AWD conversion completed

106469 Views 306 Replies 71 Participants Last post by WNC Tundra, 2 mo ago

ViktorG

Discussion Starter · Jan 14, 2016 (Edited)

7

I guess this could go into the driveline section, but to me it is definitely a performance mod.

Those of you with supercharged trucks and those with stock trucks in cold/snowy climates know how hard it is to get any traction in 2WD on take-off. I have an S/C truck in Canada, so I find that most of the time, if I want to race somebody, I have to quickly shift it into 4WD, otherwise most guys easily get a jump on you. That is all fine and well, until a corner comes up and you start running a risk of damaging your driveline on dry pavement. Also, once you kick someone’s butt, you are likely going much faster than 60 mph, so now you are stuck in 4WD, and if you are on a highway, it is not very convenient to slow down to shift back to 2WD. Even during daily driving, when there is a lot of snow/ice in the neighborhood, I always use 4x4 to get out, and then once you hit the plowed road, you have to switch back again, so another inconvenience.

For these reasons I have been wanting to add AWD option to my truck for some time now. I have seen a guy named BJowett on the forum who installed a Landcruiser T-case into his truck and he was my inspiration. Finally I had a few bucks in my pocket, and after doing my research, I ordered the transfer case I wanted. I decided not to go with the JF2A transfer case found in the Landcruiser and the LX570 because it is a full time transfer case with no option of 2WD, so instead I went with the Torsen LSD equipped multi-mode JF3A t-case found in the 2008+ Sequoia. That transfer case has all the options you can ask for: 2HI, 4HI free, 4LO free, 4HI lock and 4LO lock. So now, when I am driving somewhere in the summer on the highway, I can have it in 2WD and save on gas, if I am driving in winter or wanting to race somebody, I can put it in 4HI free, and when I go off-roading I can lock the center diff and have it in 4HI lock or 4LO lock.

Here is the video of the system operation:

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281 - 300 of 307 Posts

nighttowl

· #281 · Jul 31, 2020

I got it all together and it works.
I went 1.5" shorter on the rear driveshaft; as the difference in the case length was 1.4"; and it worked perfectly.
I used the sequoia front driveshaft, which measured 33.75 inches end to end.
Instead of using a secondary light - i used the light in the switch.
It does work as I wanted - but it is not bright enough.
Im going to order an extra switch (incase I break it) to take apart and put a brighter LED in it.

Reactions: 1

nighttowl

· #282 · Aug 3, 2020

I noticed it the other day, but after putting more miles on it the truck seems to take more gas pedal to hold speed and accelerate.
Has anyone else noticed this?
I did not weigh anything, but there seemed to be a noticeable increase in weight for the sequioa transfer case vs the oem tundra case when hefting it up into place.
possibly the sequioa case has takes more power to run?

one thing I did notice although im unsure if it has anything to do whith this is that while I was under the truck kwas that the vacuum hose to the rear of the transfer case was blown out. I cut it past the torn section and re-used the same hose. possibly i need to remove the battery terminal to cause the engine ecu to re-learn the fueling and timing maps?
I have not put HP tuners on it to see what is going on, although i do have that option if needed.

Wynnded

· #283 · Aug 4, 2020

I never noticed anything like what you're describing after I did the swap, even with the front drive engaged. The steering was a little heavier, but that was it. Naturally I would think that the Sequoia case would be heavier, but certainly not heavier than having a passenger, and that could hardly be noticeable. The only thing that comes to my mind to check would be to be sure the u-joints are lubed and free moving.

nighttowl

· #284 · Aug 6, 2020

Wynnded said:
I never noticed anything like what you're describing after I did the swap, even with the front drive engaged. The steering was a little heavier, but that was it. Naturally I would think that the Sequoia case would be heavier, but certainly not heavier than having a passenger, and that could hardly be noticeable. The only thing that comes to my mind to check would be to be sure the u-joints are lubed and free moving.

Its actually fine now. not sure of the cause

Reactions: 1

gamewood

· #285 · Sep 19, 2020

are all the 08+ sequioa transfer cases the same 2hi/4hi/n/4low?

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ViktorG

Discussion Starter · #286 · Sep 20, 2020 (Edited)

gamewood said:
are all the 08+ sequioa transfer cases the same 2hi/4hi/n/4low?

They are all the same, but they have 5 modes: 2WD, 4HI lock, 4HI free, 4LO lock, 4LO free.
You cannot put them into Neutral.
EDIT - they all shift the same way, but the 5.7L and the 4.7L models have different transfer cases.

Reactions: 2

Wynnded

· #287 · Sep 20, 2020

ViktorG said:
They are all the same, but they have 5 modes: 2WD, 4HI lock, 4HI free, 4LO lock, 4LO free.
You cannot put them into Neutral.

I did not know this, I just assumed and look where that got me. Educated.

gamewood

· #288 · Sep 26, 2020

ordered all parts except electronics from stealer.

gamewood

· #289 · Oct 28, 2020

Well i have most parts sitting in the garage. just waiting for the right time. it snowed 8" last night and i really missed 4x4, traction control, etc...

i was going to have a concrete pad poured but i keep getting ridiculous quotes. (vette and wife's car is in the garage)

Reactions: 1

nighttowl

· #290 · Dec 3, 2021

My awd isnt working.
my 4wd low isnt workign either.

anyone know of a good way to diagnose what is the issue?

WNC Tundra

· #291 · 3 mo ago

nighttowl said:
My awd isnt working.
my 4wd low isnt workign either.

anyone know of a good way to diagnose what is the issue?

Figure out the problem?

WNC Tundra

· #292 · 3 mo ago

I know this is an old post but, a couple of years ago I bought a 2019 Sequoia and ever since I have been wondering if I could do this mod to my 2012 Tundra. I just came across this post, read all 15 pages! Now I'm inspired to do it. Thanks to all that have done it before me and shared their experiences. I just wish I had come across this years ago as the parts were cheaper then! I do have one question, when sourcing for an used T-case, Should I be concerned with one having over 250k miles? Thanks

Reactions: 1

nighttowl

· #293 · 3 mo ago

WNC Tundra said:
Figure out the problem?

I did. I did not know that when you switch into 4wd with the know its already in awd and that if you press the awd button after swithching to 4wd it locks everything in 4wd.

WNC Tundra

· #294 · 3 mo ago

nighttowl said:
I did. I did not know that when you switch into 4wd with the know its already in awd and that if you press the awd button after swithching to 4wd it locks everything in 4wd.

Glad you got it figured out. Yes that is how it works on my 2019 Sequoia. It's really awesome. Toyota should have had the option from factory for Tundras. After you having it on your truck for a couple of years now, any issues at all? did you need to have your driveshaft rebalanced after shortening it?

nighttowl

· #295 · 3 mo ago

No problems.
I swapped out the front drive shaft with a sequoia one and had the rear shortened and balanced.
It does pull to the right when in awd, not sure if its normal or not though.

WNC Tundra

· #296 · 2 mo ago

Apparently the vehicle pulling to the right when in AWD is normal. My Sequoia has done that since new! I don't know the reasoning behind it but it does it. I can be going straight down the highway at 50 or 60 mph on AWD and I have always noticed it pull a bit to the right, as soon as I switch to 2WD it goes away. I have not tried locking the diff to see if it still pulls to the right. I'll try that next time out of curiosity. I have not noticed my tundra pulling to the right the times i have driven it on 4WD down the highway.

WNC Tundra

· #297 · 2 mo ago

How much did you take off the rear driveshaft, 1.25" or 1.50"??

WNC Tundra

· #298 · 2 mo ago

nighttowl said:
No problems.
I swapped out the front drive shaft with a sequoia one and had the rear shortened and balanced.
It does pull to the right when in awd, not sure if its normal or not though.

How much did you take off the rear driveshaft, 1.25" or 1.50"??

WNC Tundra

· #299 · 2 mo ago

nighttowl said:
No problems.
I swapped out the front drive shaft with a sequoia one and had the rear shortened and balanced.
It does pull to the right when in awd, not sure if its normal or not though.

Apparently the vehicle pulling to the right when in AWD is normal. My Sequoia has done that since new! I don't know the reasoning behind it but it does it. I can be going straight down the highway at 50 or 60 mph on AWD and I have always noticed it pull a bit to the right, as soon as I switch to 2WD it goes away. I have not tried locking the diff to see if it still pulls to the right. I'll try that next time out of curiosity. I have not noticed my tundra pulling to the right the times i have driven it on 4WD down the highway.

Blenton

· #300 · 2 mo ago

Just ordered a T case and 4x4 module. Just need a switch. Then a nice day or two to make the swap..

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