2nd Gen Tundra - Not your average 2WD to 4WD conversion question. Opinions?

[TheAdventurousMind]

Well let me give you a background and options I see, and if you guys can fill in with some advice, I'd really appreciate it. I was mainly involved with desert racing, doing photography at the races while I was there. The last race I attended was the MDR California 200 that had the major accident heard around the world. The day before that, I found out my wife was pregnant with our son who is now 2. My priorities changed after that. I still love desert racing and the atmosphere, but I have drifted a bit further away. I always have been wanting an all purpose vehicle, but more so since that race. Before that I wanted a project to build my own truck to race, but now I just want a comfortable DD that I can take my family out to most any environment and go camping/exploring; whether it be desert, mountains, beach, etc. I figured building a comfortable expedition vehicle would be the best option.

My options:
I currently drive a '10 Crewmax Tundra… 2WD *eek*. I know people post countless times about 2wd to 4wd conversions using stock 4wd replacements. Doing this, I agree with everyone that selling the truck and buying a new one is the cheapest option. Enter options of converting to 4wd by means of SAS and a divorced transfer case. My truck only has 40K miles on it and runs great. I know full size trucks aren't the most desired choice due to the size on possible trails. Being in Southern California, I think all the trails I would go to, I can get through a good 90% of them. I bought it preowned at 25k miles with scratches already, so I don't have to worry about additional pinstriping. I knew it would be in the dirt from the beginning, so scratches don't bother me much. Below I put two options with pricing them both. Both “packages” have their pros and cons, but this is where I ask your opinions. Major pros to a SAS would be strength with the cons of additional labor. Another fear I have is issues that might arise with the computer. With just spacers and 35's, my gauge lights up like a Christmas tree (Need to do zero point calibration). I can do a mechanical shifting divorced transfer case to eliminate added electronics. I have the room with the truck length to fit the transfer case. Don't know about plug and play of swapping transmissions to the stock 4wd unit, so I figured a divorced case is my safest bet. If I sold it to buy a 4wd Tundra for my base, I'd end up wanting long travel to get the similar performance of a straight axle with coilovers would get me, it would make my truck wider than it already is. So I priced both options off of that, using the added cost in value of a used 4wd Tundra. I like the size of my truck and with 1 kid now, and hoping for more in our future, I think it's a safe size to stick with. I've owned an 03 Tundra AC, 08 Tundra CM, and a 10 Tacoma DC, so I know the size restrictions of each one of those.

Dana 60 Axle - $1500
Radius Arms and Panhard or 3 Link - $500
Steering Box - $500
Hi Steer Steering Kit - $750
Driveshafts (New Fr/New Mid/Cut Rr)- $500?
Divorced Transfer Case (Rebuild used NP205) - $500
Cable Shift - $350
Coilovers - $1400
Miscellaneous - $1000

Total - $7000


Difference in price to sell current and buy 4wd - $3000
Total Chaos LT Kit - $3100
Extended axles - $600
Coilovers - $1400
Fr Fiberglass fenders – $350
Miscellaneous - $500

Total - $8950

It will be awhile before any of this occurs, but I want to research now so I can slowly accumulate parts if I find good deals. What are some things I didn't think of that I should know? I know I look like the new guy, but have lurked on this site for while. Before that, I was usually on sites like Race-Dezert. I usually have good design ideas, but getting down to the specifics, I thought I'd ask you since I don't know as much on the 4wd side of things as I do 2wd/IFS.

Thanks guys, Hope you all don't think I am too crazy. :sombrero:
Dave.

 

[surlydiesel]

You should be able to buy a pre-built Tundra someplace and save some cash that way. Once you lift them, add on all the goods, you never get what you paid for all the extras in the aftermarket. If you find a built up mall-crawler, you might save a lot of cash and time. Just don't get someone's headache project that got abused and beat. Or just trade yours on a 4X4 and build it up as you see fit slowly. Figure out what you want/need it to do before you go crazy throwing parts at it. Tundras have a so so resale value because of the fuel milage hit. You can get them for decent deals.

I guess it sounds to me like you'll enjoy the ride quality of a stockish Tundra with the family in the truck vs. a lifted solid axle truck. The dana 60 has a good deal of unsprung weight on its own and unless you're rock crawling your Tundra, you most likely won't need that kind of strength. It's a half ton truck...

You can find some very nicely built Tundra's on here that have been beefed up for rough trails but no one opted to solid axle swap.

That's my 2 cents.

-jorge

 

[FJR Colorado]

For not too much more $$ you could have a durable old FJ80 Land Cruiser with solid front axle.... I've seen some incredible deals posted on them here in the for sale section....

 

[Desert Dan]

I say sell your 2WD and get a 4WD Tundra and enjoy your family trips beginning this summer. You can modify the 4WD truck as needed.

Did you include all the labor and down time costs to do the conversion?

 

[Mrknowitall]

Trade your truck for one with 4wd and throw on some KORE coilovers. Some rear Fox shocks and good leaf-packs to match- done!
Custom work for three driveshafts will cost you more than $500. You still need a cross-member to hold that t-case- that'll be some more fab costs. You'll lose all ABS based features with a Dana front axle. You'll never be able to sell the converted truck for half of what you'll put in.

 

[bigwapitijohnny]

one option...

I would suggest that you trade your Tundy in for a new one. I know that there is a shortage of used Tundras because of the current financial incentives. Sounds like you know what you want ~ that is a good thing. I would refer you to Brian Jowett at Jowett engineering. He has done quite a lot of work with the 2nd gen Tundra, and He would be able to give you insight into what you are wanting to do.

Good luck!

Regards,

BWJ

 

[seanpistol]

If it was me I'd sell it and buy a 4x4. If you've got plenty of money to spare, I'd love to see the SAS and that would be an awesome way to go.

 

[Martinjmpr]

First off, let me state that I have zero actual experience with any kind of major modification like you're talking about, but having said that, I think your figures for the cost of a SAS 4x4 conversion are way low. My recollection (from other forums) is that an SAS conversion on a vehicle that has 4wd already (like a 4wd Tacoma) is somewhere in the $10k range.

I can also say from my limited experience with other "projects" like my little teardrop trailer is that no matter how much you think it's going to cost, it will always - ALWAYS - cost quite a bit more (and also require more time and effort.) And there's no exception to that rule. There are problems you will face that you haven't even considered yet.

And I'm pretty sure I've never heard anybody talking about a major project and saying "It was a lot easier than I thought it would be."

There's also the factor of your own time and energy. Are you looking for a "project", a hobby or a challenge? If so, then it sounds like a worthwhile endeavor, but if all you want is a vehicle and you think that doing your own conversion is going to save you $$ over just selling it and buying a 4x4, I have to say I think you're choosing a much more difficult and expensive path.

And then there's the issue of your time - what is that worth? You have small kids and a wife - I'm guessing they require a fair amount of your time (and I'm also assuming you have a job that requires your time.) What's left over after all that is YOUR time - do you want to spend it working on the truck, or using the truck?

Again, I'm not saying I have the answer - I'm saying only YOU know whether that investment of your time and energy will be worth it.

It wouldn't to me, but then again changing oil is about the most "mechanical" thing I do. Doing a 4x4/SAS conversion seems to me to be an enormous undertaking that will require a lot of your free time and in the end, what you get will be only marginally more capable than something you can buy off the shelf. If you look at it as a hobby or a challenge, like restoring an old car, then that's one thing but if your intention is just to use it, then it might not be the best investment of your time and money.

 

[MotoDave]

Unless you really don't care about body damage, I can't see wheeling a 2nd gen tundra on anything hard enough to require a solid front axle. Any trail I can think of is going to be way too narrow for a truck this wide and long. I'd trade the truck for a 4x4, then see what type of trails you actually end up wanting to use it on before committing to extensive mods. Another factor is resale of a new truck that's been converted to SAS is likely to be near zero. Doesn't matter that it cost a lot to do, for 99.9% of buyers it'll rule out the truck then and there. A basic IFS lift, or even LT kit is still reversable if needed.

 

[Clutch]

no matter how much you think it's going to cost, it will always - ALWAYS - cost quite a bit more (and also require more time and effort.) And there's no exception to that rule. .

Yerp, always cost twice as much and takes twice as long...ALWAYS!!!