Official Crawlbox BS thread!

Depending on the year and when it was made, the rear cavity could be dry or fill with fluid. The later designs used that area for fluid, helps keep temps cooler which is nice and also holds a little more fluid. Down side is that you now must also make sure the rear of transmission to crawl box adapter are leak tight or else you get fluid leaking out.

 

Mine is like that.
We found out the hard way about the difference between the auto & manual oil seal adapters.

 

Either way, make sure that seal housing extention is red loctite as mentioned and the seal extension is hammered flush into the output shaft area. You can see the red loctite oozing out of mine after seating it. Also be sure to put anti-seize or grease on the coupler extentions.

 

I miss judged the sealing area where the adapter plate seated when dry fitting so I missed a spot of RTV, after about a week or so of driving around fluid was seeping out between the crawlbox adapter and rear housing of the transmission. Rather than take it all apart again I goobered up a bunch of RTV and that's held for the last 7 years

 

it stop the leak right

 

yes, when I get to putting a new clutch and throwout bearing sleeve kit on this truck I'll fix it right but I've been lacking on my part to drop the drivetrain for a couple of drips a year lol

 

So what is the point of the seal extension if the existing output shaft seals the transmission and their is gear oil inbetween the housing?

 

It will keep the transmission oil and crawl box oil separate in the event of a transmission output seal leak. Not very important for a manual transmission since they are essentially the same fluid. Other thing to note is that the fluid level does not go all the way up to the seal, but equalize where the crawl box oil fill plug is at.

 

Anyone know if fellow tw member or a shop that can fab harness extension after dual case install? Trying to avoid splicing the harness if someone is already making extension.

For a 1st gen taco

TIA

 

It’s far easier just to cut one wire at a time and extend it about 10 inches. Did mine cleanly in about 20 minutes with waterproof shrinkable connectors, loomed and taped it all up again. Did this on both my Tacoma’s and it worked fine. I don’t know if anyone that makes a harness extension. That would be expensive.

 

Soldering is not an issue with me and I do have easy access to a car lift which makes it easier, but im too lazy, lol. Prefer plug and play but if attempt fails, I'll soldered.

 

If you are installing a crawler box, you're already much past the realm of plug and play. As said, extend the existing harness with a couple pieces of wire.

 

True

 

Well I need to swap out my trail gear box and I really don’t want to

 

Still have some work to do with the shifters, crossmember and wires but I joined the club this weekend! I've been wanting to do this mod for 7 years and I have to say that it sure was absolutely worth the wait






https://youtu.be/0Ql8neBd6eo

I know the 1st gen is supposed to be easy but I'm terrible at wiring so hopefully i wont butcher it. haa

Question? What's the point of the red loctite on the seal extension? Are they prone to falling out?

Thanks

 

Looks good, wires are a breeze, only 3 to extend.
That housing seal extension should be tapped into the adapter pretty snug, mine was. With the vibrations my thought would be the red loctite makes sure it does not wobble out for any reason. Don't think a rtv or the like would be up to the job for that part.

Spy a few other good parts! RAD shifters and some GEAR seat covers. Got both of those in mine as well.

 

Good eye. I had RAD's twin stick in there for 5 years which was my favorite mod outside of my 35's so there was no way I was passing on their tripples.

My first set of GEAR seat covers deterriated so I threw in another pair a couple of months ago.

I didn't put anything on my seal extender but you have me thinking that I will the next time I drop it. Which at this rate will probably be tomorrow. I lost count after the 10th time.

 

Missing a screw?

 

They're bolts. That hole is for an alignment pin. There's one in that location and one on the top on the other side of the case. They get plenty of RTV on install but it sure doesn't hurt to RTV the hole also.

 

Thanks for the tip....