2wd to 4wd swap?
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Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 27
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From: Lincoln
2wd to 4wd swap?
i absolutley love my truck....ive done way to much to it to even think about selling it the only think i absolutley hate about it is i want to go offroadin! i do ... A LOT...but its stupid cuz its a 2wd so its whatever. i want a 4wd....is there any possible way to swap a 2wd for a 4wd with a new drive shaft or what.? Thanks
Oh its possible but the time you would have in it would make it not worth it. Your better off selling for a 4x4. You would need pretty much the whole front end,a 4wd tranny,transfer case, drive shafts, cut a hole for the shifter,make mounts for everything and wiring. Its a lot easier said then done thats for sure. My pap did a 2wd to 4wd swap oh prob about 25-30 years ago on a 74 international pickup truck. He had a donor truck and his plan was to switch cabs but the frame was bad on the other truck so him and my 3 uncles helped him. On a truck that old its way different than todays trucks.
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Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 10,923
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From: NM
I did the swap. Just get a wrecked 4wd same body and engine ect. Then swap the frames. Here is my post on it. https://dodgeforum.com/forum/1st-gen...x2-to-4x4.html
The only other way is to do a SAS Solid Axle Swap. Google it tons of write ups all over.
The only other way is to do a SAS Solid Axle Swap. Google it tons of write ups all over.
Professional
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 116
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From: Maine
If you want to do serious offroading, then a solid axle swap is your best bet. If done well, it will turn your truck into a quite capable offroad vehicle. Factory 4WD Dakotas on the other hand, are at the bottom of the totem pole when it comes to offroad capability, because they have IFS. Factory 4WD Dakotas have a lot of company down there at the bottom of the totem pole though, because most 4WDs made in the past ~25 years have IFS. About the only vehicles left that are still made with a solid front axle are certain heavy-duty trucks (like 3/4 ton and heavier) and Jeeps.
Finding a wrecked factory 4WD with a good frame and drivetrain would most likely be cheaper though, and doing such a swap is simply a matter of assembly/disassembly; i.e., it doesn't require the fabrication and engineering skills of doing an SAS, so there are far more people out there capable of doing it (though I would expect it to still be quite labor intensive).
There is no way to simply swap a few parts around (like a new drive shaft) to get 4WD, because 2WD Dakotas use a completely different type of front suspension (coil spring vs. torsion bar) and the frames are different up front.
Finding a wrecked factory 4WD with a good frame and drivetrain would most likely be cheaper though, and doing such a swap is simply a matter of assembly/disassembly; i.e., it doesn't require the fabrication and engineering skills of doing an SAS, so there are far more people out there capable of doing it (though I would expect it to still be quite labor intensive).
There is no way to simply swap a few parts around (like a new drive shaft) to get 4WD, because 2WD Dakotas use a completely different type of front suspension (coil spring vs. torsion bar) and the frames are different up front.