1976 FJ40 4 speed to 5 speed H55F Conversion Attempt (1 Viewer)

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Rooster47

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Fossil, OR
Well, my FJ40 has been sitting idle for too long. It's been about a year since I realized I had a transfercase problem and parked it. My son is turning 16 in a few months, and I guess I feel better about sinking some more money into the land cruiser to get it back on the road than I do about buying some other vehicle for him to drive.

Since the transfercase has an issue I have pretty well decided to use it as an excuse to swap out the tranny/transfercase combo for the 5speed h55F/transfercase combo.

I would like to keep it as simple as possible, but of course it sounds like there are a few things I'll need to get figured out.
I've gotten some pricing and information from Cruiser Outfitters, and one thing I need to figure out is the parking brake situation. We use the parking brake a lot around here, opening 2 gates to leave the property, so I can't just delete it.

So my first question is - Does anyone have alternative parking brake solutions (with ease of acquiring/installing as a priority) ?
 
These guys have one that mounts on the rear driveshaft. I'm not sure how thrilled with that idea I am if there's any clearance problems.

They also have brackets and rear calipers with a parking brake. From what I understand the pull type handle doesn't have enough oomf to hold. I'm curious if that could be resolved with a longer lever arm on the caliper or something.


I still have drum in the rear, but I've convinced myself I should put lockers in, and since I'll be pulling the rear axle shafts anyways, I might as well pull the dust shields and put disc on the rear. Then I might as well sort out having a parking brake.

Do some searching, there's lots of options.
 
You can buy all the OEM splitcase drum brake parts but that money is far better spent on converting the rear brakes to 8/80-up spec if you are willing to do some fabrication to mount a floor brake handle.
Two 12” drums at the actual wheels versus a single 6” drum on the driveshaft, they just work so much better as a parking and actual emergency brake it’s no comparison.
 
You can buy all the OEM splitcase drum brake parts but that money is far better spent on converting the rear brakes to 8/80-up spec if you are willing to do some fabrication to mount a floor brake handle.
Two 12” drums at the actual wheels versus a single 6” drum on the driveshaft, they just work so much better as a parking and actual emergency brake it’s no comparison.
Okay, sounding good. What do I search for to research this option?
 
x2 on the late rear axle with PB. I mounted the handle on the trans hump. Not sure when the axles changed (bearing). I know my 73 axles would not work with the later housing.
 
x2 on the late rear axle with PB. I mounted the handle on the trans hump. Not sure when the axles changed (bearing). I know my 73 axles would not work with the later housing.

8/80 is when the rear axle change where everything had the hand brake except the HJ47, BJ45 and FJ45. Even those can easily be converted to hand brakes. The 60 series and 70 series shared the same brske components for many years. Hardest part today is finding a reasonably priced housing to start with it.
 
A handful of options for park brake w/split case

1. OEM park brake on the back of the split case. The problem is sourcing the rear bearing retainer, they are worth a bit of $$. We have the shaft and drum new. I can get the retainer but it adds ~$1k to a build.

2. Aftermarket park brake mounted to t-case. TSM offers a solution.

3. Convert to the 80+ rear axle with the built in park brake. The brakes are much better imo, single wheel cylinder, etc. Housings can be hard to find but they are out there. This is the best solution IMO

4. Convert to rear disc brakes and use calipers with built in park brake. TSM and others offer this as well.

5. Convert to a 6x (wider) or 7x (similar width) rear axle with the integrated park brake. Both will require relocating the perch as well as the shock mounts on early 40's

6. Use the FJ Company adapters: FJCO Rear Axle Housing Adaptor - https://store.fj.co/products/fjco-rear-axle-housing-adaptor
 
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If ease of acquiring and installing are your priority, call Georg Esterer and he will build you the whole combo. H55F, split case and OEM parking brake. I also chose a lower gear in the TC and a reproduction shifter for the TC. It was not cheap, but it’s all there in one step.
 
I put an H55/Split case in my 40.... with a late 40 series rear axle with parking brake. Mounted the PB handle on the trans hump... that's the "best" solution IMO.
 

All the FJ60 brake parts are available new, backing plates, drums etc. I use this with the 40 parking brake cable (or RJ77 cable for stretched wheelbase applications) and 70 series parking brake handle/bracket. 60 and 80 handles work as well.

No it is not as simple as possible but it is the best parking brake you can have
 
Also the transmission hump is going to take a lot of modifications to work

Lots.
Doing one as well. Looking at a 1” body lift as part of the solution.
 
A handful of options for park brake w/split case

1. OEM park brake on the back of the split case. The problem is sourcing the rear bearing retainer, they are worth a bit of $$. We have the shaft and drum new. I can get the retainer but it adds ~$1k to a build.

2. Aftermarket park brake mounted to t-case. TSM offers a solution.

3. Convert to the 80+ rear axle with the built in park brake. The brakes are much better imo, single wheel cylinder, etc. Housings can be hard to find but they are out there. This is the best solution IMO

4. Convert to rear disc brakes and use calipers with built in park brake. TSM and others offer this as well.
Or get a 70 series rear axle with parking brake, modify perches.
 
Or get a 70 series rear axle with parking brake, modify perches.

Definitely worth adding to the list.

FJ Company also has conversion brackets to use the 1980+ stuff on the earlier axle housing.
 
I dont want to drill or cut the tranny hump, why can’t the original under dash lever be used? I have a 78. I have el dorado disk brakes in the rear and they are provisioned for a cable e-brake. I’ve just never got around to figuring out the custom cabling. After the H55F conversion, I considered a line lock for a cheap e brake solution.
 
To get an H55 to fit under that hump you will already be heavily modifying the hump.

Get over that.

The only ElDorado calipers I’ve ever seen work on a Cruiser successfully as eBrakes used an EStopp electric cable actuated puller.

Info about it in the Hate it or Love it 45 thread

You can spend the money on an lengthened cable from California Push Pull but there is just poor leverage in the design and the brakes never work right
 
I am installing an H42 with split case and have the same "problem".
1. I already have rear disk brakes which I love and don't want to go back to drums
2. I also wanted to keep the under dash parking break handle.
3. Like Nolen said I never heard of the disk calipers with parking break working properly
So, I went with parking brake drum on the split case

If I still had stock rear drums, and the FJco adapters had been available when I ordered parts, then I might have chosen the FJco route.
 
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