2wd to 4wd conversion

[97rangerprerunner]

With all this being said about the front crossmember being different to accommodate the front axle and diff, if it not possible with a 4" suspension lift on a 2wd truck while converting to 4wd would it not make enough clearance?? Wish I could see them side by side, I live in Texas and am seriously thinking about a 4wd conversion with a Dana 35 but these 4x4 trucks are few and far between for parts. What year explorers have interchangeable parts?

 

[hoosier1104]

Holy dead thread revival Batman! The last post was well over 3 yrs ago. Way to go.

 

[97rangerprerunner]

Holy dead thread revival Batman! The last post was well over 3 yrs ago. Way to go.

Lol true story!! I was doing some googling and ran into this post, apparently I haven't been on here in so long I couldn't remember my password and the captcha thing was screwing up so anyway I re registered just to post on this thread... My mom has an old Junk like 93 explorer 4x4 with a 4.0 6. I wanted to maybe swap the front axle into my ranger, but if it's not close to a bolt in swap I don't want to hack up my truck.... My truck has a 4" suspension lift and a 3" body lift. That's why I was asking if maybe the front dif would clear the stock 2wd crossmember with this lift

 

[hoosier1104]

Sas!

 

[chewy012]

I've been contemplating converting my 92 to the stock 4x4 set up as a "fun little project" basically since I bought it. Every time I search on this conversion I find myself reading this thread, and subsequently talking myself out of it.

I agree with what's his name, just buy a 4x4 truck that was built as a 4x4. The time you spend converting and cursing could be used on a trail somewhere.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

 

[AllanD]

The "spring & shock brackets" are slightly different, mainly in the placement of the rivet holes that mount then to the frame.
The hole that the brake hoses munt into are also a different shape, so you need to change the bucket

But where you are not only wrong, but VERY WRONG is that there is a difference in the frame: the Engine cross-member is VERY Different. the 4x4 cross-member is several inches Wider...

ANYONE on this forum will tell you that I do KNOW what I'm taking about...

It is not because I'm a long standing"tech guru" here but how I became a tech guru...

Also, I've done the exact swap you were originally taking about doing.

I'm not even slightly inclined to try to talk you out of it, that would be acutely dishonest of me, but I DO WANT you to KNOW what you are getting into.

and one of the things you need to do to accomplish this swap is to remove your 2wd engine cross-member and replace it with a 4x4 cross-member from a donor vehicle.


That all being said I never recommend doing an SAS 4x4 conversion on a 4x4 truck...

UI usually recommend if you are going to cut up a truck, cut up a 2wd...
To do this you WILL NEED to disconnect all six cab mounts and raise the cab up enough to lay timbers (4x4 lumber is sufficient) across the frame-rails to allow you to spread the frame rails enough to insert the 4wd cross-member you will have to grind off all traces of the original welds. and the rivets from the spring buckets.

You will also need to remove the spring buckets to install the new cross-member.

after having the nerve to do it, the hardest parts of the entire job are
1)Extracting the donor cross-member from the donor vehicle
2) getting the new one into place and getting the rails back together
(Bolts in the right places along with thorough grinding of the old welds)
and might I suggest some big ratchet straps?
3) properly welding the "new" cross-member in place

I have a friend who is an aerospace certified welder that wanted to show off his new $10,000 TIG machine.... who actually enjoys doing "overhead" welding....

AD

use 1/2" fine thread bolts to hold everything in place for welding