From 2wd to awd or 4x4, which to start with? Ease of swap?

[digdug18]

Looking into buying a van, prefer awd or 4x4, but how hard is the swap from 2wd to 4x4? Is it better to start with the 4x4 when swapping in?

Goal being an offroad van, with the options i'm looking for, don't NEED awd. Would be only an occasional driver.

[Captn. Crunch]

If you want 4x4 then you should start with an awd model. They already have a front differential and a transfer case. You would need to add both of those to a rwd. If you have mad fab skills and deep pockets, it's possible but why?
To go from awd to 4x4 you just need to swap the transfer case to a two speed. Very easy to do if you stay with the manual style case like the np231.
1999 and up vans have electronic tc's. you can pull the np136 and wire in an np233 or 236.
It's been done. Read thu some posts and pick your poison

[digdug18]

I wouldn't say I have mad fab skills, but I just wanted the manual case and such. I'm finding rwd vans near me for $300, that need basic bodywork, just looking for a van with good structure, little rust to play with and build it into what I want. Vs buying an awd and being stuck with the electronic transfer case. Not that the electronic is a bad thing, I had a np233 in a chevy truck, but the options are limited compared to the manual transfer case.

I have the room for a frame off build, just trying to find a starting point.

Thanks for the quick reply.

[Herbie]

You can also swap in an Electronic case like the NP233, and convert it to manual shift. This has been done at least a couple of times, and I'm running one such system now, thanks to the fine work by LiftedAWDAstro. Seehis thread in the Transfer Case section.

I heartily recommend holding out for an AWD model to start from. It's not obvious, but the whole front subframe and suspension system is totally different on the AWD vans. Trying to go 2WD to 4WD will involve either transferring the entire subframe anyhow, or fabricating a TON of stuff.