1985 BJ 60 Trans in 1980 BJ40

[Jersey Boy]

I have a 4 speed trans in my 1980 BJ40. Have a chance of getting a trans from 1980 BJ60 will it be a direct mount? Many modifications?

Thanks!!

[lowenbrau]

Your subject says 1985 BJ60 trans and the message body says 1980. Which is it? Is the BJ60 trans a five speed?

[Jersey Boy]

Sorry reposted it with correct info.

I have a 1980 BJ40 Man. Date Jan with the B motor.

Want to swap 1985 BJ60 5 speed trans.

Thanks

[lowenbrau]

Ah, ok

1) Your shift tower is going to come up under the heater and you'll have to modify the trans tunnel. This can be solved by getting a shift tower top plate from a BJ42/5speed but they are very rare.

2) Your t-case won't work with the five speed, you'll need to get a split case from a five speed but not the 1985 one. The 1985 one will have a vacuum shifter and won't likely clear the frame. One from a 1983, or 1984 BJ60 or BJ42 would be fine as would a 1985 BJ70.

3) You'll lose your parking brake. The parts are available from a non North American application to put a parking brake on a split case but it is very rare and costly.

4) Your driveshafts will need to be modified. The rear one will be 3" shorter and the front 3" longer.


A lot of these problems can be overcome by moving the engine ahead 3" but that opens more cans of worms.

[Jersey Boy]

Well thats out then. I drive a lot on the highway and I want to put a 5 speed in the 1980 BJ40 I have. I am looking for the best way to do this. I would put a NV4500 in there but know one makes the bell housing for the diesels?

Any suggestions or know where I can locate a five speed trans. Live in US so hard to come by here.

Thanks

[lowenbrau]

Cheapest solution would be to buy some bigger tires ( rubber overdrive ) or some 3.7 gears for the diffs.

Then, if you miss your low first gear, swap an H41 trans in. Its still a four speed but with a ~5:1 first gear. Direct bolt in if you get the right one.

I've driven a lot of four speed Land Cruisers though and frankly, I'd just let it scream.

[Jersey Boy]

So if I get a trans from a 1985 BJ70 this will be a straight fit?

Do I need to buy the transfer case with it?

Will the parking brake be ok with the 1985 BJ70?

Jack

[lowenbrau]

Originally Posted by Jersey Boy

So if I get a trans from a 1985 BJ70 this will be a straight fit?

Do I need to buy the transfer case with it?

Will the parking brake be ok with the 1985 BJ70?

Jack

Nope
see above
Nope

[Jersey Boy]

Sorry now I now why it says rookie next to my name.

What will I have to buy if I buy a 1985 bj70 transmission with the transfer case?


I cannot use either trasfer case?

Thanks for your trouble.

[lowenbrau]

1) Your shift tower is going to come up under the heater and you'll have to modify the trans tunnel. This can be solved by getting a shift tower top plate from a BJ42/5speed but they are very rare.

2) Your t-case won't work with the five speed, you'll need to get a split case from a five speed but not the 1985 one. The 1985 one will have a vacuum shifter and won't likely clear the frame. One from a 1983, or 1984 BJ60 or BJ42 would be fine as would a 1985 BJ70.

3) You'll lose your parking brake. The parts are available from a non North American application to put a parking brake on a split case but it is very rare and costly.

4) Your driveshafts will need to be modified. The rear one will be 3" shorter and the front 3" longer.


The only item the BJ70 trans will address is #2

you still have 1, 3 and 4 to solve

[Jersey Boy]

Thanks

[seapotato]

Ok, I did this very thing a few years back, 85 bj60 drive train ( I took the 3b as well) into a 79 bj40.

the shifter thing isn't that big of a deal, just cut a new hole, in the trans tunnel and bend the shifter a bit, or find another trans cover from a newer 40 or 42 and cut it, but the only real clearance issue is with the shifter in reverse or second, it can hit the seats, so it's just a bend if forward deal.

my 85 bj60 didn't have a vaccuum shifter so I didn't have that problem?

parking brake, there's ways to do a disc parking brake on the back of a split case, or you could find a bj42 rear end that has a parking brake.

or, put it in anyways, and deal with the parking brake some other time....( like in my case, maybe 6 years later, tho I havent' actually done it yet...)

driveshafts will need messing with. shortening is not a big deal, lengthening can be, tho you can often get away with putting the slip yoke end of a minitruck driveshaft on,as the extra length of the slip yoke with sometimes get you the length you need. cheap and easy, may require redrilling of the pinion flange.

[Jersey Boy]

I am wondering why on the SOR site it says 5 speed trans and transer case for bj40, bj60 and bj 70?

Item # 066500b.

I guess the brake kit you are talking about is item #066500ab-kit.

My bj40 was made in January of 1980 so the break kit I believe would be the correct one.

I talked with them on the phone and they told me that it would go right in?

Thanks again!!!

[cruiser_guy]

Originally Posted by Jersey Boy

I am wondering why on the SOR site it says 5 speed trans and transer case for bj40, bj60 and bj 70?

Item # 066500b.

I guess the brake kit you are talking about is item #066500ab-kit.

My bj40 was made in January of 1980 so the break kit I believe would be the correct one.

I talked with them on the phone and they told me that it would go right in?

Thanks again!!!

Read the fine print!! SOR does NOT include the top cover with the tranny usually, you buy that extra.

[Henry James the 47th]

I'll chime in, though previous posters have made most of the points already.

If your truck came out of Australia, it will likely have the transfer case-mounted parking brake. It's easy to tell - just follow the rear driveshaft up to the transfer and see what it connects to at the u-joint flange. If it connects to what looks like a little drum brake, then you have the parking brake. Or, you could trace the parking brake cable from the lever and see if it goes to the transfer or to the rear axle.

The five speed H55-F is essentially the same looking unit as the four speed H41/H42, with the principal difference being that an extra casing is bolted to the back of the case to accommodate the 5th gear (and the ratios are different, but that's not so important here). That extra casing adds 9 cm of length to the transmission, which is why the drive shafts will need re-configuring - not a big deal.

What is a bigger deal is that this extra length of the 5-speed casing pushes the whole works very close to the rear cross-member. It also makes for a more severe departure angle for the rear drive shaft.

The 1980 trucks did not have the split case, and the transmission was attached differently to the chassis then the later 40s. The 5-speed is made to work with a separate support member, so if you want to go with a 5 speed, you will need to obtain a later 40 series cross member, or obtain a 60 series cross-member and modify it. Welding will likely be involved.

The top loader plate on the 5-speed places the shift lever stick further back - as Seapotato said, this means that the shifter cane can run into the front edge of the seats in 2nd and 4th. All that is needed to make this work is:

-heat and re-bend the shifter cane a little bit forward so that it clears.

-the shifter cover plate in the cab floor will not work with the 60/70 series top loader without modification. The holes in the plate need to be re-located rearward. There was a 40 series with the 5-speed, that have a different top loader which fits the tranny cover plate perfectly, but there top loaders are, as I read once, "rarer than rocking horse shit". So, don't worry about that.

The other issue with transfer cases is that the early one (1981~1984) have a smaller idler shaft and different gear ratio than the later transfer cases. The ramification of this is that an early type transfer needs to go with an early type 5 speed, and vice-versa.

And you will need a transfer with mechanical shifting, not vacuum shifting.

clear as 'Mud?

Take some pictures of your current set up and post them so we can see exactly what you have to work with.

In the meantime, check out this thread by poser, where he retrofits a 5-speed into an FJ40 - this will give you a pretty clear idea as to what is involved:

http://forum.ih8mud.com/40-55-series...40-series.html

Here's another thread that might be of interest:

http://forum.ih8mud.com/40-55-series...n-78-bj40.html

Although it sounds complicated, the 5-speed conversion isn't too difficult for those with fabrication skills and equipment, patience and some $$$ Otherwise, rubber overdrive is the way to go.

[Jersey Boy]

So if I have this right. If I get a 1985 5 speed trans with transfer case out of bj0.
To put in on my January 1980 BJ40 with B motor.

1) Make sure trans does not have vacum shifter?
How can you tell by looking at it the trans is in BC I am here in NJ and will have to tell him how to check.

2) Ask him for the cross member also so I can use it on the BJ40 I saw on one of your attachments that it should bolt right in. I own a full service machine shop and have welder if needed.

3) purchase split case brake kit. (I live on a hill and have three little ones)

4) I can heat up and move stick with what I have in the shop.

5) Am I going to also need new clutch set up?

6) Cutting hole to move back shifter should not be a problem.

7) The length of the new shafts I can make on the lathe I would think?

Anything I am forgetting here!!!

[Jersey Boy]

By the way my truck is out of Canada!!!

[cruiser_guy]

Originally Posted by Jersey Boy

Ask him for the cross member also so I can use it on the BJ40.

You will NOT need the crossmember. The BJ40 uses a crossmember under the bellhousing while the '60 uses a crossmember under the tranny. Keep the old bellhousing and use that crossmember. You will need to check driveshaft clearances though.

The narrower BJ40 frame will make using the '60 crossmember awkward anyways.

[seapotato]

the 5 speed crossmember is quite different from the 4 speed, it has that big dip in it so the driveshaft can clear, I used the 60 crossmember in my 40, and again in my 45, cutting an inch or so off each end and moving the crossmember brackets on the 40 back till they lined up with it.

so you could probably go either way. bearing in mind if you add much lift to the truck ever, the front driveshaft to crossmember clearance could be a problem with the 4 speed crossmember.

[Jersey Boy]

How do I tell if the trans has a vaccuum shifter on it or does not. I need to tell the guy I am buying it from to check.

Thanks

[lowenbrau]

Canadian spec BJ70s did not have the vacuum shifter.

[cruiser_guy]

Originally Posted by seapotato

I used the 60 crossmember in my 40, and again in my 45, cutting an inch or so off each end and moving the crossmember brackets on the 40 back till they lined up with it.

I did this with the FJ55 too. If I had the BJ40 type mount on the '55 I'd have used that which is what I did on my FJ45LV. I thought there was more than an inch that had to come off of each end of the '60 mount to fit the narrower frame of the '55.

[lowenbrau]

Canadian spec 1985 BJ60 t-cases had a vacuum shifter.

[lowenbrau]

OK, you seem pretty committed to putting a five speed into this rig in spite of the challenges... cool

Your best option is to sell it and by an 83 -84 BJ42

Next best, buy and 81-82 BJ42 and do the 5 speed swap. It already has brakes on the wheels, and under the trans crossmember, and a splitcase.

Both above options would get you a 3B diesel rather than your B and that would help get you into a power range where you'd actually use fifth.

Worst option, keep your BJ40 and put a five speed into it.


You can't use the t-case from the '85 BJ60 as has been said before. Find one from a '83 or '84 BJ60 as has been said before or an 1985 BJ70 (will have wrong flanges) as has been said before. Get the parking drum for a split case or swap out your rear axle housing for one from an '82-84 FJ40 or BJ42. ( I think this was said before) Probably even a BJ70 would work.

New info, your clutch is not quite the same as later versions but will likely work. If you get the one from the new tranny and its any good, use it. Be sure to get the throw out bearing retainer and clutch fork with the new tranny and if you get the bellhousing and clutch slave at the same time you'll be assured that you have what you need and can mix and match with your old stuff. Order a new clutch disc from the dealer. You'll end up with a spot for a tach sender as well and then you'll be able to see that you weren't actually revving that high in the first place.

See if you can get the t-case linkages from the donor t-case. I cant remember when Toyota went to the shifter-in-a-shifter for the transmission. Probably 85. It was basically a hollow shell over the shifter shaft with rubber poured in the middle. You won't have any luck bending it. You need a solid one from and earlier truck.

[Jersey Boy]

Would this way be easier?

Buy a 1985 BJ70 parts truck for 2 Grand and put the 3B motor and 5 trans case and trans in my BJ40 land cruiser?

However the BJ60 is 12 volt and my BJ40 is 24Volt?

Does that open up a whole new can of worms?

[lowenbrau]

What is the parts truck? 1985 BJ60 or BJ70?

[Jersey Boy]

BJ70

[Jersey Boy]

1985 Bj70

[Spore]

I did a 4sp to 5sp (h55f splitcase) conversion on a '81 bj42. Donor was an '85 60. Granted there are differences as pointed out in responses above, but here are some observations I made...

-bellhousing, clutch, crossmember, tranny mount were all interchangable.

-output shaft flange on the 5sp had to be swapped with the one from the 4sp.

-rear driveshaft had to be shortened 3" and the front lengthened 3" to accomodate the extra 3" length of the 5sp case. Cost me US$40 per shaft for a driveline specialist to do it.

-New holes had to made to accomodate the shifters, which also coming up further back. Fabricating a new piece altogether is actually not that expensive.

-Tranny sits only 1.5" away from the fuel tank, making it impossible to change the clutch or perform internal tranny service without pulling the engine. The tranny was in fact installed attached to the engine as one unit. Not that these engines are that difficult to remove, but it is more hassle.

-Make sure the donor is a diesel - I know of someone who tried to be 'inexpensive' and use a gasser donor. Input shafts are different in at least having a different number of splines.

I have been driving the conversion since April and the 5sp difference is amazing! Much higher top speed and better mileage!

Cheers and good luck...

[lowenbrau]

the 24 to 12 stuff is no biggie.
Use the starter motor, alternator and glow system from the BJ40.
You can use the 70 rear axle and get a parking brake.
You'll have to meld the parking brake systems
You'll have to meld the throttle cables, they're not the same.
You'll have to customize the crossmember.
You'll still have to do driveshafts. (might get lucky and be able to use a BJ70 one)
You still have the shifter issues.

This one is for sale for $3000 if the other parts rig falls though. It's 24 Volt.