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Has anyone switched from an r154 to an AR5 or Colorado transmission?

110K views 20 replies 16 participants last post by  IS300 2001 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
#2 ·
I've heard that the colorado tranny has a lot of similarities with the supra r154. But I'm not sure if anyone's done the conversion yet. In for some info, though.
 
#3 ·
A local guy told me he did a direct swap of his old bad r154 to a Colorado tranny - direct bolt in.

I'm not sure I believe him, but if so...
 
#5 ·
That's good news bc the Colorado tranny is cheap and plentiful!
 
#6 ·
The input shaft is 1" longer according to the link the OP posted... you need to buy a special bellhousing spacer or swap input shafts for the shorter one. Probably why this swap isn't as popular as it should be.

Another interesting fact I saw in there was the Suzuki Grand Vitara has a version of the W58/W59 in it. Same input shaft problem though.
 
#7 ·
Nice to know....
 
#9 · (Edited)
I started working on this about a year and a half ago. I have all the parts available to do the swap. I already have a custom 6 puck disk and clutch kit available for it, the front bearing retainer for it, the 1jz bell housing, the 1jz flywheel, the pilot bearing for it, the fork and fork support and hub, and I made a driveshaft for one in an MK3 Supra. I just haven't had the time or a good donor car to swap everything into.

I sold a whole AR-5 swap kit (including a transmission with a modified input shaft) to a dude a year ago, who then ran out of cash and never completed the swap like he said he would. :/

I have a Colorado trans and a Solstice trans at the shop right now, and I am working with another customer who is going to swap one into his MK4 and take a bunch of pics for us. His goal is 600whp. I should have everything together in the next week or so. I'm going to add an AR-5 section to my site with all the swap parts. I don't really like to talk about stuff on the forums until I have a finished project with pics, but I guess it's been long enough.

The main issues are that the shifter is either too far forward (Colorado), or too far back (Solstice).
We are going to shorten the shifter assembly on the Solstice version for an MK4 on this current project, so maybe that is a service we could offer. The Colorado version puts the shifter very high and 2" too far forward in an MK3. It would require cutting the floor and modification to the shift lever.

Also, both versions have an electronic spedo sensor, which is no good for the MK3, and the wrong pulses per mile for an MK4 or SC300. Possibly a Dakota digital box could be used to modify the signal?
 
#11 ·
^ the post above yours was the most informative.
 
#12 ·
I wouldn't go with the colorado tranny. 5th gear is shorter then our R154 5th gear. Why not go with one that has a longer 5th gear like the Saturn Sky?

The Jeep/Dodge AX15 5-speed, the Jeep NV3550 5-speed, the Jeep NV1500, the Toyota R150F & R151F, the 87-92 Toyota Supra Turbo R154, the Isuzu AR5 and the Pontiac Solstice\Saturn Sky\Chevy Colorado\ GMC Canyon MA5 5-speeds all share the same case to bellhousing bolt pattern (Large Pattern). As such there are a number of possibilities that can be had when a 5-speed is desired:

All of the large pattern transmissions:






#1. Novak Enterprises: Adapter plate for AX15 to GM 4-speed bellhousing. Connects all except NV3550 to same.

#2. 94-95 Dakota 2.5L bellhousing: Connects all to any K car based 2.2L-2.5L L4 in a RWD application.

#3. 96-00 Dakota 2.5L bellhousing: Connects all to any Jeep 2.5L L4. Because of it's GM 60 degree V6 inherited bolt pattern, also works with any Buick FWD V6 and supercharged V6, any Chevrolet 2.8/3.1/3.4 V6, any Cadillac 4.1/4.5/4.9 V8 and with a minor modification, any Olds Aurora DOHC V8 and Cadillac DOHC Northstar V8. Also bolts to any Isuzu 3.2\3.5 DOHC V6.

#4. 88-99 Jeep 4.0L L6 bellhousing: Connects all to any AMC 290/304/343/360/390/401 V8 and any 72 and later 232 L6 and 258 L6.

#5. 94-99 Dakota 3.9L V6 Bellhousing: Connects all to any 3.9L V6 and any 273/318/340/360 V8, Magnum 5.2\5.9 V8, 5.7L Hemi V8 and Jeep 2.8L CRD Turbo Diesel.

#6. 96-04 Toyota Tacoma 3.4L V6. Also works with Toyota 3.0L V6

#7. 86.5-92 Toyota Supra Turbo 7M-GTE. Also works with Toyota 5M-GE.

Also Not shown:

01-04 Jeep Liberty 3.7L V6 bellhousing: Connects all to any 3.7L V6 and 4.7L V8.

03-04 Jeep Liberty\TJ 2.4L bellhousing: Connects NV1500 to 2.4L SOHC\DOHC Neon\SRT-4\PT Cruiser L4 (See info at #11)

Isuzu Trooper 3.5 V6 AR5 bellhousing: Connects all to any Isuzu 3.2\3.5 V6

04-05 Chevy Colorado\ GMC Canyon MA5 bellhousing: Connects all to any Vortec 2800 L4, 3500 L5 and 4200 L6

06 Pontiac Solstice\ Saturn Sky MA5 bellhousing: Connects all to any Ecotec 2.4L

88-95 Toyota Landcruiser: 1L, 2L and 2L-T Turbo Diesel truck bellhousing connects to R series transmissions.



Aftermarket:

Advance Adapters: Bellhousing for AX15 to Chevrolet-Buick-Olds-Pontiac V8 and Buick V6. Connects all except NV3550 and Pre 1996 R150 and R151 to same. www.advanceadapters.com

Advance Adapters: Bellhousing for Pre 1996 R150 and R151 to Chevrolet-Buick-Olds-Pontiac V8 and Buick V6. www.advanceadapters.com

Advance Adapters: Bellhousing for NV3550 to Chevrolet-Buick-Olds-Pontiac V8 and Buick V6.

Advance Adapters: Adapter plate for AX15 to Ford bellhousing. Connects all except NV3550 to same.

Advance Adapters: Adapter plate for NV3550 to Ford bellhousing.

Swift Machine: Adapter plate for NV3550 to GM 4-speed bellhousing. www.swiftmachine.com

Suzuki Only Supply: Adapter plate to bolt R series to Suzuki 1.3\1.6. www.rock4xfabrication.com/ringr.htm

AR Engineering: Adapter plate to bolt Mopar Small Block V8 bellhousing to a Mopar 225 Slant Six. Can be used in conjunction with a Dakota V6 bell to bolt all of the long shaft tranismissions to the Slant Six. www.arengineering.com/


Jeep AX5, Toyota G52, G58, W55, W56, W57 and W58 5-speeds all share a common face pattern on the case (Small pattern). As such, any 88-99 Jeep 2.5L bellhousing (NOT Dakota) will bolt a Toyota W series transmission to a 60 degree GM bolt pattern.

All of the small pattern transmissions:






Input shafts lengths vary.

Pre 1995 R150\R151 = 6.5"
1996 up Toyota R series = 7.5"
AX15 = 7.875"
87-92 Turbo Supra R154 = 7.25"
AR5 = 8.2"
MA5 = 7.5"
NV3550 = 7.875"
NV1500 = 8.6"
AX5 = 7.5"
Toyota W series = 6.5"
Toyota G series = 6.5"





Advance Adapters makes an extra long pilot bearing when using a slightly shorter input shaft tranny with a bellhousing that had a longer one. Obviously you can't put the longer input shaft trans into a Toyota bell that had a shorter one. Unless a spacer is used or the input shaft is swapped.


The transmissons and bellhousings can be split up into two categories. SHORT SHAFT\SHORT BELL and LONG SHAFT\LONG BELL. They cannot be easily mixed without modifications.

All AX15's, AR5's, MA5's, NV3550's, R154's and Toyota R150's (built after 1996) are LONG SHAFT\LONG BELL. To use one of these in a SHORT SHAFT\SHORT BELL application requires a 1" spacer available from Dellow Automotive or Castlemaine Rod Shop in Australia. Of course, any bellhousing combo one can think of is also available from them...

www.dellowauto.com.au/catalogue/DellowAutomotive.pdf

www.rodshop.com.au/

ALL Toyota R150's and R151's built before 1996 are SHORT SHAFT\SHORT BELL. These CANNOT be used in a LONG SHAFT\LONG BELL application or with LONG SHAFT\LONG BELL adapter plates.


Example of a LONG SHAFT transmission hooked up to a SHORT BELL with a Dellow Automotive spacer





The Jeep AX5's 7.5" input shaft does not allow it to be used with the Toyota G and W series bellhousings unless a spacer is fabricated OR the input shaft is swapped between them. (Apparently the short 6.5" G and W series Toyota input shaft can be made to work in an AX5 case and vice versa). The one exception is shown below.

The Jeep NV1500 has the longest input shaft of the group at 8.6".


Trans First Second Third Fourth Fifth

AX15 - 3.83 2.33 1.44 1.00 0.79
AR5 - 3.753 2.26 1.37 1.00 0.729
MA5 - 3.753 2.26 1.37 1.00 0.729
R150 - 3.83 2.062 1.436 1.00 0.838
R151 - 4.31 3.32 1.52 1.00 0.83
R154 - 3.25 1.95 1.30 1.00 0.75
NV1500- 3.85 2.25 1.48 1.00 0.80
NV3550 - 4.01 2.32 1.40 1.00 0.78






Front bearing covers are interchangeable between the Toyota R series, AX15, MA5, and AR5. NV3550, AX5 and W series are not interchangeable. The 92 and earlier Jeep AX15 front cover is aluminum and takes a hydraulic throwout bearing. The 93 and later AX15 uses an external slave and clutch arm. It's cast iron. The Toyota front cover has a shorter nose of a smaller diameter and is also cast iron.

So... there's no shortage of parts for these gearboxes. Any good shop can rebuild them and they are still not that expensive.

Link - http://highdesertoff-road.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=65
 
#13 ·
Damn, makes me want to try an r151 gearset.
 
#14 ·
#15 ·
I have one in my car, ITS NOT A DIRECT BOLT IN. the colorado has a taller 5th not shorter, it also has a shorter 1,2 and third gear although the drop in rpms from 2nd to 3rd is noticeable so a good set up is a must but your tq multiplication is greater so dkn how that plays out just yet. imo its well worth it due to price and gearing but was a pain in the ass at times.

I have a BMW so my speed comes from the diff so dkn what to tell you guys about the speedo. The bolt patterns of the ar5 and r154 are identical so you can use the bell housing and front bearing cover, how ever you have to (read twice so its understood) Grind the splines to the diameter of the bearing surface 5mm back from the beginning of the splines.

Oh and Marlin Crawler parts fit. Enjoy.
 
#16 · (Edited)
Hey just wanted to say I did this in my supra. (2wd Chevy Colorado transmission) For the speedo problem I hacked an aftermarket electronic unit into my dash.
Instead of shortening the splines on my input shaft, I CNC cut a 5 millimeter spacer that sits between my bellhousing and transmission.

The shifter comes up well in front of the hole so I opted to create a "bent" shifter which has a little bit angled throw but feels good to me.

My clutch is converted to push type with SPEC twin - they were happy to provide clutch disks in the 26-spline GM style.

( edit: ) For the driveshaft I had a custom 3" unit made which has the GM yolk at the front.
 
#20 ·
This is very good news.

Thanks for the post.
 
#18 ·
Wow, old post. Anyway the ma5 (from the colorado) does bolt directly to the 2j using a 1j bellhousing readily availible online. The input shaft is 1" longer, and will NOT slide all the way in. I was able to cut 3/4" off the input shaft and has been working flawlessly for over a year. A viable alternative is the very similar ma5 from a sky/solstice. It DOES bolt up directly/no issues, and has an irs as the supra.
 
#19 · (Edited)
For all the jz equipped cars, Grannas racing just released a t56 magnum swap. These are beefy 6 speed trannys and he has clutch kits available. You'd still have to make a trans mount, but this would be the last trans you'd ever need!
$3900 for the new trans and jz bellhousing. Clutch and flywheels are $1500 for a single disc and about $2500 for a twin disc. That's a lot cheaper than a v160, and a hell of a lot better than an r154.


http://www.grannasracing.com/products/level1-supra-t56-magnum-swap-kit-mkiv-2jz
 
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