Transmission OR Transmission rebuild with correct (shorter) output shaft
Transfer Case + Shifter
2x Driveshaft
Differential
2x CV Shaft
Hubs
Center Console Trim (or just modify yours)
I can't immediately think if there is anything else. I'm sure if you want a 4wd light to come on when you shift, there are a few additional components.
Dave, I think you could get away with just going a 4wd swap instead of a SAS for much cheaper. They way I look at it, either way, with the SAS, you're going to need the top 3 items anyway, which are the most expensive of the lot. All of these parts can be pulled from used from a donor truck, though I'd highly recommend having someone with knowledge of each part look through them to check for any failures or discrepancies. Find a rollover truck, for example, that you could probably obtain for $1000 or less. Take the parts and then scrap the rest. I got $300 for a completely picked over truck once; no trans, t-case, axles, interior, doors. Do the math and find that you're now only $700 in the hole. That s the price of ~3 M/T tires!
As you've come to realize, a SAS is ridiculously expensive. Gears, even if you use stock gears, $450. Axle, if you keep the H233b, $150 (pssht, maybe). Suspension links, $400+ (joints). We're already about to double the total conversion cost and we're using a best case scenario. Ya savvy?
Not to mention that with a SAS, there is a lot of extra thinking that has to go into it, whereas just going 4wd is pretty much bolt-on.
IMO, I think comparing a 4wd conversion to SAS is a little like comparing a Ford Ranger to a F150. Why go little when you could go big? Then again, why spend $2000+ extra when you don't need all the bells and whistles? I'm not trying to dig on you, Dave, and you probably know that, but after looking through the process, just 4WD swapping is the easier route... or buying and selling. However, I've never heard someone that has SAS'd, "Man, I wish I kept IFS." If you really want to get into some good wheel'n, SAS fo days. Its just a lot of work, and if you don't PLAN on ever going that route, why do it?
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