Tito's - Another 1st Gen 4Runner build

Well, it lasted 3 weeks and maybe 250 miles. I was driving back from the gym when 3rd left the country. I was playing around with a new edge at a light, did a hard shift from 2-3 trying to keep the boost up and I knew it was going to be too hard of a shift but I didn’t have enough time to tell my foot not to let out the clutch lol. I was winning till I wasn’t. Drove it home without 3rd and have been thinking about my options.

Option 1 - Go through the transmission and replace 3rd, problem with that is i looked online to see if I could get a 3rd gear set and just replace it. They have 1st, 2nd, 4th, and 5th. 3rd is the only one discontinued, so finding it is going to be fun.

Option 1.5 - Another W56 and turn the boost controller all the way down and have someone hide it behind the dash. Cheap and easy option. (If someone has one please let me know. Just need the transmission no cases)

Option 2 - R150F, I know it’s stronger. Will require 2 adapters for the bell housing and the transfer cases, I’d hate to spend the money for all the adapter and transmission to do the same thing depending on how much stronger the r150 is compared to a W56

Option 3 - Baller status, TH400, I can get a th400 to 3RZ adapter for $320, th400 to Toyota duals for $400, a marketplace th400 and a rebuild kit, I’d have to get a custom TC to mate the 400 to the Toyota flex plate. I like having a manual rig and swore I’d never go back to an auto rig unless it was an LS, but I’m really tired of going through transmissions. I am 0-2 for it when I had planned on the transmission out living the engine.

Option 4 - Sell it and buy a ZR1 to live the divorced dad life I’m trying to make out of the 4Runner

I know I’ll keep moving the fuse around but after the clutch the trans being the fuse is getting annoying. I’ll take u joints or shafts next time.
 
Out of the options I would go 3. Plus you are setup for when you blow up the 3rz with the turbo and can drop an LS in there.
 
Out of the options I would go 3. Plus you are setup for when you blow up the 3rz with the turbo and can drop an LS in there.
That’s what I was thinking, I know it’s bound to get an LS at some point when my pops finishes his LS swapped 80 series, and the war of who’s is quicker starts and the turbo doesn’t keep up anymore.
 
It's been about 5 months since my last update (which follows my track record), honestly, life got in the way. Between everything going on behind the scenes, I lost all motivation to work on it, wheel it, and be social, the 4Runner ended up sitting for the last 4 months at the shop while I took a step back. Instead of letting it stay parked forever, I finally got around to putting a new transmission in it, posted it for sale hoping someone would take after it and beat on it like it should be. After months of sitting marketplace i decided to get out of my pissy state of mind and love on it again, Picked it up from the shop, checked the fluids, and put about 300 miles on it over the weekend without skipping a beat. It feels great to have it back on the road again. I forgot how much of a ball it is to drive especially after the turbo. At some point when its not a real feel of 110* outside, i want to get back into the woods again. It's been over 2 years since I've been to any kind of formal wheeling trip and its quiet depressing thinking about it. Used it last weekend to pull out a hand full of bushes and haul wood around the yard while building a new fence. 10/10 yard mule
IMG_4715.jpeg

IMG_4783.jpeg
 
Adapt, Achieve, and Overcome. In a effort to make it more street-able I'm going back to a street wheel/tire setup, I've had a set of bald ko2s on some sequoia wheels for awhile but they were too bald to drive on the street with them in the rain for my liking (my standard is infact low in that department, so that's saying something). My buddy had some take off 35" toyos that he said he would mount and balance for me i just had to get them up to NC from GA. Well when both of the trucks decided they wanted to be broken at the same time the civic came in to save the day, 2 inside the car and 2 on the roof thanks to the great genuine army 5k ratchet straps. I only lost 10mpg on the way up, and never thought i would say this but it had more body roll than the 4runner, but i survived so that's all that matters. Didn't get a picture of them mounted and on the 4runner but it's a damn good snot rocket now and takes corners like a champ. Hopefully this setup will add some longevity to the drivetrain. Ill get some pictures this weekend.
IMG_4870.jpeg
 
Back
Top