Research has been done: Late 3rdgen 4wd swaps, do they exist?

[JohnBill53]

After exchanging some of the lengthiest PM's I've written or received with [MENTION=25058]ChildrenOfBodom[/MENTION] regarding options and routes for my 4wd swap we, or I have hit a road block. After speaking to James the most logical route for a swap (since I would prefer a 5speed anyway) was do a 5speed swap with locking hubs. This was the most logical because it was the cheapest and played to my strengths as far as wrenching, this wouldn't have required me to do much wiring from what James told me so the decision had been made. We spoke again lastnight and James had made the realization that im in an 01 with a bunch of electronic bells and whistles like VCS trac which gets me stuck more than it helps anyway. Not to mention manual transmissions weren't even offered in the 01's. The 4runner would probly be real confused if I did the swap due to all the electronics some of the early 3rd gens don't have. Posing a problem when it comes to getting the thing to pass inspection etc.

so now I've got to reach out to you guys.

Does anyone know or know of a late 3rd gen 5speed/4wd swap that has done it clean? I can't find anything anywhere. I've looked further than just the forum trust me. I'm going to be really bummed if I'm limited to just getting a locker to increase offroad performance since the long term plan has been a 4wd swap. Any help or suggestions are greatly appriciated

If doing a swap on a late 3rd gen is really that far out of the question then I guess I'll just have to get my locker and regear my build, plant my money forest, and start researching feasible LT options...sigh

 

[Whitson Metalworks]

I have very little in depth knowledge of the systems or bell and whistles your 01 has but couldn't you just swap driveline AND ecu from one with fewer bells and whistles? sorry if thats dumb, its all i got

 

[JohnBill53]

[MENTION=25058]ChildrenOfBodom[/MENTION] please feel free to chime in, I completely understood it how you explained it to me on the phone but I'm having difficulty putting it into words

 

[Mauzer]

I think you're over thinking this, you're going to have to swap ECU's anyway so it shouldn't make a diff. Just Andy Mod your VSC/TRAC

 

[JohnBill53]

I think you're over thinking this, you're going to have to swap ECU's anyway so it shouldn't make a diff. Just Andy Mod your VSC/TRAC

if you have a link to that that would be greatly appreciated, I'm responding to Josh's post right now I'll tag you in it

 

[Coastal616]

Put in manual transmission with a manual t-case, you are simplifying so there should be no issues, if you were trying to put electronic stuff in where it wasn't before, then you would have a wiring project.

PS I've run auto ecu's on manual tranny toyotas with no issues other than maybe a CEL?

 

[JohnBill53]

I have very little in depth knowledge of the systems or bell and whistles your 01 has but couldn't you just swap driveline AND ecu from one with fewer bells and whistles? sorry if thats dumb, its all i got

I already asked James to chime in since I have little to no wrenching or mechanical experience or knowledge with 4wd's I mean I'm 21 haha my 4runner is the only truck I've worked on in depth or built for that matter. The only knowledge I have is what I've gathered from the few years I've been on here and what I've been able to put together in my head from what guys like James and [MENTION=82211]TCMach[/MENTION] have tried to explain to me.

But this problem was in concern of the 5speed and 4wd swap. I hope I'm not about to sound like an idiot and if I do I'm sure I'll be corrected but I'm pretty sure I'm atleast on the right track, for the third time I hope james can polish up my explanation haha

The problems are with either the differential or transfercase fitment I think is what he told me. Since the 01-02's weren't offered with manual transmissions it wouldn't fit correctly. I wanted to do the 5speed swap with the 4wd because it would take out alot of the wiring (which my experience is pretty much limited to speakers) and I could do locking hubs. the things that I know mine has that the swap would concern is the VSC/TRAC if I put the manual in it the engine would basically think that the tranny wasn't there. [MENTION=51233]Mauzer[/MENTION]

 

[JohnBill53]

Put in manual transmission with a manual t-case, you are simplifying so there should be no issues, if you were trying to put electronic stuff in where it wasn't before, then you would have a wiring project.

PS I've run auto ecu's on manual tranny toyotas with no issues other than maybe a CEL?

I should have confessed upfront about my lack of knowledge so my apologies. what is CEL? and ECU is engine control unit right? the problem was with the type of conversion we were talking about doing with the manual transmission and manual hubs. What manual transmission and transfercase would work? the key factor is it's my DD so I need it to pass inspection and run properly. this is one thing (unlike others on my truck) I can't and don't want to just get the parts and "hold muh beer" it. it would be the first major thing I've done and I'll be doing it alone most likely and I'm already terrified of doing something I can't fix

PS I've run auto ecu's on manual tranny toyotas with no issues other than maybe a CEL?

so the opposite of what I'm trying to do? please explain what this means haha

 

[Mauzer]

if you have a link to that that would be greatly appreciated, I'm responding to Josh's post right now I'll tag you in it

Look for 2WD to 4WD taco conversions (basically same front end mechanically) like this: im doin a 4x4 conversion - TTORA Forum
-post #79 will give you some good insight

Good Luck

Edit: another good one http://www.ttora.com/forum/showthread.php?t=27216

 

[krenaud33]

Another Tacoma 2WD (pre-runner) to 4WD converison.

PreRunner 4WD Conversion ( SAR_Squid79 ) - TTORA Forum

 

[JohnBill53]

Another Tacoma 2WD (pre-runner) to 4WD converison.

PreRunner 4WD Conversion ( SAR_Squid79 ) - TTORA Forum

Look for 2WD to 4WD taco conversions (basically same front end mechanically) like this: im doin a 4x4 conversion - TTORA Forum
-post #79 will give you some good insight

Good Luck

Edit: another good one WAT: 4X4 Conversion! Saturday Feb. 11 @ 11am - TTORA Forum

I feel like I may have had some miscommunication with James then...because when we talked lastnight I understood why it couldn't be done the right way, I just can't remember/ translate here. I promise I googled all of this and looked on yotatech but thats honestly as far as I thought I would need to go my apologies.

 

[JohnBill53]

These were the parts we were talking about doing the conversion with, until it was realized that I have a 2001 and it was said this might not work.

Ps. None of the above threads contain a 5speed swap with the 4wd


Tacoma Non ADD front diff
Tacoma locking hubs
5 speed R150F transmission with transfer case

 

[ChildrenOfBodom]

The problem I see with the 01:

No manuals that year, so an ECU swap would be difficult. Using another year ECU may require pinout changes... but the newer ECU's run the throttle by wire (and other 01-02 specific functions), and may be intertwined with the upgraded VSC/TRAC system and maybe even the standard ABS setup on 01-02, etc... I don't think you'll be able to swap ECU's for this one, at least, 4Runner ECU's. Maybe you can swap a Tacoma ECU but that is beyond my knowledge. I am unsure how much the VSC/TRAC system is involved with the ECU, could be completely separate. Again this is beyond my knowledge.

I'm not saying it can't be done with the existing ECU, the swap will still work mechanically. Using that auto 4Runner ECU will prove annoying when you throw a ton of CEL's for missing shift solenoids and whatever else is ECT related. Christmas tree gauge cluster is what I would expect (all the VSC/TRAC/ABS lights), plus a CEL. The manual ECU usually fixes that issue, but thats only an option for those which year had a manual transmission option. Each year ECU is different and can't be interchanged directly between years, so, for example, you can't use one from a 2000 4x4 5spd on a 2001. I don't know if anyone has successfully used an automatic ECU without throwing codes.

The VSC/Trac may also have issues if there is a relation to the trans. Being that I have never once owned an 01 or 02, and have never once dealt with VSC/TRAC system, I don't know what it's brain is, or what is actually manipulates in order to "control" the vehicle. VSC/Trac may be easy to remedy by completely disabling it, if that's a common thing with the Andy mod or whatever. That's beyond my knowledge, my truck doesn't even have antilock brakes, so I can't help there. What I do know is that the ABS system is literally tied into everything and maybe it won't be too happy with the auto trans gone. I know that I was lucky, not having ABS, when I wired up my truck. Best thing to do is pull up a pinout of the auto transmission, VSC/TRAC, ABS systems to see where they tie in together.

There are ECU pinouts online from Jeff Mosk when he converted his Tacoma to a 5spd 4x4, perhaps those can be a big help to keep the newer 5VZ working with a 5 speed.

 

[Skidmarcx]

Sounds like the tricky part is the 5sp conversion.... The 4WD conversion really isn't a big deal and you shouldn't have to swap ECUs... I didn't on mine, but I have a 97. I wired the tcase through a momentary switch and two relays... The front diff I used a simple pneumatic switch and plumbed the vacuum hoses. The trans crossmember will need to be fabbed up... Just need the front hubs, diff, axles, shifter assy, driveshafts, trans and tcase and you're there...

 

[JohnBill53]

Sounds like the tricky part is the 5sp conversion.... The 4WD conversion really isn't a big deal and you shouldn't have to swap ECUs... I didn't on mine, but I have a 97. I wired the tcase through a momentary switch and two relays... The front diff I used a simple pneumatic switch and plumbed the vacuum hoses. The trans crossmember will need to be fabbed up... Just need the front hubs, diff, axles, shifter assy, driveshafts, trans and tcase and you're there...

did you get a new transmission or get the adapter?

 

[Skidmarcx]

I purchased a used trans and tcase... But I stayed auto I didn't convert to manual... The only PITA was fabbing a new crossmember since the frame mounts are in a different location... Unfortunately you can't just bolt in the 4WD crossmember.