Transfer case compatibility

I have been following BigMike's build thread and he did a dual transfer case and mentioned that he had the option of using an FJ transfer case. I am thinking that the fj case has the same bolt pattern and spline as our 3rd gens. I don't like the electric 4hi/4lo and want to use a manual case.

Can anyone confirm if a fj case is a direct swap minus the stick install through the tunnel?

@BigMike

 

@RedBeard1

 

@awsumdc

I read your articles about doing this swap in a 2nd gen manual transmission. Since the automatic t-case for the FJ uses the 19 spline, do you know if the automatic transmission t-case for the 3rd gen taco uses a 19 spline t-case as well? Looking over your articles and @BigMike build thread, it appears that all the transfer cases uses the same bolt pattern.

I think I'm going to dive into this soon. Anyone have any input or experience with the transfer case and transmission on the 3rd gen automatic tacos?

 

I just did this swap into a 2nd gen 4cyl 4x4 with the 5 speed. If you search for “FJ case swap” it should be the first one to come up. I’ve tried to document some of the cool features of the conversion.

 

Thanks!

 

Is this it?
http://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/545393/#post-18038519

Mine is here:
http://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/prerunner-to-4x4-conversion.534480/

 

I am a long way away from doing this, if it is possible. But this topic is very exciting to me.

 

What sort of prices are you guys paying for the FJ case from the salvage yard?

 

<$200

 

05Taco4x4, that is the thread. I got my case from Wyatt at RST but if you are smarter than I you could buy your own FJ case and do the swap.

 

Do the Taco electronics object to the missing T-case actuators, etc.? Warning lights?

 

@NeonHeights just did it to his V6 auto 2nd Gen

I'd imagine it's the same with 3rd Gen. Not much has changed for us. You do need to fuck around with the add though to get it to work properly

 

I'm not aware of how it works on 3rd Gen but for second Gen it's based on the front ADD and since you keep that it should still work the same on 3rd Gen.

 

As far as I know, the “electronics” as you call them remain unchanged by the swap. Though the actuators are indeed no longer there, the sensors still are. So your truck still knows when it’s in 4wd and when it’s in Lo range. When I did the swap I removed these sensors from the Taco case and installed them on the FJ case.

I’m still able to use the auto LSD and I believe ATRAC still works as well.

I did my swap according to Wyatt’s instructions so the 4wd ECU is completely unplugged. Other systems like ABS and ATRAC, traction control and auto LSD are controlled somewhere else in the truck and so I believe are completely unaffected by the swap.

 

Good to know, Thanks!

 

Sub'd for future...if my xfer case ever goes south, this is the route I'll go. Miss the manual transfer case

 

So I just looked at his page and I am left with a question. Is this possible on a 3rd gen???

 

I can't say for sure as mine is a 2nd gen. If you compare 4wd ECU schematics for 2nd/3rd gen you could likely see if much has changed.

 

Does the 2nd gen OR have the ECU on the case like the 3rd gen does? That is the part that I am wondering about. Is the hokus pokus crawl control controlled through the 4wd ECU or is it strictly an ABS type thing that is managed elsewhere? Either way, I am guessing that the 4wd ECU has something to do with it and if it is missing I would imagine that there could be issues there.

 

That’s a really good point. If I remember correctly, the autos came with crawl control, not the 6 speed manual. Have you already bought the truck? The 4wd ECU on my truck was mounted in the dash area.