4xFort Build Thread - previously Frame Swap

Why were the diffs geared different... i hope no one was driving it in 4wd like that.

 

As far as getting the body high enough, I saw a guy stack cinder blocks on either side of the truck and put 4x4's across and keep jacking up one side of the cab and then the other and building each side one row of cinder blocks higher - it was pretty slick. I wouldn't do that with the engine and trans connected though. Just the cab

 

Or goto hertz equipment rental and borrow a fork lift lol.

 

That’s a good point about it already being geared properly. I was just double checking regarding if I swapped in a front locker. Huh just looked at them and I’m not sure which mine would require. I’m guessing it is the 7.5” high pinion diff? Falls into the right age ranges...

 

http://home.4x4wire.com/erik/diffs/

 

honestly, renting heavy equipment and special tools is not out of the question for this. It’d just have to be for very specific moments as that could rack up the $$$ fast.

If the engine isn’t removed, what exactly is left holding it into the cab? Just whatever I have supporting it? A couple screws that go into the body around the engine bay?

Do the motor/trans mounts get removed completely when disconnecting from the frame? Basically, anything that wears out that I’d be taking off and putting back on, I’d want to swap out with new parts.

 

The engine and trans only connect to three places - two engine mounts on the frame rails and a trans mount on a removable cross member. It would only be connected by the come-along thing you're talking about. Oh and a bunch of wires, vacuum hoses, and rad hoses lol

 

Beautiful. Thanks for the document. Confirmed what I suspected. So that’s $1k for a front locker lol. I wonder if I should just hold off and see if I end up doing a SAS at some point lol. Doesn’t look like it’d be compatible anyways so that could just end up being a silly purchase.

 

Ah beautiful. I see. That seems super sketchy. One wrong move and boom! Everything is effed. Eesh.

 

Yeah, and good-bye oil pan.

 

Lol the gasket needs to be replaced on that anyways. And on the transfer case.

 

Dude it will be cake replacing all those things if you remove the engine and trans. This is way easier than what you're talking about with the come-along thing:



Plus you could still keep the AC and power steering systems intact so that would be less work as well - just remove them from the engine and ratchet strap them to the core support like I did with that orange ratchet strap. Remove the radiator and replace any old hoses and flush it before you add new coolant!

 

I appelreciate all the input. As trivial as these details may seem to all of you skilled mechanics, it’s really helping me put together a better picture of what exactly it is that I’m debating undertaking. Thank you so much! I’ll be looking at a couple frames early this coming week so we shall see how it pans out in that regard.

 

If i was you i would pull engine and trans first, its fairly easy. Then It would be alot easier to just pull the cab off. Or you might even be able just to lift the whole cab off an leave the motor on the frame. An engine hoist is fairly cheap and can come in handy especiallyif you plan on working in your own toys alot.
But as for your diff i would highly recommend not driving in 4wd with different gear ratios front and rear, thats just asking to break stuff.

 

I’m almost positive they aren’t different. The dude who originally owned the truck seemed to know what he was doing pretty thoroughly. All I know is he said hat “it had been regeared to 4.88” so I assume that’s what he did. Since it’s lasted over 10 years since then with plenty of use in 4wd.

I dunno, it just seems so much more intimidating to extract those large blocks of metal from the cab. I know it’s safer and would probably be the better option, but it just makes the whole process seem more intense.

 

Go watch some episodes of dirt every day or road kill or hot rod garage, you will see that there isnt all that much to pulling a engine out of a car. There is no specific video for a tacoma but those guys have some good tips and tricks, its also just funny as hell to watch. Help relive some of your stress form thinking about this frame swap

 

This will get you most of the way there - it's for an auto, not sure if you're a manual, but pretty much all of it applies anyway.

 

Sounds like a most excellent idea!

 

Manual is easier to pull imo

 

I love those shows! I hate that they get to drop in engines and transmissions in one piece almost all the time on the full size vehicles they work on lol