The gear driven RF1A Toyota transfer case found in 1979-1995 4 cylinder pickups and 4Runners fits the needs of many wheelers. It offers a strong, lightweight package with growing aftermarket support. These transfer cases have been used in numerous pickups, 4Runners, buggies, and even Jeeps! Everything from dual transfer case adapters, low range gear sets, twin sticks, and low profile crossmembers are available for Toyota transfer cases from a bevy of aftermarket sources. The RF1A is lighter and less expensive than a Dana 300, though they are not as easy to “clock” and do not allow front wheel drive operation.

When Advance Adapters released their “Trail Tamer” gears in a 5:1 ratio, we could not wait to get our hands on a set. 4:1 and 4.7:1 gears have been available from Advance Adapters for quite some time, but the 5:1 gears are new to the market and are the lowest ratio available for the Toyota transfer case at this time. The 5:1 gears offer a low range that is 120% lower than the stock 2.28 gearing. For those requiring the ultimate in strength and versatility, Advance Adapters also recently released a 5:1 version of their famous Atlas II transfer case.

While these gears can easily be installed in an afternoon by a competent home mechanic with common tools, we chose to have authorized Advance Adapters dealer Inchworm Rock Walkin’ Gear install our gears. Inchworm’s chief mechanic Clint Borel installs gears in Toyota transfer cases on a daily basis and offered a lot of tips to make the job easier for those performing the work at home. The following is intented to supplement the detailed instructions provided by Advance Adapters.

When in high range the Trail Tamer gears run quiet and cool, just like stock. However once the transfer case lever is shifted into low range the difference from stock is instantly recognizable. The largest obstacles can be overcome at idle, instead of relying on momentum as necessary in the past. For those requiring even lower gear reduction, an Advance Adapters or Inchworm dual transfer case adapter can be used to mate two RF1A transfer cases together. The beauty of these new 5:1 Trail Tamer gears, however, is that they do not require any crossmember, driveshaft, or floor modifications in order to gain more control on the trail, making them very cost effective.