Auto gear shift handle compatibility

[AntleredRuin]

Ok so purely for the sake of poser curiousity, are the gear shift handles for auto 2wd and 4wd interchangeable?

I have a 2wd, but I like the 'pistol grip' style of the 4wd.

Obviously the linkage is different, and the main button is in a different location. I'm assuming the whole assembly is proprietary, but I'm not 100% sure.

 

[SpidermanGeek]

I don't see why you couldn't put a pistol grip in your 2wd. Even though the botton is on top, the shaft still works the same. The only reason 4wd has pistol grip is to accommodate the T-case lever. (a T handle on the trans lever would have your thumb hitting the T-case lever).

 

[DeathCougar]

Although the shaft sizes are different, you could probably fab something up to work. Or you could get a Prerunner shifter from a Tacoma, that should do the trick!

 

[turbo8]

Someone did this, it wasn't a direct swap. I'll try to find his thread.

Found it.
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/162466-2wd-guys-put-4wd-auto-shift-handle.html

 

[SpidermanGeek]

I stand corrected. I would have assumed (and did) that the shafts were the same.

 

[AntleredRuin]

Ah cool that works.
And in that link there was a picture of the PreRunner handle as well. I'd never seen one before and I always wondered why Toyota never made the cupholders like that.
The linkage for the 4wd on the 4Runner already pushed the handle to the passenger side; why not just keep the linkage and handle the same and stick more cupholders on the 2wd? Surely a plastic mold is easier and cheaper to design and produce than redesigning and producing a separate linkage from 4wd to 2wd. Never made any sense to me. 1 linkage and 2 plastic consoles vs 2 linkages and 2 plastic consoles.

I'm surprised that no one has tried to fab the PreRunner console to the 4runner.
Obviously it'd require some dremeling and chopping of the floorboard for the different linkage.