4x4 conversion?

[orfordguy@yahoo.com]

almost all of my fullsized trucks have replacememnt parts weer the vins were attached. my 1979 250 , my favorite, has 4 seperate vins. I simple had the state cops inspect it $7.00 to verify no parts are stolen. then took that to dmv and pay the 50 title fee with the new assigned vin and reconstructed brand on title. that is here in oregon however. i also need to mention that it cuts the resale value but i didn't care.

 

[Psychowolff]

Anyone have an Opinion on swaping out the 3L or 4L eng of a 2000-2009 4X4 with a 2.3L?

I like the gas Milage (yes it will drop some) and the strength of the 2.3L motor, but for whatever reason, Nobody (ford/chevy/dodge) makes a decent 4Cyl AND also lets you have the finer things like cruise/PW/PL/AC/4X4/EtCab.

Am I thinking strait or would I just be better off getting a 3 or 4L, pay for the extra gas, and keep all my hair?

 

[jaymegriffiths]

Anyone have an Opinion on swaping out the 3L or 4L eng of a 2000-2009 4X4 with a 2.3L?

I like the gas Milage (yes it will drop some) and the strength of the 2.3L motor, but for whatever reason, Nobody (ford/chevy/dodge) makes a decent 4Cyl AND also lets you have the finer things like cruise/PW/PL/AC/4X4/EtCab.

Am I thinking strait or would I just be better off getting a 3 or 4L, pay for the extra gas, and keep all my hair?

keep your hair and buy a 4.0 some prefer to build then buy, but messing with new stuff can leave you stranded for weeks, months, who knows. unless you have a good knowledge of mechanics and another daily driver... i wouldn't suggest it. just my $.02 but fwiw do your homework!

 

[AllanD]

Hi don't mean to thread jack, but AllanD I have 90' 2wd TTB susp. ranger and I want a 4wd conversion, and I wondered is all you have to do for a conversion is take out the 2wd crossmember swap in the 4wd one, put in a dana 28 or 35 and 4wd tranny & transfer case?

"All you have to do" kinda ranks up there with "Please hand me that piano"

I've done it, I didn't ASK anyone's opinion before doing it
I didn't ask anyone's advice, why? Because I knew exactly
what I was doing.

But I've consistantly advised people against doing it that way...

The way I've usually put it is "If you are capable of doing the job
and doing it properly in all respects you wouldn't be here asking me"

People who have the necissary skills simply ask what is different then
go do it and only posting back up a few weeks later to present us all
with a "fait accompli"

which is more or less how I did mine... I was planning a frame swap, I still have that frame, It hangs on the outside of my carport.... Right below my extension ladder...

It is a ladder frame after all.... (Pun Intended)

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[Psychowolff]

Thanks, Guess I'll just keep my 4Runner for playing in the mud and my Ranger for driving... Yes I'm one of those wierdos that likes multiple brands! I loved the older Toyotas with the 22RE AND 4x4... Just wish Ford would make a decent 4 cyl with 4x4 from the factory! I like that little 2.3L motor.

I wasn't thinking about tearing into a new/running truck, something that had a small accident or motor siezed, something like that. my buddy has a 2002 with the DOHC 2.3 and it is a lot peppier than mine, perfect for a 4x4 mod

Nite all

 

[jaymegriffiths]

"All you have to do" kinda ranks up there with "Please hand me that piano"

I've done it, I didn't ASK anyone's opinion before doing it
I didn't ask anyone's advice, why? Because I knew exactly
what I was doing.

But I've consistantly advised people against doing it that way...

The way I've usually put it is "If you are capable of doing the job
and doing it properly in all respects you wouldn't be here asking me"

People who have the necissary skills simply ask what is different then
go do it and only posting back up a few weeks later to present us all
with a "fait accompli"

which is more or less how I did mine... I was planning a frame swap, I still have that frame, It hangs on the outside of my carport.... Right below my extension ladder...

It is a ladder frame after all.... (Pun Intended)

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this is where i dont agree. i often ask questions here when i cant find them anywhere else. not that i dont feel confident doing any sort of mod on my vehicle, just want to avoid opening a can of worms on a weekend on my dd with no hope of ever reassembling or finishing the job. that would be a very costly mistake. and mistakes do happen, just it would be better to source the neccisarry info from someone whos done it. AD is your ranger that you performed the 4.0 swap your one and only DD?

 

[AllanD]

this is where i dont agree. i often ask questions here when i cant find them anywhere else. not that i dont feel confident doing any sort of mod on my vehicle, just want to avoid opening a can of worms on a weekend on my dd with no hope of ever reassembling or finishing the job. that would be a very costly mistake. and mistakes do happen, just it would be better to source the neccisarry info from someone whos done it. AD is your ranger that you performed the 4.0 swap your one and only DD?

It obviously wasn't being driven at the time...

I had a borrowed (from a friend that wasn't using it) F-150
(4.9 5sp 4x4) and later I put my 1994 Aerostar on the road

I started it all after I got "waked" by some asshole in a Full size Dodge Ram who couldn't wait 30seconds for me to complete a stream crossing and hydrolocked my engine.

Watching 6" of brown water washing across my hood was not a good feeling...

If I had been able to get to my rifle more quickly I'd have sent 30rounds of "My best wishes" into the back of his truck.

In any event my Ranger was off the road for over a year while I did everything I did.... I was putting it back together as a 2.9 2wd but
the first engine seized after running for ~15min and the second got rained in when my brother opened my hood to borrow some tools
I had left in the engine bay and left the hood open...

After that I had ONE good 2.9 engine left, but had THREE 4.0's on hand...

I figuired that while the engine was out and I was replacing the
body mounts anyway...

In "real time reality" the decision to convert from 2wd to 4x4
actually took me three days, and one of those days was waiting
for a replacement current control for my friend NEW miller welder.

From the decision it was two hours to have the ENTIRE front suspension and steering box off the truck and another 45min to have the crossmember on the ground in pieces.... I had finished grinding off the factory welds before the crossmember stopped smoking.

The "Decision" was made at 3pm on a thursday and I actually had the crossmember in enough before dark that I had already put my tools away and was on my second beer before I turned on the outside lights.

After the welding was done it took a day to put the beams back in and carefully assemble everything.

Thre were several "cheat" factors in my favor
I started "converting" with the engine already out...
I already had th crossmember "cleaned up" and ready for installation (that was done literally years beforehand)

what took FAR longer was all the other stuff I did.

Reinforcing the frame, repairing body mounts, building my 1" body lift, replacing every inch of fuel and brake lines on the truck...

Relaced every inch of wire outside the cab...

Oh, what fun....

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