Changing my M21 Aussie 4 speed box

Hi there guys,

I have acquired another Torana & this one is 308 with an M21 Aussie 4 speed gearbox & I am wanting to swap the 4 speed for a 5 speed gearbox & I have done some asking around about this recently & I have been informed that Toyota does a really strong & also reliable 5 speed box called the R154 which they put behind the twin turbo Supra, I am also going too stroke the motor down the track as I would like a little bit more cubes in the little 308 & I will also be beefing the rear end up as it is a GM 6 cylinder diff I think & it it will get the odd bit of a trip to the track no doubt so I think it is best to beef up the whole drivetrain.

I also will eventually change the brakes thou at this stage I am just after the gearbox conversion & I have spoken to Jeff Dellow from Dellow & he tells me he can supply all of the conversion parts that I will need &
he also said this gearbox is very strong & also reliable & that it is best that you get the shifter when you purchase the gearbox as it will make it easier, I would appreciate any comments from anyone who has heard of anyone that has gone thru this conversion or knows anyone that has & how did the conversion go & how is it still going if possibly.

Thanks guys....

I don't think I've ever seen an R154 behind a Holden V8, but I'm sure it would be a good setup - they seem to be a great box. I'm not sure what tunnel clearance is like and stuff, but maybe someone has done it and I just haven't heard about it? W58s were the done thing but they definitely have their limitations, the next step up is normally a TKO, and T56s (6spd) are becoming more popular now particularly with all the LS1 powered cars

All the LH-LX cars had a 'Banjo' diff, except for the A9X that had a 10-bolt Sals in it. So even a factory 5L SS Hatch has essentially the same 'Banjo' diff as a Sunbird, just a ratio change and perhaps optioned up to an LSD.

Unless you want something particularly fancy in the rear end, your best option is probably just a tried & true Borg Warner 78 series, out of an XD-EL?, R31, VL-VR etc. Get a 4-pinion LSD centre and run 28 spline axles if you think you have a bit of grunt. There are other types of limmos (aftermarket ones) that are available if you're willing to spend a bit so the OEM LSD isn't the only option. Pick your stud pattern, you can run Commo brakes, Skyline brakes, Falcon brakes etc

depending on your driving if your gonna drive it hard go 9 inch mountains of after market parts and will
as for gearbox t5s seem to be very good bang for your buck tuf 253 blown 253lh burnout torana ran a t5 for year with no probs if you have seen the way he drives thats good enough endurance test for me
easiest option with t5 seems to be ford 6cylinder with dellow or crs bellhousing
i have a v8 one and am struggling to get a bellhousing for trimatic

HI GUYS I WOULD SAY GO WITH THE HOLDEN V8 T5 CUT THE INPUT SHAFT TO FORD LENGTH AT THE GEAR BOX FACTORY THEN GET A DELLOW OR CRS BELL HOUSING HOLDEN TO FORD T5 THIS IS AN EASY CONVERSION OR IF YOU WANT TO KEEP IT ORIGINAL WITH THE M21 I BUILD AN M21 THAT CAN HANDLE 200KW AT THE REAR WHEELS WE RUN A SPECIAL SPIRAL MAINSHAFT WITH A LARGE CIRCLIP THIS MOD KEEPS LUBRICATING 1ST GEAR AND THE LARGER CLIP HOLD 2ND GEAR TIGHT FOR WHEN YOU QUICK SHIFT AND CHIRP THE WHEELS IN 2ND THEN WE USE THE MISUBISHI 4WD BEARINGS WITH RUBBER SEALS OR THE BL 6306 AND BL6207 WHICH ARE HEAVY DUTY COMPETITION BEARINGS ALSO BORE THE CLUSTER AND THE CASE TO 21 MM USING THE FORD TOP LOADER AND RINGS AND USING THE TORANA XU1 BATHURST RATIO ALL THIS MAKES THE BOX MORE REALIABLE AND MUCH STRONGER I HAVE SOLD THESE BOXES PEOPLE USING THEM IN TARGA TASMANIA ADELAIDE CUP PRTH CUP GROUP C RACING AND PRTH HILL CLIMB NOT ONE BOX HAD FAILED AS YET THESE BOXES ARE $1500 EXCHANGE 1 YEAR WARRANTY ON STREET APPLICATIONS CHECK US OUT AT MY WEB SITE http://freewebs.com/aussie4speeds/ oh sorry abouit the caps forgot it was on any way if you need more help give us a call any time cheers!

I run a r154 box in the LX. Its been behind a few combos, the last decade behind a 383 holden. Its copped a flogging with sticky rag tyres and drag radials and still drives like new over 80,000k later.
It fits without tunnel mods. I used a CRS conversion which was straight forward.
Your only difficulty may be finding a box, they are thin on the ground.
They are monstrously overengineered for their original purpose.
For the diff go the nine inch - mine has been fit and forget for 17 years now.
Go for it, you wont regret it.

I run a r154 box in the LX. Its been behind a few combos, the last decade behind a 383 holden. Its copped a flogging with sticky rag tyres and drag radials and still drives like new over 80,000k later.
It fits without tunnel mods. I used a CRS conversion which was straight forward.
Your only difficulty may be finding a box, they are thin on the ground.
They are monstrously overengineered for their original purpose.
For the diff go the nine inch - mine has been fit and forget for 17 years now.
Go for it, you wont regret it.

 

Bump........

Rexy - did the shifter end up in the same position?

No, required about an inch of trimming of the posterior edge.

BUT...

I used a stock box and shifter out of whatever import it was that they had in the yard at the wreckers. Both the boxes I have in the cars (hatch and LJ) have the same shifter position. There are a few different options available but I never explored this as it didn’t matter to me.

 

Still magic to drive and yet to break....

You can still get new r154 boxes https://www.ebay.com...redirect=mobile

No, required about an inch of trimming of the posterior edge.
BUT...
I used a stock box and shifter out of whatever import it was that they had in the yard at the wreckers. Both the boxes I have in the cars (hatch and LJ) have the same shifter position. There are a few different options available but I never explored this as it didn’t matter to me.

Still magic to drive and yet to break....

Thanks for that mate.
Definitely leaning towards this box - it is either this or a beefed 4L80E.
Now just waiting for the world to stop shitting itself with regards to the economy so I can go ahead with this.
Just figuring out what it requires to join it up with an LS engine and a nine incher

You can still get new r154 boxes https://www.ebay.com...redirect=mobile

I have seen that Chief - a couple of Toyota dealerships have them new in the box.
Pretty cheap considering what they can handle.

Keep in mind there are "remote" and "non-remote" shift R154 gearboxes.

 

That one in the link is a "remote" one which the shifter housing hanging off the back of the extension housing. That's what is used in a JZX100 for example.

An earlier JZX90 for example uses the non-remote version where it's straight ontop of the box, far more conventional... and I'd guess that most earlier models from Toyota would be the same with the non-remote version. They can be converted but I'm not sure of part availability.

 

It would be interesting to see what format Rexy's gearbox was in... because it's likely suitable that everyone with a Torana would want the one he has.

 

4L80E idea belongs in the bin IMO.

Edited by Heath, 15 September 2020 - 01:12 PM.

Yeah you don’t wan’t a 4L80E in a Torana. Way too big. 4L60-65E yes, but not a 4spd 3L80 like mating an Elephant with a Sheep!

This is what it looks like.

 

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Aussie crap box out, Toyota box in.

 

 

 

 

Okay, so Rexy's gearbox is NOT the same as the new one listed for sale above.

 

The new one above has the shifter back further.