Mating H55F with Diesel B Engine in a 1978 BJ40 (2 Viewers)

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Dubai
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A few months ago I had bought a 5 speed transmission Toyota's H55F, which luckily I got with the correct top plate installed. Advantage is that I didn't have to cut the interior transmission cover. As per the seller, it came off a later model 40 series.

I have not been able to supervise the work myself due to pandemic related travel restrictions, so the information I am relaying here is as received from my cousin who was very kind to supervise to swap and the seller. Following parts were replaced/swapped:

1- Parking Brake Drum (yes being a 1978 model, the parking brake was attached to H41 split transfer case). The H41 parking brake drum won't fit the H55F. A compatible H55F drum was arranged. Apparently H55F came with vehicles which had parking brakes attached to transfer case also (not sure of further details of such vehicles. Please add to my knowledge)
2- The shorter spline shaft of the H55F was required to be replaced with a longer shaft to be able to host the parking brake drum. Photos included below
3- The cross member on the frame hosting the transmission mounting had to be replaced with a later model one, and also shifted slightly on the frame due to the longer length of the H55F. The earlier cross member would also clash with the front shaft due to it's shape, hence the later member cross member. No cutting and welding on frame. Riveted instead at the new location.
4- New gear mount
5- The H55F Transfer case lever was slightly bent to fit through the original hole on the transmission hump plate.
6- The parking brake drum was too close to the round pipe cross member of the frame, so minor adjustment was made to ensure there is a safe gap in the drum and the member.
7- Existing bell housing was used.
8- Shaft lengths were also adjusted. As I know the rear one was shortened. Not sure about the front one.

Some mechanic suggested that H55F won't work with B1 and B2 engines, because they don't produce enough torque. He was put wise by a senior, though the senior said that during uphill drive an immediate downshift would be required, unlike engines like 3B or 13B. Works like a charm as per my cousin who test drove it.

First some photos of the transmission when it was purchased in February 2020

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This shows how close the parking brake drum was to the round pipe cross member on the frame
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Yay, no cutting required on the hump. This is not the final position of the lever

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The correct top plate paid off big time. Sits perfectly in the original place

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Finalized installation. The new transmission allows for the 4WD engaged Indication to be enabled, which wasn't the case for H41 in my 1978. So there was no such indicator light on the dash. The workshop installed a Green light in place of my fog lamp switch which wasn't in use. I will definitely replace the light with a 40 period correct, and may also change the location, because fog lamps are yet to be installed.

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Just to clarify. The transmission and transfer case change was 8/80. 1/79 was a change to the tub and frame.

Do you know what transfer case shift lever you used?
 
Just to clarify. The transmission and transfer case change was 8/80. 1/79 was a change to the tub and frame.

Do you know what transfer case shift lever you used?
Noted and agreed on the 8/80 onwards for non split H41 transfer case.
transfer case shift lever is the same one which came with the H55F transmission I got.
 
Noted and agreed on the 8/80 onwards for non split H41 transfer case.
transfer case shift lever is the same one which came with the H55F transmission I got.


Do you know what market the H55F is from. Cruiser is obviously from another market. Diesel and RHD would not be a Middle East import. The two piece fat shifters are not from a 40 series. The knob on the transfer case shifter is from a 60 series which the transmission shift cane knob is from a 70 series. The transfer case in a 40 series with a H55F would have been back further about a 1". Here are a couple pictures of a 10/82+ inspection cover from a BJ42 with a five speed. Both shifters are from 70 series. Have both the shifters from the BJ42 that the transmission and inspection cover were from. Transfer case is the same LHD or RHD. Transmission cane has a bend in the RHD that the LHD doesn't have.
IMG_20200224_131901031.jpg
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Do you know what market the H55F is from. Cruiser is obviously from another market. Diesel and RHD would not be a Middle East import. The two piece fat shifters are not from a 40 series. The knob on the transfer case shifter is from a 60 series which the transmission shift cane knob is from a 70 series. The transfer case in a 40 series with a H55F would have been back further about a 1". Here are a couple pictures of a 10/82+ inspection cover from a BJ42 with a five speed. Both shifters are from 70 series. Have both the shifters from the BJ42 that the transmission and inspection cover were from. Transfer case is the same LHD or RHD. Transmission cane has a bend in the RHD that the LHD doesn't have.View attachment 2348892View attachment 2348893
Seller is a used parts dealer and I had to rely on his word that it came from a 40 Series. It is quite possible that it came from a 60 series. The knobs are replaced by the seller (you can see different shifter knob in earlier photos) and may not have been original for this transmission. As the seller said, the top plate was replaced on it so the shifter came up to the right spot and not towards the back. The transfer case shifter was given a further bend to make it forwards to avoid cutting the inner hump.
The cruiser is a BJ40RVKC which Probably is some General or European Market Vehicle Imported into Pakistan
 
Seller is a used parts dealer and I had to rely on his word that it came from a 40 Series. It is quite possible that it came from a 60 series. The knobs are replaced by the seller (you can see different shifter knob in earlier photos) and may not have been original for this transmission. As the seller said, the top plate was replaced on it so the shifter came up to the right spot and not towards the back. The transfer case shifter was given a further bend to make it forwards to avoid cutting the inner hump.
The cruiser is a BJ40RVKC which Probably is some General or European Market Vehicle Imported into Pakistan



Thank you for your response. So you imported the BJ40 to Dubai from Pakistan? I would be interested in your fog light switch if you still have it? Have some OEM fog lights I plan to use on my 79 FJ40. It will get a H55F as well as a PTO winch.

Do have a question about your crossmember. The BJ40 always had a transmission crossmember unlike the FJ40 which only got transmission crossmember after 8/80. I am curious what mod was needed to install the H55F? Was it just the rubber isolator. Or did the center section and L brackets on the frame need work also? I am familiar with the crossmembers for 8/80+ 40 series but know nothing about the early BJ40 crossmember. I'm sure others thinking of adding a H55F to their BJ40 would be interested to know what exactly you did. Also how you decided to add a hand brake to the transfer cases verses a read axle with a hand brake? Read axle would have had less interference with the torque but more challenging for the cable with a dash mounted handle.
 
Thank you for your response. So you imported the BJ40 to Dubai from Pakistan? I would be interested in your fog light switch if you still have it? Have some OEM fog lights I plan to use on my 79 FJ40. It will get a H55F as well as a PTO winch.

Do have a question about your crossmember. The BJ40 always had a transmission crossmember unlike the FJ40 which only got transmission crossmember after 8/80. I am curious what mod was needed to install the H55F? Was it just the rubber isolator. Or did the center section and L brackets on the frame need work also? I am familiar with the crossmembers for 8/80+ 40 series but know nothing about the early BJ40 crossmember. I'm sure others thinking of adding a H55F to their BJ40 would be interested to know what exactly you did. Also how you decided to add a hand brake to the transfer cases verses a read axle with a hand brake? Read axle would have had less interference with the torque but more challenging for the cable with a dash mounted handle.
My BJ40 is in Pakistan and will stay there. I work in Dubai, but visit often.

The transmission cross member on the BJ40 would clash with the front drive shaft due to its shape. So an 8/80 onwards cross member and a new transmission mount were installed. No other mods to the frame. Let me include a few photos of the ones installed in this reply.

The parking brake drum is installed on the transfer case and the parking brake is installed on the dash. I was given a chance/option to shift the hand brake to the rear axles, but mods were increasing and expenses getting out of hand, so decided to stick to the parking brake with the transfer case. What I understood from the supplier and the mechanic, is that there were some H55’s that came with parking brake on the transfercase, so they sourced the compatible drum to be installed on mine.

Are you based in Dubai? I can arrange for a fog light switch once I visit, but I am keeping mine since I have the oem fog lights (waiting for brackets). I’ll relocate the indicator light elsewhere

This is the drum which was sourced and is now installed on the transfer case

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Old shafts and the gear bracket/cross member which came off (shaft lengths were also adjusted)

47C456BD-4F35-48FA-839E-593AD3D876F6.jpeg


Photo from my cousin's FJ40 2F mated with a H55F. Mine has a similar arrangement now, but I don't have the photos of mine at the moment.

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My BJ40 is in Pakistan and will stay there. I work in Dubai, but visit often.

The transmission cross member on the BJ40 would clash with the front drive shaft due to its shape. So an 8/80 onwards cross member and a new transmission mount were installed. No other mods to the frame. Let me include a few photos of the ones installed in this reply.

The parking brake drum is installed on the transfer case and the parking brake is installed on the dash. I was given a chance/option to shift the hand brake to the rear axles, but mods were increasing and expenses getting out of hand, so decided to stick to the parking brake with the transfer case. What I understood from the supplier and the mechanic, is that there were some H55’s that came with parking brake on the transfercase, so they sourced the compatible drum to be installed on mine.

Are you based in Dubai? I can arrange for a fog light switch once I visit, but I am keeping mine since I have the oem fog lights (waiting for brackets). I’ll relocate the indicator light elsewhere

This is the drum which was sourced and is now installed on the transfer case

View attachment 2349092

Old shafts and the gear bracket/cross member which came off (shaft lengths were also adjusted)

View attachment 2349093

Photo from my cousin's FJ40 2F mated with a H55F. Mine has a similar arrangement now, but I don't have the photos of mine at the moment.

View attachment 2349099

No not from Dubai, if I were would make sourcing parts much easier. Retired and would have to go back to work to afford it. I live in the Southwest in America. Here in the US the H55F was never offered in any model. May have been a few 70 series that made they way south from Canada in the mid eighties but were never imported directly by Toyota. It's a loop hole that the dealers here can even get new H55Fs. Think it was around ten years of searching before I was able to locate a H55F from a 40 series without taking out a mortgage on my home to pay for it. That was only because a member in Australia offer to help. Had no interest in having a shifter further back which the 60/70 series top cover both do.

The 8/80+ crossmembers actually came in two versions.8/80-9/82 and 10/82+. The H55F started 10/82. At that time Toyota redesigned the crossmember for better front driveshaft clearance. I have been able to collect a few 40 series crossmembers. First for the 8/80-9/82 for a four speed than a few 10/82+ that work with the five speed.

Still interested in the fog light switch if you willing to post. Not in any rush. Still collecting.parts but getting closer to finding everything.

IMG_20200621_122907847.jpg
 
No not from Dubai, if I were would make sourcing parts much easier. Retired and would have to go back to work to afford it. I live in the Southwest in America. Here in the US the H55F was never offered in any model. May have been a few 70 series that made they way south from Canada in the mid eighties but were never imported directly by Toyota. It's a loop hole that the dealers here can even get new H55Fs. Think it was around ten years of searching before I was able to locate a H55F from a 40 series without taking out a mortgage on my home to pay for it. That was only because a member in Australia offer to help. Had no interest in having a shifter further back which the 60/70 series top cover both do.

The 8/80+ crossmembers actually came in two versions.8/80-9/82 and 10/82+. The H55F started 10/82. At that time Toyota redesigned the crossmember for better front driveshaft clearance. I have been able to collect a few 40 series crossmembers. First for the 8/80-9/82 for a four speed than a few 10/82+ that work with the five speed.

Still interested in the fog light switch if you willing to post. Not in any rush. Still collecting.parts but getting closer to finding everything.

View attachment 2349205
Let me see if I can arrange a fog lamp switch and get it posted to you in the US. I’ll get in touch with you via PM once I get one, to get address details
 
It doesn’t matter if you have a 3, 4 or 5 speed - the B series engines are all gutless. I have h55f’s in two 3B powered 40’s and the lower 1st gear and overdrive are nice when they can be used.
I have a 1980 Bj-40. Bought a 1983 3B engine with 5 speed trans many years ago. Just getting around to putting it in. Trying to figure out what is best to make this happen.
Is this something you have done in the past? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Jack
 

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