4x2 to 4x4

[PlumCrazy]

I have a couple questions

Is the only difference between a 4x4 manual tranny out of 2.3 and a 4x2 manual tranny out of a 2.3 the tail shaft housing?

Are All 4x4 m50d transmissions the same besides the bellhousings being made to fit a 2.3, 4.0, or 3.0?

And last question, can the rear housings just be swapped from any m50d? (more specifically from a 4x4 m50d to a 4x2 m50d)


and I should add that I wont be dealing with anything newer than a 97.

I am asking because I need a 4x4 tranny for a 2.3 and they are proving to be harder to find than I thought.

EDIT: I just found out that a 4.0 is geared a little higher

-plumcrazy

 

[rboyer]

Hard to find? I have one. I am in Berwick, PA which is like 430 miles away from you. If you want a total price shipped to your door let me know.

 

[PlumCrazy]

My zip is 43110, I am still looking around, but I am curious what it would be after shipping.

-plumcrazy

 

[rboyer]

You can have it shipped to your door for a total price of $400 if you are paying by money order and $415 through Paypal. As for your original question, you need a 2.3 case to bolt to your engine because the bellhousing is casted in the case. If you have a 2.3 2wd transmission, a 4x4 mainshaft, a 4x4 extension housing, and the tools/knowledge to rip it all apart and put it back together again you can make yourself a transmission for a little cheaper than it would cost to buy one. To be honest with you I could sit here trying to talk you into buying it off of me and just throwing it in your truck without any hassle but I know how tight money can be with people these days so my suggestion to you would be that if you're pretty good with mechanical stuff then search around the forum and tech library for any information that you may need and go to town. If it's not a daily driver and you can afford the downtime then it would be well worth it to save a couple hundred bucks and you would gain some experience.

 

[PlumCrazy]

All I need to get is a 4x4 M50D out what ever and swap the mainshaft and extension housing onto the 2.3 4x2 transmission.right?

Thanks for all the advise and I will keep you in mind when I start buy stuff. I am not going to start this project for a little while. I have to gather a couple other parts first, like a Dana 30 front and an exploder 8.8 rear. I think I am going to wait until I get the transmission and transfer case before I start putting the axles under the truck though.

-plumcrazy