Cruisers and Co
Supporting Vendor
- Joined
- Mar 30, 2023
- Threads
- 6
- Messages
- 747
- Location
- Westminster, Colorado
- Website
- www.cruisersandcompany.com
As early as 2006 people were asking for someone to develop a swap for the A750F transmission to replace the A442F and A343F that are in 08/92 – 01/98 FZJ80’s and LX450’s…. Well that day has come! Cruisers & Company has teamed up with Wholesale Automatic Transmissions (WAT) of Australia to bring the A750F dream to reality. As the North American distributor/development partner for WAT this was one of the things we asked them to help us bring to market when we became their partner. As WAT’s distributor we also receive calls every week from people with broken A442’s/A343’s, we know there is a need for a cost-effective solution as rebuilds are costly and very few across the US are rebuilding these units… SO HERE IT IS!
The A750F is a 5-speed automatic that can be found in the ’03-’07 100 Series Land Cruisers and LX470’s. This is the variant that has to be used in this swap. It is an extremely robust transmission and has seen use in other Toyota platforms starting in ’03 and continuing until ’24 in the 5th generation 4Runner. There is a reason it had such a long run in the Toyota catalogue, because it is a GREAT unit. These can be found in junkyards/pick and pulls or Remanufactured units can be purchased directly from Toyota or Wholesale Automatics through Cruisers & Co. If you have ever driven an early vs late model 100 series you know that the 5 speed is a HUGE improvement over the A343.
What will be in the Kit (More on these parts below):
-Cast Aluminum Bellhousing
-Flex Plate to Torque Convertor Adapter
-HGM Electronics Compushift Pro
-A nearly PNP electrical harness
-HGM Electronics Compushift Pro Mounting Bracket
-Wholesale Automatics Nomad or Extreme Valve Body
-Shift cable to Adapt OEM shifter to A750F
-Hardware
-Instructions
Optional Items:
-A750F Transmission
-Compushift Display
-Cruisers & Co. Paddle Shifters
-A750F Larger Cast aluminum Pan (+25% fluid capacity)
-C&C New Transmission Cooler
Efficiency & Strength:
This transmission is more efficient than the A343 by 3.6% in stock form (see SAE TECHNICAL PAPER SERIES 2003-01-0595). For many the net gain will be more than that because the engine will be working much less to get the vehicle moving, the Wholesale Automatics Nomad or Extreme Valve bodies that will help decrease shift time and the superior control and lockup capabilities of the HGM Electronics Compushift Pro Controller will also help mileage. This will net a mileage increase of an MPG or two maybe more. Not a ton but when most trucks average 10-12 MPG anything is an improvement! I will update this when we have more mileage gain information. The A750F is also rated as a stronger transmission than either of the A442F and A343F. Starting life as a unit to be used behind the 2UZ and 1HD-FTE it will handle with ease what we can throw at it with stock 1FZ, and even you turbocharged guys will be hard pressed to hurt it with the better valve body and gains in control that the compushift offers (more on that below).
Gearing:
What does this mean for drivability?
More on the Components
-Cast Aluminum Bellhousing
Just what it sounds like, a cast bellhousing similar to Toyota cast bellhousing. Bolts up just like the factory and will reuse all existing hardware.
-Flex Plate to Torque Convertor Adapter
Adapter to convert the 1FZ-FE flex plate to the A750F Torque Converter
-Compushift Sport Pro
HGM Electronics makes the Compushift Pro, a robust and highly functional transmission controller that is fully tunable. WAT uses these units exclusively for all of their manual to auto conversions with great success. They are Bluetooth compatible and there is a setup app so you can customize the shifts/lock up control. If you have an issue we can even remotely access your unit via your phone in order to help diagnose any issues you are having. In addition to controlling the transmission the unit will allow torque converter lockup (TCLU) in all forward gears on command when paired with a WAT valve body. This can be extremely helpful in on road and offroad situations since now the torque converter is 1:1 direct drive and no slippage is allowed. Some benefits are increased cooling, better engine braking (on and offroad), increased fuel economy. For the 93/94 trucks the ECT button will be used to engage manual TCLU and in the 95-97’s the PWR button will engage manual TCLU. Since the computer can be programmed to control the TCLU it will never stall the engine unlike the previous GENII TCLU Kits from WAT could stall the engine. Some examples of when you may want to use the TCLU function are cruising on a beach in 2nd gear (think Baja), coming down steep descents like coming down I70 into Denver or coming down steep fins in Moab or coming off of Redcone Pass. It could also be helpful for highway driving where the transmission will not automatically stay locked up, think 3rd gear going up a mountain pass where you can’t maintain a higher gear. In that situation you are cooking your fluid and watching trans temps increase. You can lock up decrease temperatures and hold that gear and reduce wear on the transmission.
For the guys/gals running more power from their 1FZ’s, I am looking at you Cruiser & Co Stage 2 Turbo people
and anyone else running standalone engine management, we will be able to implement torque reduction mid shift to increase reliability/longevity and so that we can run more power with decreased wear. Over CAN-bus we can send a message to the ecu that tells it to reduce timing and fuel at the start of a shift to cut the power flowing into the torque converter and then ramp the torque back in after the shift has completed. It will hardly be noticeable as it will happen extremely fast, but we can cut a significant amount of torque quickly so that the clutches can engage without flaring.
-Nearly PNP Harness
Just like our stage 2 turbo kits we will include a patch harness that integrates in between the factory ecu to the factory harness. It will Y into the Compushift harness and create an easy connection that integrates the bulk of the wiring. Unfortunately, we cannot intercept every wire we need but do not fear as there are only 6 wires we have identified that will need to be cut and terminated into a connector. Crimp pins onto those wires, insert them into the supplied connector and then plug into the Compushift harness. If you can drop/install a transmission I am hoping, you (the installer) can make 6 successful crimps. All 6 cuts will happen on the same Toyota connector, finding them will be easy and the directions will be crystal clear. The harness will also integrate provisions to keep the factory ECU from throwing any codes so that the guys that live where there are emissions can pass without issue and no check engine light to look at. Cruise control will not be affected
-HGM Electronics Compushift Pro Mounting Bracket
It’s a bracket that holds the computer… up high, out of the way in the dash. Not much else to say.
-Wholesale Automatics Nomad or Extreme Valve Body (VB)
I am not going to go into too many details here as a lot of you are likely familiar with WAT but Rod and Trev can explain what they do and why they are beneficial to this swap. They decrease wear, decrease shift time, increase cooling capability, fix any faults/wear in the original VB and increase power holding capabilities. You will swap this into your new transmission and send us the core.
Nomad and Extreme Valve Bodies
-Shift cable to Adapt OEM shifter to A750F
We retain the factory shifter with the A750F transmission and attach a cable under the truck to the original linkage and the transmission. This was a huge deal when we figured out that we could do this as I personally like the layout and feel of the factory shifters + there a lot 80 guys out there that have poured tons of money into custom center consoles/shifter surrounds and we didn’t want to have those people toss all of that aside.
The shifter, unless optional paddle shifters are added will function as such:
PRND work as usual, anyone can hop in and drive. Taping the OD when in D will send the transmission to 4th gear. Pulling down to the 80 Series 2nd will bump the transmission to 3rd gear. Pulling down to the 80 Series L will bump the transmission to 2nd gear. Tap the OD button again when in the L position will send the transmission down to 1st gear. This is different than other systems out there as no magnets or anything needs to be added to the shifter base in order to work.
-Hardware
A couple of bolts and nuts
-Instructions
Written instructions detailing the installation to the T
Optional Items:
-A750F Transmission
In order to keep costs down we are only offering the transmission if someone wants to order a Toyota or upgraded WAT through us. You can hit up your local dealer or go find a transmission at your local pick and pull. IT HAS TO BE AN ’03 – ’07 100 Series or LX470 UNIT
-Compushift Display
Cool unit that displays gear, trans temp, battery voltage and throttle position. We will have a 3D printed mount for this unit that places it in front of the shifter.
-Cruisers & Co. Paddle Shifters
Yes, you heard that right… Paddle Shifters. These will bolt on to the factory steering wheel and make shifting up or down a breeze. They will be able to be turned on by pressing the OD button or by holding down the paddles for a few seconds. Tap the right-hand paddle for an upshift and the left-hand to shift down. PRND will function as normal. No need to pull down to 2 or L. No wiring through the clock spring will be required and an external module will plug right into the compushift harness. These will also be available a la carte for the drivetrain swap guys that need a shifter solution.
-A750F Larger Cast aluminum Pan (+25% fluid capacity)
Larger cast aluminum pan that adds 25% fluid capacity. This extends fluid life and helps keep the system cool by increasing the thermal mass of the system.
Side by side stock pan vs cast pan comparison
-New Transmission Cooler
We get several inquiries a week about a larger FZJ80 transmission cooler so we will offer one that will replace the OEM Unit. More surface area/cooling and also added piece of mind no old fluid/debris will go into your new to you transmission
“Wow that was a lot of information about what is included in the kit but you didn’t say anything about crossmember/driveline changes or transfer case adapters…”
That is one of the great things about using the A750F. The transfer case and mounting position stays in the exact same place as the A442 & A343. Same transmission mount that utilizes the factory crossmember, just swap yours over to the A750. The Transfer case bolts up with zero modification required. Driveshafts stay the same length AND your skid plate systems will stay the same. People have invested thousands of dollars into driveshafts and skid plates from some other incredible venders and we didn’t want to wipe out all of their work/efforts. Also anyone who has made the jump to a black box or custom suspension/links in the rear will not have to rework anything.
You also have piece of mind putting another Aisin-Warner transmission back into your Land Cruiser. My current A343F has over 400K miles on it now and while that is a rare milestone for a lot of other transmissions there are tons of 100 series, Tacomas, 4Runners, Sequoias, GX470’s and Tundras that have hit that club without an issue with their Aisin-Warner A750F here in the US not including the other non North American models. I fully expect the A750F to be an extremely long-lived trouble-free unit. Same with the Compushift Pro Controller. They have tested those controllers in the toughest Australian outback conditions without issues.
We have spent a ton of time and effort on making this is the most comprehensive and well thought out transmission swap on the market that will give some incredible gains to all FZJ80’s and LX450’s without reinventing the wheel on a lot of parts people have already invested in. Price and release date is not yet decided but I can say with certainty that the base kit will be cheaper than the other options out there and be more comprehensive with zero figuring to do on the users end. Our goal is for a shop to be able to do this swap in two days, might be possible in one long day on a truck without skids and aftermarket consoles. The prototype of this will be installed very soon in my personal LX450 and on will be on display at Cruise Moab. We will be rolling out the ’95-’97 trucks first and the ’93-’94 will be out very soon after.
The A750F is a 5-speed automatic that can be found in the ’03-’07 100 Series Land Cruisers and LX470’s. This is the variant that has to be used in this swap. It is an extremely robust transmission and has seen use in other Toyota platforms starting in ’03 and continuing until ’24 in the 5th generation 4Runner. There is a reason it had such a long run in the Toyota catalogue, because it is a GREAT unit. These can be found in junkyards/pick and pulls or Remanufactured units can be purchased directly from Toyota or Wholesale Automatics through Cruisers & Co. If you have ever driven an early vs late model 100 series you know that the 5 speed is a HUGE improvement over the A343.
What will be in the Kit (More on these parts below):
-Cast Aluminum Bellhousing
-Flex Plate to Torque Convertor Adapter
-HGM Electronics Compushift Pro
-A nearly PNP electrical harness
-HGM Electronics Compushift Pro Mounting Bracket
-Wholesale Automatics Nomad or Extreme Valve Body
-Shift cable to Adapt OEM shifter to A750F
-Hardware
-Instructions
Optional Items:
-A750F Transmission
-Compushift Display
-Cruisers & Co. Paddle Shifters
-A750F Larger Cast aluminum Pan (+25% fluid capacity)
-C&C New Transmission Cooler
Efficiency & Strength:
This transmission is more efficient than the A343 by 3.6% in stock form (see SAE TECHNICAL PAPER SERIES 2003-01-0595). For many the net gain will be more than that because the engine will be working much less to get the vehicle moving, the Wholesale Automatics Nomad or Extreme Valve bodies that will help decrease shift time and the superior control and lockup capabilities of the HGM Electronics Compushift Pro Controller will also help mileage. This will net a mileage increase of an MPG or two maybe more. Not a ton but when most trucks average 10-12 MPG anything is an improvement! I will update this when we have more mileage gain information. The A750F is also rated as a stronger transmission than either of the A442F and A343F. Starting life as a unit to be used behind the 2UZ and 1HD-FTE it will handle with ease what we can throw at it with stock 1FZ, and even you turbocharged guys will be hard pressed to hurt it with the better valve body and gains in control that the compushift offers (more on that below).
Gearing:
| R | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| A442F | 2.678 | 2.950 | 1.530 | 1.000 | .765 | |
| A343F | 2.393 | 2.804 | 1.531 | 1.000 | .753 | |
| A750F | 3.224 | 3.520 | 2.042 | 1.400 | 1.00 | .716 |
What does this mean for drivability?
- Acceleration/getting off the line will be greatly improved
- You’ll stay in the powerband more often so pulling grades/hills you’ll be able to maintain without slowing down as much.
- High/Low range reduction in first gear is a net of 19% lower than an A442F and 25.5% over the A343F. That’s like adding another set of 3:1’s in the Tcase. Crawling and control will be greatly improved offroad
- In overdrive rpm’s will drop 5% which will help the overgeared guys and help improve mpg
- Reversing will be easier offroad
- Overall, a greatly enhanced driving experience
More on the Components
-Cast Aluminum Bellhousing
Just what it sounds like, a cast bellhousing similar to Toyota cast bellhousing. Bolts up just like the factory and will reuse all existing hardware.
-Flex Plate to Torque Convertor Adapter
Adapter to convert the 1FZ-FE flex plate to the A750F Torque Converter
-Compushift Sport Pro
HGM Electronics makes the Compushift Pro, a robust and highly functional transmission controller that is fully tunable. WAT uses these units exclusively for all of their manual to auto conversions with great success. They are Bluetooth compatible and there is a setup app so you can customize the shifts/lock up control. If you have an issue we can even remotely access your unit via your phone in order to help diagnose any issues you are having. In addition to controlling the transmission the unit will allow torque converter lockup (TCLU) in all forward gears on command when paired with a WAT valve body. This can be extremely helpful in on road and offroad situations since now the torque converter is 1:1 direct drive and no slippage is allowed. Some benefits are increased cooling, better engine braking (on and offroad), increased fuel economy. For the 93/94 trucks the ECT button will be used to engage manual TCLU and in the 95-97’s the PWR button will engage manual TCLU. Since the computer can be programmed to control the TCLU it will never stall the engine unlike the previous GENII TCLU Kits from WAT could stall the engine. Some examples of when you may want to use the TCLU function are cruising on a beach in 2nd gear (think Baja), coming down steep descents like coming down I70 into Denver or coming down steep fins in Moab or coming off of Redcone Pass. It could also be helpful for highway driving where the transmission will not automatically stay locked up, think 3rd gear going up a mountain pass where you can’t maintain a higher gear. In that situation you are cooking your fluid and watching trans temps increase. You can lock up decrease temperatures and hold that gear and reduce wear on the transmission.
For the guys/gals running more power from their 1FZ’s, I am looking at you Cruiser & Co Stage 2 Turbo people
and anyone else running standalone engine management, we will be able to implement torque reduction mid shift to increase reliability/longevity and so that we can run more power with decreased wear. Over CAN-bus we can send a message to the ecu that tells it to reduce timing and fuel at the start of a shift to cut the power flowing into the torque converter and then ramp the torque back in after the shift has completed. It will hardly be noticeable as it will happen extremely fast, but we can cut a significant amount of torque quickly so that the clutches can engage without flaring.-Nearly PNP Harness
Just like our stage 2 turbo kits we will include a patch harness that integrates in between the factory ecu to the factory harness. It will Y into the Compushift harness and create an easy connection that integrates the bulk of the wiring. Unfortunately, we cannot intercept every wire we need but do not fear as there are only 6 wires we have identified that will need to be cut and terminated into a connector. Crimp pins onto those wires, insert them into the supplied connector and then plug into the Compushift harness. If you can drop/install a transmission I am hoping, you (the installer) can make 6 successful crimps. All 6 cuts will happen on the same Toyota connector, finding them will be easy and the directions will be crystal clear. The harness will also integrate provisions to keep the factory ECU from throwing any codes so that the guys that live where there are emissions can pass without issue and no check engine light to look at. Cruise control will not be affected
-HGM Electronics Compushift Pro Mounting Bracket
It’s a bracket that holds the computer… up high, out of the way in the dash. Not much else to say.
-Wholesale Automatics Nomad or Extreme Valve Body (VB)
I am not going to go into too many details here as a lot of you are likely familiar with WAT but Rod and Trev can explain what they do and why they are beneficial to this swap. They decrease wear, decrease shift time, increase cooling capability, fix any faults/wear in the original VB and increase power holding capabilities. You will swap this into your new transmission and send us the core.
Nomad and Extreme Valve Bodies
-Shift cable to Adapt OEM shifter to A750F
We retain the factory shifter with the A750F transmission and attach a cable under the truck to the original linkage and the transmission. This was a huge deal when we figured out that we could do this as I personally like the layout and feel of the factory shifters + there a lot 80 guys out there that have poured tons of money into custom center consoles/shifter surrounds and we didn’t want to have those people toss all of that aside.
The shifter, unless optional paddle shifters are added will function as such:
PRND work as usual, anyone can hop in and drive. Taping the OD when in D will send the transmission to 4th gear. Pulling down to the 80 Series 2nd will bump the transmission to 3rd gear. Pulling down to the 80 Series L will bump the transmission to 2nd gear. Tap the OD button again when in the L position will send the transmission down to 1st gear. This is different than other systems out there as no magnets or anything needs to be added to the shifter base in order to work.
-Hardware
A couple of bolts and nuts
-Instructions
Written instructions detailing the installation to the T
Optional Items:
-A750F Transmission
In order to keep costs down we are only offering the transmission if someone wants to order a Toyota or upgraded WAT through us. You can hit up your local dealer or go find a transmission at your local pick and pull. IT HAS TO BE AN ’03 – ’07 100 Series or LX470 UNIT
-Compushift Display
Cool unit that displays gear, trans temp, battery voltage and throttle position. We will have a 3D printed mount for this unit that places it in front of the shifter.
-Cruisers & Co. Paddle Shifters
Yes, you heard that right… Paddle Shifters. These will bolt on to the factory steering wheel and make shifting up or down a breeze. They will be able to be turned on by pressing the OD button or by holding down the paddles for a few seconds. Tap the right-hand paddle for an upshift and the left-hand to shift down. PRND will function as normal. No need to pull down to 2 or L. No wiring through the clock spring will be required and an external module will plug right into the compushift harness. These will also be available a la carte for the drivetrain swap guys that need a shifter solution.
-A750F Larger Cast aluminum Pan (+25% fluid capacity)
Larger cast aluminum pan that adds 25% fluid capacity. This extends fluid life and helps keep the system cool by increasing the thermal mass of the system.
Side by side stock pan vs cast pan comparison
-New Transmission Cooler
We get several inquiries a week about a larger FZJ80 transmission cooler so we will offer one that will replace the OEM Unit. More surface area/cooling and also added piece of mind no old fluid/debris will go into your new to you transmission
“Wow that was a lot of information about what is included in the kit but you didn’t say anything about crossmember/driveline changes or transfer case adapters…”
That is one of the great things about using the A750F. The transfer case and mounting position stays in the exact same place as the A442 & A343. Same transmission mount that utilizes the factory crossmember, just swap yours over to the A750. The Transfer case bolts up with zero modification required. Driveshafts stay the same length AND your skid plate systems will stay the same. People have invested thousands of dollars into driveshafts and skid plates from some other incredible venders and we didn’t want to wipe out all of their work/efforts. Also anyone who has made the jump to a black box or custom suspension/links in the rear will not have to rework anything.
You also have piece of mind putting another Aisin-Warner transmission back into your Land Cruiser. My current A343F has over 400K miles on it now and while that is a rare milestone for a lot of other transmissions there are tons of 100 series, Tacomas, 4Runners, Sequoias, GX470’s and Tundras that have hit that club without an issue with their Aisin-Warner A750F here in the US not including the other non North American models. I fully expect the A750F to be an extremely long-lived trouble-free unit. Same with the Compushift Pro Controller. They have tested those controllers in the toughest Australian outback conditions without issues.
We have spent a ton of time and effort on making this is the most comprehensive and well thought out transmission swap on the market that will give some incredible gains to all FZJ80’s and LX450’s without reinventing the wheel on a lot of parts people have already invested in. Price and release date is not yet decided but I can say with certainty that the base kit will be cheaper than the other options out there and be more comprehensive with zero figuring to do on the users end. Our goal is for a shop to be able to do this swap in two days, might be possible in one long day on a truck without skids and aftermarket consoles. The prototype of this will be installed very soon in my personal LX450 and on will be on display at Cruise Moab. We will be rolling out the ’95-’97 trucks first and the ’93-’94 will be out very soon after.
Last edited:
Rosie…a natural evolution! Ha!
+ 
= 
