[Sinisterspeed]

If your looking into doing the 4x4 conversion. Choosing the gear ratio's is much further down your list then you might think. These are easy and fairly cheap to take care of no matter what the ratio's currently are. You could put the AC dash in your non ac cab however the ac box wont fit the firewall without modification. Then of course there are a ton of other more expensive parts that are needed to make all that work.

IMHO it all depends on the condition of your truck. If yours is in good shape just use the 4x4 chassis and start from there. You can convert the 2wd chassis just takes alittle more time and you still need some parts from the 4x4 anyway.

There is also a after market kit you can use to just change your 2wd to 4wd but a donor truck is always a good source for the parts you need.

1. tcase (150-300)
2. short shaft married transmission (150-300 used 450-1200 rebuilt)
3. correct adapter between them (75-300 depending on which one you will need TH400/205 is the hardest to find)
4. cross member that holds them to the frame (home made or OEM donor)
5. front leaf perches (OEM or Aftermarket)
6. Front Axle (don't bother with the trouble unless it is at least a disk brake, open knuckle with locking hubs usually can be had for 150 or less)
7. 4wd steering box (you can use 2wd box if you do crossover steering 75-150)
8. drag link (50)
9. front springs (50 used -250 new)
10. raised center hump (this does not HAVE to be done. You just can't reach the top bolts without a body lift to install the tcase separately)
11. Front and Rear Drive lines (I usually budget 5-600 for this if you have to have them both made. I usually just mix and match to make a front one since a non balanced front shaft wont hurt anything since you only use it at low speeds and its so short)
12. If you will be running a lift kit when it becomes a 4x4 make sure you measure the rear springs on the frame you are using because lift kits usually only come with 52" springs where longhorn's as well as a couple other 2wd trucks have 56" springs therefore you have to relocate both the front and rear spring mounts to make this work as well. (I might be mixed up on the which has the 52 and 56 but I think I remember it like that) I had to move mine closer together to be able to buy the springs that would fit)


Issues to think about when doing this as well to prevent future problems are:

if your in it this far reinforce your frame at the PS box or add cross member in front of it to prevent breakage from the larger tires twisting on the frame

Speedo most likely will need attention at the trans to make it right with your tire size and gear ratio that you have chosen

rear axle should be from the same truck as the front if possible to prevent having to change the ratio from one or the other right away.

obviously if you have a half ton 2wd you will most likely not have rear leaf springs either. Thus another reason to use a 4x4 frame or a 3/4-1 ton 2wd frame then you can use the factory rear spring mounts.

you will have to remove the carrier bearing cross member from a 2wd frame.

you need an additional side transfer case mounting bracket. You can mount it up without one but if you run without it very long you will damage the trans adapter and those are 300 bucks by them selves.

I am sure I am forgetting something but those are the issues I could think of while I have been doing mine. The prices as well are prices that I had found while doing this in the Pacific NW with many parts available.