2wd to 4x4

[supercoupe5]

how much is involved in taking a 2wd ride and transforming it into a 4x4 ride? how many people have done it if any? i was looking around at a little yard that has a bunch of classic trucks and the frames look the same other than some brackets and such. thanks dave

[Ronnny]

I think they are a bit more little differences. Most of my 4x4 experience is on 73-87 trucks. If you are wanting leaf springs up front then get a set of hangers and shackles with a set of springs. In the rear i would change to leafs but you could just put your axle under the trailing arms. They do seem to flex pretty well. On both the front and rear you will have to address shocks unless you are going with real tall lift springs that do not flex well. The steering box is different from a 2 to 4 wheel drive. They opperate in different dirrections. When solid axle trucks want to swap to cross over steering they look for a 2 wheel drive box. so you might want to find an axle that is already set up for the drag link to bolt on your passenger side. If you want your speedo to read right in low range (like it would ever matter that slow) you will have to get a longer speedo cable for it will not plug into your transfer case. Since the next generation did not have carrier bearings i do not know if it needs moved. Make a cross member or find one from the truck that you get the tranny and t case from. For ease in doing this it might b nice to find a divorced t case from an f250 or such. I was wondering about my bronco frame in my yard putting the np435/205,d44/9" under my 68 longbed. I need a little flatter place to work than i front of my shed though.

For a lot more information go hang out here for a little bit www.coloradok5.com

[Gene]

Anything is possible, but after researching it myself I would suggest finding a 4x4 donor frame, that is the way I went.

[BenE]

I'm getting ready to dive into a 2wd to 4x4 coversion myself. I actually started it many years ago but life got in way and had to lay it aside. Anyway ,I got a 71 4x4 blazer that was so rusty you could stick your fist thru it. Gonna take that running gear and put it under a 70 lwb. Since I hope to build a 2wd blazer one day, I'm gonna cut/splice the frame just behind the firewall. Do a search in 4x4 section, its been done before. Lots of good info here.