The only way one could come out ahead converting a two wheel drive to a four wheel drive is if they were planing on building a custom 4 link suspension on the truck anyway with way heavier axles and drivetrain and already had the 2wd truck. At that point, your changing out all the factory suspension reguardless of 2wd or 4wd, your upgrading your transmission, you better be putting in an atlas transfer case, your axles better be rockwells or pair of 14 bolts or some super worked up dana's, and you will have custom link heavy duty drive shafts. As far as insurance goes, you will probably will have to go with barrett jackson either way cause none of the rest would cover the actual value of the truck.

 

14 bolt front end, eh?

 

A set of locked/geared 60s are plenty strong enough for most applications

 

I know that. But I'm just saying, "If your going to go all out, go all out"

 

 

I live and am building a house out in the desert and sometimes the road washes out and I have to drive through washes and deep sand and gravel and through dense mesquite and creosote(sometimes all conditions at the same time) and I'm talking about 10-12' deep washes with 45° banks and I have a limited slip diff and have only got stuck when I forgot to remove my ball hitch. I was told by several folks who live near there that there was no way to get to my property without a 4wd. Well, my Ram smashes and rips it's way through and when it gets messy, I leave 2 spin-out tracks and have never had the problem with sinking in sand with one tire spinning. I actually made it through a big, sandy wash a Border Patrol who was following me in a Ford F350 4x4 got stuck and had to winch out. A limited slip diff will suffice for anything short of mud bogging. And if I get stuck out there, there ain't a tow truck that can get out there to pull me out. My Ram has made me not even worry for a second.

 

Yes yes i know I worked in a 4x4 fab shop and I know anything can be done... But why? Whats the point in spending $3500+ to custom build a steering 14 bolt front end, just to have an axle that is *slightly* stronger than a 60, but has less ground clearance?

 

Anyway, to the OP, load it up and maybe ride with her or something so she can get used to driving in the snow. Or sell the truck and buy a 4WD or a FWD car or something.

To the rest of the thread... Next time you buy a truck, buy one that will do more than you need it to do, because someday you will need it to do something it will not. Then you go to a forum and ask for advice on how to add the half of the truck that you forgot to buy. These kinds of things arent bolt on swaps. They are custom builds. And like whoever started the 14 bolt front axle with independent suspension conversation had the best point of the thread.

 

^^^ +1 to that! That's why I don't buy 1/2 tons.

 

I got a 98 ram 1500 2wd and my trans is shot (I'm a bit aggressive with the gas brake combo if you catch my drift) Found a nice ram at pull apart with a 5 speed, front axle all the steering components and driveshafts. All I would need is the trans, tcase, dshafts, front axle, steering and some way to get brackets to weld to the frame for the control arms and panhard rod and everything else should just drop in right?
My truck was purchased by my pa new in 98 he passed in 03 and the truck has 47k miles no rust straight body so I don't want to sell it for a 4x4 I would rather make it one.