Transfer case swap. Multi mode 2WD AWD VF3AM + VF4AM

Prior and current experience says most definitely. Do you mean alter the bias of the T3 center diff? That is possible.

 

That's exactly what I mean. I have no experience tuning any torsion, let alone an OEM stock one. That's pretty sweet that the stock one can be tuned though. We had one on our Formula SAE car in college. I personally made the rear diff that went in the car 2 different years. (minus the gears and bearings obviously).

 

Myself and a few others on have have or are running the t4r case and it’s amazing. Especially in the snow and slick rock in Moab.

 

The stock bias ratio is pretty decent, 40:60, and changes as required. More rear bias could reduce the desire to keep 2WD... decisions, decisions. My limited knowledge of modding them comes from those that do the modification to the Audi T3 units.

Good info on Toyota's units here https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/1e59/16df64c80cd903bdaf6f68d8b1bf93e8b033.pdf

My wife's Land Cruiser has the center Torsen. My old Supercharged Tundra ran a swapped in Land Cruiser AWD t case, it was a hoot!

 

@Jowett Did I miss it or did you say what truck you're putting it in? You keep referencing 1st gen era parts and such, but this is in the 3rd gen section. I'm following along because I've been thinking about swapping in a transfer case with the locking center diff from a 4runner.

 

This swap is for my 2019 Tacoma.

 

I don’t see the benefit but go for it.

 

Just sayin' that from my perspective that this won't happen for me for a long while. I would want to maintain 2Hi, would like selectable AWD, and have manual control. Al though as much as I would like a physical stick, a command based actuator is going to make me happier since I would rather not cut the cab. Unless, the stick would fit next to the MT shifter.


Again, I am more of an outsider at this point, but the ideas sound killer.

 

My buddy did an FJ tcase swap into his 3rd gen. Maybe that’s up your alley.

 

That has potential also. I read a bit about that a while back but cannot remember if is throws codes with the AWD ECU? Dash lights and such would be worse than living with what is stock, esp after the 2LM. Just fucking cool! Credit: @BigWhiteTRD and @lapoltba !

 

What's the difference in the output splines between the 6MT and the auto?

If you were putting any of the 4Runner cases behind an auto would that be any easier? (Since they were originally behind an auto...)

 

Moving along here. Now that I have an RC60F transmission in the barn https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/hilux-rc60f-transmission-swap.629019/ it was simple to inspect how close the older VF3 transfer case is to bolting up to it. Turns out that it will fit right up, including both aligning dowels... unfortunately, three of the bolts are not even close to aligning, as the case is a completely different shape in this area of the mounting flange. IMO, this is not a large hurdle to overcome... more on this later.

 

Nice to see the in-process pictures of trial and error. Too many times you see one of a kind swaps that weren't documented well (if at all) and it makes people believe stuff like this is trivial when it definitely is not.

 

Edited above. FJ Cruiser input shaft is the wrong piece.

 

This is right up my alley. I’d rather put $5k towards an AWD center diff tcase swap than a supercharger. Coming from a Subaru with a limited slip center and rear diff, I have a lot of animosity for 2WD open diff...

The Taco is nowhere near as planted as my Subie in borderline winter situations where 4HI isn’t appropriate.

 

Not sure if this project moved forward, but I wanted to share the convos covered in this thread in case they come in handy to those interested here:
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...n-considerations-xpost-from-technical.516067/

 

With the Hilux transmission swap progressing, it's time to get moving on the transfer case again. The 2005 - 2007 Sequoia VM4xx transfer case looks to be the best way forward. The Torsen T3 center differential is the way to go when compared to the planetary center of the older case shown above. It should also have the same mounting pattern, not 2/3rds like the older unit. It comes as a completely electric shift only case... but I suspect various pieces of the VM series can be mixed and matched to produce anything from partial to full shift lever control via twin sticks. The input shaft should also be sorted out shortly.

Here's the Toyota tech paper on the development of the full time VM4....

 

Torsen diffs are tits.....

 

The 22 spline Tacoma transfer case input shaft from the RA60F manual transmission vehicle swaps into the VF3AM Multimode Case (again, this is the earlier case with planetary center diff). There is a small difference with the back of the input shaft, but at this point I don't see any major consequence of using it. It could be addressed, but given the difference in bolt pattern shown in post #32, and the fact that the VF4AM looks like a much better swap, it is probably best to leave any further development of swapping the VF3AM for future projects. Here is the input swapped into the VF3AM... a real shame not be using this unit, the thing is pretty close to immaculate inside.


Moving on, I have what is believed to be the proper input shaft for the VF4AM that will allow it to be utilized behind the RA manual transmission series. As soon as it arrives, I'll verify and hopefully update with good news.

 

Apologies ahead of time for getting off-topic but this is related: Seems a lot of people want a traction solution that splits the difference between 4WD and 2WD.

My whole family drives Subarus or AWD CR-Vs except me, and I hated how much better they are in the snow than a 4WD truck.

Even in the rain on a steep hill, I occasionally had to engage 4WD in my previous Tacoma to get moving from a stop light. (Mind that this was in Seattle where moss can grow on roads in winter and we have some San-Franscisco-esque steep hills.)

After I put a No-Slip autolocker in the rear of that truck, I never used 4WD on pavement again. Not for rain, snow, nor ice. I found it completely predictable as long my back tires were good. I actually find ice to be more tricky in 4WD than in 2WD + a rear diff that I can lock or unlock with the gas pedal. And I got all the fun of drifting on fire roads just by modulating the accelerator, something that caused me to occasionally lose control in my brother’s Subaru when the front tires would break free first.

Given that you have an OR, maybe try the grey wire mod, if that will allow you to lock/unlock the rear diff while driving in 2WD. I have an OR rear axle assembly to install in my Sport, but I am seriously debating just putting a No-Slip into my current axle instead, because it is so easy and fun to engage / disengage on the fly, and it handled all my on-road traction needs where 2WD otherwise failed.

Would I prefer AWD over an autolocker for snow? Yes, probably. But I found the rear autolocker to be an acceptable and cheaper solution, and actually more predictable in snow than the truck’s 4WD, because I knew it would always be my rear axle to lose traction first, instead of my front tires that are responsible for steering, as happens more often in 4WD (and sometimes AWD). And I could always tuck the rear back in by letting off the gas, and/or decide to amend my steering to drift through the turn.