ARCHIVE HP Upgrades for Toyota Automatics

[wardharris]

WAT TRANSMISSION SOLUTIONS IN NORTH AMERICA
Cruiser Brothers now represents Wholesale Automatic Transmissions (WAT) of Bayswater, Victoria, offering a range of high performance transmission components and complete, rebuilt transmissions for offroad Toyotas.

HISTORY
WAT is the world's leading source for transmission upgrades that support offroad and over the road Toyotas. Rodney Hudson-Davies is the prime mover at WAT and leads their offer of kits, components and total solutions.

Their solutions have been in limited distribution here for some time, but Cruiser Brothers decided that we all need a little more tranny love so have added their kits and parts to our product line-up.

Here is a good video overview of our offering. We support A440F, A442F, A343F, A750F (gate and Tiptronic shift) and AB60F transmission with HD Nomad Valve Body Kits and GENII TC Lock Up Kits.



COMING SOON
Our website is being remodeled, along with an update of our online store. We will have a catalogue and price list available next week, following our return from Melbourne. Georg and I are meeting with all of our current partners and some new friends between 18 February and 25 February.

MORE INFO
We will answer questions on this thread, but detailed or personal queries and orders should go through this link. Request a Quote -

Our goal is good customer service and we have a hard time keeping track of PMs.

Thank you for your interest, patience and support. See the video below for your viewing pleasure.

Cheers - Georg @orangefj45 and Ward @wardharris

 

[RockDoc]

I put one of their upgraded valve bodies into my 62/A440F years ago. It is definitely an upgrade I've been happy with.

 

[wardharris]

I put one of their upgraded valve bodies into my 62/A440F years ago. It is definitely an upgrade I've been happy with.

Thanks, @RockDoc we appreciate the feedback about the HD Nomad VB Kit from Wholesale Automatic Transmissions (WAT). With your permission, I will share your install thread here Extreme Valve Body - just installed

Some highlights:

1. DIY install is doable if you have some skills, plan and execute (with a couple extra hands)
2. Results have been good, even years later
3. There have been several resellers in North America over the 10 years since install
4. Rod and WAT prefer to have local representation and pricing has been "variable" at those erstwhile resellers

When Cruiser Brothers was asked by owners and shops to consider distributing WAT products, we went through a process similar to what we used prior to establishing relationships with Terran Tamer, Harrop and Long Range Automotive. In each case, we knew that they had great products, but we needed to determine whether we could be successful as a distributor here based upon logistics, service/support, economics and culture of the firms and the people.

WAT products have been known and respected on MUD for many years and we had no doubt the line would be popular and successful. In considering a relationship, we then looked at how/who has offered the product line in the past and how we could meet customer needs and help WAT and the Toyota community to meet their objectives.

We concluded that a successful offer of WAT products here required that we: 1) make a commitment to offer those products along with other unique products such as we offer from Terrain Tamer, Harrop and Long Range Automotive; 2) extend the offer beyond "legacy" Land Cruisers, to include later Series and other models such as Tacoma, Tundra, 4Runner, GX, etc.; 3) maintain inventory on the shelf and a return stream of rebuildable valve body cores and keep the flow in rotation to keep costs down and reduce delays; and build a robust on-line store with support systems and staff to provide customer service at high levels.

We met Rodney for dinner at SEMA and after four hours of discussion, we left with an agreement. We are in the latter stages of our build-out and ready to rock 'n roll. Website/store are bing remodeled, product documentation in final draft and other components are being installed as we speak. Couple of examples - a customized, enterprise-grade implementation of Salesforce integrated with a new business-class VOIP phone system to help us communicate, sell, ship and serve customers better - timely, accurate, clear and efficient processes.

The enthusiast parts market is evolving. It is no longer possible to run and grow a specialty business in our space without use of tactics and tools that enable the best customer service experience possible. We are not done yet and we are not perfect, but we are trying hard and investing in our platform, process and people to ensure customer satisfaction.

At the same time, we are experienced in the business issues of international trade. Order flow, logistics, currency rates, etc. are all things we deal with. We continue to learn every day. We make mistakes, but we keep coming back and we want to hear what we can do better.

Finally, we will set prices and terms that make it possible to deliver the products with good service. We also need to pay expenses, retan great staff and make a reasonable profit to ensure our continued existence and the community's access to these products.

Thanks for your interest - please let us know how we can better serve the community.

Ward and Georg @orangefj45

 

[wardharris]

HD NOMAD VALVE BODY & TC LOCK UP KIT - OWNER REPORT

A real life success story from a Washington State owner - A343F transmission

"I had the Wholesale Automatics HD Valve Body, Torque Converter lock-up solenoid, and ATF temp gauge/sender kits installed when I had a TRD supercharger added to my 2000 Land Cruiser in 2017. The goal was to better handle the added power -- while providing crisper shifting of the 4 speed transmission -- and to better control the transmission while towing and driving off-road."

"After getting the kit installed, and towing our 3,000 lb trailer 7,000 miles this summer (including a week off-roading in the San Juan mountains in CO), I can say it is well worth the money and it has delivered on all fronts. The ATF temp gauge allowed me to keep an eye things, and I can definitively say that the lockout does what it should. Without it engaged, I would see ATF spiking into the high 180s °F on long mountain climbs -- even in third or second gear. Engaging the lock-up would allow us to run closer to 160 degrees. Cooler running was also the case when engine braking on long descents, but with the added bonus of keeping RPMs lower and providing better engine braking. This was great in low range off road, almost like having an OE hill descent feature.

I would recommend WAT's upgrades to anyone that tows, has increased power handling needs, or just wants a smoother, more refined driving experience out of their transmission."

Visit Cruiser Brothers Wholesale Automatic Transmissions - for more information, or call Ward at 209-636-0831.

 

[George Walker]

I put one of their upgraded valve bodies into my 62/A440F years ago. It is definitely an upgrade I've been happy with.

Can you describe the noticeable improvement from this? Thanks, from me and my A440F '91 with 104k

 

[RockDoc]

Can you describe the noticeable improvement from this? Thanks, from me and my A440F '91 with 104k

Ward linked the thread I started on it in post #3 of this thread. My impressions are in there (it's been 10 or 12 years since install and that truck has been retired to donor status after years of being rust-eaten and trail-beaten - drivetrain will live on when I find the time and ambition to build up a clean 62 hulk that sits beside it).

 

[Lumpskie]

Just saw this. I have a Wholesale Automatics Extreme A442f in my diesel rig and it works very very well. The lockup in 3rd is so handy. I've put almost 40,000 miles on mine and haven't had a single issue.

 

[wardharris]

Just saw this. I have a Wholesale Automatics Extreme A442f in my diesel rig and it works very very well. The lockup in 3rd is so handy. I've put almost 40,000 miles on mine and haven't had a single issue.

Thanks for the post. My partner Georg Esterer at Valley Hybrids @orangefj45 is the tranny expert, so hit him with a PM if you have questions or want to order. The co-owner of WAT will be at our offices on November 5 doing some videos and tech development. Let us know if you would like to drop by.

We are slowly building inventory and shipping products as quick as we can

 

[Lumpskie]

Thanks for the post. My partner Georg Esterer at Valley Hybrids @orangefj45 is the tranny expert, so hit him with a PM if you have questions or want to order. The co-owner of WAT will be at our offices on November 5 doing some videos and tech development. Let us know if you would like to drop by.

We are slowly building inventory and shipping products as quick as we can

I'm sure I'll have some questions at some point so I'll be sure to as @orangefj45 when they come up! I just wanted to mention how much I like my Wholesale setup. I think it's worth the investment.