That looks pretty wasted! Maybe ended up in a river for a few months? SNOKING

 

I agree with the majority here. Get a donor truck that has been in a wreck and has a good suspension and drive train. Too many trinkettes to list for a profesionally completed conversion, and if you buy them seperate at a bone yard it will eat up a healthy bank account real quick. Any way you go on this conversion will be expensive. Price it out all ways, including trading yours for a 4x4 of choice and go from there. I love doing conversions and building projects and one of a kind machines, but I hate wasting money.

 

snoking- read the e-bay description. the truck got crushed by a trailer overturning on it. that is definitely a doner for a 4 wd conversion. plus you could sell a lot of it and re-coup some money.

 

OH NO, I forgot that you guys in that part of the country are use to everything rusting under the truck! Dumb on me! SNOKING

 

I'm with Forrest. Dana 60 with leaf springs. And in the long run trading is much smarter but who cares what the smart thing to do is.

Have fun

Dean

 

You definitely have your work cut out for you.

Biggest challenge will be grafting spring towers onto your frame. You might be better off swapping the trans, by the time you get a t-case, (might have to change the OD section to get it to mate up, I'll have to check my book) the cost would be close. You'll also have to contend with the crossmember as I think it might be in a different location than the 2WD.

With control arms, you have an option. The Dick Cepek long arm kit uses the lower frame mount for the upper control arm, so you'd have to graft the lower mount onto the frame. I think it also requires cutting the cab mount bracket to clear the lower arm. A better solution is the radius arms David at DT/Profab is developing. It uses a single bracket that attaches near the trans crossmember and the stock axle end mounts.

There is also the track bar to contend with....there is no frame boss to attach the track bar to. That would have to be fabricated as well. Finally, the steering isn't a very big deal. You would have to mount a steering box from a 4X4, PSC offers a nice box that's beefed up for around $300. I would avoid future steering and alignment woes by going with x-over steering. I just got mine today from Thuren Fabrication in Santa Barbara. It's very nice.......

There is also an outfit that makes a cable actuator for the front axle disconnect.....can't remember the name of it. That would eliminate the need for the vacuum motor and such.....

 

Cowhand - 4X4 Posi Lock:

http://www.jcwhitney.com/webapp/wcs/...Id=-1&TID=1544

It will most definitely be cheaper to sell the truck and buy the one you want.

 

I'm glad someone else is going to do this. I am when I get time and a little more money.

I've already got an NP205 out of a 73 Dodge set-up to run divorced - $250.
And I may have found the front axle - Dana 60 out of an 80 Dodge - Is $1000 too high for one that has been went clear through?

When or if I do it, the truck won't be my daily driver anymore, but more of a weekend cruiser or puller. I plan on a single leaf up front for a locator, then Full Air bags. Same thing in the rear.

Think it will work?

Chris

 

To those of you who say don't do it, buy one...

Keep your lazyness to yourselves

$1000 Front Axle
$400 TCase (Trade Tranny to J/Y)
$200 Drive Shaft Parts
$100 in Misc Metal, but I highly doubt it.


$1700 or "Buy a new truck"; I think I'll spend the $1700. I have a fully outfitted shop with enough metal tools to Fab anything I could want. I have all the skills needed to fab whatever I want.

I have no reason to sell what I have.

 

Well then, "have at her"

I'll guarantee that it will cost more than you figured.

I dont think its about being lazy - some people dont have the knowledge, skils and/or tools and others dont have the time...

 

if I could fab anything I wanted, I wouldn't fab a stock truck...

 

I didn't mean that literally. It was a slight attempt at humor knowing that most people don't have the shop or skills to do work like this.

 

The difference is knowing and fabing what is most approriate. This isn't going to be wheeled, just putted through some soft sand, and driven thousands of miles on the freeway. It's about streetability, reliability, predictability and repairability.

If I wanted a crawler I'd build one oh wait, been there done that, and that's why I'm here for my tow rig

And if you are simply implying that I make a few slight improvements, I already have those planned.

Looks as though I'll be doing a x-over steering job, and using an aftermarket long-arm kit. The other pieces will be the best of all years, like 2000+ brakes, 2003+ Track Bar, and I'll fab the other stuff.

 

You should aim for 2001.5-2002 disc brakes on the rear. I would also aim for a front CAD axle, if you are going to be 98 percent freeway. SNOKING

 

I'm just jealous that you've got such a big shop... I've been itching to drop a Cummins in a square bodied F350 Crew for so long it just eats me up... so I'm probably just projecting my frustration on you

if you really love your truck, go for it... heck, you could spend just as long (or longer) looking for a clean 4x4 version of your truck as you'll spend converting yours

Forrest