1jzgte running a w5* or r154 gearbox??

[92mr2paddy]

ok i spent alot of time searcing for info and what ive come up with is the w5* gearboxes need a diff bellhousing to fit a 1jz (can get them on trademe),

question im after is will a w5* gearbox be strong enough to handle around 300kw for a drift setup? currently looking at a w58?? it works out a bit cheaper than the r154 which ive heard needs a few mods to the bearings as they have a weak point there somewhere.

any help tips etc be appreciated, cheers pat

[Mr Ree]

ok i spent alot of time searcing for info and what ive come up with is the w5* gearboxes need a diff bellhousing to fit a 1jz (can get them on trademe),

question im after is will a w5* gearbox be strong enough to handle around 300kw for a drift setup? currently looking at a w58?? it works out a bit cheaper than the r154 which ive heard needs a few mods to the bearings as they have a weak point there somewhere.

any help tips etc be appreciated, cheers pat

The later model W58 that comes behind the 2JZGE already has the JZ bellhousing.

The answer to your question, sadly, is no. The W58 wont last long under 300kw drift treatment as it simply isnt strong enough to cope with prolonged abuse.

The R154 is your best bet, as even with the known weak spot (thrust washer) They are still far more stout than their W series brother.

Once the R154 is built, history has proven it will cope with pretty much any power level < 600whp. Obviously, nothing is indestuctable to if you are going to abuse the ef out of it every weekend, something might go pop.

Im in the middle of rebuilding my R154 at the mo, stepping up from the W58 before I break it (Im circa 310rwkw)

Below is an update to a build thread I have on another forum. Its just some info regarding what Im doing to my R154, hope it helps you in some way.



I just got a big box full of gearbox parts from Driftmotion, so I will be dropping my gearbox out to my rebuilder next week with all these parts to build what will be, for all intents and purposes, a bulletproof gearbox.

Now I know alot of people will probably say I could have bought a getrag for the money I have spent, but the getrag will have been second hand, of unknown origin, unknown condition, and it almost certainly would have been on the receiving end of more than alot of hard treatment over the years. Not to mention the costs involved in rebuilding one. Atleast with my R154, I have a completely rebuilt box, with lots of upgraded Marlin Crawler goodies to boot. There are so many success stories with these boxes, with guys running twice the power I am and treating them alot harder than I will, by dragging/launching them all the time, so fingers crossed that it will outlast my time on this mortal coil.

I have bought the following parts...

R154 conversion package with remote shifter, JZ bellhousing, complete clutch and flywheel (from JZX100)
Marlin Crawler upgraded thrust washer
Marlin Crawler upgraded bearing retainer
Marlin Crawler upgraded billet 1-2 shift fork
Marlin Crawler upgraded shifter socket and bushing
Complete set of OEM synchros
Complete set of OEM gearbox bearings
Complete set of OEM gearbox seals
OEM thrust bearing
OEM pilot bearing
OEM pressure plate bolts
Genuine Toyota harmonic balancer pulley bolt

Here are a few snaps of the parts, I will be documenting the entire gearbox swap with lots of pics and info, to go into my build thread too.

All the parts

http://img841.imageshack.us/img841/6124 ... 113202.jpg

The synchros

http://img823.imageshack.us/img823/523/150920113200.jpg

The bearings

http://img824.imageshack.us/img824/5290 ... 113199.jpg

The Marlin Crawer billet bearing retainer

http://img822.imageshack.us/img822/6536 ... 113204.jpg

The Marlin Crawler thrust washer

http://img64.imageshack.us/img64/33/150920113207.jpg

The Marlin Crawler shifter socket and bushings

http://img580.imageshack.us/img580/7431 ... 113208.jpg

bits and pieces

http://img585.imageshack.us/img585/9042 ... 113198.jpg

[92mr2paddy]

cheers mate sounds good, where abouts did u get the upgraded parts for the r154 from might look into that aswell id rather do it right first time, cheers pat

[Mr Ree]

The place that manufacture the upgraded parts for theese boxes (Marlin Crawler) seem to have a bad reputation for not replying to international order enquireys, whether they are too busy or not, I dont know. I do know that they have currently stopped taking orders for R154 race rebuilds, though, so I guess they are busy on other projects. They specialise in 4x4 rock crawlers and thats what all the parts are actually designed for, rather than race specific as most presume.

The best place I have found to buy any of these parts is through Aaron at Driftmotion. Shipping is not the cheapest, but considering he carries virtually every part you could ever want for these boxes, its a no brainer really. Get it all in one order and, as you said, do it once, do it right.

Have you looked into sourcing a remote shift box from a jzz30/jzx90/jxz100?

[92mr2paddy]

sweet ill note that down, no i havent as i havent got a r154 box as was still deciding which way to go, not sure what shifter i need yet as its guna go into a s14 will be a new project,

[matt dunn]

when I was runnign the W series gearboxes in my car I found that at 18psi/280kw they would last a reasonable time, maybe a years or so,
which would be about 30 qualifying/race sessions,
but at just 20psi/305kw they would last less than one race weekend, or less than 4 sessions per gearbox.
i got quite good at changing them between qualifying and races etc etc.

With the added torque of the JZ I doubt they would even last that long.

However I did not want to go to the R154 box as they have all thier own problems, weight far too much and chabge gears like a truck box.

In the end we put a custom gearkit in the W series case,
stayed a syncro box as dog boxes are too high maintence,
and has now done a couple of years at over 350kw without coming apart.
It was an espensive way to do it,
but after going through 6 or 7 W5# boxes at $500 a shot it was well worth it, and the box will always hold it's value.

[Mr Ree]

Cheers for that real world info Matt. Sounds like you have swapped a few in your time lol.

What was the typical failure when you were popping them?

Were you runnning W58 with steel sandwich plate from JZA80? Or older non remote shift type box?

You are right, its the JZ torque that kills them, hence why I jumped ship before I was pushed.

[matt dunn]

Input shaft failure was the destruction of them.
I had run W55's W57's etc steel plate and alloy plate.
Put bearings in some to try, but the end result was always the same.
They all tore the teeth off the input shaft or the gear on the layshaft that meshes with it, or both.
The teeth on those two gears are way smaller than all the gears in the rest of the box and so are the weak point.
Same gear always stripped on the ones we had behind the 1JZ in the AE101 too.

I have also broken a few shift forks etc,
but I dont count them as a broken boxes as we repaired them with new forks.

[Mr Ree]

As expected, the input shafts are always the first to go in the w series, it seems.

Thanks again for the info

[92mr2paddy]

how much did the custom gearset in the w58 box set you back? if you say the input shafts always strip did the gearset come with a new stronger one?

[trd-drifting]

question im after is will a w5* gearbox be strong enough to handle around 300kw for a drift setup? currently looking at a w58?? it works out a bit cheaper than the r154 which ive heard needs a few mods to the bearings as they have a weak point there somewhere.

I know this is a old post but for that power do not go w series. A few years ago i destroyed 3 w Series boxs 2 w58's and one w55. Also changed bearings in them a few times on top of that. In less than a year. This was with a 1JZ with 255rwkw. Spend the extra money up front on a r154 and it will save you money down the track and be more reliable and save the embarsement of friends when you do break it. Also use something like red line shock proof oil in the r154. Once i changed to this i never had any problems.

[d1 mule]

be a baws and get a v161

[Mr Ree]

question im after is will a w5* gearbox be strong enough to handle around 300kw for a drift setup? currently looking at a w58?? it works out a bit cheaper than the r154 which ive heard needs a few mods to the bearings as they have a weak point there somewhere.

I know this is a old post but for that power do not go w series. A few years ago i destroyed 3 w Series boxs 2 w58's and one w55. Also changed bearings in them a few times on top of that. In less than a year. This was with a 1JZ with 255rwkw. Spend the extra money up front on a r154 and it will save you money down the track and be more reliable and save the embarsement of friends when you do break it. Also use something like red line shock proof oil in the r154. Once i changed to this i never had any problems.

The shock proof is well reknowned for causing the synchros to varnish up over time, a far better choice for the R154 is MT90 with no additives