So I tried doing a little searching on this and I came up with nothing but speculations. People claiming that if you had all the parts (front diff, axles, prop shaft, the 4x4 trans/engine casing, handlebar switch, the wiring, etc) it should all bolt right to the 4x2 frame and the 350 engine and work.

I'm trying to hunt down a donor quad locally to rob the pats from. Something with a blown motor or a mangled frame, but has all the parts on it still that I would need.

Has anyone ever actually attempted this?

I know I know, the short answer is to just get rid of it and get a 4x4, but this 4x2 is a great unit already. Runs great, nothing wrong with it at all, it would just be a whole lot more fun if it were 4x4 lol. And it's old and paid for, and I would honestly get more enjoyment in making it better than just trading it for a completely different quad...


Thanks!

I suspect the enjoyment would run out long before you got the conversion done. Not absolutely certain but think the engine would need a total stripdown in order to fit the 4WD driveshaft. Probably be cheaper and easier to do up the "donor bike" than the conversion, and you would have two good bikes at the end of the process.

Yeah looking at what's involved, I'm thinking you're right.

If I did still want to convert my 2wd to 4x4, I think the easiest method would be to do a complete engine swap, and then move all the rest of the front drive train over. Best case scenario for a donor bike find would be one with a bad rear end (would would probable be easier to just replace the rear end) or a bent up frame from a roll over (that would be the perfect scenario).

I'll still keep my eye out for the perfect donor bike, but I have a hard time throwing down $1500-$2000 for a non function bike to strip parts off of, lol

Well I scored a deal! Found a guy a couple hours from me who stripped down a 4x4 for parts (damaged frame I believe it was), so I made the drive and picked up everything I need for the swap, and then some! For the price, I simply couldn't pass the deal up!

Ended up getting the main ingredients like a good running 4x4 engine (so I don't have to tare my 2wd engine apart!), the front diff and actuator, CV axles, front drive shaft, complete wiring harness (complete down to the CDI box), and ended up getting a ton of extra parts as well like an original Mikuni carb, front struts, control arms, knuckles with good bearings in them, handlebar assembly, oil cooler and fan, and a bunch of other odds and ends. More than enough to do the swap and still have spares, and I'm hopping I can sell my 2wd engine when all is said and done for a little kick-back on the project investment

I'll do some updates in this thread as things progress, but I'm also tempted to video the process to make a series documenting it for my YouTube channel.

















I've got new CV boots on the way as I knew I needed to rebuild them already.

The first chore before anything else is to get these two broken exhaust manifold studs out!

Started to mess with the broken studs today. The first one I tried just clamping some vise grips onto it. Got a good enough hold of it to break it off further lol. So there's just a nub left of it. Instead of using the vise grips on the other stud, I jumped straight to welding a nut to the stud sticking out. With that, I was able to back that one out with little effort

So tomorrow I'll try to weld a nut (possibly a washer and a nut) to the stub left of the other one and see if I can't get it to back out too.

I always go for the welding torch to get broken studs out in aluminium, if I can without setting other things on fire or melting plastic. I use it on brake pad pins, having rounded a few of the allen screw heads off. Now, if they are tight at all, first resort is to heat the caliper up, works every time, but sometimes the caliper has to get very hot. Best of luck with the project.

Success on the studs! Managed to get a weld to stick to the stud and a washer and then a nut and was able to back out the second one!

Chased the threads with a tap and they're nice and clean.

Have new studs and nuts and a doughnut gasket on the way as well

Yeah my cheapo Harbor Freight 90 amp flux core welder has come in SO handy to have in the garage! This is the first time I've ever attempted the welding on a nut technique. I'm definitely a beginner when it comes to welding, but I can sure make a bead that looks a heck of a lot better than some others that I've seen lol.

At this point I'm just waiting on parts to arrive. Got the inner cv boots in today, still waiting on the outers, then I can rebuild the axles. Also got some original axle shields that bolt to the lower arms in yesterday. I plan on giving the engine and front diff a good scrubbing before installing. Once everything comes in I just have to dig in and do the work.

I'm still keeping my eyes out now for a deal on either a 2wd or a 4x4 350 Bruin or Grizzly with maybe a blown motor, and I would just use the parts to get it up and running instead of ripping into my perfectly operating 2wd. But if I can't come across a deal within a couple weeks, I'm going to do just that.

I don't know but does a 4x4 rear differential have the same ratio as a 2x2?

Yes sir, same exact part number for the ring and pinion gear set, 5GT-Y4612-10-00. Even the same on the later Grizzly 350 models (the ones with the solid rear axle, NOT the IRS models)


At this time, I just waiting on my order from Ron Ayers to come in with the new manifold studs and bolts, as well as some other little odds and ends. But I have all new boots for the axles so I'll be rebuilding those either during the week or just this weekend, and I also got a new exhaust doughnut gasket and a new oil filter and spark plug to throw on the 4x4 motor once it's installed.

I drug the engine and front diff out into the drive way this afternoon, plugged and capped off any holes, soaked them in Simple Green, and gave them a good scrubbing and light pressure washing. They're not perfect, but they're a heck of a lot better than they were lol. I can't stand wrenching on dirty stuff...