1969 FJ40 Stuck in 4WD (1 Viewer)

[PipFin]

1969 FJ40 with 1978 2F. 3 on column - vacuum 4wd system

Hi - My rig is stuck in 4wd. I'm wondering if it's linkage issue in the 4H-N-4L lever, or vacuum issue in the FD knob?
The truck will not move unless the 4H-4L knob is in Neutral. If it's in 4H or 4L and I put it in 1st gear or reverse, it goes nowhere, the clutch comes out and it's as if its in neutral.
It doesn't seem to matter whether the FD knob is in or pulled out or if hubs are locked or not.
I'd appreciate any thoughts!

 

[Shark56]

Check the linkage that goes down the firewall then back to the top of the transfer case. It has a couple ball joints and is threaded in spots.
You can move the High- Low shifter on top of transfer case by hand.

 

[PipFin]

Check the linkage that goes down the firewall then back to the top of the transfer case. It has a couple ball joints and is threaded in spots.
You can move the High- Low shifter on top of transfer case by hand.

Thanks much - I'll try that today

 

[middlecalf]

Was something rebuilt recently? Do you have an FD indicator light, and does it come on when the FD knob is pulled (engine running)?

 

[coinoperated40]

Years ago my vacuum control froze up . I was in Cape Cod at the time during a whiteout situation. Next day torn into it and found it frozen. Just another idea. Looks like you are up north with all that weather coming through

 

[PipFin]

Was something rebuilt recently? Do you have an FD indicator light, and does it come on when the FD knob is pulled (engine running)?

Hi - nothing rebuilt recently. It doesn't have an indicator light, previous owner must have changed it? Here are some pics

 

[PipFin]

Thanks much - I'll try that today

Is the H/L shift lever supposed to be really sloppy? It's mushy and hard to figure out if its in High Low or Neutral

 

[firemanj92]

Is the H/L shift lever supposed to be really sloppy? It's mushy and hard to figure out if its in High Low or Neutral

No-not mushy. It has obvious indent stops.

 

[65swb45]

The bolted on pin on your H-L lever is supposed to sit BEHIND the large washer on the 4WD cable, pulling the cable into 4WD position as you move from H to L. Sitting in front of the washer, it may not return to H.

Try removing the bolt and see what happens.

 

[Toyo_Judson]

JIC it wasn't obvious...

Edit to add: Mark gets all the credit, I just drew the circle-ish egg, square boxish thing...

 

[PipFin]

Thanks - I noticed that too, but the 4H-L lever is so sloppy it sometimes pulls out the FD lever and sometimes not. I just manually pull the FW lever. With that in mind, regardless of whether the FW knob is in or out, the truck only moves if the 4H-L lever is in Neutral. If it's not in neutral, it doesn't matter what gear I'm in (1,2,3 or R) the clutch releases and the truck goes nowhere.

I had it in a local shop for an electrical short that I couldn't find (turned out to be short in voltage regulator) last week. The shop has good mechanics and they work on classic cars, but not Land Cruisers specifically. When I left the shop to drive it home, it was stuck in 4WD. I went back to the shop the next day and they said they had the same issue (which was not happening when I brought it to them btw). They mentioned that they had played around with the "4WD shifter lever" on the floor. I pointed out that that's not a 4WD shifter, it's the PTO shifter for the original style winch. Does anyone think the PTO-drive winch could be part of the issue?

 

[mrboatman]

The PTO gear box is a different gear box from the transfer-case. The PTO MUST be in natural when you are driving or you will have other issues. It sounds like you need to check your H/L shift linkage. Mine can seem a little sloppy or mushy also but I can feel it shift into and out of gear either H or L. It sounds like your linkage rods are way out of adjustment and not shifting from Low thru N into High

 

[PipFin]

Thanks - PTO is in neutral. I can feel when it's in H N or L, but it takes a real touch to get it right. I agree it could be a linkage issue. I need to get under there and have someone shift it through H-N-L while I watch to see if it changes the lever on the transfer case.

Why would the truck not move while in H or L right now though I wonder?

When I pull or push the FD knob, I can hear an idle change, so I assume the vacuum system is working. But maybe not? I'm going to change the vacuum hose coming off the manifold just to be sure because there is a little cracking due to age.

 

[mrboatman]

the FD knob controls vacuum at the front nose cone of the transfer-case. The vacuum controls a slide ring on the shaft to send power to the front axle. It has nothing to do with your truck moving. I suspect you are only shifting from L to N and when in N you go nowhere even if your transmission is in gear any gear.

 

[65swb45]

I have seen three instances where the pivot that screws into the passenger side engine mount on the bell housing has gotten daddy loose. Once was a pivot pin worn that had worn down. Once was a pin unscrewing from the mount. And the third, the simplest, was that the nut and washer were gone, and the pivot was walking off the pin.

 

[PipFin]

the FD knob controls vacuum at the front nose cone of the transfer-case. The vacuum controls a slide ring on the shaft to send power to the front axle. It has nothing to do with your truck moving. I suspect you are only shifting from L to N and when in N you go nowhere even if your transmission is in gear any gear.

That makes sense, thank you. If I discover the linkage to not be moving it through H - N - L, how do I adjust the linkage? Start with lubrication I assume but then what?

 

[PipFin]

I have seen three instances where the pivot that screws into the passenger side engine mount on the bell housing has gotten daddy loose. Once was a pivot pin worn that had worn down. Once was a pin unscrewing from the mount. And the third, the simplest, was that the nut and washer were gone, and the pivot was walking off the pin.

Ok thank you. This would be a great place for me to start checking the linkage.

 

[mrboatman]

That makes sense, thank you. If I discover the linkage to not be moving it through H - N - L, how do I adjust the linkage? Start with lubrication I assume but then what?

All of the linkage rods have threaded adjustment points on the ends. As @65swb45 said it is most likely at the triangle pivot point like something has come loose or fallen off or out (possibly cotter pin) Let us know what you find

 

[firemanj92]

All of the linkage rods have threaded adjustment points on the ends. As @65swb45 said it is most likely at the triangle pivot point like something has come loose or fallen off or out (possibly cotter pin) Let us know what you find

All but 1 are right hand thread with a lock nut. Only one is a left hand thread, (If I remember it's the long rod on shifter linkage on transmission not transfer case-I found out the hard way). If new rod ends are needed, Toyo still sells the R-hand thread #33740-35011 (RH) and 33750-35011 (LH)

 

[projectTuRD]

I’m having this same issue after not driving the truck for a while.
I changed the clutch master and slave, and had the transfer case shifting mechanism off the firewall for a bit while I cleaned things up.
Now the truck doesn’t move in high and grinds but won’t go into gear in low.
That may be a clutch slave rod adjustment though.
Right now the rod just makes contact with the lever, not sure if it’s supposed to put more pressure on it at rest?