THIS IS A 2WD TO 4 WHEEL DRIVE CONVERSION. I TRY TO SHOW AS DETAILED OF STEPS AS POSSIBLE. I HOPE YOU ENJOY! J.C. SMITH P.O. BOX 143 ATWATER, OHIO 44201
Man, what a fantastic video! This is exactly what I was looking for. I wanted to see how much of a PITA this would be and its way easier than i thought it would be lol. Thanks man 😁😁😁
Excellent team effort making quick work of that changeover. Cool to see Mrs JC operating the GradAll and running the camera too !! Have a safe day folks ....
It is sure satisfying to see a good team work together. Everything is only done once and done right the first time. You use the term "easy" a few times (or more) in the video. "Easy" is the convergence of the right tools, the right experience and the right knowledge. All of which you have in abundance. I have a lot of respect for those who put the total package together and you have your act together. That's one of the reasons I enjoy watching your video's and will continue watching them. It's good content
Nicely done guys, Being able to stand and do the work is a great bonus I've never done any actual conversions but done a many frame replacements for our body shops and I actually preferred doing them on the ground or floor myself because of all the running around them and I could set up side by side and just move parts over that I was reusing.
Damn I enjoyed watching great video and it all looks so easy when you have all the right tools and a Damn good helper thanks for sharing and looking forward to the next video JC and Wife.
Sweet, I have never had the opportunity to work on anything past about 98 or 9 but the rest is a dream away. That's my trouble is if I stay with something, I will figure it out except for the electronics... I really am impressed with how you read the wiring so easy or make it look like it is. That is the downfall of most is they underestimate their challenge and then they do have a mess cause working behind someone else's stuff is irritating to me anyway. Liked it
Did what you are doing to 01 F350 . Was nice surprise all hole in the frame was there, so all I did was rebolt the 4 wheel under the 2 wheel tk. Was easy an all works great. Did need to replace steering box, because all was different...
This is that gangsta version conversion!! Back yard, use what ever you can find including a hard working wife who doesn't mind getting dirty. At the end an awsomr job and a nice DIY. 👍👍👍👍
You really do make it look ease having the right stuff to lift and everything makes it easier and you do it alot .yes I imagine you can do it on the ground but also harder because of less space. Bestdes you get it down to a science. But all good we do what we can.
I have 08 F250 single cab 2WD service bed 6.4 PS. After finally giving up with all the re-gen, EGR, stopped up DPF and cat.. I fully deleted it (it’s mostly total farm use in real life and the idling around is what was causing all the nightmares) My biggest issue is it gets stuck way too often. It’s the only 2WD and the only ford but i bought cheap dirt cheap just for the very nice service bed (not thinking) Every truck I have is short bed so.. and I know better and have no idea what I was thinking I got it running good and after all the issues it’s basically a little torque monster and it’s turned into something worth keeping I guess But the 2wd has to go… it’s often pointless to back it out of the barn depending on weather but I need the tools the truck is full of. I WAS gonna trade it for newer Ram (which is all I usually drive) but wow.. 2024 is no time to be trading, buying, selling apparently. Just couldn’t get anywhere close to agreement on trade or outrageous price of trucks. So I had idea… save 30-50,000.00 I found this video (I’m not expecting “easy” but I have the equipment and tools to do this Located a salvage truck (rollover nothing removed) and everything i need (it has manual shift also) This is super cheap option Thank you tremendously for a totally excellent video 👍
Thanks for the video you do make it look easy I'm glad I watched it there was a few things I didn't know I've done it before on older truck this was same year n style I'm working on
Those jack stands you bought sure did work well, worth their money and then some. You make it look easy as pie, but you have done it a few times now so you have your system down pat. You should start selliing Gradall's. Every video where you have used your Gradall can be a sales video. You could have a whole new sideline!
Great video thanks brother. I like the way you all work together. Looks great hope the drive line goes as smoothly. Keep up the great work see you in the next video thanks again brother
Love the video, that is so my kind of truck... And again you make it look so easy. Those jack stands looked almost as big as Mrs. Jc LOL Keep up the great work you do and your videos. Your one of the best on RU-vid
I gotta say without seeing this video I probably would not have continued to explore the conversion. You make it look so easy. I got the front axle and rear driveshaft from a upullit lot for 400.00. I picked up a transfer case with the front axle off ebay for 300.00! Gonna order the spring holders new. I will have less than 1000.00 in it. Your video is spot on! Only question I have is about the pitman arm. Is that all you had to change? When you mention the gearbox in the video I get confused if you changed it or if all I need to change is the pitman arm to the 4x4 one? Thanks for the work and attention to explaining what you were doing.
@@j.c.smithprojects I thought so. I already saw them online for 60 bucks. I just wanna have everything I need before I start the axle swap. Although I don't think it will take anywhere near it, I'm gonna take off 2 days since this is my daily driver. I picked it up in great condition with just 100k miles. Already Bulletproofed studded and everything deleted. It runs like a champ. Starts easy as can be. My first diesel and I love it. Ty again for this video.
I have a 2001 Ford Excursion Limited 2wd with the turbo 7.3 that I am wanting to convert to 4wd and any information on this process would be extremely helpful.
did you know brake fluid is water soluble , I am sure you did , but most people don't know how easy it actually is to clean up the mess after a brake bleed or repair , might toss that in a video sometime , I did in a few years back ... the reason I like watching you is your like me , you like to show and explain , will I ever do this swap ... NOPE , but lol , I might do the swap on my 94 superduty if I could ever find the front axle to match the rear , but it's geared 5 something , 5.34 does that sound right , I think it is , that truck even though I love it , I hate it that small 10 lug pattern causes so many kicks in the teeth , wheels are all 16 inch unless you run the chevy 19.5's , and the backspacing ect is not right ... ford sure built a tough truck in those years , but really messed up on a few key details that you can't remedy...
i do know brake fluid is water soluble. when washed with water it neutralizes and turns white. 94 was when ford called the f450/f550 by "SUPERDUTY" they differed in gvwr but only had superduty badges. i want to say they had a 4.38, 4.88, 5.13 and a 5.34 gear but i cant be sure.
that is a great story! you cant beat the bargaining power of cash. of course in todays world...the dealers get a kickback from the finance companies so they prefer buyers to finance. i cant afford nor do i want to buy a new truck. i will stick with the old junk i can afford.
I can't afford new now days , but then the trucks were a lot cheaper , my income sadly was the same basically as it is now , and gas was .85 a gallon , so time sure hasn't helped any of us , got the idea I was going to buy me a new f450 crewcab dually , that idea turned into hell no after I walked to the passenger side window , my first thought was I could buy 5 or 6 very nice used ones easily for that kind of money , doubt I will ever own another new anything except for underwear HA HA HA
Just bought a 1995 F350 OBS 2wd. I would like the ride quality of the coil spring (opposed to leaf) and wondering if you know this working on something that old? Thanks for the great detailed video!
Hello, So I have a 2008 f250 2wd. So all i need is front axel assembly, manual transfer case, spring pockets and driveshafts? Will that transfer case bolt right up to my transmission? Awesome video by the way.
Could you change a leaf spring set up on 2002 f250 and put the coil springs brackets from 2005 and up like you and your awesome wife done on the 2wd truck thanks again for the video
First off great video. Second, in converting a vehicle from 2wd to 4wd have you ever had any issues when it comes to selling or insuring a truck later down the road? Contemplating this conversion myself.
im looking at converting my 2wd 2000 f250 7.3l manual trans to 4x4, i found a front axle off of the a 2001 f350 its got leaf springs though could i just use my old coils and shocks or even get some heavy duty coil and sprins and get rid of the leaf springs? also where do yall get your parts? Junk yards?
Tyrel Arnett not likely. The leaf spring axles are mounted different than coils. Look at yours and go to a ford dealer and look at 2005 - 2016 trucks on the used side. You’ll see the difference. The easiest way for you would be to go lead spring. If not you’ll need a whole axle radius arms coils coil towers and more. The steering system is different. Original pitman arm doesn’t fit new axle new pitman arm doesn’t fit old steering box and new steering box has a different hose connection that you’ll need a custom made hose to connect the power steering pump to the new steering box that has the comparable pitman arm. Then the bolt holes through the frame for the new steering box are going to need to be drilled out and you’ll need longer bolds because the larger bolts are shorter because that section of the frame is pressed differently from those years. You’ll need radius arm hangers from any 2005-2007 super duty. You’ll need coil spring towers from any 2005-2007 super duty 4x4. The front driveshaft works fine as long as you have the one for the year of the truck you own with the transmission option you have. Likely a 4r100 auto. So any front drive shaft from a 4x4 with 4R100 super duty will work. The rear will need to be shortened about an inch unless you have a lift that is if you replace the rear axle to have the correct offset to match the front. The rear brakes are a whole different story. You’ll need to take all the parts from your 2000 and the new axle and make a system work. Totally different. Some brackets from one with some parts for the other and you’ll have it. I forget the exact recipe but it’s fun figuring it out. I wanna say I used most of my 2001 parts on the bracket that was on the 2006 axles so I could mount it and still be able to use my stock park brake cable. You’ll need to custom bend up som brake lines for the front. The rear just fits where the other axle was connected. I recommend a manual shift transfer case because the trucks aren’t prewired for the electric ones or for the switch to shift the electric one. You’ll have to pop the rivets out of all the coil spring towers and swap em using grade 8 bolts and red lock tight. Or you can just take off the old 2wd setup and slide the 4x4 axle under it. Connect the hangers driveshaft brakes steering and off ya go.
James Lewis it’s working great. Truck started running shitty after I did it but it’s unrelated so parked it and bought a new f250 4x4. But the conversion worked perfectly after I did it. Super soft ride with the rancho 9000 shocks I used. I still have it under the shed on the farm. I may go drive it around tomorrow just to do it. It’s been a year sense it’s been driven. But I do start it every once in a while.
Tyrel Arnett I missed where you said you have a manual transmission. You’ll need a drive shaft from a manual 4x4 I think and a transfer case from a manual also I think. Other than that all is the same.
I know its an old video but your still posting I figured you might see this. What years of truck would I need as a donor for my 2010 sclb 2wd 5.4 F250?
Urgent help 2007 cadillac escalade ext 6.2 AWD. It's possible convert to 4WD. If possible what parts required to convert Waiting your reply ASAP. Best regards,
Can you convert my 2004 f350 dually 2wheel drive to a 4x4 if I buy all new parts ? Is what I'm asking is will you convert for others and what will it cost around figure if you do .
i really dont know everything that is involved in those years of chevy. those are independent front suspension. i dont know if the control arms and axle will mount up. those use a torsion bar suspension for the 4wd. i do know that in a 3500 it came as either a pick up truck or an "incomplete chassis". the rear frame width is different from one to the other. so the axles widths and spring perches are different. i have heard of more people doing the solid axle swap in the front rather than the ifs.
Does anyone know the torque specs for the radius arm bracket that goes to the frame , not the radius arm to the bracket but the bracket to the frame ???
