This is gonna sound really stupid but whatever....

a friend of mine just bought an 88 yota pickup,xtracab,longbed....only problem is its a 2wd ...he wants to swap it over to a solid front axle and make it into a 4x4....
Is this even possible?

if so what the hell is required for it....

thanx

BEAST

I'm gonna guess you will need a t-case, front axle, idea for front suspension, spring over axle conversion in rear, front d-shaft, welding and gas axe/sawzall skills amongst other things. My first Q would be why? Why would he not just pick up a trashed 4x4 and put his body parts on it? Probably cheaper and easier than buying all the parts and trying to scab them together. Is he really attached to this vehicle? If not then why not just buy a 4x4? Maybe he wants to put a mint 2x body on a 4x? Is this his idea? I did something similar to this in highschool but I just put a 2wd cab on a 4wd frame (1st gen pickup). Helluva lot easier than welding in a X-member for t-case and hangers for springs etc. and trying to adapt a 2wd trans to a t-case. BTW the front 2 body mounts don't line up but its an easy fix. Tell buddy to find a 4x4 to start on and he will be much happier cause he will be buying all these parts anyways. Toyota parts cost a fortune in B.C. too (I know I'm from B.C.) so look at buying something outside of the lower mainland and bringing it back there somehow. You can likely get a better deal on a "beater" Toyota 4x4 from out of province and if you're using it for parts you dont need to have it inspected. If he has his mind set on converting a 2wd to 4wd then so be it, anything is possible with a sawzall and welder but WHY?

"anything is possible with a sawzall and welder but WHY? "

To be different, cam01! Anybody can lift a toyo with a bolt-on lift.

Converting a 2wd is no problem, I've done 2 of these coversions. Basically, you need a front diff, t-case, steering arm set-up, and rear lift. If you have the capabilities, or access to a good fabricator, this conversion can be easy.

jeez.....now he says screw the 4x4 idea and just wants to lift it enought to fit 33s.......

stupid kid......anyways....is this an option?

i gotta ask this stuff for him cause hes to lazy to get his own account....and before u ask.....ive already beaten him over the head for not buying a 4x4 in the first place

Big Kahuna there is nothing I hate more than bolt on lifts and I wouldn't even suggest one. He never even mentioned lifts in his first post. All I was suggesting was why not start with a 4x4 frame even a IFS frame then you get the base platform for building off of with some of the work done already. Unless you plan on swapping all the drivetrain components and fabbing new mounts for these new parts anyways.