Northern Tundra Build

2 years ago I began converting my 2002 Tundra from 2wd to 4wd, so far I have the entire front axle in including a total chaos long travel system and manual hubs. Eventually I am converting to solid axle or a custom built independent suspension, but for now here is how it sits...

Took the front bumper off and I am about to build a custom one as well as swap in the 4wd transmission and manual transfer case

Lots of work and I am really slow stay tuned for more

 

Nice project truck.

 

Removed piece of rear drive shaft from 4runner and swapped coupler to tundra coupler


Need to get transmission to xfer case bolts and sealant to permanently mount it to transmission

 

Cut off factory bumper mounting brackets, getting ready to weld a filler in for bumper mount.



Repairing warn winch



Little corosion on the terminals cleaned it up and good to go

 

Transmission and case combined, 2004 auto transmission with 1990s manual shift case. Can't wait to get it installed



Once the coupler was swapped everything fit like a glove.

Going to have to get a vss since this case did not come with one.

 

Got a new welder and I am ready to go.... but then this happened to one of the snowmobiles



Front coil over sheared completely off the mount on father in laws sled... shop is too full gonna have to hold off on going after swap this week...

 

Fixed the snowmobile and got my shop space back


Drained the trans fluid and used some of my hillbilly engineering to remove the single piece 2wd drive shaft.





Looks like rust got to the leaf springs and rear axle... thank goodness I didn't intend to keep those anyway

Next up is the transmission swap.. stay tuned.

 

Drive shaft out and 4wd transmission prepped.

If you can't tell it's -13 here this evening.

 

Nice, looks like some work is going on there.

 

Dug up some old pics

2wd spindle


Swapped to 4wd spindle


I have since replaced that spring and repainted the LCA.

 

Pic of the manual hubs

 

Removed electrical and plumbing from 2wd transmission jack is on it. The bolts come out tomorrow.

 

Thought things were going good then snap... broke a bolt off in the transmission. Gonna have to get the extraction kit out.

 

Transmission out



Gonna give it a rest for the weekend, too cold... started the 2010 and let it run for a bit... -22 degrees with a wind chill of -40 degrees.



Looks like the bolt I broke is sticking out enough to back it out.

 

Using my shop crane



Shifter hole

 

After a whole day of marking drilling changing bits drilling more then heating cooling drilling more then filing then finally using a smaller tap to run the bolt out the other way I have removed the broken bolt.


Here is how close I got to center with my pilot hole


The smaller tap was the only thing I could get to send the piece out the other side after I tried using the vice grips to pull it out the other way, using the bolt extractor nuts and several times cursing it


This may be the highlight of my build just getting that bolt out. Now I need to find some replacements and repair the threads in that hole.

 

Went for a ride this weekend as well

Picture of my lovely wife and her kitty (arctic cat snowmobile)

 

Mounted transmission and got shifter in. Gonna have to lose the bench seat as the shifter hits it in 4wd.

 

Front drive shaft is in... need to buy a new bolt to replace the one broken off.

 

Makes me feel as though I am in college again.



Put that tarp there to keep prying eyes off of it but over the drive the tarp was destroyed.

 

Fabricating new x-member and the torch ran out of oxygen.

 

How have I not seen this thread yet! I loved my first gem! Looks awesome!

 

Swapping pans onto new transmission
off the old

 

New rear drive shaft in
Fabricated my own crossmember and that's in.
Need to swap pans, get a vss, and fill fluids.
And redo my exhaust seeing as I cut parts out to install new transmission

 

Shortening bolts on the lathe.



Bolts were a bit too long for companion flange on drive shaft and I did not want to go into town to get more.

 

Fluids in, just need a VSS

 

Accidentally ran over a hacksaw

 

4wd works and I have a new pot hole in my drive... looks like I need lockers and more flex....



Glamor shots with both of my trucks.