80 SERIES UPGRADE POLL - MANUMATIC? (1 Viewer)

[wardharris]

TESTING INTEREST IN POSSIBLE NEW PRODUCT

Want more control and better shifting from a manual shift tranny in your 1FZFE?

Cruiser Brothers, LLC is distributor for Wholesale Automatic Transmissions upgrade kits from Australia.

Rodney Hudson-Davies is the gearbox guru there and he has led development of 5 and 6 speed conversions of 80, 100 and 79 Series Land Cruisers for years.

While there last week, we discussed offer of a kit to fit manual shift A750F transmissions to 80 Series with A442F and A343F from the factory. These would be upgraded with HD valve bodies, TC lock up kits, add-on transmission controller and (optionally) billet torque converters - along with Tiptronic-style shifters as in a 200 Series.

Get another gear, wake up your 1FZ-FE, get better shifts in auto and manual shifts when on the trail or going downhill. Total cost at or below that of a manual conversion with bellhousing, clutch, tranny, pedal bucket, misc. kit to make the swap happen.

Turn-key package ready to bolt up to your existing motor, with all parts, instructions and technical support.

Check out this video - a generic how-to with features and benefits.

 

[mct75]

That's pretty cool!

 

[DOCBG]

Would it work with a 4.7 Toyota conversion?

 

[wardharris]

Probably, if the engine and ECU are from an early 100 that came with A343F

 

[DOCBG]

Probably, if the engine and ECU are from an early 100 that came with A343F

Yes from a ‘99.

 

[Kaninja]

I want an A750F behind my 1FZFE in my 80. A kit to do this would be amazing.

 

[wardharris]

Yes from a ‘99.

The issue is whether the 4.7 ecu will function if the transmission is not "connected" as the A750F would have it's own stand-alone ECU.

If so, we can do a similar upgrade for A343F equipped 100 Series. This is a possible follow-on to the 80 kit.

Lest you ask, the upgrade of the later 100 Series with A750F gate shift 5 speed is problematic because that ecu runs both engine and transmission and the box will not like it if the trans is no longer connected.

 

[DOCBG]

The issue is whether the 4.7 ecu will function if the transmission is not "connected" as the A750F would have it's own stand-alone ECU.

If so, we can do a similar upgrade for A343F equipped 100 Series. This is a possible follow-on to the 80 kit.

Lest you ask, the upgrade of the later 100 Series with A750F gate shift 5 speed is problematic because that ecu runs both engine and transmission and the box will not like it if the trans is no longer connected.

It is a four speed and it’s the original transmission that came with the motor out of a tundra

 

[dogfishlake]

Very interesting. I thought the a343 and a750 were very different (mounting wise).

I would love a 5 speed swap.

@Dragos80 has spent a lot of time on the 5 speed subject.

Nice work

 

[OGBeno]

It is a four speed and it’s the original transmission that came with the motor out of a tundra

If it came out of a Tundra, then your transmission is an A340F vs the A343F. They are similar in many regards.

 

[wardharris]

It is a four speed and it’s the original transmission that came with the motor out of a tundra

If it came out of a Tundra, then your transmission is an A340F vs the A343F. They are similar in many regards.

As usual, Onur beat me to it.

 

[Dragos80]

My positive answer depends on a few variables. Price would be on top of my list. Almost $4000 plus labor is an astronomical figure for such a little gain. If one regears the diffs, it would be way below that price point. Regearing the transferase would be below that price point.

A750E/F does not bolt up to 1FZ. An adapter plate is needed.
Compushift or other controllers are very expensive.
To rebuild the transmission is very expensive and needed.
A7xx are electronic not hydraulic. A good setup with the controller is beyond necessary.
What floor shifter would you use?
Adapter harness?

The 5th gear on this transmission is a little too tall (low numerically) especially when most of us here are running larger diameter tires. This would under-rev the ending as in lugging and it is not desirable. Possible gear hunting.

In order to keep the engine happy on the freeway one would need to regear the diffs (more money).
You are looking at 0.716:1 ratio in 5th gear vs 0.753:1 as engineered by Mr.T
The larger tires would bring the engine to an unhappy power band and people often complain about that.

No, there would not be any benefit in MPG if the RPM is lower at a given speed, because the engine is now outside of the engineered parameters.
The lockup could also be affected and happen at a higher speed, which again would not be desirable.

I have a better solution for this conversion problem, but I got nobody to work with. Not enough brave and smart mechanics to work with my crazy (stupid) idea.


So, ballpark price for the conversion... $2000?
I'll bite.

 

[baldilocks]

$4,000 for just the hardware sounds to good to be true and then there is install.

 

[wardharris]

My positive answer depends on a few variables. Price would be on top of my list. Almost $4000 plus labor is an astronomical figure for such a little gain. If one regears the diffs, it would be way below that price point. Regearing the transferase would be below that price point.

A750E/F does not bolt up to 1FZ. An adapter plate is needed.
Compushift or other controllers are very expensive.
To rebuild the transmission is very expensive and needed.
A7xx are electronic not hydraulic. A good setup with the controller is beyond necessary.
What floor shifter would you use?
Adapter harness?

Yes, we know an adapter or new bellhousing is required. As for price, I guess it really depends upon what one is looking for in a trans swap - and price / value personal and subjective.

Rodney and the crew at Wholesale Automatic Transmissions and my partner Georg at Valley Hybrids have decades of direct experience in these matters. We are not selling, we are researching solutions for 80 owners looking for a modern, manual-shift transmission without going GM.

We are not talking diffs, TC gears, tires or anything else, just the stuff in between the flex plate and the HF2A.

Comments, suggestions and opinions are appreciated and all are welcome.

 

[wardharris]

What floor shifter would you use?

View attachment 1643375

 

[Dragos80]

OK. Got it.
I guess you did not read the 5-speed transmission post here in the 80 section. (I am not saying this in a derogatory way, just a statement).


We have discussed this issue at length and gone through many setups suited for out needs. We have touched upon GM, Toyota (various models) ZF and probably one more I can't remember.

While there is some allure to the 750 and 760 Toyota transmission, there are a lot of issues to be addressed with both of them. Each one being more difficult than the other.

I have figured out a couple of setups, one is GM and very expensive ($5000+) and the other a lot ore inexpensive and Toyota branded solution.

A650 is the one I am trying to pursue here with absolutely no luck from any shop around my area. And I have talked to a lot of them.


A650 is about... $300 all day.
bulletproof... $1000.
shifter... $60-$90 on eBay
controller... $250 (shipped I believe, if I am wrong add another $100 just to be on the safe side).
The only thing that might need to be replaced is the main shaft with is probably too short on the 650. But... I think the one on the 442 would fit right in. Not sure!!!!!!!!! Needs to be checked. (again I have no willing mechanic to toy around with my idea).

Lets just say $2000 all together including miscellaneous stuff.

No adapter needed. It should bolt right up.
Physical dimension are identical. No need to move the transfer case.

Gear ratios are on par with the 750, of course not identical. I am sure some people will not like the 650 for it's first gear ratio at 3.357 vs 750 at 3.52
But the 5th gear ratio is identical to A442 so the problem of being in too much overdrive is not there.

I don't charge anything for my idea and research. It's free and was posted on this forum a while back. I did not reinvent the wheel here.

 

[Dragos80]

Here's where it all started:

5 speed auto


and proof I don't eat s***. I am in the process of getting the parts necessary for the swap.
Any mechanic in LA area, please contact me.

 

[wardharris]

I am the business guy, not the gear guy. The only thing I know about the A650 is that my SC430 has one and it works just fine.

No web crawling or Mud searching as the "team" has a pretty clear vision of what it would want to accomplish in offering a premium, turn-key kit. Rodney has done many swaps - manual to auto and auto upgrades - and feels strongly about best practices.

IF we offer anything, it will be Tiptronic/manual shift vs. gate shift.

 

[Dragos80]

That shifter fits the opening of the 80's OEM shifter though. No custom made console necessary either in this case.

 

[dogfishlake]

In my case I am running boost, 4.88 gears, and 35" tires. The truck rarely downshifts and pulls hard on the freeway but at 75-80 mph, it is getting up to that 3000 rpm point and a lower overdrive (5th in this case) would be really nice for long runs.

There are some readily available boost options coming for the 1FZ-FE and I feel this might be a great companion system.