Your gearbox carries every bit of torque your engine makes, whether you're towing a van over the Darling Scarp or crawling a rocky track. Toyota fitted some very tough boxes to these vehicles and a few that are best left at standard power. Before you add a turbo, injectors or a tune, it pays to know which one you've got and what it'll handle.

Below is every gearbox Toyota factory-fitted to the vehicles we work on. Your build plate (model code and build date) is the final word on what's in your vehicle, so have it handy when you get in touch.

The Manual Gearboxes

H55F 5-Speed Manual

The H55F is the older 5-speed fitted to most 1HZ 75 Series. It's a proven, simple box that suits the non-turbo 1HZ it came with. On high-kilometre boxes, 5th gear is the usual trouble spot, and owners commonly report it jumping out of 5th. There's no direct bolt-in H-series replacement for it, so any swap needs to be planned properly.

• Type: 5-speed manual, part-time 4WD

• Fitted to: LandCruiser HZJ75 cab chassis and Troop Carrier (1HZ)

• Years: approx. 1990–1999

• Strengths: simple, proven design matched to the 1HZ

• Watch-outs: 5th gear wear and jumping out of gear on tired boxes; no straight bolt-in upgrade

H150F 5-Speed Manual

The H150F is one of Toyota's H-series boxes, the heavy-duty family that's tougher than the smaller R-series. In the 1HZ 80 Series it runs a 21-spline input to suit the 1HZ clutch. In the V8 70 Series it carried the 1VD from launch until the late-2016 update. High-kilometre boxes can show worn synchros, but the hard parts are strong.

• Type: 5-speed manual, centre shifter

• Fitted to: LandCruiser HZJ80 (1HZ); VDJ76, VDJ78 and VDJ79 (1VD V8)

• Years: HZJ80 approx. 1990–1998; VDJ 70 Series 2007 to the late-2016 update

• Strengths: heavy-duty H-series case and gears

• Watch-outs: worn synchros on high-kilometre boxes; input spline and bellhousing differ between engines

H151F 5-Speed Manual

The H151F is the H-series box Toyota put behind the turbo 1HD engines, and it's the one people go looking for when they want a strong manual. It came with a centre shifter in the 80 and 70 Series and a rear shifter in the 100 Series. It's well suited to towing and a sensible power upgrade, as long as the clutch is matched to the power.

• Type: 5-speed manual, 14-spline input for the 1HD clutch

• Fitted to: LandCruiser HDJ80 (1HD-T and 1HD-FT); HDJ100 manual (1HD-FTE); HDJ78 and HDJ79 (1HD-FTE)

• Years: HDJ80 approx. 1990–1998; HDJ100 manual 2000–2007; HDJ78/79 late 2001–2007

• Strengths: heavy-duty H-series box; a popular choice for upgrades and conversions

• Watch-outs: worn synchros and bearings on high-kilometre boxes; centre- and rear-shift versions aren't interchangeable without the matching parts

H152F 5-Speed Manual

The H152F is the latest of Toyota's H-series manuals. It arrived in the V8 70 Series with the late-2016 update and has a taller 5th gear, which brings highway revs down. Because it's still available brand new and genuine, it's also the box we convert to suit older HDJ and HZJ LandCruisers.

• Type: 5-speed manual, centre shifter

• Fitted to: LandCruiser VDJ76, VDJ78 and VDJ79 (1VD V8), including the later VDJL codes

• Years: late-2016 update to the end of V8 production in 2024 (79 Series GXL cab chassis into 2025)

• Strengths: heavy-duty H-series internals; taller 5th for touring; available new

• Watch-outs: fitting it to a non-V8 vehicle needs the right input shaft, input bearing and retainer (see What We Can Do)

R151F 5-Speed Manual

The R151F is the smaller R-series box Toyota fitted to the later 1HZ 70 Series and the 105. Behind a standard 1HZ it does the job. But it isn't built for big torque, and failures of 5th gear and reverse have been reported behind turbo conversions. The GXL 105's rear-shift layout also makes a swap to an H-series box more involved than it looks.

• Type: 5-speed manual (rear shifter on the GXL 105)

• Fitted to: LandCruiser HZJ78 and HZJ79 (1HZ); HZJ105 manual (1HZ)

• Years: HZJ78/79 approx. 1999–2007; HZJ105 approx. 1998–2007

• Strengths: fine for a standard 1HZ

• Watch-outs: the weakest box in this lineup under extra torque; worth reviewing before any 1HZ to 1HD conversion

R150F 5-Speed Manual

The R150F is the 5-speed manual behind the 3.0L 1KD-FTV in the 4x4 KUN26 HiLux. Owners commonly report bearing noise, worn synchros and wear on the input shaft tip at high kilometres, and early boxes have the worst reputation. A box that's whining or popping out of gear needs attention before you add torque.

• Type: 5-speed manual, 4WD

• Fitted to: Toyota HiLux KUN26 (1KD-FTV) manual

• Years: approx. 2005–2015

• Strengths: a proven, widely used Toyota design

• Watch-outs: bearings, synchros and input shaft tip wear on high-kilometre boxes

RA61F 6-Speed Manual

When the 1KD-FTV went into the Prado in late 2006, the manual gained a sixth gear. Toyota fitted triple-cone synchros on 1st, 2nd and 3rd for smoother shifts. It's generally a solid box, though some early Prado owners reported clutch problems.

• Type: 6-speed manual

• Fitted to: Prado 120 (KDJ120) and Prado 150 five-door (KDJ150) manuals with the 1KD-FTV

• Years: Prado 120 late 2006–2009; Prado 150 2009–2015 (manual on GX and GXL grades)

• Strengths: six ratios; triple-cone synchros on the lower gears

• Watch-outs: the clutch is the first thing to check when you add torque

The Automatic Transmissions

A442F 4-Speed Automatic

The A442F is Toyota's big 4-speed auto for the six-cylinder LandCruisers, and it's known as a tough, solid unit. Its weakness is heat. Earlier versions only lock up the torque converter in top gear, so long climbs and towing in 3rd make heat fast. A good auxiliary cooler and a temperature gauge are good insurance, especially once power goes up.

• Type: 4-speed automatic with lock-up torque converter

• Fitted to: LandCruiser HDJ80 auto (1HD-T and 1HD-FT); HZJ105 auto (1HZ); HDJ100 GXL 4-speed auto (1HD-FTE)

• Years: HDJ80 approx. 1990–1998; HZJ105 auto 1998–2002; HDJ100 4-speed auto 2000–2007

• Strengths: strong, simple and well proven

• Watch-outs: heat when towing or climbing in 3rd; tired fluid; older units need a cooler before any power upgrade

A340F 4-Speed Automatic

The A340F is the 4-speed auto Toyota paired with the 1KD-FTV in the KUN26 HiLux until the 5-speed arrived. It's an electronically controlled box with its own transmission computer. Like any auto that tows, heat and fluid condition decide how long it lasts.

• Type: 4-speed electronically controlled automatic

• Fitted to: Toyota HiLux KUN26 (1KD-FTV) auto

• Years: approx. 2005 to late 2013 (single and extra cab) or early 2014 (dual cab)

• Strengths: a long-serving, proven Toyota design

• Watch-outs: heat and old fluid when towing; check its condition before adding torque

A750F 5-Speed Automatic

The A750F brought five speeds and smarter electronic control. In the 100 Series it shares one computer with the engine, which gives it a crisp, well-matched shift. It's generally reliable when it's kept cool and serviced. Heat, degraded fluid and torque converter lock-up shudder are the usual issues, and towing makes all of them worse.

• Type: 5-speed electronically controlled automatic with lock-up torque converter

• Fitted to: LandCruiser HDJ100 Sahara and VX (1HD-FTE); Prado 120 (KDJ120) and Prado 150 (KDJ150 and three-door KDJ155) autos with the 1KD-FTV; HiLux KUN26 (1KD-FTV) auto, late model

• Years: HDJ100 Sahara 2002–2007 and VX 2006–2007; Prado 120 late 2006–2009; Prado 150 2009–2015; HiLux from late 2013 (single and extra cab) or early 2014 (dual cab) to 2015

• Strengths: five ratios; good electronic integration with the engine

• Watch-outs: heat when towing; fluid condition; lock-up shudder; an upgraded cooler is a smart addition before more power

AB60F 6-Speed Automatic

Every V8 diesel 200 Series came with the AB60F 6-speed auto. It's a strong box built to handle the twin-turbo 1VD's torque at standard power. Heat under sustained towing is what to manage, along with how the box shifts and locks up once the engine is making more power. That's why the gearbox calibration matters as much as the engine tune.

• Type: 6-speed electronically controlled automatic

• Fitted to: LandCruiser 200 Series VDJ200 (1VD twin-turbo V8)

• Years: 2007–2021

• Strengths: six ratios; built for a big-torque V8

• Watch-outs: heat when towing; fluid condition; shift and lock-up behaviour after an engine upgrade

What We Can Do

We look after the whole driveline, not just the engine. Here's what we offer for these gearboxes and the parts around them:

• Gearbox supply, removal and installation. Exchange gearboxes are available. They carry a core charge, which is refunded when you return your old box. How much comes back depends on its condition.

• H151 5-speed manual gearbox supply.

• VDJ-to-HDJ converted gearbox. A new genuine H152 with the input shaft, input bearing and retaining plate swapped so it fits HDJ and HZJ LandCruisers. (It doesn't suit the GXL 105.)

• GXL 105 R151 upgrade. New shaft, gears and fork for the R151 in the 105.

• Heavy-duty clutches. NPC 1300 Nm clutch with custom flywheel (on exchange) and NPC 1600 Nm clutch kits for the 1VD 70 Series. We also do clutch removal and installation, fitting and adjustment.

• 200 Series engine and gearbox tune. The gearbox calibration is set to suit the engine work.

• Upgraded auto and trans coolers. Fitted with our PDI intercooler setups for the 100 Series auto and the 1HD-FTE-converted 105.

• Transfer cases. 105 FTE transfer case strip and rebuild (new genuine high-range gear and selector), R-H transfer rebuild and upgrade, and part-time kits for selected LandCruisers.

• Diffs and tailshafts. Front and rear diff rebuilds set up for higher power, Eaton and Torsen lockers for selected models, PDI 3.9 crown and pinion sets, and driveshaft rebuilds with new unis and slip joints.

• Engine conversions with the right driveline. For 1HZ owners who want more grunt, the proven path is a 1HZ to 1HD-T conversion. We'll make sure the clutch and gearbox behind it are up to the job. (We don't do performance upgrades on the 1HZ itself.)

• Servicing. Our full service includes gearbox, transfer and diff oils plus a full underbody inspection.

Every vehicle and every gearbox is different, so we quote each job individually after looking at your vehicle and how you use it.