3 vs 4 speed

[TCEd]

For a FJ40 that would be a rural driver, occasionally off road is there any real disadvantage with either transmission ?
Are all 3 speed column shift ? or did they move to floor at some year ?
and yes I've driven many manual g'box vehicles over the years. Just trying to narrow the field some.

ed

 

[Krondor]

The three speed will probably do you just fine. Not all 3 speeds are column shifts. The FJ25 came with a 4 speed on the floor. It went to a three speed on the tree in '61. In 1972, the column shifting was moved back to the floor. The three speed column shifts just like the three speed on the floor. It uses the same shift pattern just in and out instead of left to right.

 

[thecrazygreek]

Both the 3 and 4 speed transmissions have the same top gear. So max speed will be the same at same rev. The 3 speed did go to the floor I believe in 72 or 73. (IIRC) You may come across from time to time earlier years with the shifter on the floor that may even look OEM like my 64. However mine was a Toyota option that was dealer installed when new.

Three speeds are retro cool...

 

[brian]

Downey off-road often states that he sold more of floor shift conversion parts, than cruisers imported with the column shift.

 

[Downey]

Evidently the 1964-72 had a 3on the tree, 1973 had a 3 on the floor, then 1974-newer had a 4 on the floor. When Downey Off Road Mfg. was in business, we sold more 3 speed floor shift conversion than Toyota imported Landcruisers with a column shift- - -don't know where all those conversion kits ended up with total saturation of the market???

 

[cjgoode]

Prior to 73 3 on the floor was a factory option, not sure which year it became an option. 73 on column shift was gone.

In high school I loved off roading in my 3 on the tree 35 years ago. One big difference to note is the 3 speed does not have a synchronized first gear, so you have to be at almost a full stop to go back into first. You get used to it, never bothered me, but I was not rock crawling or anything like that.

 

[Living in the Past]

72 had the floor shift. While the FJ25 had a four speed floor shift the first was a granny gear and only third and fourth gear were synchronized. Like the column shift required some skill to use but cool to drive once you get use to it.

 

[Unoman]

My 9/71(technically a 72) build has a 3 speed floor. My only dislike on the 3 speed is the non-synchronized 1st gear. Not a problem though once you get used to it. Otherwise, it feels the same as my 4 speed

 

[Rusty 72]

My project came with a floor shift 3 speed. After reading about the first gear and my wife will be driving it I changed to a 4 speed. It will be a lot easier for her to drive. I grew up driving 3 a the tree pickup so I could get along driving it but my wife not so much.

 

[TCEd]

Great help everyone, thank you.
Ed

 

[cjgoode]

I found where it was 1963 there they started to offer a factory 3 on the floor in the fj40, an option rarely ordered. My brothers 68 had factory 3 on the floor.

 

[Living in the Past]

I found where it was 1963 there they started to offer a factory 3 on the floor in the fj40, an option rarely ordered. My brothers 68 had factory 3 on the floor.

The floor shift was always offered as a option and standard in Australia. Have a 62 and 63 FSM that show a floor shift.
Thought I had bought until the seller flaked and disappeared.

 

[Landpimp]

I really enjoy the 3 on the tree(have 2), but not so much a 3 on the floor....mostly because it's not near as cool(3 on tree also ads a layer of theft protection, most don't know how to drive or shift it......)

 

[catskinner]

The floor shift was always offered as a option and standard in Australia. Have a 62 and 63 FSM that show a floor shift.
Thought I had bought until the seller flaked and disappeared.

From what I have gathered mid 1963 was floor shift as standard in Australia, I have a two mid 1963 fj45s with stamped bezels and one has no evidence of column shift and the other which is only 13 fj45's older has column shift, both are second generation 3speed though.
The floor shift option on the earlier 62 3speed kept the dash mounted transfer and vacuum front drive,

 

[Tancruiser]

I have a 3 speed with column shift on my LV and wheeled in Moab recently with no issues my only problem is in city traffic not having a syncro first can be a pain.

 

[Living in the Past]

From what I have gathered mid 1963 was floor shift as standard in Australia, I have a two mid 1963 fj45s with stamped bezels and one has no evidence of column shift and the other which is only 13 fj45's older has column shift, both are second generation 3speed though.
The floor shift option on the earlier 62 3speed kept the dash mounted transfer and vacuum front drive,

Thought all were floor shift over Australia, my mistake. I do agree with the transfer on the dash. My FSMs do not a option of a floor shift. The vacuum shift was different on the early version. The shaft from the diaphragm is exposed. One of my 61s a PO rigged floor directly to the shaft and cutting a ugly hole in the floor.

 

[TCEd]

So with no syncro first does second have enough grunt if you bog down to a crawl and cannot downshift ?

 

[Landpimp]

Be best to use low range. Will also depend on what size tires, if small stock tires it might, with 33's maybe

So with no syncro first does second have enough grunt if you bog down to a crawl and cannot downshift ?

 

[cjgoode]

In high school I was in Va, I never had a problem. It had plenty of low end torque to never bog down in 2nd. If off roading and about to tackle a steep hill, we would stop and put it in first. I really did not notice a big difference when years later I had a 76 with 4 on the floor and on the same trails. On the roads, never had any issues at all.

 

[catskinner]

Thought all were floor shift over Australia, my mistake. I do agree with the transfer on the dash. My FSMs do not a option of a floor shift. The vacuum shift was different on the early version. The shaft from the diaphragm is exposed. One of my 61s a PO rigged floor directly to the shaft and cutting a ugly hole in the floor.

Column shift is rare in Australia as most have been converted over the years but yes 61~early mid 63 it was standard