2wd to 4wd conversion?

[ser3100]

Hello all. Im asking this on behalf of my cousin who just purchased a 2010 limited 2wd . Well after a hasty decision at the dealership he is now regretting 2wd and wishes he got 4wd. My question is, would it be possible to convert it to 4wd and would other drivetrains from the same year toyota SUV's fit (ie GX, LX, or even last gens 4runner). Ive tried searching car-part.com for front axle assemblies and what not but have come up short. I guess they are too new to be in salvage yards in the masses. We do know it can get expensive but if we can find the parts out of used vehicles we might be able to save a buck here and there as opposed to trading it in, losing money, and raising the car note. Any insight would be greatly appreciated. thanks.

 

[mrvandelay]

Trade it in for a 4x4. It'll cost more and will likely never be 100% right to convert it.

 

[McFly2003]

^^^as said above, not worth the hassle. he'd be wiser to just trade it in for a 4x4. OR be one of the first to do a solid axle swap!!

 

[CedRunner]

Check out [MENTION=25058]ChildrenOfBodom[/MENTION] build thread bellow and read the parts where he did the 4x4 conversion. Then decide for yourself if you have the knowledge, want to spend the money and of course have the time and resources. It's good reading.
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/61636-cobs-4runner-timeline-pic-heavy.html
:redbrick:

 

[lilsid112]

As stated earlier it would be much easier to just trade it in for one with 4wd. Even though it would neat to see this conversion, I dont think it would be a 100%. COB's swap was intense, I remember reading it when he was performing the swap. Even bought a couple of parts off of the donor truck he had.

 

[stevec5000]

Going the other way is a lot easier! My '81 pickup was a 4X4 when I bought it but when the transmission went out and was too expensive to replace I just put in a car transmission from a Celica and replaced the rear drive shaft to match and it's been 2WD ever since. Going the other way and making a 2WD into a 4X4 would be nearly impossible since everything is different, even the frame construction. Before there was a 4X4 option they used to take the 2WD models and install a Jeep undercarriage, front and rear axles, springs, suspension and everything but it's quite a big and expensive undertaking.

 

[ser3100]

Thats what i tought. Well ill relay this to him and see what he wants to do. thanks again for the speedy replies.

 

[Okki]

Hello all. Im asking this on behalf of my cousin who just purchased a 2010 limited 2wd . Well after a hasty decision at the dealership he is now regretting 2wd and wishes he got 4wd.

How long ago did he buy the truck? if he's still within 30 days, he should be able to claim buyers remorse and hand it back. he'll likely get charged the equivalent of a rental fee for the mileage that he put on the truck, but since ti was a 2010, that can't be all to bad since it was likely a used vehicle anyway....

trading it for a 4wd version at the same dealer is likely the best way to minimize his financial loss, but I would expect there to be one. it may simply be absorbed in the price difference between the two vehicles (with the 4wd being more expensive anyway).

Okki

 

[ser3100]

yeah im gonna try to convince him. I kept telling him to wait as i looked for one but i guess he got caught up in the moment with this bieng his first SUV. I made the same mistake before.

 

[kenski]

How long ago did he buy the truck? if he's still within 30 days, he should be able to claim buyers remorse and hand it back.
Okki

I just bought my 2010 used a couple months ago from dealership and this reminded me of something. There was 1 document that was basically a waiver for the 30 day remorse. I'm pretty sure this is standard across Toyota dealerships, so if your buddy did the same, they likely would have snuck this in with the rest of the paperwork.

 

[TOY2G]

I have done 4 Toyota 4x4 conversions. One of the most recent was on the Silver limited in the picture below. You will get alot of "the world is flat" on this forum when it comes to stuff people ask about doing. Its like asking a nurse how hard it is to put a new heart in someone. For a skilled surgeon it may be a cake walk, but for the nurse it is impossible.

your (cousins) 2wd shares the same frame and suspension as the 4x4. The parts are not to bad for the swap about 3500 (what I paid) up to about 5k.

that said 98% of the swap is as easy as changing CVs or adding a lift kit.

swapping Hub Bearing, Adding CVs, Adding front Diff, Adding Drive Shaft, Swapping Cross-members, Adding t-case and adaptor and so on.

What will get you is the fact that your truck is pre wired for 4x4 inside the cab, but there is no provisions to go from the ECM to the t-case.

So in short, if you care good with wiring, good at wrenching, and know how to hunt down the hard parts like 4x4 ecm and 4x4 switches and gauge cluster, the swap is easy.

If doing your own CVs, brakes, or lift kits scare you...Dont even think about letting him do a 4x4 swap.

And for the record, someone posted that Toyota Used all jeep parts...not true, and converting the older 2wd to 4x4 is far easier than doing the new ones, and Yes I have converted a 87 Toyota motor home and a 91 Toyota 2wd truck to 4x4.

 

[1engineer]

I have done 4 Toyota 4x4 conversions. One of the most recent was on the Silver limited in the picture below. You will get alot of "the world is flat" on this forum when it comes to stuff people ask about doing. Its like asking a nurse how hard it is to put a new heart in someone. For a skilled surgeon it may be a cake walk, but for the nurse it is impossible.

your (cousins) 2wd shares the same frame and suspension as the 4x4. The parts are not to bad for the swap about 3500 (what I paid) up to about 5k.

that said 98% of the swap is as easy as changing CVs or adding a lift kit.

swapping Hub Bearing, Adding CVs, Adding front Diff, Adding Drive Shaft, Swapping Cross-members, Adding t-case and adaptor and so on.

What will get you is the fact that your truck is pre wired for 4x4 inside the cab, but there is no provisions to go from the ECM to the t-case.

So in short, if you care good with wiring, good at wrenching, and know how to hunt down the hard parts like 4x4 ecm and 4x4 switches and gauge cluster, the swap is easy.

If doing your own CVs, brakes, or lift kits scare you...Dont even think about letting him do a 4x4 swap.

And for the record, someone posted that Toyota Used all jeep parts...not true, and converting the older 2wd to 4x4 is far easier than doing the new ones, and Yes I have converted a 87 Toyota motor home and a 91 Toyota 2wd truck to 4x4.

He wanted a 4X4. He got sucked in to a 2WD. He wants a 4X4 and to save money. No possible way can he swap with new components, even if he does the work himself, for under 4K unless it is jack-legged and stuff does not work correctly. Maybe with used components and does all labor but that sorta defeats the purpose of buying something new. The 5th gen has model specific wiring, meaning if you have a stock base SR5 2WD it will not be pre wired for a Limited 4WD or even SR5 2WD with premium package. All wiring, dash lights, actuators and communication with ECU would have to be done from scratch. [MENTION=65614]Antman[/MENTION] or [MENTION=50850]harper[/MENTION] would know more. At the end of the day he might be able to take it back under "Buyers Remorse" and trade for only the difference between 2-4WD. The world is not flat. Anything can be done is a true statement but economically feasible ? No way.

 

[Hellamatic]

I have done 4 Toyota 4x4 conversions. One of the most recent was on the Silver limited in the picture below. You will get alot of "the world is flat" on this forum when it comes to stuff people ask about doing. Its like asking a nurse how hard it is to put a new heart in someone. For a skilled surgeon it may be a cake walk, but for the nurse it is impossible.

your (cousins) 2wd shares the same frame and suspension as the 4x4. The parts are not to bad for the swap about 3500 (what I paid) up to about 5k.

that said 98% of the swap is as easy as changing CVs or adding a lift kit.

swapping Hub Bearing, Adding CVs, Adding front Diff, Adding Drive Shaft, Swapping Cross-members, Adding t-case and adaptor and so on.

What will get you is the fact that your truck is pre wired for 4x4 inside the cab, but there is no provisions to go from the ECM to the t-case.

So in short, if you care good with wiring, good at wrenching, and know how to hunt down the hard parts like 4x4 ecm and 4x4 switches and gauge cluster, the swap is easy.

If doing your own CVs, brakes, or lift kits scare you...Dont even think about letting him do a 4x4 swap.

And for the record, someone posted that Toyota Used all jeep parts...not true, and converting the older 2wd to 4x4 is far easier than doing the new ones, and Yes I have converted a 87 Toyota motor home and a 91 Toyota 2wd truck to 4x4.

^^^This is true and I agree 100%. However, I would only attempt it if you were converting a truck that was older, a rare vehicle that's hard to find, or a vehicle that has sentimental value to you. Since 5th Gens are in good supply, I wouldn't even attempt the conversion. Definitely not worth the money or work you'll put into it. Trade your 2Runner in for a 4Runner and call it a day.

 

[bulldog-yota]

It is much harder on the newer 4Runners than the older ones. Here is an example of a 4th Gen getting converted MysticZ's 2wd to 4wd conversion - Toyota 120 Platforms Forum

Basically the owner would have traded the truck in for a 4WD, but he already had a lot invested in his 4Runner over the years which factored heavily into his decision. Each year can have all sorts of oddities that you will have to sort out, and depends on where to where you are going in terms of models. For the example above a number of us helped to source parts from SAS conversions and wrecked 4Runner parts, and it still cost the owner a pretty penny and quite a bit of work.

If your 4Runner is stock and new you will likely be much better off to simply trade for a 4WD, different discussion for an older out of warranty 4Runner with a lot of mods already.

You will also loose features like ATRAC that is on the 4WD when doing a conversion, so unless you plan on adding lockers, etc that factors into it heavily a well.

If you are serious considering I would recommend you talk to an expert, that has done many conversions before on these newer Toyotas. Wyatt at rocksolidtoys is a really good guy to talk to.

 

[Gerdo]

Sas!

 

[TOY2G]

You will also loose features like ATRAC that is on the 4WD when doing a conversion, so unless you plan on adding lockers, etc that factors into it heavily a well.

If you take the cheaper route and buy a 4x4 transmission with t-case like i did, you still get the goodies like ATRAC and center diff lock (on 4th gen).

IN any event, if you cannot do the work your self you are looking in thousands in labor on top of parts.. Not worth it by any stretch of the imagination.

I did mine for a silly reason... FJ Summit was coming up and I did not want to take my Sequoia, so I took my wife's 2wd limited and lifted, converted to 4x4, did front and rear bumpers, sliders, and a few other mods just for a silly Toyota event. I am glad I did, and I would guess not many of the people who buy a 2wd in the first place would have the ability to do all of this on their own.

 

[ser3100]

Thanks for the info. Yeah i asked him and its way to late for the "30 days".

 

[ser3100]

oh well i guess hell just have to be a 2runner!

 

[Jayhawk5G]

Where I am from I have not heard of a 30 day buyer remorse deal. I think his best best is to contact his sales person, explain the situation and hope the dealership is fair and will help find him the vehicle he really wants without sticking it to him too hard.

 

[4ShoreRunner]

I did mine for a silly reason... FJ Summit was coming up and I did not want to take my Sequoia, so I took my wife's 2wd limited and lifted, converted to 4x4, did front and rear bumpers, sliders, and a few other mods just for a silly Toyota event. I am glad I did, and I would guess not many of the people who buy a 2wd in the first place would have the ability to do all of this on their own.

Wow...and I thought I splurged by buying an ARB Fridge for my trip to the FJ Summit...