Toyota R154 short ratio gear set (close ratio gearbox set) Supra MK3

The Toyota R154 is a legendary five-speed manual transmission known for its tremendous robustness. It was mainly used between 1987 and 2004 in rear-wheel-drive Toyota cars with turbocharged engines (such as the 7M-GTE and 1JZ-GTE).

Here is a list of the cars that came standard with the R154:

Main models

• Toyota Supra (MKIII / MA70): Turbo models (1987-1992) with the 3.0L 7M-GTE engine.

• Toyota Supra (JZA70): The Japanese market (JDM) version with the 2.5L 1JZ-GTE engine.

• Toyota Soarer (Z30): The turbocharged (JDM) versions from 1991 to 2000 with the 1JZ-GTE.

• Toyota Chaser / Mark II / Cresta (JZX90, JZX100, JZX110): The "Tourer V" versions with the 1JZ-GTE. The later versions (JZX100/110) often have the sought-after "tripod" shifter.

• Toyota Crown (JZS171): The Athlete V sedan with the 1JZ-GTE.

• Toyota Verossa (JZX110): The sporty sedan that succeeded the Chaser.

Why is this body so popular?

The R154 is known in the tuning world as the "strong brother" of the lighter W58 gearbox. While the W58 often gives up the ghost with more power, a healthy R154 can handle around 400 to 500 hp without too many modifications.

Important variants

Should you be looking for one for a project (such as a 2JZ swap), note the differences:

1. Early Model: Found in the MK3 Supra. This one has a shorter housing and a shifter that goes directly into the bucket.

2. Late Model (Tripod/Remote): Found in the JZX100/JZX110. This one has an external shift rod ("tripod") that moves the shifter further back, which often fits better in more modern cars.

Small note: The R154 is an RWD (rear-wheel drive) gearbox. There are also R-series transmissions for 4WD (such as the R150F and R151F), but those are found mostly in the Hilux and Land Cruiser and have very different gear ratios.