[Steve from Binghamton NY]

I've got an 02 Tundra SR5 extended cab I've owned for 14 years. Ny winters are hard and my bed is shot along with my rocker panels and cab corners. I'm looking at some southern tundras with zero rust, but most southern truck are Rwd. If I bought a 2005 crew cab Rwd can I use my 02 4x4 and convert over to the 05?

 

[5 Speed]

There was a post somewhere back in the first 10 years of Tundra Solutions that I believe someone did the exact thing but they did all the fab work themselves which would be the only way to make it affordable. You know you will need the transfer case and front driveline including the suspension because the CV joints and front bearings are needed to work together. If I had the opportunity to do something like that I would see if you could find a similar year 4x4 in the south that maybe need an engine and transmission donation and use those from your truck with the factory 4x4 installed.

 

[5 Speed]

I should have added that my dream would be to find a 4.0 V6 6speed manual and drop it into a manual 4x4. They never mated the 4.6 V6 manual 6speed with 4x4 for some reason. I have the 3.4 5speed manual with manual 4x4 and the 6speed with the additional HP would be my project

 

[Lunas]

you might be able to move the cab and bed to your frame easier but rust... otherwise it will be moving 90% of your rusty driveline to the new truck transmission drive shaft transfer case the rear diff would be able to stay but lots of mounts and other bits would need be moved to the point it might be easier cheaper and better to fix the rusty holes instead.