1979 score (1 Viewer)

[Scott Campbell]

Not long ago, I posted about my 1980 ext cab. It's been doing great. Went to Moab couple times & ran a few local trails. When I brought the '80 home, my neighbor was checking it out & told me he had one to sell. Things finally came together & I got to drag it home.
It is a 1979 with title. The poor thing is pretty beat, but still can be a good driver. Carb missing, tie rod bent, driver front shock mount tore off, hood all kinds of twisted, & bottom of bed cut off. Plus other small stuff. Shame cause this is a well optioned truck. It has power steering, tilt wheel, & A/C. Well, used to have A/C. Compressor is gone.
This truck could donate a bunch of good parts to the '80, but it's too close to being a driver. I don't think I can part it. Hooked up a battery & it turned over well. Guess I have to get it running. It'll have to wait til I finish my LUV engine swap.

Do all the early trucks have messed up shifters? (Sorry, haven't done a search.) When in 4lo, you can't shift into 2nd without hitting xcase shifter. Looks like the shifter only mounts one way. I thought the PO had bent the shifter in the '80, but the '79 is same.

 

[Mudder]

She is rough. The only real thing I have on shifting from 4wd to 2wd is my truck has to be moving forward slowly to complete the shift.

 

[pappy]

Do all the early trucks have messed up shifters? (Sorry, haven't done a search.) When in 4lo, you can't shift into 2nd without hitting xcase shifter. Looks like the shifter only mounts one way. I thought the PO had bent the shifter in the '80, but the '79 is same.

I wouldn't say the shifters are messed up. When in 4WD the case does get bound up a bit. Mudder rolls forward, which works. I put the truck in reverse, give the clutch a little bump while pushing lightly on the TC shifter, and it shifts back to 2H no problem. There is no need to force anything.

 

[PAToyota]

Do all the early trucks have messed up shifters? (Sorry, haven't done a search.) When in 4lo, you can't shift into 2nd without hitting xcase shifter. Looks like the shifter only mounts one way. I thought the PO had bent the shifter in the '80, but the '79 is same.

Take a look at the t-case shifter again. I remember I once got mine in backwards on the '85 and had similar issues with the two levers interfering.

 

[H8PVMNT]

Gotta keep every 1st gen going we can!

 

[Scott Campbell]

There isn't any binding, just shifting to 2nd physically pushes the tcase shifter from 4LO to 4HI. I thought the '80 was bent due to other truck mods. The '79 is exactly the same. When I had the trans shifter out, it didn't look messed with. The tcase shifter is straight, looks stock. Years ago I had a '89 with no shifter issues, but can't remember how it looked. I guess the trans shifter is backwards? I'll swap it & see if it hits the dash.
1st pic is 1st gear 2HI
2nd is 2nd gear 2HI
3rd is 1st gear 4LO
4th is 2nd gear after pushing into 4HI

View attachment 1725740

 

[pappy]

Put the shifter in 4H.
Remove shifter.
Turn it 180*.
Reinstall.

 

[Scott Campbell]

will try that. thanks.

 

[Scott Campbell]

OK. Was the tcase shifter. How does that happen? In three months, I buy two similar trucks with the same problem in the same small town. Both trucks have lots of miles since the bad install according to dirt & grease. Thanks for the help.

 

[pappy]

Glad it was easy. It usually is. BTW, PAToyota said it first.

Take a look at the t-case shifter again. I remember I once got mine in backwards on the '85 and had similar issues with the two levers interfering.

 

[KLF]

It happens because it looks more correct when it is installed backwards. Done it myself.

 

[Prairie Swamp]

Save that thing! Makes me feel better about my rusty (but complete) 82.