5 Speed Help? NV4500? Something else?

[Chief Cruzr]

My FJ40 Data: 1979, original 2F, 4 speed, transfer. Primary highway driver with mild trail/beach use.
First I apologize to the Vets on here that will probably find 1000 threads on this in the search function. I was unable to find what I was looking for.
Ok I need a 5 speed something bad. I want to daily drive my 79 FJ but need a nice overdrive for the highway. I looked at H55F’s……Ouch can’t find one in my $$ range that is worth it. So now I am looking at NV4500’s. Can someone please point me in the direction of a thread where someone did a how to on a 79 era 2F NV4500 conversion? I want to see what I will need (besides what AA has on their site) parts/fab wise. I just want to be prepared for the job.
Oh if there are any cost effective routes that you know about for an overdrive FJ setup please let me know.

I appreciate all the help!
John

 

[centerlineseal]

I have one cruiser with the h55f and one with an NV4500, both behind 350 SBCs. They both have about the same overdrive ratio, but their first gears are radically different. The NV4500 has a "granny" first gear, which I never use in "daily driving". The h55f pretty much requires you to use the first gear, as its not as deep as the NV4500 granny nor is second gear adequate for takeoff from a stop.

That said, you should relook at the h55f, AS IT BOLTS UP NEATLY TO YOUR PRESENT TRANSFER CASE, and require no substantial adaptors. Cost and frustration adapting the NV4500 may zero out the extra $$ for the h55f. (We got a brand new h55f from Toyota of El Cajon and shipped it to Idaho.)

Look up Poser's h55f installation thread and good luck!

 

[Chief Cruzr]

Yes that was what I was afraid of. I have read Poser's how to on the H55. I thought I would need a different transfer as well? A split case? That’s what the guys at the FJ shop in town told me or maybe I got it backwards?

John

 

[centerlineseal]

I believe your '79 came stock with the splitcase. If not, I bought one three years ago from an '85 FJ60 for $200, about $150 in parts, etc for rebuild, so we ended up with brand new tranny and nearly new transfercase for about $2,150. We are very happy with the setup.

 

[justbecause]

Yes that was what I was afraid of. I have read Poser's how to on the H55. I thought I would need a different transfer as well? A split case? That’s what the guys at the FJ shop in town told me or maybe I got it backwards?

John

no you do need a split case, you can get a rebuilt 5spd and tcase for ball park what the new 5speed cost but it does not just drop in. you have to do some modifications and change the driveshaft lengths and stuff like that. poser makes it look easy b/c he has alot of tools and knowledge but it was just really just drop and go more people would do it.

 

[Chief Cruzr]

Yepper! Poser did make it look simple but I know it is more involved. I did find a H55 for about 1500 with 55K miles on it. Crap maybe I should have jumped on it. Grr I guess I will wait and see how bad the 4 speed kills me going to the coast. wish I could just drop in a taller gear for fourth.

Thanks for the info.

John

 

[fromme]

Mine came with an H55F in it already so I can't say from experience on the costs and aggravation to swap one in. But it is very nice. The 1st gear isn't a granny gear, but it is a pretty deep (low) gear compared to most. Depending on gearing you may or may not use 1st on the street. With the stock 4.10s and 33s I've found first to be too low but 2nd to be too high to start out from a stop. If I swap to 35s then 1st will probably be about right.

I'm used to NP435s that I've swapped in almost every other 4wd I've had. I do miss not having that granny gear when on the trail and in the rocks. And while that transmission is super strong it shifts like a dump truck. I'll give up the granny gear to have then nice shifting of the H55.

 

[mminter1973]

I would like to know if anybody has had a NV4500 and a H55 apart and compared the compononts? Mainshaft size, bearing size, gears? Would be interesting to know what the diffrences are in strength.

 

[alex e]

Why drop all that coin on a shiity old 2F? Good lord. If you want an H55 or an NV4500, PLEASE JESUS, put a V8 in there and go all the way. Otherwise get some big tires and new ring gears and live with the stock 4spd. The tranny will be worth more than your Cruiser!

Don't ask me how I know all this.

 

[justbecause]

Why drop all that coin on a shiity old 2F? Good lord. If you want an H55 or an NV4500, PLEASE JESUS, put a V8 in there and go all the way. Otherwise get some big tires and new ring gears and live with the stock 4spd. The tranny will be worth more than your Cruiser!

Don't ask me how I know all this.

v8 cruisers arent worth near as much as true toyota cruisers. 2f is a great engine, and if he drops the coin for a h55 then itll be worth it to do a quality rebuild for the 2f when the time comes.

+ it aint about the money!

 

[alex e]

Lil'John knows...... but please give the "Toy-Only-Or-Else" business a break dude. Unless you are buying a Shane resto, you are arguing over a point which is largely academic. Any buyer pays what that buyer is willing to or capable of paying. I'm far from stock and not selling either so does that mean mine's worth less than stock?

The man with 1900 posts up there has a good idea of what reality is. I am not starting a "which is better or worth more??" thread. Just my $0.02.....my humble opinion.

 

[73fj40lc]

I have always heard that the H55 had a weak second gear and could not handle the power from a SBC. There are not any issues with the H55 and the 2f that I am aware of. I had a 93 Toyota V6 PKP that I believe had the newer style H55 and never had any issues with it in the 110k miles that I put on it. The truck was still going strong when I sold it to a farmer friend of mine and he still uses it today. Me personally I am going with the NV4500 because it is stronger and I run a SBC. I am not going to put a weaker transmission in my 40 just because it is stamped Toyota.

 

[justbecause]

I'm far from stock and not selling either so does that mean mine's worth less than stock?

yes that is exactly what that means.

to swap in a toyota 5speed is not something any ol shade tree can do and its not as easy as the people selling the 5speeds want you to think it is

to swap in a NOT toyota 5spped is ALOT more work ALOT more money Alot more PITA and in the end you have something NOT toyota = NOT as good.

the poster is NOT building a rock crawler so it does not matter if he swaps in an alison rockwells and a ramjet 400 his set up would not be as good as a stock toyota drive train for what HE is doing. "Primary highway driver with mild trail/beach use." he wants "a 5 speed something bad. I want to daily drive my 79 FJ but need a nice overdrive for the highway. I looked at H55F’s……Ouch can’t find one in my $$ range that is worth it. So now I am looking at NV4500’s. Can someone please point me in the direction of a thread where someone did a how to on a 79 era 2F NV4500 conversion? I want to see what I will need (besides what AA has on their site) parts/fab wise. I just want to be prepared for the job.
Oh if there are any cost effective routes that you know about for an overdrive FJ setup please let me know."

so to even SUGGEST a v8 shows you did not read what the poster WANTS he wants a CHEAP 5 speed and the most cost effective way to get a 5speed in to a stock 79 is to buy toyota

more Yota more Betta.

everything you ever need to know about 5speeds right there in the FAQ

I have always heard that the H55 had a weak second gear and could not handle the power from a SBC. There are not any issues with the H55 and the 2f that I am aware of. I had a 93 Toyota V6 PKP that I believe had the newer style H55 and never had any issues with it in the 110k miles that I put on it. The truck was still going strong when I sold it to a farmer friend of mine and he still uses it today. Me personally I am going with the NV4500 because it is stronger and I run a SBC. I am not going to put a weaker transmission in my 40 just because it is stamped Toyota.

thats great grand & good BUT completely unrelated. he does not have a SBC so does not need to care that a SBC is to much for a h55f second gear.

 

[GarageRat]

The best way to solve this is with a few simple questions because otherwise it's everyone else spending your money for you.

1. Do you think you'll ever want to do a V8 conversion?
2. Do you plan on doing any more offroading at a later date that may require a deep first gear?
3. Does originality matter to you?
4. Does a larger gear spread bother you compared to a closer ratio tranny?

If you answered yes to 1 or 2 then I'd say NV4500, 3 and 4 point to H55F so weigh those four (there's more differences but those 4 stick out I'd say) and see which seems better. Let's please not start the all toyota debate, my general experience says people don't really care where the parts are from if they're not correct for the vehicle when they look at purchasing; only ever notice FJ40 enthusiasts argue against that point .

 

[Chief Cruzr]

The best way to solve this is with a few simple questions because otherwise it's everyone else spending your money for you.

1. Do you think you'll ever want to do a V8 conversion?
2. Do you plan on doing any more offroading at a later date that may require a deep first gear?
3. Does originality matter to you?
4. Does a larger gear spread bother you compared to a closer ratio tranny?

QUOTE]

1. No, I personaly like the 2F
2. Nn, not with this FJ.
3. Some What, Not doing a frame off resto but I like the old yota stuff.
4. No, read below

I do appreciate all of the info and banter for that matter. I did test drive a 78 FJ40 with the 2F and H55F in it. Drove great, low RPMs and felt smooth shifting gears. It is exactly what I want.....Problem is the 2500 price tag that comes with the swap. So like any other guy I am just gonna have to save up my cash. All good I will treat the 4spd right until the day comes for the swap.

Thanks Guys,
John

 

[bsilva132]

saw this on CL for h55f and rebuilt split case:
toyota land cruiser 5spd transmission and transfer case