4WD Conversion Question

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4WD Conversion Question

Postby ZERO.valve » Sat Dec 28, 2013 1:20 am

I'm in the market for a 1st gen. I'd prefer a 4WD, but given my price range (between 4 and 5000), I'm beginning to think I'll have to settle for a 2WD. It's pretty far out at this point, but is it feasible to make a 4WD conversion? What kind of costs and labor am I looking at?
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Re: 4WD Conversion Question

Postby CumminsPower59 » Sat Dec 28, 2013 10:19 am

You can get a 4x4 in that price range...just got to keep a keen eye and if you find something real nice, be ready to jump on it, and be willing to travel. I personally haven't done a 4x4 conversion, but several other guys have and it doesn't look too terribly hard, getting a donor would probably be your best bet, like a rolled truck or one someone yanked the engine out of.
Last edited by CumminsPower59 on Sat Dec 28, 2013 2:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: 4WD Conversion Question

Postby thrashingcows » Sat Dec 28, 2013 1:15 pm

I've been doing a 4wd conversion on my 84 long box crewcab. It is a lot of work. I would recommend getting a donor frame, as suggested. If not for a direct frame swap...then for all the brackets and cross members.

Here's my thread on what I've done so far on my conversion. Take a look through and then decide if this is a route your willing to go.

http://www.dieseltruckresource.com/dev/ ... 05923.html
1984/93 Dodge Crewcab, W350, 1 Ton SRW, long box, 330K Km's, M&H spacer, 366 spring, fuel pin to deep side, 14cm housing, Piston LP, PS IC, Isspro Boost, Pyro and tach, NV4500, 29 spline NP205, 3.54's.


Check out the build....http://www.dieseltruckresource.com/dev/ ... 05923.html
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Re: 4WD Conversion Question

Postby BobS » Sun Dec 29, 2013 6:04 am

I have done one ONLY because it was a 2WD crew cab frame from Florida. You need to change the front 3 crossmembers to do it properly. This requires a decent condition donor frame. If you already have a donor frame that you will need then the smartest thing to do would be to use the donor frame.

Using a small scarfing torch and popping out red hot rivet residue using a pneumatic punch was not a lot of fun. You have to watch where that red hot rivet rolls to. The correct rivet hole size 7/16". Using this size grade 8 PLATED bolts and self locking nuts [NO lockwashers needed] is required in some states for state inspection.

I made templates from the sides of the donor truck's frame. Then I bolted them onto the cleaned 2WD frame. I think I had 3 eight hour sessions involved in just removing the old crossmembers, making the templates, bolting them on to the frame, drilling all of the holes & hole saw holes, removing the templates, and mounting the crossmembers. I also removed the 2WD suspension crossmember as a complete unit.
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