4wd conversion - Donor Truck?

I think your right better to over estimate then come in way to low .

I have bailed out some buying stalled projects so it was not a total loss for the end user.

 

I don't think you're insane at all! It’s better to budget for the $9,600 and come in lower than to budget for $2,500 and come in over.

It would make sense to me to swap it because I know that the A340 has like three or four connectors that come off of the engine harness including a temp sensor. The manual tranny has no connections on it, that I can think of. You’ll also need a clutch bracket, master cylinder, hydraulic lines and a slave cylinder on the swap.

Some advice I’d like to give on the actual 4x4 conversion – keep your OG spindles and have the manual locking stuff & a new upper ball joint pressed in by a shop. (Unless you have a press) It makes things super easy.

I love hearing about people doing 4x4 swaps so am pumped to see yours when you go through with it!

 

If you're in Sac I bet you can put together almost everything you need for the swap in one weekend. Not being on a tight budget, you could probably hit all the dismantlers in Rancho Cordova and get what you need same day. I am collecting/treasure hunting parts for a 4x4 swap at the moment and I constantly see almost everything I need for sale in Rancho Cordova, via car-part.com. If I wasn't on a budget I would just hit them up and grab it all, minus the few things you'll wanna buy new, like seals, bearings, etc. @yotadude520 along with others have posted parts lists and builds that are gold.

 

I’ve thought about that exact route - the salvage yards around here seem flush with wrecked and picked over yotas. This is starting to sound more and more like a real possibility. @Kwikvette you want in or are you still busy being the terminator welder? I probably couldn’t afford you anyways. Lol

@jbrandt already said he’ll take a Home Depot card so he’s a cheap date. Hahaha

But seriously, it would feel great to end up with the platform I’m really after while also paying a couple guys some decent money. A hands on class if you will. Definitely more useful than a liberal arts degree.

 

What am I doing?

If I can provide assistance sure, whoever needs it just needs to tag me!

As for parts, I just pulled some ADD cv axles and spindles off in an hour time out in the baking sun some weeks ago for a friend. Plenty of vehicles out there to be had, with plenty of parts.

That vehicle I got parts from still had the drive shafts, front and rear diffs, and more.

If it's installing/uninstalling they need help with, can definitely lend a hand as well

 

@MalinoisDad just read your initial post

I'd do it for some pizza, cherry coke, and a few beers afterward; help with labor that is!

 

I was leaning towards the J shift route for the mechanical vs electronic reliability factor but that would not be a make or brake factor. I mean since I’m a prerunner clearly I don’t wheel, like at all, and that probably wouldn’t change too much. I mean of course I would test out what the newly equipped truck could do without beating the piss out of it. Mostly I really miss having manual, and 4x4 would be nice to have when needed. I learned to drive stick while sitting on two dictionaries in my 4th grade school parking lot behind the wheel of my Mom’s Saturn. I could barley reach the pedals. Loved manual since.

Only other details I’m gonna add now is my rear diff is 4.10 gearing so I would need to match that up front. I probably could recoup a decent amount back in selling the take off parts too.

 

4.10 is the most common front diff I've run into. Sucks I don't have one anymore, I tossed it when I moved. They do come up free or stupid cheap sometimes though.

It's getting OEM cv axles, but you can score those as a pair for cheap on the used market if you're patient enough.

The tough part (without paying up the nose) would be the transmission and transfer case combo; you can get these from the above mentioned salvage yard, but if you've got that high of a budget, then just drop the $1k or so it costs to buy it cause everything else is cheap.

You'll have plenty left over to buy some used spindles to get new bearings and wheel hubs pressed in. Can do new rotors and brakes at the same time.

If you're getting parts and wanting to do this, just hit me up when you're ready.

 

Is it even possible to buy a new manual transmission and transfer case for these old trucks or did I misunderstand? If I got a used trans, I would definitely have it rebuilt before installing if needed. I’d want to do it right. New clutch and other wear items too. Now small things like having the 4x4 indicator light on the dash is not something I would have to have. I could tell if the truck was in four wheel drive or not by not being an idiot quite frankly. Lol

I’d want to keep my JBA arms installed so the adapters would need to be swapped into different spindles or just buy fresh adapters from JBA. OR, reuse my existing spindles with new hubs pressed in. If I’m wrong on any of this please correct me. Occasionally I’ll waive my ignorance flag because I’m totally self taught in all of this. I know enough to know I don’t know much.

 

Ahh you're wanting new.

You'll only find one new if it's listed somewhere as it'll be NOS. Can't get it new from Toyota as far as I know.

As for your upper control arms, those would stay installed in your truck and you'd want to buy a new ball joint/adapter to install on the new/used spindle.

You can indeed keep and use your current spindles, but I just suggested it because 1. It keeps the install time much shorter since parts are on hand and ready to swap in and 2. It keeps your truck on the road longer.

Plus the last set of spindles (stupid low mileage, truck rolled) I got were those for a friend. They were what, $100 only?

 

Yes it is! Manual transmission part no. for your truck is 3303034100 and can be bought from Claremont Toyota for $2,441.88!

Also I would only recommend swapping in a J-Shift with manual locking hubs for the simplicity of it all.

 

Damn, nice!

Must've been an auto that I remember seeing posted then. It was NOS and I think someone linked it from FB Marketplace some weeks back.

 

You can still got those as well! It's amazing how long Toyota stocks parts. Here's how a new tranny from Toyota looks:

 

So then that leaves the engine wiring harness as the only outstanding unknown I think. New ECU for sure.

I don’t even have ABS which I’m happy about so that’s one less set of components to fiddle with. No sensors at the wheel or bleeding brake fluid through the ABS module.

Does the forum want to take a crack at a time estimate for the whole ball of wax if it went smoothly? Was my figure of 30 hours high or low? I could plan on having the truck down for several days. Got plenty of PTO built up to take a vacation and this is a worthy endeavor to me.

 

Is that the W59 or the R150F? Honestly I don’t remember the differences between the two. @Kwikvette it doesn’t need to be new for me to be happy. “Like new” internally if rebuilt is good for me too. I’m really surprised actual new transmissions are still around. If given the choice, I would want the more robust variety, whichever that is - new or used/rebuilt.

 

Can knock it out same day really if you've got a transmission jack and all.

The diff is a pain and you have to angle it to finally get it to come forward and out. I struggled helping someone get one out and it took a lot of holding, turning, shoving, etc.

The front end itself really is the easiest part.

 

A lot of people just l

wait wait wait.

You were talking about spending $8k... I was referring to an $8k Home Depot cards...

But seriously, if schedules can all line up, I wouldn't be opposed to a work party. Never done the 4x4 swap myself, but I'm fairly handy, and not completely retarded.

Pizza and beer is usually all we need.

Although in the future, maybe we could start another thread and stop hijacking the OP's, lol...

 

"easy" is buying a 4x4 4Runner...

 

And easy SAS is buying a Land Cruiser

 

I think OP bailed because he had Geo Metro money. lol, kidding OP.