave me the Pioneer radio....

 

Nice Build! Where in West TX you at?

 

San Angelo

 

My buddy convinced me to help him get his jet ski purchase out for testing. The truck handled it better than I expected.

 

That 4runner isn't a 3.4 manual trans by chance is it?

 

Nope it's an Automatic.

 

Copy that, thanks. I'm working on a similar project pre runner 4x4 conversion. I decimate want to go manual trans also. Good luck parts hunting

 

Same to you. And if you find a hoarder who specifically collects Tacoma 4x4 parts up there in NM just tell me. I'll hit you up on the way to Colorado this summer.

 

Will do, I thought I hit the jackpot last week. 95 ex cab 4x4 man hubs manual trans on Craig's. No motor 800 bucks. Turns out it was a 2.7 but lots of parts for the swap.

 

4Runner has arrived at my friend's shop. Crawled around under it but didn't have much time to mess with it before I had to head back.

 

Battling a P0031 and P0442 code right now. Fun stuff. 4WD conversion is planned for mid to late July since I finish my summer classes by then.

 

Nice build! Subbed for the 4wd conversion

 

Stripping it this weekend. Behind schedule but summer classes and 40+ hour work weeks will do that.

 

I converted my truck. Good luck it’s pretty straight forward

 

Dropped the trans, tcase, and engine in the 4Runner tonight. Started at 3pm ended at midnight. Will get detailed pics up tomorrow and figure out what needs to be done in preparation for my truck. The plan is to be driving around in a 4WD Tacoma by the first day of fall semester on the 27th.

 

itll go really easy, every thing just bolts on. mine was done in half a day with manual hubs and a j shift case

 

Parts have been pulled from the 4Runner. I have the funds and there is an availability of parts right now for me to get any items I can't use off the 4Runner. We pulled the engine, tcase, and tranny all at once and cut a support to make it easier. The truck is being scraped so it doesn't matter. I just need parts to be identified as compatible. I haven't pulled the front diff yet but it's coming off on my next string of days off from work.

I know the transfer case is j shift but I'm still a bit confused on the compatibility of the front diff and hubs. I know the bearings/hubs/seals were replaced in around 2013 (owners manual has receipts for some labor done on the vehicle) so that would make them a good candidate to press out and press into my Tacoma spindles. If they aren't damaged. I've watched enough videos on YouTube (like the Timmy The Toolman 4Runner video series) to try and not break anything pressing them out. But if they aren't even compatible with my manual locking hubs then I don't need to bother with them. Which leads me to a question on the front differential. If my 4Runner is j shift without locking hubs is my diff still ADD? And if so do I have to buy a front diff off of a locking hub Tacoma? I'll post pictures below of the parts in question.

Passenger CV axle. Boots aren't terrible. They were most likely replaced since 1996 but I can't be sure since the owners manual doesn't have 100% of the maintenance records on the truck.



Front differential is leaking. It is the matching 4:10 (still unsure about the ADD situation) to the rear on my Tacoma but I can buy a different one with less mileage from a guy here on TW. As well as purchase one from a yard if that doesn't work out. Or I could pay for a rebuild. But I do need to figure out if mine would even work for a manual hub 4x4 conversion at all.


Transfer case is fine besides a bit of a leak. It shifted fine before the engine died. I do plan on opening it up and doing the seals/check for any issues.








Once I have all the parts/fluids/mounts/etc prepped and ready to go I will pull the trans from my Tacoma and have a shop swap the output shafts as well as put the tail housing and oil pan from my 4Runner trans. I'm having my driveshaft cut at the same time the transmissions are worked on. My debit card got hijacked today so I can no longer order some of the things I had planned on. Won't push me back too far since my next day off it Tuesday.

 

@BartMaster1234 Didn't want to keep hijacking @Lfaub03 4x4 build thread. But I have a couple questions above on the parts from my 4Runner.

 

If you’re going ADD, the spindles are direct bolt on. I have 4runner spindles and tundra brakes on my tacoma