1999-1/2 to 2003 2wd to 4wd Conversion: Collection Bin

[vegoilrecycler]

Let's put a "Collection Bin" together of all the available information, experiences, and pictures on what it takes to turn a 2wd Super Duty into a 4wd. I'll confess that the reason I'm starting this discussion is because I want to do this conversion. But I'm not the only one who is interested.

I know there's a considerable amount of interest in this because I see the question asked over and over in several places: "How difficult is it to convert a 2wd into a 4wd?"

I've scoured a handful of truck forums including this one looking for a good collection of reliable info on converting a 2wd 7.3L to a 4wd. The answer seems to be that it's not as difficult as you might think. The frame on the 2wd and 4wd trucks hasn't changed since '99 (with respect to this project). You could use a same era D60 front axle or upgrade to the newer 2005+ axle and take advantage of some of the differences.

There's a few threads here with a smattering of info and pictures but I'm starting this discussion to try to collect them all in one place.

If you've done this conversion, please post your experience in as much details as possible. Pictures, procedures, parts purchased, parts salvaged, problems you encountered and overcame, etc. Did you purchase a donor truck or buy the parts?

If you need help resizing and posting pictures, PM me and I'll send you my email address. You will be credited as the source of the info.

Post any links that you think are good. Links could come from this forum or others.

Thanks for reading and I hope that we can get a lively discussion with a deep amount of reliable and usable information.

If you want to simply get updates on this discussion, post a message with "..." in it and you should get notification as people add to the discussion.

If you simply want to add a pithy comment such as, "sell your 2wd and buy a 4wd...", please be respectful and keep that thought to yourself. We've heard it before. We like our trucks, we just want what you have: 4wd.

Lookout mud and wet grass and sand. We're comin' for ya. We just need to do some wrenchin' first.

[Noslo5o]

Hey everybody, Im in the middle of this 2wd to 4wd conversion myself and found plenty of info on (PART 1) get'n the front axle bolted up and the truck back on the road until I do some more research to move onto (PART 2) I found the wireing harness for the 4wd switch already in place. Its stuck on a tab on the back side of the dash bezel just pop it off cut out a square hole and added switch. Im now looking for information on the harness that goes into the transfercase..? I looked under the truck but didnt see anything that looked useful. I read somewhere that i may have to trace it back to the fuse box. If thats what I need to do Im doing it! Hopefully i find a unused plug somewhere that needs a job. I would like to get that all lined out before the 4R100 gets pulled apart for its new 4wd output shaft and tail housing. Next up is the 4wd transfercase, 4wd crossmember / mount and drive shafts....

[vegoilrecycler]

Noslo5o,

I've concluded that I'm going forward with this project and I'm looking for the 4wd output shaft and tail housing (or whatever it takes to convert the 2wd trans to 4wd) in the zf6 manual version.

What progress have you made yet? Where did you find the new output shaft and tail shaft?