Here is the deal, I can get a great deal on a 2wd regualr cab dmax but I really need a 4wd. What is needed to convert one to 4wd and is it worth it?

No.

It wouldn't cost THAT much to do one. Just depends. You can get a front diff for around $300. CV shafts new ~$110 a piece. 4x4 wheel bearings- ~$500. Front driveshaft $?. You can even run a divorced NP205 transfer case out of a ford and shorten the rear driveshaft.

If you can find someone who is adding a SFA you might be able to get a package deal on everything

Or you can put in a SFA...

I think by asking the question, you've answered it. No

Kyle Michaels did on his pulling truck. Thats food for thought.

Aren't the diffs and half shafts virtually the same since IFS came out? If so, that leaves a BUNCH of donor vehicles to chose from out there.


C-ya

worth it only to you, since you want it......

It is NOT worth it!

Kyle Michaels did on his pulling truck. Thats food for thought.

Aren't the diffs and half shafts virtually the same since IFS came out? If so, that leaves a BUNCH of donor vehicles to chose from out there.


C-ya

Do you know how he did it or how I can get in touch with him?



I didn't think it was worht it. But, if some has already done it and it isn't too costly I just might have to give it a try...

Frames are different...food for thought.

SFA would be the way to go if you were going to bother.

Frames are different? SFA would be cool but it just sounds like all this going to be too much work. I'm going to with NO it is not worth the work to track down all the parts, buy them, and make everything work.

it was worth a shot though...

Better off trading for a 4X4 that you want, less agrivation in the long run.

Kyle is "kyle03d" on here. He is the owner of CrankItUp Diesel Performance and runs the red Super Stock duramax pulling truck called Climax. If you go to the vendors section, there is a link to his web address and there is a brief description of the 2wd to 4wd conversion. The description made it seem straight forward but its probably a pretty big bite to chew. ;)

I believe ORU makes an SFA kit that works on 2wd trucks?? Think it was even featured in Diesel Power magazine IIRC where they did a write-up about it. More food for thought.


Ultimately, its probably NOT the thing to do if you ever want to sell the truck though. For a "pleasure" vehicle it would be fine but general resell value would probably take a hit, at least compared to an OE 4wd truck. People just wouldn't trust it.

C-ya

Frames are different? SFA would be cool but it just sounds like all this going to be too much work. I'm going to with NO it is not worth the work to track down all the parts, buy them, and make everything work.

it was worth a shot though...

An SFA is relatively simple provided you can weld really well. There are kits ou there and its pretty straight forward install. A set of springs, shocks, steering kit, some plate steel and descent axle will get you on the road. On the tranny/ tcase end, I would put a new tail shaft on it and slap a factory tcase on there. New drive shaft and voila: a 4x4 SFA conversion for under $5k.

DMAXBOB

By the time you buy the transfer case, the shift linkage and controls, the front and rear drive shafts, U-joints, the front axle assembly, steering linkage, brake assemblies, suspension pieces, etc, etc. Then you add all the labor and all the headaches on top of that, you will definitely have spent a lot more than if you had bough a 4x4 to begin with. And you STILL will never recover the cost on resale. In fact many people will walk away from it and you would have a hard time even getting the price for a 2WD truck out of it when you try to sell it.

By the time you buy the transfer case, the shift linkage and controls, the front and rear drive shafts, U-joints, the front axle assembly, steering linkage, brake assemblies, suspension pieces, etc, etc. Then you add all the labor and all the headaches on top of that, you will definitely have spent a lot more than if you had bough a 4x4 to begin with. And you STILL will never recover the cost on resale. In fact many people will walk away from it and you would have a hard time even getting the price for a 2WD truck out of it when you try to sell it.

:exactly:

I was faced with the same situation. I had an 05 and wished I had 4x4. Alot of the parts look the same, but I agree with most that buying out the parts and all the labor would be tough to justify. I bit the bullet and upgraded to 4x4 and while I was at it I jumped to a DRW. With the money we wind up spending on these trucks you got a get what you want.
Good luck

I had pretty much decided that it would be much easier and about the same cost jsut to buy a 4x4 right from the get go. But I was just seein gif there was a kit or a how to on converting. I wanted to see just how much money it would take and what kin dof work was involved. As I suspected it was way more than I wanted to get into.

I had pretty much decided that it would be much easier and about the same cost jsut to buy a 4x4 right from the get go. But I was just seein gif there was a kit or a how to on converting. I wanted to see just how much money it would take and what kin dof work was involved. As I suspected it was way more than I wanted to get into.

and warranties are nice things to have.