i have been researching a lot and i definately would like to improve my vehicle. i have a 5 speed xe v6 xterra. i have been reading that the sas and 2wd->4wd conversions are fairly similar so would it be smart to do both at once? if so, how much would i be spending? this is assuming everything is diy and there is no labor costs. i was looking at calmini's sas system and junked 4wd x's for 4wd parts.

....search dude, search with all your might before they come with the fire

Will be a ton of $$$, time, energy and skill and prolly could get a 4WD easier....

i have searched. what i'm curious about is how much more it would cost to do a sas+4wd than a sas if i did both at the same time. trading it in for a 4x4 is not an option.

I don't think you read the question closely enough, Hoppy.

Actually, unless I'm missing something, SASing a 2WD is only marginally harder than SASing a 4WD.

Almost all of the stuff that you have to procure to to an IFS 2WD to 4WD conversion (torsion bar crossmember, torsion bars, control arms, spindles, front diff etc etc etc) gets THROWN AWAY when you do a SAS.

The only extra step that I can think of when SASing a 2WD over SASing a 4WD is that you have to get a 4WD transmission and transfer case from a junkyard - which should be available for about $1000.

There's no way around a SAS being VERY expensive - especially because there isn't much point in doing it without lockers etc etc... start saving your pennies... to the tune of 7 or 8 thousand dollars... but you can do it

cool. thanks. maybe i'll ebay some of my old junk i don't use and start saving for the sas kit, d44, arb front & rear air lockers, t-case, hubs, and manual 4wd transmission. can anyone think of any other parts i would need?

hey tigergibb, what dont you use? I might be happy to take some stuff off your hands!

oh i was thinking some non-car related stuff like some extra drums, furniture, ect.. that i don't use anymore. it'll be a long time before i save up the money for my sas+4wd conversion mod but it will happen some day . it never hurts to collect information early.

yea thats tru, how far is snellville from clemson? are you in sxfc?

snellville is 110 miles(2 hrs) from clemson. i'm not in sxfc atm but i may join later. are you in sxfc?

i cant because i am not 21..i will be in march and then i will join and go on the outing that they do. i read there forums all the time to get acustomed with everything but i dont have a membership. do you think you will join up by next october for oktoberfest in hellen?

if i have a rear locker by then: probably
if i don't have a rear locker by then: probably not

i'll just use a rear locker until i can afford a sas+4wd conversion

i will probably just have BFG at's and a bl then and im going all stock other than that....no lockers or anything just hope. i might see if i could just ride with someone though that has 4x4.

well I did not read the other posts, but it will only cost you for the new tranny and t-case.
since you have a manual, you most likely should replace the clutch while you have half the under carriage ripped apart. so to bolt up a 4x4 manual with tcase is no different that the 2wd tranny.
and you have all the connectors. 4wd light is in your dash., really it is easy, should take 3 hours.
just like doing a clutch jobber.

Doing an SAS at the same time as a 4wd conversion will not significantly decrease costs of the end result.

Here is a good start:
2wd to 4wd thread

Then you can add about $6K for SAS. Less, if you are a suspension expert and great welder.

I have bought SAS parts over the last few years in anticipation of gettin' it done. I am finally ready to "break ground" on this project and it's, actually, a little scary.

The bottom line is that I would have bought a Jeep or '85 yota if I wanted the cheapest rig to build. Hell, you can buy 'em built. Cheap!

I'm glad to hear somebody wants to do something unique. It will be pretty cool when somebody (perhaps you) finally pulls it off....

Converting an IFS 2WD to an IFS 4WD is very expensive and not worth the money. However.....if you are doing a 2WD IFS to the 4WD SAS (like the question said) it would not be very hard. Obviously a T-case is a must bue Stak 4x4 or Atlas make much better cases than the stock xterra case even with Calmini gears (and if your gonna spend the money might as well go all out). You have to get a new driveshaft for the SAS regardless so that is not an exta cost and then all you would need is the new rear driveshaft. Im not sure if Stak or Atlas make the cases that will mate directly to the Xterra output shafts but since this will be expensive regardless they can probably make the parts.

So you see all your looking at is the standard SAS kit that alot of folks have done. The differance is that they already have a T-case and the rear driveshaft in place. Expensive...Yes. However, not that much harder if you buy the right parts from the start. Have fun and if you go that way post up some pics...

Tim