Prerunner 4x4 conversion

Hey everyone, I have been looking into doing a 4x4 conversion in my prerunner. I have done tons of research and read many threads on the process but there are still things I would like to ask about. It seems like a lot of people that have done this have the v6 prerunners, I cant find too much info on the 2.7 4 cylinder trucks. I'd like to keep it an automatic. Anyone out there have any info that can help me out? Will an A340f trans off a v6 work with my 4 cyl? I currently have my engine and trans pulled and I figure while everything is already out of there this is the best time to do this conversion.

 

@BartMaster1234 documented his here and there and is running a 2.7 with automatic as well

 

Go ahead and ask me any questions you have. I converted my 1998 PreRunner 3RZ.

Yes the v6 A340F will work as it is the same. However you will need to reuse your A340E bellhousing. Make sure you have a J shift transfer case.

 

What options do I have when it comes do donor vehicles/what vehicles I can pull parts from that will be compatible with my truck? I have been looking around and it seems like it will be easier to grab parts when I can instead of waiting for the perfect donor truck to pop up. Also I am down here in southern california and the smog laws are ridiculous, will this conversion hinder me from passing a smog check?

 

Altering the drivetrain has nothing to do with the emissions system whatsoever. I’ve passed two smog checks as 4WD and they were none the wiser.

Do you want ADD or Manual Hubs?

 

Manual hubs

 

Okay, so you need to find a 1995-2000 Tacoma. You can’t use the Toyota Pickup manual hubs or knuckles as they are different.

Manual Hubs were discontinued in 2000. And they were only available on the Tacoma.

 

CA couldn't give two shits if your brakes work or your suspension is held on with duct tape.

All they care about are fees and the sniff test.

 

@Sperrunner 's Toyota Van had a rusted out muffler, so they just stuck the sniffer into one of the rust holes.

 

Ok would I need to get the spindle, cv axles and diff off on a 95-00 tacoma as well? As for the transmission, tc, and drive shafts what options do I have for parts vehicles?

 

• CV Axles, Steering Knuckles, and Manual Hubs: 1995-2000 Tacoma. Nothing else. This will be one of the hardest things to find.
• Front Differential: 1995-2004 Tacoma, 1996-2002 4Runner, most 1st Gen Tundra and Sequoias. MAKE SURE YOU MATCH YOUR REAR GEAR RATIO!!! You will IMPLODE your transfer case if you mismatch gear ratios. You will most likely find ADD front differentials, as they are the most common. You can use these if you lock the solenoid on the jackshaft. OR, if you can find one, get a 1995-2000 Tacoma differential that came on a truck with manual hubs. They have a solid jackshaft with no provision for a solenoid/actuator. This is the preferred method, however the manual hub jackshafts are hard to come by. The jackshaft unbolts, you can swap the tubes all you like.
• Transmission and Transfer Case: 1995-2002 Tacoma (1995-2000 had J-Shift standard, 2001-2004 was Pushbutton) You cannot use 2003 or 2004 v6 transmissions, as they had the ECTS-I electronic throttle system. Try to find one as closest to your model year as possible, as sensors changed. If you can't no big deal. Just swap the sensors that don't fit.
• Front Driveshaft: 1995-2004 Tacoma, 1996-2002 4Runner, most 1st Gen Tundra and Sequoias. These were the same on most 4WD Toyotas of the era. Tacoma or 4Runner doesn't matter.
• Rear Driveshaft: This is where it gets complicated. The driveshaft is in two pieces, which splits at the carrier bearing. The rear portion of the driveshaft is the same, you don't have to change this. The front portion is shorter on 4WD trucks, so make sure you get the correct length. Toyota does not label their driveshafts, so honestly I recommend you forego buying a used one. Have your stock one shortened by a driveline shop, and have your u-joints replaced. This is what I did.
• Shift Console: 1995-2004 Tacoma, 1996-2002 4Runner, I used the 4Runner shifter console since they came in black and looks better. The plastic trim must be from a 1995-2004 Tacoma, keep in mind the colors changed in the 2001 facelift. e.g. the 1995 gray is different than the 2004 gray.
• Other Parts: I'm missing a lot of parts here, but those are the main ones. You need miscellaneous things like the correct transmission dipstick tube (MAKE SURE YOUR TRANSMISSION COMES WITH ONE! I had to spent nearly $200 from Toyota to get a new tube and dipstick. You can't fill the transmission to level without this.) Other parts include maintenance items like the rear main seal, transmission filter, Toyota ORANGE FIPG, axle seals, circlips for the CV axles, snap rings, and the bolts that hold the CV axle into the hub.

 

Will I be able to use my stock wire harness with the different transmission? I have a button in my truck that allows for electronically controlled shifting, will I still have this option with the new trans or will I just have to leave whatever plug that happens to be hanging?

 

The A340E and A340F are identical, in exception for a longer output shaft to accommodate the transfer case. The only electrical modification you'll have to make is to extend the VSS connector six inches since the speed sensor on an A340F is on the transfer case.

You are changing nothing electrically. The transmissions function identically.

 

Let me just reiterate this is 99% plug-n-play. Nothing really has to be modified or altered at all except for that VSS connector needing to be extended.

 

The transmissions all work the same, just a different output shaft and tail housings.. so yes your harness should work, assuming you dont get an 03-04 tacoma transmission

 

Only minor differences like temperature sensors or the plug for the park neutral sensor would be different year-to-year. I installed a 1999 A340F in my 1998 and the only difference was one of the redundant temperature sensors, which swapped over no issue.

 

Awesome that was one of my main concerns.
I am also unsure about the gear ratio of my diff, The code it shows on my door jam is "B07A" and from what I have read so far this is kind of a unknown as some people with the same code ended up with different ratios. How can I find out for certain which ratio I have?

 

I’ll tell you for certain that’s 4.30. Because that what my truck’s gear code is.

Good luck finding a 4.30 front differential from a Tacoma. They’re very very very rare. I had to get mine from a 1996 4Runner, and even that was a gamble because the gear codes were different on 4Runners. I called my local Toyota parts dept. with the last 5 digits of the VIN from the junkyard 4Runner and asked for the gear ratio. They said it could be either 4.10 or 4.30, but wasn’t sure. I got lucky and it was 4.30.

75% of front differentials you’ll find are going to be 4.10, or B03A. Only surefire way to test gear ratio is to divide the teeth on the ring gear by the teeth on the pinion gear. 43 teeth on the ring gear divided by 10 teeth on the pinion gear is 4.3. Or rounded up, 4.30.

There’s other ways like spinning the tire and counting driveshaft rotations. But I like actually taking the diff apart and counting to be sure.

 

@Uphillshunter did it recently too, but he's on a mandatory vacation from TW right now.
Maybe look up his posts for more info.

 

Yup I sold him my 4.10 differential, which I was told was 4.30 gearing but wasn’t when I popped the clamshell open and did the math.