**Please keep in mind that any electric-shifting style transfer case may be longer because of the actuator on the back of the case and interfere with the fuel tank, requiring relocation or modification. 3rd generation 4Runners have more room than 4th/5th generation 4Runners and should not have clearance issues. All FJ Cruisers will require fuel tank modification and/or relocation.**

What is the TacoBox?

The TacoBox is a compact reduction unit based on the famous 31-year time-proven Marlin Crawler Dual Case ‘Crawl Box’ design and is inserted between your transmission and transfer case. To achieve this, front & rear adapters are used to convert the bolt patterns of both your transmission and transfer case. The front adapter is based on our 25% stronger 5/8″ thick USA-made Billet Aluminum Adapter to mate a Marlin Crawler Reduction Housing behind your 23- or 26-spline automatic or manual transmission. The rear adapter is based on our 6^th generation USA-made Billet Aluminum MC09 Adapter which bolts to your original top shift transfer case, and is fully clockable in 5° increments. The result is the Marlin Crawler TacoBox™, a fully assembled Dual Case Unit ready to be installed into 1995 and newer Toyota and Lexus 4WD drive trains.

The TacoBox first came out in the spring of 2001 for the 2.7L & 3.4L 4WD Tacoma, hence the name Taco—Tacoma and Box—Crawl Box. We have since expanded compatibility for the 3.5L, 4.0L, and 4.7L 4Runner, FJ Cruiser (with fuel tank modification), GX470, T100, Tacoma, Tundra, and Sequoia applications.

These TacoBox Units are built using adapters from our sister brand, Inchworm, and feature our Marlin Crawler 4.70:1 Low Range Gear Set, Marlin Crawler Double Roll bearing, Marlin Crawler 52% stronger HD Lower Cage Bearing, Marlin Crawler Dished Coupler, Marlin Crawler EcoSeal, Refurbished Toyota Shift Handles, Marlin Crawler Shift Knob, High Quality JIS Hardware, and everything needed to bolt into your rig! Hand-built in-house and ready for installation!

Marlin Crawler TacoBox undergoing installation

What does the TacoBox do?

The TacoBox has three shift positions that may be engaged from a stop:

• High: High Range is 1.00:1 so shaft speed & torque enters and departs at the same rate and is used for normal City and Highway driving. The ECU and all associated systems such as cruise control, traction control, stability control, the full ensemble of Toyota Safety Sense, ABS, ATRC, and Crawl Control, function normally. City and Highway Fuel Economy is unaffected. The truck will feel and operate 100% like factory both on-road and off-road, 2WD or 4WD. The TacoBox is simply bypassed.
• Neutral: Neutral is a fully neutral position and allows for such things as unloading the drivetrain to make it easier on the electronic t/case shift solenoid, if applicable. This is nice for many newer vehicles that do not have a Neutral t/case position.
• Low: Low Range is our famous Marlin Crawler 4.70:1 ratio. When engaged, your truck instantly becomes 4.7-times more capable and will blow your mind at how much control the truck has and how easy it gets up and down obstacles.

The end result will look like this:

Engine > Transmission > TacoBox (4.70:1) > Transfer Case (2.57:1)

…thus transforming your 2-speed (1.00, 2.57:1) factory transfer case into a 4-speed (1.00, 2.57, 4.70, 12.08:1) TacoBox-equipped transfer case as follows:

Factory 2-speed T/Case

1. High Range (1.00:1)
2. Low Range (2.57:1)

TacoBox-equipped 4-speed T/Case

1. High Range (1.00:1) — TacoBox in High, T/Case in High, same as above
2. Factory Low Range (2.57:1) — TacoBox in High, T/Case in Low, same as above
3. TacoBox Single Low (4.70:1) — TacoBox in Low, T/Case in High
4. TacoBox Dual Low (12.08:1) — TacoBox in Low, T/Case in Low

In a 6-speed transmission example, the truck will now have 24 different forward gears and 4 reverse, making it a 28-speed truck!

What’s Included?

• Fully Assembled Marlin Crawler TacoBox as shown
  • with Japanese-made Competition Total-Spline Chromoly Marlin Crawler 4.70:1 Gear Ratio
• Heat Treated Transmission Output Coupler and Billet Aluminum Seal Adapter
  • with upgraded Heavy Duty Marlin Crawler EcoSeal Transmission Output Seal
• Installation Hardware Kit with Ultra Gray Silicone
• Factory Toyota Shift Handle with CNC-machined Delrin Marlin Crawler T/Case Shift Knob
  • custom modification to handle assembly will need to be performed by installer based on desired shift handle location

Required modifications?

Required modifications include contracting with your local driveline shop to lengthen, shorten, and re-balance your front and rear shafts, lengthen the wires of your transfer case shift solenoid (if applicable), lengthen 6mm vacuum hose to shift base and solenoid (if applicable), and install a new shift handle into your interior by cutting a 2.5″ hole in the center of your cab and modifying your center console. For automatic owners this usually involves modifying a cup holder, coin slot, or cubbyhole. For manual owners, a simple modification to your transmission cab shift boot is all that is needed—no cup holders are lost!

Important Installation Note for SUV Applications: On shorter wheelbase SUV applications, especially FJ Cruisers, pushing the transfer case rearward may interfere with the fuel tank requiring relocation or modification. Some SUV owners have gotten around this by swapping to a manual shift-style t/case which eliminates the added space required by the electronic shift mechanism on the back of the t/case.

Below is a collection of TacoBox Shift Handle Installations. Click an image for a larger view.

No factory crossmember modifications are required, however, modifications to under belly skid plates may be required depending on brand. The TacoBox includes provisions for an additional transfer case mount which is optional but when incorporated is a great addition to help lengthen the lifespan of your engine mounts! If desired, we offer a Heavy Duty 6cyl wide-style OEM Toyota mount here.

Benefits

Discover how a Marlin Crawler can make your truck unstoppable!

→ Incredibly safe in downhill descents and drop-offs:

The TacoBox creates 4.7-times more Engine Compression resistance to movement providing 4.7-times more control, reaction time, and safety while also 4.7-times less required brake force when going down even the steepest drop-offs and ledges. Your truck can weigh up to nearly 5 times more than factory and yet will still descend down hills as safe as a factory truck. Going downhill is EXTREMELY safe with a TacoBox which provides UNPARALLELED driver control with no brakes required.

→ 2WD Low Range:

The TacoBox also provides a new Low Range that can be used independently of your factory transfer case, meaning you can now have Low Range even while in 2WD! This is very useful if you are backing a boat down a ramp, moving a trailer around your yard, or repositioning your truck in a tight camp ground and don’t want to hassle engaging 4WD. Also, on the trail you can make sharp corners without having the issue of the front end binding with the rear end due to sharp corner radii. The new ways you may manipulate your truck is very useful with cutting brakes and performing other slow and controlled maneuvers on the trail.

→ Extra Drive train Mount (optional):

As mentioned, the TacoBox includes provisions for a 1979-1995 style Toyota 4cyl or 6cyl crossmember mount which may be used for additional drive train support! This is entirely optional but is a great feature that spreads the drivetrain torque helping prolong the lifespan of your engine mounts. For this, we offer a Heavy Duty 6cyl wide-style OEM Toyota mount here. Depending on application, exhaust modifications may be required. Click to view an example image of a HD OEM 6cyl mount installed.

→ Full List of Benefits:

In conclusion, here is a comprehensive list of benefits for both Automatic and Manual Transmission owners that you get from the Marlin Crawler TacoBox. Click the image for a larger view, and consider scrolling down to watch our many YouTube action videos below!