4wd conversion - Donor Truck?

Hey So i’m looking to convert my truck to 4wd in the upcoming future and I am curious if you guys think I should buy a wrecked 4wd tacoma as a whole or buy it part by part. I know getting all the parts can be a little bit of a hassle, and if I bought a wrecked 4wd I could also axle swap for the elocker so that’s another thought. Does anyone have a recommendation?

 

I don't think you really need to buy a donor truck to do this swap - most of the stuff is pretty easy to find. I was able to get all the parts I needed as well as new ball joints for around $2,300. I did make a list of all the parts I used in this thread below:

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/complete-prerunner-to-4x4-conversion-parts-list.751045/

You can also see the 4x4 conversion here:

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/another-prerunner-4x4-conversion-thread-my-2004-build.722859/

Good luck on your swap - it's worth every penny and hour!

 

advantage to having a donor truck - it's all right there and you can pull parts off as you need them. But then you've got the rest of the truck to get rid of or part out when you're done. I would only go that route if you've got a lot of space to store it and get it for a killer deal. If its wrecked make sure nothing you need is toast or bent

Otherwise just buying it part by part will likely be cheaper

 

Okay thanks for the input guys! How much is that 4runner?

 

I converted my 1st gen last year and sourced parts from everywhere. Some i was able to find local and other not so local. Here in california they are a bit more pricey to come by but you can find them. As mentioned above if you have the space I would get a donor truck for the right price. An advantage of sourcing parts is that they are already out and you dont have to take them out yourself if you were to get a donor truck... that would be extra work. Good luck

 

I wouldn't buy a donor truck. You don't need *that* many parts.

There's no guarantee all the parts you'd need for the conversion actually work so you'd end up having to source extra parts anyway. Plus you'll just end up with a lump of useless truck in the driveway when you're done that needs to be dealt with.

IMO just take a little extra time and find the parts independently. You'll be able to verify each item works as it should as you buy.

 

I do not have 5 grand atm, thank you all for help though.

 

Myself I go with the whole Truck but I only buy one that I can get to move and make sure all the parts work.

In my area bad frames with good drive trains can be bought cheap Then most are also going from Auto to Manual at the same time

It comes down to what ever works best in your case !

 

Shiiiiit, I’m prepared to spend like $8,000 between parts and labor for the assistance to 4x4 and manual swap my prerunner. Don’t know if anyone on here would be down to tackle it with me or not. Would be sweet when it was done.

 

Damn! 8k can almost buy you a whole new truck, Im getting to the point where I don’t know if I will do the conversion or sell and buy another taco.

 

People do these conversions fairly routinely for $1500 or less. If you're able to trade/sell your old transmission, the price goes down even more.

Woah man, slow your roll.

There are folks spending under a grand for a full conversion, including selling/trading in their old parts.

But shit, for $8k? bring your truck and parts up to my place! I'll have my wife cook you dinner!

 

Just a tad to far away but feel free to ask any questions .

The older I get my abused body wonders if just buying manual 4x4 and swapping your good parts might be easier.

Who knows!

 

I’m dead serious too. That’s how much I’ve looked around for an outright replacement truck to make the new primary DD. Also called a place in Oregon (Toy only swaps, I think) that does these swaps but they’d have it for weeks and I would be 100% hands OFF which is not what I want. I want to learn and be involved. If I did have a solid lead on help, I would absolutely start looking for parts.

 

Just start looking for parts now. Once you see them in front of you, you'll be inspired and start getting dirty.

Plus, no telling how long it'll take to get the parts you need. Might take a while.

 

I know comprehensive parts lists for these swaps are on here to be found so I won’t ask those questions again. But, are any of the parts recommended to bite the bullet and buy new? Clutch for example?

One very nice thing about my truck is being a CA truck it’s whole life, it has zero rust. One other member from here bought some of my used parts and he took a look at my truck. Commented a few times how clean the frame and undercarriage is. The only time I have had a faster fight me was on exhaust fittings. Everything else is a breeze to work on. That should make the swap a ton easier if I pull the trigger.

@jbrandt you have a couple kiddos, right. Does that mean you’ll accept 35% in Khol’s cash? Hahaha kidding. I’m definitely prepared to enjoy spending some time and money to make this truck truly the way I want it.

 

practically speaking, I think it makes more sense for most people to just sell and buy a 4wd.

But if you have the time and patience to do the conversion you'll learn a whole lot about your truck and how to keep it roadworthy on your own for years to come.

 

And that right there is a factor for sure. I’m already pretty decently familiar with it but there’s more to learn for sure.

 

Khols or Target. Honestly with plywood prices, I'd take a Home Depot card, too, lol

If you're able to have the truck out of commission for a little while, that will definitely help. You'll be able to take your time and research individual steps rather than be forced to rush and get it done in a weekend type thing. I did my timing belt when my truck was still a daily driver, and while I easily got it done in a weekend, it definitely added to the stress of *hoping* I had all the parts and tools I needed.

As for what to buy new, that probably depends on what you're able to find at the wrecking yards, etc... Things like bearings and other wear items I'd go new for sure. Things like clutch master cylinders can usually be rebuilt. I'd also spend the extra on having someone tear into whatever transmission you get and have that rebuilt. Have a reputable shop do it.

Back in the day my brother and I did a 5-speed swap on my turbo 4Runner. Turns out the transmission we got wasn't rebuilt properly (if at all) and within a couple weeks started loosing 1st, 3rd and 5th.

I mean, if you're already planning to spend $8k, you could get EVERYTHING new, lol

 

Shieeet man I'll do it for $6k!

When buying a used manual transmission I'd definitely buy a new clutch and flywheel since you're there. My truck was rust free too and the swap was honestly extremely easy. The worst part of it is sourcing all of the individual parts but once you've got it all ready to roll it's a breeze.

The only difference between my swap and your swap is the fact you're also swapping in a manual - so you'll need an ECU from your year and I think a new engine wiring harness because of the transmission wiring. Might need someone to confirm. All in all, especially in this current crazy Taco market a 4x4 swap makes sense. Odds are all the work you need to do to make it a 4x4 probably will need to be done on any 4x4 you buy.

BUT - you definitely don't need to spend $8k to do it. It can be done for much less.

 

Thanks for adding the wiring harness aspect. Curious what others say about that but yes, an ECU from a 2001 manual was on my radar already. And I totally agree, setting aside $8k is overkill but here’s why I’m willing to spend that much: I’ve been in my industry for 15 years and I have seen my customers screw themselves countless times by getting in over their heads. The value of having knowledgeable assistance is worth good money to me. As a guess, how many hours are involved, times a reasonable rate for expertise? Our company charges $160/hour for our technicians, and I trained all of them. If the swap took (total guess) 30 hours and two people helped me at $160/hour - 60 man hours times $160 is $9,600.

Perhaps I’m insane..? Lol I can’t take the dirty paper with me to the grave and I don’t have any dependents.