Outer Limits 4x4 Board

Hi Yah All

I am wanting to know if anyone has used Marks 4WD low range gear sets in thier Cruisers??
I have heard they are noisy....But???
I was looking into the 8% overdrive in High and 68% reduction in Low for my Auto trans Jap import Landcruiser Prado. It has the part time split transfer box as in the 70 75 series Cruisers.
I run 33's so it will still be under driven slightly...no real problems there.
But can go to 35's and get it back to stock ratios.

Cheers

Calvin in NZ

I have installed a few of these, all the underdrive/underdrive, which is what you want, with 33's and a 2.4 engine you don't need any overdrive!

they aren't much noisier than stock gears and the reduction is awesome. unfortunately they are all manufactured to suit the roller idler bearings on the high and low output gears which ends up costing another $150ish, which sucks a bit when with the old style you could just re-use your idler bushes.

Couldn't recommend their gears highly enough.
Should be a factory option.

Thanks Guys

My Landcruiser Prado has the 1KZTE 3.0l turbo diesel.
The idea is to run 33's all the time..one set AT's for road and another for play time.
Its a daily runner to and from work, clocks up 500K's a week..
Hence the question on noise.

I just looked at the web site.... I stand corrected..I was planning to use the underdrive 8% and under drive for low.

Its got a 38mm idler shaft with needle rollers factory...according to Marks 4WD web site thats what they run now for thier gears instead of the older bushes.

Many thanks

kbushnz wrote:Thanks Guys

My Landcruiser Prado has the 1KZTE 3.0l turbo diesel.


Its got a 38mm idler shaft with needle rollers factory...according to Marks 4WD web site thats what they run now for thier gears instead of the older bushes.

all split transfer cases have needle roller bearings on the IDLER gear - the difference is in the OUTPUT gears, some autos have rollers, some have bushes - yours is likely to have the rollers as you have an auto but you won't know for sure until you get the transfer apart. what yeah is your truck? and what model designation is it? (KZJ7x or KZJ9x) I wasn't aware of a KZJ78, I thought the light duty 78 series was canned when the 1KZ motors were introduced into the 90 series prados. I know there were (maybe still are?) KZJ70 shorties. just curious.

with the gears you'll be able to run 33's or even 35's without much trouble.

cheers

Brian

Thanks for the info Brian

My truck is a 1994 model KZJ78W. They went upto 1996 then the new shape Prado's came out with the IFS.
She's a LWB, part time 4x4, gear driven transfer case, 1KZTE diesel, 4.3 diffs, electric hubs (gone now), coils all round, beam axles front and rear, A343F auto. (A340E)
Was imported from Japan.
Its the face lifted version of the LJ78 and its SWB LJ71 or something like that etc etc.
Here is a web page from japan with my model.
http://kiri78.fc2web.com/myprado.htm

They are really popular in Japan.

You say you have fitted the gears before.
Do you have to drop the case to do it, or can you just take the rear cover off in the truck ? and get to it from there.
Any tricks?

Cheers

there's no need to drop the gearbox to install the gears. it's good if you have access to a chassis hoist, otherwise put the truck on ramps or stands as high up as you can get it - it's a pain in the neck to do it lying on the ground but if you can at least sit up underneath it's easy.

takes about 2 - 3 hours drive in - drive out, the most time consuming ( and nerve wracking!) part is grinding the rear case to clearance the gears, there are 3 - 4 places that need clearancing and in a couple of places you need to take the case down to about 1mm wall thickness which is easy to punch through if you're not careful. then of course thoroughly cleaning the case to get rid of all the aluminimum grit.

tip1: before you put the truck on the hoist/stands, put it in 4WD! (makes it easier to pull the transfer apart)

tip2: be careful not to forget the thrust washers on the ends of the idler shaft! (been there done that got the t shirt)

the instructions that come with the gears are pretty good, if you follow them to the letter nothing can go wrong.


I have some lights, a bonnet, a pair of front suspension leading arms and a front axle housing to suit your truck (it's all from a 91 model with a 2L-TE motor but all the same otherwise), it's a shame you're over there or you could have it for nix, it's just wasting space here.

Thanks again Brian

Pitty about being over the ditch...I could do with a new set of lights, as I have odd ones due to an opps with a tree.

The gear swap sounds straight forward, will have to put some pennies away and get the gear set. I think we have an agent here in NZ, will call him for a price.

I was looking at ways to fit a dual box setup...I have found some good options but the cost is too great.

Thanks again.