What is the smallest vehicle Toyota makes with a transfer case?

[mrstang01]

What is the smallest vehicle Toyota makes with a transfer case?

I'm guessing it's the Tacoma/4runner, but am not sure. Does anybody know why the RAV / Highlander platforms didn't have it? I know most people don't use it in those levels, but since Suzuki used it in the Tracker...

Thanks,

Michael

 

[Martinjmpr]

RAV4 is a unibody AWD crossover - no Tcase needed or wanted. The Suzuki Tracker is descended from the Samurai - a genuine, body-on-frame SUV.

Don't know if the new XL7 and Vitara have Tcases or not. They look like CUVs with 4 wheel independent suspension and sit pretty low which makes me think they are unibody rather than body-on-frame.

Remember that most unibody crossovers have transverse-mounted engines i.e. the crankshaft of the engine is parallell to the axles, wheras most conventional body-on-frame trucks and SUVs have the engines in a longitudinal configuration i.e. the cranshaft of the engine is parallell to the driveshaft (the notable exception to this is Subaru, which still puts their boxer engines in a longitudinal configuration.) With the engine in a transverse mounting, the engine sits on top of the transmission and front drive axle, or transaxle. In AWD versions, a driveshaft sends power to the rear axle via a viscous coupling on the transaxle. Most "AWD" cars are actually FWD until the front wheels start slipping, at which point the viscous coupling engages and sends power to the rear axle.

On the other hand, in a conventional body-on-frame SUV or pickup, with the engine in a longitudinal configuration, the engine sits in front, the transmission immediately behind, and power goes to the rear axle via a straight driveshaft from the transmission. In that configuration, it is relatively easy to stick a transfer case in behind the transmission to send power to the front axle (or not.) But it would be very difficult to put a transfer case on a transverse mounted engine.

 

[Scott Brady]

What is the smallest vehicle Toyota makes with a transfer case?

For the US market, it would be a 4wd, regular cab Tacoma.

The cross-over vehicles do not have (or are designed for) the drivetrain and chassis integrity for serious trail use.

You could certainly drive a RAV4 around the world though. I have seen a few articles from a small team that did just that.

 

[mrstang01]

Got a link for that Scott, that would be cool?!!

 

[DaveInDenver]

Are we talking currently, then? Because Toyota used to offer a 4WD Tercel (along with the All-Trac cars later). Anyway, the 4x4 Tercel Wagon had a legitimate 4WD with a floor stick, sorta like the trucks. I want to say this was about 1983 through maybe 1987, second generation Tercel anyway. I don't think anyone makes anything like it anymore. It was pretty cool, true 2WD/4WD select transfer case and ultra low 1st gear (the tranny was 6 speeds, normal 5 gears plus a 5:1 granny option). I don't think it was truly a 2 speed case, but I might be wrong since Subaru during that era did have 2 speed transfer cases and this might have been designed to compete with that.

 

[mrstang01]

Yeah, current was what I had in mind. But I do remember those Tercels!

 

[Martinjmpr]

Even the Tercel was more like a current crossover than a body-on-frame SUV. AFAIK it did not have a true "transfer case" as we think of it, instead power came off the FWD transaxle to a driveshaft. Honda, Nissan and Mitsubishi all made 4wd cars during the early 80's to compete against Subaru.

The 4wd Tercel was 83-89. I still see quite a few of them on the road, too.

 

[DaveInDenver]

Didn't know if it did or didn't have a transfer, but I do remember it having a 4WD engage stick. When it was in 4WD, it was 4WD, i.e. driveline binding on pavement. I think the later Toyota cars had a center diff, like the later Cruisers and current 4Runner. Now that I think about it, there wasn't a high/low shifter, but in granny gear it was a pretty fair low. Wish they still made stuff like that. :-/

BTW, there's a place on the Internet for everything... http://www.tercel4wd.com/

 

[RHINO]

i think you should define the transfer case,,,, are you talking about AWD or a two speed transfer case?

the smallest rig toyota built with a two speed case was the blizzard, but it was a joint deal so its only partially toyota.

 

[mrstang01]

My intent was vehicles with a real transfer case and shift levers.

 

[Grim Reaper]

Are we talking currently, then? Because Toyota used to offer a 4WD Tercel (along with the All-Trac cars later). Anyway, the 4x4 Tercel Wagon had a legitimate 4WD with a floor stick, sorta like the trucks. I want to say this was about 1983 through maybe 1987, second generation Tercel anyway. I don't think anyone makes anything like it anymore. It was pretty cool, true 2WD/4WD select transfer case and ultra low 1st gear (the tranny was 6 speeds, normal 5 gears plus a 5:1 granny option). I don't think it was truly a 2 speed case, but I might be wrong since Subaru during that era did have 2 speed transfer cases and this might have been designed to compete with that.

Don't forget the Vans had cases as well. The first US Van had low range part time. The Previa has a transfercase and the case can be modified to lock the center diff. It should be possible to exchange the case out for a Part time with low range case with some mods. I mention the vans becasue the foot print of the first van is no bigger then a single cab truck.

http://www.toyotavanpeople.com/