ToyRyd04's 4x4 Conversion

Bringing this over from TTORA before its removed.


ToyRyd’s 4x4 Conversion
Started life as a normal prerunner…
After countless hours of research, finding part numbers, and visiting every junkyard in 150 mile radius at least twice, it was time to begin.
Almost every part came from a few 1997 Tacoma’s
-----------------------------------------------------BEGIN OF INSTALL-------------------------------------------------------------
Collecting the biggest part

Tearing the A340F down to the output shaft. This was a lot of work for just this piece. The rest of the transmission was sold for scrap metal. 55,000 Original miles on all the parts.

Day of the Conversion, The garage seemed twice as big that day with everything out of it.
]
A340E pulled next to the 4WD output shaft that will go in, along with the transmission coupler and transfer case.

Another angle: Torque converter depth and other misc pieces that were pulled.

After the swap was completed by Westminster Transmissions it was all sealed up and ready to go.
Now it is an A340E-H (2wd-4wd Hybrid) Sitting next to it is the old 2wd output shaft and tail housing.

A340E-H With coupling mounted up and checked for proper fitment.

4WD coupling and transfer case assembled to A340E-H

View of output shaft through coupling.

Next was to mount the ADD diff.

After being secured, the wiring will be connected.


Connecting rubber breather hose for ADD.


View of the empty transmission tunnel.

Flex plate and front diff flange meshing nicely.

Then followed by interior for prep of transmission install.


The famous cutting out the prerunner shifter plate that everyone else always shows.



Inside the transmission tunnel with rubber 4WD exterior shifter boot.

Next was the series of mounting the transmission up into place.
Just me and the transmission jack, mono-e-mono.






And finally some weight put on the 4WD transmission mount and cross member.

Transfer case mounted to the back. This was more stable with the transfer case off and then finally mounted after the transmission was secured.


Next was bolting the torque converter to the flex plate. Using a breaker bar and pry bar made easy work of spinning the torque converter to line up the holes.

After that was bolted up, the cover plate was then bolted in and sealed.


With the transmission and transfer case secured, the front drive shaft was bolted in.


Now the rear drive shaft was bolted in. With the drive shaft being and 1.25” inches to short, I bought a 1.5” driveshaft spacer from 4 Crawler.


One downside to the 1997 Tacoma J-Shift transfer case was that it was cable driven and not electrical.
With a call to Marlin Crawler a VSS adapter solution made an easy fix of this problem. The adapter converts the cable into an electrical signal that my 2004 Electrical system could recognize.

Soldering the wires for a good electrical connection.


Next up was mounting up the center carrier bearing and the rest of the driveshaft.


Now that the main driveline was completed in was time to finish up the front.
2WD spindles were disassembled and then the 4WD ones were bolted into place.
Everything bolted together, cvs and then hub nut torque down to spec.

And yes everything was LOCTITE down with blue medium strength thread locker.

All assembled

Driver OEM CV angle

Passenger OEM CV angle

With the exterior functioning, the interior was reassembled.


http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y109/bansheeyrider/4x4 Conversion/47-InteriorShifter2.jpg[/IMG
Only thing remaining was fluids. Up first were the transmission and all 8 bottles of fluid. The A340E-H takes 7.6qts and the bottles filled perfectly to the line per the dipstick fill levels. 5 quarts were filled first without starting, then started up the truck and shifted slowly to every gear making sure proper operation and fluid distribution. After that another quart was ran through and repeated until the transmission was filled properly.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y109/bansheeyrider/4x4%20Conversion/48-transmissionfluid.jpg
Then the transfer case was filled along with the front diff with Mobil 1 75w-90.
[ATTACH=full]1977960[/ATTACH]
For the final touch even the 4WD operation card was placed over head in the sun visor.
[ATTACH=full]1977961[/ATTACH]
-----------------------------------------------------END OF INSTALL----------------------------------------------------------------
Soon after install I noticed that the OEM original CV boot rubber was not going to last long so new boots and the boot slide method was used.
[ATTACH=full]1977965[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=full]1977967[/ATTACH]
----------------------------------------------------TIME TO TEST--------------------------------------------------------------------
First up was the FJ Bruisers Club Mud Fling V at GWNF, this was a first for two reasons:
1. I would have to hope nothing would seize, break, leak, or malfunction while driving over 3 hours to Harrisonburg, Va. with the install only being completed the day before.
2. A Great break in to finally test how the truck would handle in 4WD.
The end of the first trail that required 4Lo, it was a success with no problems.
[ATTACH=full]1977969[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=full]1977971[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=full]1977973[/ATTACH]
This was the field for the three day event that was sponsored by Steven Toyota.
[ATTACH=full]1977975[/ATTACH]
Gadget’s New 5th Gen 4runner and 3rd Gen 4runner made an appearance.
[ATTACH=full]1977976[/ATTACH]
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Now proving that everything went smoothly, it was time to push the truck to see its full potential. What was 4Lo A340E-H Lo locked like?
Two weeks later at Rausch Creek in Tremont, PA. running Blues and Blacks.
[ATTACH=full]1977979[/ATTACH]
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y109/bansheeyrider/4x4%20Conversion/IMG_20110605_114813.jpg





------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It has been 3months an all is still going well with the conversion.
-------------------------------------------------------TOTAL COST-------------------------------------------------------------------
4WD Spindles $35/ea. $70.00
OEM CVs $37.50/ea. $75.00
Front ADD 4.10 Diff. $100.00
Transfer case J-shift $195.00
Whole rear driveshaft $150.00
Together as a bundle:
A340F Output shaft
A340F Transmission
4WD A340F Coupler
4WD Interior Plastics
4WD transmission mount
4WD VSS sensor
4WD Transfer case J-shift $300.00

4WD Shift knob Brand New $27.00
4WD Leather shift boot $2.00
4WD VSS Marlin Crawler Adapter $49.00
4Crawler 1.5” Driveshaft spacer $74.00
----------------
$1117.00
+
Transmission Output shaft swap & 3yr. Warranty $306.63
----------------
Conversion Total: $1,423.63

 

Sick build and a great write-up!

 

Awesome write up. Thanks for taking the time to take the pictures. This is a swap that I'm seriously considering even though my cost will be much higher considering I will have a local transmission shop do the work.

 

Thanks for the compliment, may cost a few more for a trans shop, but parts for 1st gens have reduced in price some. That might help.

 

Just did this conversion on my 2000 PreRunner. Any chance you know the exact application for the shifter bezel? That's the exact piece I need. Also, how were you able to get the ADD system working. Did you use a module and harness out of an existing truck? I'm trying to figure out how to engage/disengage the vacuum on the front diff. I do have a donor solenoid setup but haven't figured out how to wire it up without using a 4wd module. Any info would be extremely helpful. Thank you.

 

Ditch the vaccumm. Need to swap over to the bolt on 98-04 eletric style and for that you do not need the 4wd computer. Just a dual momentary switch will do.
Lookup the FSM here http://www.markofshame.com/fsm/03_Tacoma/, I beleive pins 2&6 on the 4wd electric solenoid powers the slide fork in (engaged) and then reverse polarity to slide it back (disengaged).

 

It's already the '99 style. I think I've decided to eliminate the vacuum function completely. I'll slide the collar over to engage both shafts and then use this



to keep it engaged. I don't care if it's full time 4wd and then I'll just have T-case engagement only.

 

Man you got balls tackling that. I don't care who you are. I wish I knew someone close by who would turn mine to 4x4 I would by me a brand new 2wd and save mine for hunting and fishing. Any idea what someone would charge to do this and do it right? Anybody?

 

It was easy. I would charge someone in the neighborhood of $2000 plus parts.

 

@ToyRyd04 i know this is old. But any idea where to find the a340f output shaft and end housing? I’ve tried doing a good search with not much results

 

Honestly, easiest way is to find a garbage a340f blown trans from a tacoma, 95-04, or the like 4runner 96-02 will work. Domt believe the T100s will work with the old trans/tcase style.

Or could order it from here https://transpartsonline.com/TRANS_PARTS_FILE/tpcat.php?TransPartsOnline=A340&TransPartsType=A340

 

Thanks. A340f are slim picking near me and worth a ton. I found a a340e I could throw a 4wd output in but need to find the output. I’ll try that sight.

Do you know anything about the aw4 and their output and if they’re the same?

 

One of the best write up,s I have seen . Excellent details in your pictures . Thats the kind of write up I like to see
ToyRyd04
.
Can I add this to the swap page ?
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...-4-wheel-drive-or-automatic-to-manual.702733/

 

I know the tailend of the output shaft is the same spline, but unsure of all the splines, oil grooves, etc forward of that that's actually inside the trans. I know the AX4 tailhousing bolts right up to the a340 to run an atlas, etc.

 

Thanks for the compliment, absolutely feel free to add it to the swap page.

 

I have added it to the list . Thank you

 

Hello, I have a question about you’re add wiring

 

Sure what's the question? DPDT switch using pins 2&6 for power in and out of the actuator.