I swapped my w58 out for an AR5 and have put ~20k miles on it behind my NA-T. I used these parts:

1JZ bellhousing
R154 bearing retainer and clutch fork, hub, slave, etc.
Custom R154 clutch with GM splines from Southbend
Modified manual driveshaft with Solstice CV joint grafted in
JZX shifter
Dakota Digital SGI-5E
Stock manual crossmember

Everything has worked great besides the clutch. It is Southbend's stage 3 drag which is a single disk 6 puck. It holds power, but is difficult to drive smoothly on the street. At the time, this was the only clutch I could find, without going to expensive r154 twin disks, to hold the torque I am making. Now there are some more options out there as the T56 has become a popular swap. From my research, the T56 and AR5 both use a 26 spline input shaft which means all the custom 2JZ to T56 clutches out there now should work for the AR5. My plan now is to switch back to the factory AR5 front retainer and get a twin disk in there. Avoiding the switch to the r154 clutch components should save a good amount of $.

I definitely recommend the JZX shifter as it is located in the stock location (on my factory manual car) and also feels like the stock w58 shifter.

I beat on it every day at ~450rwhp with no issues. I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any other questions.

 

Thanks for posting up all that info!! This is what I was trying to get at earlier, sticking with the ar5 front retainer bearing and spend the extra money on a better push clutch like a twin disc.
Those stock r154 parts are expensive between the fork, pivot, retainer etc, and then if you want a twin disc you end up converting back to push anyways which doesn't make sense on a AR5.

That is good to note that the t56 clutch kits would fit also, they do have the same spline and both would use the w58 flywheel then I am assuming.
Those parts are more available and have better deals anyways, so yeah I would save up for a twin disc and use the AR5 stuff.
I had an act extreme 6 puck on my w58 when I was na-t and it held the power but was an on and off switch more or less... I just don't think the diameter of the clutch is big enough to use a strong single on these motors without that happening.. twin is probably the way to go with 400+ torque.

 

Never thought of the t56 2jz clutches, I guess the only thing stopping the fit would be diameter on the ar5 thread on my.is the w58 uses a 236mm and the r154 uses a slightly bigger 240mm.

 

More proof for the strength of the trans I dont know why this swap isn't more popular its basically bolt on. Of course theres other trans that are easily found at junkyards the adapter plates cost alot etc.

 

mjegan how hard was it to wire up the Dakota digital f

 

From my own experience I found SouthBend's staged R154 clutches good but not the best. However they are affordable for streetable single discs and they do hold reasonable power. And they have some way of redesigning their R154 pressure plates so as not to put down stupidly huge pressure onto the back of the 2JZ engine (the way super stiff ACTs and SPEC clutches do). That's good for the health of your 2JZ. Their Stage 3 or Stage 4 Endurance are what I think should be an affordable starting point for an R154 but they don't go much higher than that for this transmission in their clutch lineup.

For what it's worth though I won't go back to a single after experiencing how good a twin disc with movement conversion is. It's on another level. Pricey up front of course but they will also last far longer (depending on the regular torque you throw at them) than any single will. The little bit of free floating rattle on disengagement and initial up front cost are the only downsides. And you get used to the mild disengagement rattle... not really a big deal or very loud.

This thread has so much good info to learn about the AR5 conversion! I'm just soaking this all in and taking notes

I'm also curious about how the Dakota Digital SGI-5E works in this application.

 

All the twin disc set ups I am considering come with the flywheel so I am not sure on that part. I would contact one of the companies that are making 2J to T56 clutch packages for this detail.

It's been a while since I wired it up, but it has been working with no issues. I'll try to get some pictures this weekend of how it is wired. I located it under the shifter bezel for easy access, but I haven't had to touch it.

I agree, the Southbend is not extremely heavy. It is the tiny engagement that makes smoothly taking off from a stop difficult. I'm glad to hear you enjoy the twin disk. I am excited to try one out myself. What twin disk do you have?

 

That is only about an 1/8 of an inch and there is space on the flywheel for it. If you think about it the starter is in the same place on all the R154 W58 and V160 flywheels, so the overall diameter of the whole flywheel is the same. They just happen to use a hair smaller clutch on the w58 and I think it is a hair thinner also, but people have interchanged the clutch discs before I think cause they have the same spline count on the toyotas at least.

The v160 one is a little bit larger than that though and has a different spline count so can't be interchanged.
see post 24 https://www.driftworks.com/forum/thr....211732/page-2

 

Generally (or always) twin, triple of quad disc clutches come with their own flywheels because in those designs the flywheel is an integral part of the clutch design. The flywheel and pressure plate usually (or always) form a rigid "cage" within which those friction discs and intermediate friction plates have to float in freely when the clutch is disengaged.

At least that's how I've become familiar with them. This also usually means that the flywheel bolts also need to be a special length (usually a little bit shorter) to work with multi-disc clutches. Not a big deal as these are usually available from the clutch maker or parts shop selling them.

SouthBend clutches are very easy on the pedal action. The engagement point did take some getting used to, yes. I had a SouthBend Stage 2 Daily and then a SB Stage 3 Daily. But I think in hindsight their "Endurance" full face organic disc is a much better choice with either pressure plate tier.

I am using an OS Gken STR2CD twin disc with their movement alteration kit. That model of theirs comes with the movement alteration kit included. I got it from RHDJapan. I believe it's rated for around 600whp or so.

During the initial break-in period it is VERY challenging to modulate and slip but within 300-500 miles of normal, easy stop and go city traffic driving this evens out and it becomes like any other clutch. I was told by OS Giken that there is no break-in period but I wasn't inclined to go along with that. I strictly followed a general aftermarket clutch break-in for at least 500 miles (I went for just under 1,000 miles but I tend to do a little overkill) and it became very easy to drive with compared to when it was first installed.

 

When are u planning on switching your setup? If its before I get all the parts for my tranny swap I might go the same route as you since it would be a upgrade. I just have to have confirmation it works because I cant have my daily driver down for that long. The pic of the wiring for the Dakota digital is exactly what I need, when I was researching on the Ar5 swap I was not able to find anything pictures about making the box work with wiring. Also I dont know if u remember but how much did you have to pay to modify your driveshaft, when I go to get my driveshaft modified its going to be my first time going to a driveshaft shop so I want to have a ballpark of the price ranges. By the way thanks for all you help so far

 

If you're addressing me here: I am evaluating the AR5 transmission swap for other future vehicle options, be it another SC or an 01-05 IS300. For my current SC300 I will not be changing the transmission or clutch configuration again as it's already more than overbuilt for the engine power configuration and fits the car fairly close to a factory Soarer R154 at this point (with a few support modifications).

But for another future SC or an IS the AR5 swap has given me food for thought.

I totally understand your situation. I also cannot afford to have my SC down for very long as it's my daily. Right now it's been down for almost two weeks while I sort out my driveshaft issue (which was not an issue before but I also never did it right in the first place) and even while we're in this virus quarantine shutdown it's hard enough.

The driveshaft:

At the moment I have not had it modified yet. For the SC300 + R154 I am using an MKIII R154 front driveshaft with the SC center bearing installed onto it. With the transmission rear dust cup removed it does fit but clearance is tight. It hasn't been an issue for years but for some reason now is an issue after reinstalling a newly rebuilt TT Auto LSD rear diff. I'm not sure why as I used that diff before without issue.

The MKIII R154 front driveshaft got a brand new SC center bearing and is currently at a local machine/driveline shop to have the threads where the locking nut is located on it chased and restored (to fix ham-fisted damage from a previous mechanic). That shop CAN modify the length as needed but they are not equipped to balance a factory two-piece driveshaft. At their recommendation I have looked into other driveline shops within an hour or so from me who can do both the length modification and balancing.

FYI from my measurements with the R154 (not sure about the AR5) the MKIII R154 front driveshaft is right at 20mm / 3/4" / 0.78" too long. ALTHOUGH it will work and will fit but it just has no extra "play" clearance that it should in an SC300 application.

The main reason why the Supra MKIII R154 (7M-GTE) front driveshaft is slightly too long in an SC300 application is due to the R154-7MGTE bellhousing being about 25mm shorter than the R154-1JZGTE bellhousing. The driveshafts for JDM Supra MKIII Turbo 1JZ-GTE's with R154's are of a length much closer to the JDM Soarer Z30 1JZ-GTE R154 front driveshafts. Still, adjusting the length by only 20mm instead of 25mm will be fine since it is such a fine difference.

With an SC300 Auto front driveshaft (which uses the same 23 spline engagement that the R154 does) it is supposed to be 50mm / 1.96" too short. A long time ago I initially got scammed with an SC300 Auto front driveshaft (I was fraudulently sold a "Soarer" front driveshaft) and I can attest to it being roughly 2" too short and in need of lengthening. I am not aware if either of these 23-spline driveshafts with their slip-yoke design work with an AR5 or not.

That is something I am investigating right now and I'll be happy to share my findings with you as you are also located in Florida.

I will probably, for now, take that driveshaft as is and try reinstalling it with hopefully no noise due to the tight clearance and buy an SC300 Auto front driveshaft to have modified and balanced. It will entirely depend on what the driveline shop I choose tells me they as to their ability to schedule and whether or not I can get away with the current driveshaft setup for the moment.

I am also considering Fedex shipping a front and rear driveshaft to the shop I will use... if they can work with me that way. This is due to not being able to spare another car to go out of area at current time (family concerns) as well as wishing to keep myself socially distanced as much as possible due to COVID-19 (also family concerns).

I could easily get a one-piece driveshaft made and of course that is a popular alternative but I prefer to modify and balance the factory two piece system for ultimate smoothness. Usually most driveline shops that have balancing machines capable of working with a factory style two piece can also perform custom lengthening and shortening services as part of the whole package deal.

I was told by my local machine shop that this might be around $150-$200 to have done but I take it with a grain of salt since I have yet to call any of the alternative shops I've researched to get quotes from them.

PM me and I'll let you know what I've found out so far since you're also in FL.

 

I forgot to quote Mjegan lol but 200 isnt a bad price definitely better than the 500 dollar steel driveshaft that driftmotion offers. There are some custom shops on ebay offering one piece aluminum driveshafts for 350-400 but the turn around time might not be so great.

 

Whoops! Sorry then! But glad if the extra driveshaft info helps you

Many local driveshaft shops that advertise one piece custom units can easily build you a good single piece if you can provide them with the raw ends they will need for it. Those are easier for many to balance also. But any driveshaft shop that has a good balancing machine capable of dealing with OEM two-piece driveshafts and that also advertises custom shortening or lengthening can do the same thing.

I think the advantage with a Driftmotion one-piece or one-piece from another specialty shop that does SC/Supra parts is that they already have the best raw ends, joints and options figured out depending on what your application will need, what alloy of material you will want (steel, aluminum or even carbon fiber if available). I'm not sure what the ultimate strength of the factory two-piece SC, Supra MKIV, MKIII and IS300 driveshafts are but there must be a ceiling at some point, though it's probably pretty high up there.

It might also come down to cost depending on the price of the used mostly compatible front driveshaft you need to get hold of... or.... if you were to swap in a V160, Tremec Magnum, TH400 or other gearbox not in the Toyota manual or automatic family. Or if the car is purely set up for drag racing on slicks perhaps. There are many reasons why a custom one-piece might be a legitimately better option than a length adjusted factory two-piece besides just cost.

But the stock two-piece system, if adjusted for the right length and if you have a front shaft that will work, is still very good and very strong. And it will absorb certain vibration harmonics that most one-piece driveshafts probably won't.

 

I have looked into going with drift motions driveshaft since they specialize in Toyota and Lexus etc. The only thing that stopping me is that the driveshaft is made out of steel for 500 or less a aluminum driveshaft could be easily made and the fact that the driveshaft requires extra adapters since the 1350 flange is used. So if u think about it the ar5 adapter is 150 , then the diff adapter is another another 150 and another 580 with the driveshaft so 880 in total thats way too much for a steel driveshaft in my opinion. As for a carbon fiber driveshaft they are really nice but pricey, my cousin was able to get his from Z1 motorsports for his g35 for 1000 on sale. The carbon fiber is supposed to absorb vibrations so the ride quality was not effected that much and I personally didn't notice a change in vibration before and after the driveshaft was installed.

 

I brought my stock 2-piece driveshaft, a Solstice driveshaft, and the measurement needed to a local driveshaft shop. I was planning on having them make a 1 piece using the factory Solstice CV and the factory SC300 diff flange. The shop recommend I stick with the 2-piece since it was in good shape. They had a GM CV in stock so they grafted that on to the factory Lexus driveshaft and returned the Solstice shaft to me untouched. I still have the factory guibo on the diff too. I paid either $275 or $375, I can't remember.

I agree with you 2jzali, I do not see the need for all the adapters, u joints, and slip joint. The GM CV holds power in all of the modified GM vehicles and should provide a smoother rotation than u joints. Plus, with adapters there are many more bolts that can work themselves loose and more places for failure. I've had no issues with my driveshaft and would recommend this route.

I didn't have the chance to check on my Dakota Digital unit yet, but the wiring is fairly simple. 12V and ground to power the unit, GM signal in, and Toyota signal out. I also used the AR5 reverse light switch to the SC300 harness.