DCLB Auto to Manual RC62F, VF2B transfer case and 3rd Gen E-Brake Swap

Alright TW...

This (minus the craplastic stock pedal):



Will be going in this:


My sweet 2014 DCLB 4x4 Tacoma, the Sheep Wagon.

To make this (teaser..this is the last pic):


I think I've spent enough time amassing parts and spending money that it's time to start a post about my latest Tacoma project.

I've always hated auto trannys (except in traffic, which I am lucky to not spend much time in) and especially loath the one in my 2014 DCLB. I've spent time trying to tune it and messing with the tranny values in HP Tuners, and Justin and Ben have for me, too, but it still sucks and I hate it. Trouble is, it sounds like the manual tranny RA60 found in 2nd gen Tacomas has its share of problems, too. But thanks to all @BillDaCat8's info on his RC62 swap in addition to the info he's put together on the Tilton HRB that @Kasbien has hit a home run providing a turn-key kit for the masses, there's an amazing path forward. More info than you can ever glean from this thread is posted here:

6MT throwout bearing and clutch system shenanigans | Tacoma World

So armed with some knowledge, but expecting a wild goose chase to dampen my dream of taking on my first tranny swap, I randomly searched car-part.com. To my disbelief, there was an RC62F available in Portland at LKQ out of a 2019 Tacoma with 24k miles on it. Shit. I reluctantly pushed the button and requested a quote. A few hours later, Kasey emailed me with his phone number. I called him up and he happened to be a Toyota guy, who basically finished selling me on this swap. Credit card plunked down heavy, I picked up the tranny the following week.


I was a bit bummed there wasn't a shifter included or the rear tranny mount as both of those are unique to the RC62 and will need to be purchased later. But everything else was there including the stock throwout bearing....which I quickly removed


In favor of this:

 

I'm glossing over the last couple of weeks, but it's been a scramble of collecting part numbers, checking classifieds for used parts, cross-checking prices at Toyota dealers for the best prices on new parts, researching solutions to aftermarket parts and trying to have a life outside of this. But more things started rolling in.

Like this, Kasbien's Tilton HRB installation kit (with Canuckistani Candy!!!):


If you don't know, you should, because Kasbien ran with Billdacat's info adding the Tilton, a really slick aftermarket solution to lots of issues and makes a plug and play kit for us, something that Tilton was not willing to do. Thanks Kasbien! And thanks for the candy too!

The big TEQ bearing showed up from Australia, too, so time to get to work.

Parts in the freezer and the oven to mate male and female stuff. Which I like doing almost as much as eating candy. Giggity.

The box, the bearing, the grey Teflon coated Tilton piston and Kasbien's sexy adaptor bushing from left to right.



All mated and ready to rock


More stuff started showing up including:

B&M Short Throw Shifter


URD Stage 2 Clutch from Competition Clutch sitting on top of a new OEM flywheel:


A big box of Toyota parts (71 parts!!) from McGeorge:


So that I could take the Tacoma clutch pedal assembly I found on eBay (first pic in this thread) and ditch some plastic.

A steel FJ Cruiser pedal being mounted on the Tacoma clutch pedal assembly:


In addition, a new FJ Master Cylinder and fabbing a steel clevis of the correct length with a coupler nut and a hot steel glue gun

The rattle canned Krylon finish turned out to be lousy so I'll likely go back and rattle can it again while I wait for more stuff to show up but it feels good to pre-fix a known issue, a plasti-fied, loud, clunky pedal linkage in favor of some solid steel parts.

Tupperware FJ clevis on the left, my shit-painted clevis in the middle and the OEM pin.

 

I also wanted to take on something new.

I read, multiple times, that the worst thing about doing this auto to manual swap was installing the manual trans emergency brake linkage under the dash. We've had a Toyota truck of some version in my life nearly as long as I can remember so kinda wanted the dash mounted e-brake for nostalgia, but not if it was going to be that big of a pain. What if I just retro-d a 3rd gen e-brake in the center console? Hmm..

I pulled the tranny bezel and took a look. E-brake linkage was all right there. This just might work!


There's a junkyard just up the street from me that magically posted on Craigslist that they were parting a 3rd gen DCLB. Time to go price an e-brake!


At first I was interested in getting the whole center console, but quickly found out the manual and auto trans 3rd gen floor/center console is different enough that it wasn't worth getting the auto tranny console here. So, after haggling a bit, ended up just getting the e-brake.



I haven't pulled my 2nd gen center console entirely yet, but a quick test fit showed this is going to be a promising start. If the stars align, it might even go in using the factory mounting; it looks that close. Fingers crossed.

With the tranny swap, I would need to add a 2nd gen manual tranny center console, but the 3rd gen e-brake swap would make finishing that to factory looks pretty impossible. So, I think the move here for me will be to just retro a 3rd gen manual trans center console. But finding a decently priced 3rd gen center console proved harder for me than finding the tranny. I got the run-around from a few PNW wrecking yards, all saying they had one in stock, taking my money then calling me a few days later to tell me they didn't have it, so I finally had enough and settled on an overpriced one from LKQ, this time using their eBay store. I tried to haggle with them about doing a local pickup to save shipping cost but came up short. Oh well. This 3rd gen console should be delivered this week. I'll keep y'all posted.

 

The 3rd gen console was delivered in a big box from UPS. LKQ's grade A interior parts left a lot to be desired in this case. My nearly 10 year old console was in better shape than this 2 year old one. A quick test fit and then sleeping on what I'd learned along with another test fit revealed the 3rd gen console swap would not work as well as I'd hoped, especially for the $250 it cost me. I processed the return and brought it back to LKQ.

My OEM center console is in really nice shape and I figure I could just alter that when the time comes, likely doing a vinyl-wrapped stainless plate with cut outs for the shifter(s) and e-brake and some custom-made boots from Mom.

 

Subbed for a sweet swap.

 

Excited to follow along. Best of luck! I'm surprised that guy didn't include the shifter and mount for the money you just spent. Seems like a dick move.

 

From what I've read and what he mentioned, LKQ is a big enough network of wreckers that you never quite know what you're going to get. He let me know it was coming from a pick-n-pull near Seattle and if I was frisky, I could drive up there and try to see them pulling the tranny and scrounge for parts. If Seattle wasn't 4 hours from me, one-way, I might have done it.

The B&M adds a bunch of cash to the swap, but it's gorgeous. And the rear tranny mount was $60, cheaper than a tank of fuel. I can't complain much...

And thanks again for your kit, dude! It's awesome and the parts went together perfectly. I still haven't mounted it all to the new tranny but will post here in the next few days when I do.

 

Cool. You’re goin for it. I’m here sporadically these days. Let me know if I can help at all. Just tag me or PM.

See that thermal insulation on that clutch pressure line? Be sure to maintain that when you’re putting it all together. DEI has what you need. Also, hang onto all that 3rd Gen release stuff. Just in case. Oh, and this little line holder bracket is the one you’ll want to use.


Personally I’m running the Core/Hurst shifter. It’s plenty solid. But, it makes noise. Mostly in 5th/6th while cruising. I’d very much like to drive a truck with that B&M to see the difference.

 

Thanks for posting. I get the ebb and flow of Tacoma interest. But thanks for stopping by and all you've added to this community. I wouldn't be doing this without your pioneering.

I picked up the same thermal insulation from Summit as you mentioned in your thread. I'll make sure to add it as you did.

Good call saving the RC62 release bearing stuff. It's basically brand new.

When it's done and you're in Oregon, you'll have to stop by and check out the B&M. It looks the business, for sure. Hopefully it works as nice as it looks.

 

I took over my family's hay operation this past spring and have been busier than I've ever been so there hasn't been much time for playing trucks in the shop. A lot of things were added to this project as I go along, too, and I've been waiting on and collecting lots of additional parts.

That said, I'm slowly making progress. The A750f is out, along with the transfer case.



And removing all of the trans cooler plumbing. It's a sweet TruCool 4590 unit with a custom made bracket I'm proud of and will be for sale at some point in the future.


In the past, I've done research on doing a FJ/4Runner manual activated transfer case, but originally didn't have plans to do it here. The pic below, though, is when it truly dawned on me that the stock transfer case and the new manual RC62f tranny won't mate up without swapping input shafts.


If I'd need to dig into the transfer case to swap input shafts, I figured it's as good of time as any to do a stick transfer case. Work paused to search for parts again and I made a call to my new friend Ken at Gundies. He dug up a manual case from a 2020 4Runner with 17k miles on it. I'd need the input shaft from a manual transfer case along with the ring gear and that new from Toyota is spendy so I asked him to find me a decent but cheap manual trans Tacoma transfer case. he found me a cheapy from a 2008 manual Tacoma with 117k.

Are 3 transfer cases on my bench too many?


You can see the differences in the input shafts. From L to R, 4Runner manual case with auto trans input, Tacoma auto activated case with manual trans input and my stock auto auto case. I want to freshen up up the seal on the Tacoma manual input shaft housing so I've been waiting for parts. As a side, Toyota Overstock out of FL is crazy slow on delivering my parts. It's been two weeks and just now got confirmation they're putting my order together.

That's fine. Plenty of other stuff to do. Like the first cutting of hay (and a pic of my real truck. LOL).


I've been putting off mounting the clutch pedal for a bunch of reasons. Everything up til this point has been unbolt stuff that could just be bolted back up but the clutch pedal will require removing pop rivets on the e-brake bracket and then drilling holes in the firewall. "No turning back" stuff. "Don't F-up" stuff. So I took my time in an effort to get it right.

Here removing the auto e-brake pedal bracket. I used a Harbor Freight mini-belt sander and tried not to pry too much against the firewall but did get a little aggressive. Here's the result:


You can see the approximate location of the clutch pedal bracket with the relief dimples in the firewall but it's definitely an approximate. Since the clutch pedal location checks both form and function, I really wanted to nail its location but I don't know anyone that still owns a manual tranny 2nd Gen so I reached out to you guys here on TW to help with measurements to try to get some stuff perfect. @winkel came in with the measie from clutch to brake pedal. He said it was 4 and 3/8"



So I made a template (or 3!) to try to get things lined up perfectly. This wasn't the easiest thing in the world as the pedals flop around on you just when you think you've got them lined up. And I wanted to get this right as it's one thing on the swap that I can see and feel the function of every time I shift.






'

Crude, but it worked! Pedal is lined up for a test fit. 4 and 3/8 dead nuts.

 

Speaking of crude, here's the bracket I made to support the clutch pedal. I stole @dkensk idea for the bracket as a bomber way to support the clutch pedal behind the auto firewall that doesn't have the factory support strap.


And mounted on the engine side. Notice the master cylinder hoses poking through the firewall. Sure is starting to look like a manual truck!



With the addition of the transfer case swap, there's plenty of wiring to figure out, too. I read and re-read a bunch of threads here including the FJ T-Case Swap thread and asked y'all a bunch of dumb questions. Right now, I'm interested in trying to do everything plug and play on the connectors so I took a bunch of photos and am tracking down the mating connectors.

Clutch start cancel connector blank (pn: 90980-12113) but didn't come with pins to fill the connector and the info for them is not easily found (by me!). If anyone knows which pins to grab, please let me know.



4x4 ECU male plugs. The idea is to find the mating female connectors and build an intermediate harness for PNP of a couple of the pins to get rid of the 4x4 ECU with the manual t-case but have the dash lights continue to work. Just gotta hunt down the female mating connectors and 4 pins for the 4 wires I'll be connecting.



The idea for the reverse light circuit is to mate a couple of pins from the OEM Park Neutral Position sensor wiring harness to the reverse sensor connector on the RC62f manual. Here are those connectors.





I've reached out to a website called Connector Experts to see if they can get me the connectors and pins but if anyone knows a better and cheaper way to DIY, I'm all ears.

That's all I've got until the seals show up from Toyota and the twin sticks show up from Front Range Off-Road.

 

How is the swap coming along? I have a 08 automatic and found a manual out of a 2005. Comes with the transmission, shifter, tcase, driveshafts, brake/clutch pedals and the clutch for 800. I’m super tempted but also a little overwhelmed by the swap

 

Mine is moving along slowly. I have to stop adding stuff to do and then waiting for parts/accessories for those additions to show up.

With the 3rd gen tranny, the VF2B transfer case and all the accessories (twin sticks, short throw shifter, steel FJ pedal, Stage 2 clutch, Tilton HRB and lots and lots of new Toyota parts), I'll have about 5 times that in my swap. But the truck will finally be right so it's worth it. $800 is a gimme!! If you're on the fence, just read up here on TW and once you get started, it slowly becomes self explanatory. I took forever to mount my pedals but am glad I did. Some of the wiring was a bit daunting to figure out for me too, but pretty straight forward in hind sight.

Good luck and make sure to keep us posted here on Tacoma World

 

I’m on the fence about too due to the throw out bearing issues that they seem to be plagued with. Losing my remote start would suck too lol. E brake definitely seems like a huge pain.

 

Sounds like you've already done plenty of research to know what you're up against. The T/O bearing issues of the RA trannies, or actually the updates of the RC, were the game changer for me. Trouble is, they're not cheap when you do find one. I spent $1400 back in April and see they may have jumped in price since I purchased mine. Car-part has the one's within 500 miles of me listed for over $2400.

Once the stick shifts are in, I'll fab up a bracket for the 3rd gen e-brake but am happy to be done crawling under the dash.

Good luck in your manual quest!

 

Highly, highly recommmend https://www.corsa-technic.com/index.php for OEM connectors. I've sourced many from them and they went above and beyond to find something for me a couple of times. They also sell pins and seals and typically will link the correct ones on the connector page.

 

Awesome! I think I've used them in the past tracking down OEM KTM connectors but will give them a shot for these. Connector Experts went dark after initial consult.

 

Slow progress, but moving.

This past week I got a few important things done that I'd been dragging my feet on. Splitting cases can always be a little intimidating for me.

Get to work! Here, splitting the 4Runner and manual trans t-case next to that big beautiful RC62 just waiting to get mated.



I made sure my "work stations" AKA clean cardboard on the floor were clean and organized but before long it started looking like a tool bomb. Here's what I was after: the manual trans input shaft assembly


Cleaning the cases of the old Toyota red FIPG


No pics of this, but I also clearanced the shift rail interlock for twin sticks and removed the detent pill for independent operation. While I was there, I added some stiffer Marlin crawler shift rail springs as there are stories of the sticks popping out of gear once the shift rail interlock had been clearanced. Easy job. Just overlap the new springs into the old springs on each side and re-install. Much more positive engagment shifter feel.

I chose not to clearance the shift rails for length at this time as I wasn't sure if the independent freedom of the twin sticks would change anything. Taking my time and being methodical got everything back together into the 4Runner case with lots of Redline assembly lube. The donor manual trans t-case now turned in to an automatic trans t-case behind it and I'll save it for future parts (it's worth little to anyone now but might be worth saving for parts).


I've never had issues with FIPG not sealing something permanently. Toyota parts all the way!


Everything I'd heard and read said to go big with the red FIPG. Definitely went a little big but it's all back together with the Front Range Off-Road twin sticks and the new input housing seals (waiting on adding the o-ring until final final so it doesn't get damaged with all of the clearancing checks coming up).


After letting the splooging FIPG cure a night, it was time to clearance the shift rails for length. Turns out I couldn't touch the driver's side. When 4wd is engaged, the rail is flush with the seal. But I could remove about 10mm on the passenger H-Lo rail.


Time to clearance the transmission...

 

I chose to wait. I couldn't find the courage to clearance the trans yet and potentially f-up.

Plenty of other stuff to do. Wiring!

There was a lot to wrap my head around but as lots have stated (including @cfcarpenter who's helped me out tons and answered many freak-out questions via PM. Thanks bud!), it's all pretty straight forward. Just like lots of things (including the t-case shaft swap), once you do it, you know exactly how it's done.

The wiring, in my case, includes:

1). Wiring the Clutch Start Cancel button.

2). Wiring the reverse light circuit for reverse lights and back-up cam

3). Wiring the dash indicator lights for the manual t-case and removing the 4x4 ECU

4). Lengthening the e-brake switch connector to go from under the dash to the center console area

I was originally thinking it'd be cool to do intermediate plug and play wiring harnesses for as much as I could, but a wild goose chase time suck occurred looking for the mating connectors. After looking for hours on my own, I reached out to both Corsa Technic and Connector Experts and both said the pin side connectors for what I was after did not exist.

4x4 ECU connectors hoping to mate several of these pins from both of these connectors together through a plug and play intermediate wiring harness. No luck. The mating connectors don't appear to exist.


Same for the Park Safety Switch on the transmission


Dead end. Time to move on and just solider this stuff.

The reverse light circuit is easy, so I started with that. Go to the Park Safety switch on the tranny main harness under the truck and connect the big main pins (red and yellow) to the manual trans reverse sensor pigtail. That one's a gimme so probably why I couldn't find info on it anywhere. For that reason, I'll post it here.



Next, following this instruction,




I wired the two connectors at the 4x4 ECU so that indicator lights on the dash still work and got to remove the 4x4 ECU. For the record, my 2014 truck had the same wire colors as what's listed for 08-11 trucks.



Next was to lengthen the e-brake switch connector (note: you won't be doing this unless adding a 3rd gen center console located e-brake like I am). No pics but there are two connectors for the two separate e-brake locations on the main cab wiring harness depending on which truck you have. There's one on the left for automatic trucks with pedal e-brakes and one on the right by the gas pedal for manual trucks with dash-mounted hand brakes. This is a manual truck now (haha!), so I lengthened the manual connector by the gas pedal and ran it to the center console (no pics).

The Clutch Start Cancel has been a little frustrating for me, though. I was hoping I'd be one of the lucky ones with the factory connector behind the switch blank, but no such luck. Searching here on TW, I found this on Cfcarpenter's thread and copy and pasted it. It's a pin-out of the switch:

Clutch Start Cancel Switch
Pin 1 White/Black (ground)
Pin 2 Violet (start signal from key aka violet to blue/black on clutch switch on pedal)
Pin 3 Light Green (Ignition Power)
Pin 4 Black/Yellow (power out aka black/yellow to black/yellow at clutch switch on pedal)

After searching classifieds/ebay for weeks for a decently priced used one, I gave up and ordered a brand-new switch from Toyota. The new one's don't come with the mating connector/pigtail, though, so had to order the connector with it (PN: 90980-11213). Problem was, the connector doesn't come with the pins and, of course, they're not easily found on parts schematics so I had to track those down. Corsa Technic came in there and let me know they were these - TE Connectivity | MLC040III-SKT - Corsa Technic | Multilock 040 III Socket Contact (corsa-technic.com , listed here for posterity.

The saga continues, though...I filled the pins with color coded 18-gauge wires (no pics), put the switch in place on the dash (no pics), and found most of the wires using the guide above. Because of the space restrictions, I used Posi-Taps at the clutch switch to connect pins 2 and 4. Pin 1 went to a ground that I have bolted other switch grounds to. Pin 3 was left. Using my voltmeter, I hunted around for an easy place to get keyed power and according to my meter, the old e-brake switch would work. I Posi-tapped that and went to press the new button and...nothing. I've got some work left to do and will post pics when it's done.

As an aside, for those that don't know Posi-taps, they're a non-permanent solution to soldiering that leads to much better and rugged results than cheap t-taps that damage the wires. Yes, you do get a hole punched through the insulation, but it's tiny and much less damaging than what t-taps do. I've used Posi-taps on some moto wiring that's got thousands of off-road miles on it without problems. I'm a fan.

 

Here for the awesomeness.

Question though, why not just t-splice (military splice?) With some solder vs the posi taps? It just seems like a non permenant solution to a permenant change youre making.