ok i know its cheaper to just buy a 4x4 truck, but i love my Dakota and i cant find a 4x4 one to body swap with... i live on an island and my Dakota dont do so well in soft sand...

Whats the complete parts list i would need to turn my 2wd 94 Dakota with an auto trans into a 4x4 with a solid front axle?

i have fab friends and welders i just need pats and what not, tips and a simple walk through would be bad *** to!!

 

Look at this post (near the end) from the FAQ for lots of ideas.

 

ya i wanted to go with a 4 link, insted of leaf springs, also does any one know if ill seed a diff drive shaft after adding the transfer case? is there a diff in hoe long they are?
?

 

Really?
You dont even know that much about it?
This swap is WAY out of your league. If you love your truck. Dont do this. You'll end up with a pile of scrap or $10000 getting other people to do it for you and you'll still not love your truck again because it will not be the same truck.
Most people that do this know how or have enough money to just drop it off at a shop to have it done.
Others learn to do it but many of them get so far over they're heads its all scrapped and money lost.
You dont even know the difference in driveshafts.
Dont use your beloved truck as your guinea pig.

 

front driveshaft will almost always have to be custom made,how much lift and what size tires are you planning on running???

 

1, i know what i need to do, i just need some specs and ive got a plan what to do. 2, im asking for a parts list and im only asking cuz i cant find all the data i need. im starting with the front axle first so i can keep driving during the project. i know what i need to do and how to do it, if you have only negative things to say and no input then dont reply.

 

not much lift, its going to mostly be used for sand so i dont need much, as fot the tires 30x9.5 R15LT knobies are what im running now and they rum when i turn to sharp right, so i may just wait to see how they look/work first. im not worried bout custom making the front drive shaft so much, im more concerned with if im going to have to have a rear made after the tranf case is bolted up. Right now im in the hard core research and planing stage.

which leads me to my next question. from what ive been able to find a NP-242J Tranf case of the one from the 4x4 dakota should spline up and bolt up to my automatic trans and i have to get the computer from a 4x4 automatic truck. is that correct?

 

You have to run at least a few inches of lift to keep the front axle out of the oil pan.

Your best bet would probably be to buy a 4x4 donor truck and rob it of all the parts you need (which obviously won't help you with the front axle, but it will take care of the rest.)

Any particular reason you're set on a 4-link? They're pretty difficult to set up properly, and a lot more expensive than, say, radius arms.

 

from what im planing i may be able to set of the 4-link without any cutting or welding of the frame, and by doing a bolt on mount to the frame and doing all the welded mounts to the axle, all the custom welding will be to the dana 44, i just need to figure out the mount for the coil over/'s and the set up for the steering, in my mind it would minimize the custom wort to the truck itself

 

btw here's my truck