5 speed steering column shifter fj40

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Mason1500

10 Year
Joined
Jun 28, 2015
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6
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Location
boone NC
Okay... A bit of back story. I have a 1968 fj40, it was my first car and I drove it bone stock for 6 years as my daily driver. Now 13 years into ownership I am starting to make it a bit more usable on a daily basis for me and my fam. I have a front disc conversion on the horizon and fuel injection or an engine swap. Next up would be the a transmission with overdrive.

I know it's not practical, but I really like the idea of doing an 5 speed swap but maintaining my steering column shifter. Has anyone ventured down this road? I know there were some Hiace vans that came with a 5 speed and a column shift, but it has been a bit challenging to track down transmissions and transfer cases that would work with a f engine and stock(ish) axles. I will figure out how to do this, I would just love to avoid reinventing the wheel if I don't need to.

Thanks in advance for any advice!
 
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33 inch tires and 3:70 rears and decent 2F make for decent highway manners
 
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I've heard of a 4 on the tree...

65swb45

Thread 'tranny tech 403-thats 4 on the tree!'

I started this project a couple of years ago. Some called it the ultimate in turd polishing. Get the comfort and road manners of the 4 speed trans with the retro cool factor of the three on the tree shifter.

Took some measurements. Started cutting blocks of wood. Took some more measurements. Made some more cuts. Third round of measurements and I was ready for an aluminum block to cut. Machined all the rough cuts and then put it on the shelf for the next two years!:rolleyes:

Well I finally pulled it back off the shelf a couple of weeks ago and finished it up in anticipation of...
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Pighead said:
I've heard of a 4 on the tree...

65swb45

Thread 'tranny tech 403-thats 4 on the tree!'

I started this project a couple of years ago. Some called it the ultimate in turd polishing. Get the comfort and road manners of the 4 speed trans with the retro cool factor of the three on the tree shifter.

Took some measurements. Started cutting blocks of wood. Took some more measurements. Made some more cuts. Third round of measurements and I was ready for an aluminum block to cut. Machined all the rough cuts and then put it on the shelf for the next two years!:rolleyes:

Well I finally pulled it back off the shelf a couple of weeks ago and finished it up in anticipation of...
  • Like
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Now we are talking!
 
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I hear the H41 4 speed trans has a lower 1st gear than the stk H42 4 speed trans.
 
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I love the 5 speed column shift too, in fact I learned to drive in one!

The Toyota Dyna BU series has a 5 speed column shift, M50 was the gearbox code if that would be of any help to you, but there wont be any in the US

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Mason1500 said:
Okay... A bit of back story. I have a 1968 fj40, it was my first car and I drove it bone stock for 6 years as my daily driver. Now 13 years into ownership I am starting to make it a bit more usable on a daily basis for me and my fam. I have a front disc conversion on the horizon and fuel injection or an engine swap. Next up would be the a transmission with overdrive.

I know it's not practical, but I really like the idea of doing an 5 speed swap but maintaining my steering column shifter. Has anyone ventured down this road? I know there were some Hiace vans that came with a 5 speed and a column shift, but it has been a bit challenging to track down transmissions and transfer cases that would work with a f engine and stock(ish) axles. I will figure out how to do this, I would just love to avoid reinventing the wheel if I don't need to.

Thanks in advance for any advice!
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@red66toy is your guy for the 4 on the tree adapter.
 
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The essential thing that made the 4 on the tree possible was the fact that the 74-80 transmission came with a two piece top cover, where the tower could be separated from the shift forks. ALL THREE SHIFT FORKS are below the tower.

While it has been a long time since I looked inside a 5 speed, the fact that the 5th gear selector is exposed makes me think that machining the one piece cover down would still not net you three shift gates at one level, which is what the factory column shifter requires.
 
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Mason1500 said:
Hmm maybe. But I have 31.5” and I already run out of low gears when I’m driving up steep stuff. Part of the appeal of the 5 speed is a lower 1st.
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Sounds to me like your problem isn't gearing per se but rather power, or lack thereof. I would start by solving that problem first and then worry about gearing.
pb4ugo said:
I hear the H41 4 speed trans has a lower 1st gear than the stk H42 4 speed trans.
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My '83 FJ45 Troopy has an H41 and it certainly seems to be a lower first gear than my '77 FJ55 with the H42 transmission.
 
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I had 3.73 gears, H55 and 33x10.50x15 BFGs on my NAS '83 FJ40. I LOVED the 3.73 for 1-4th, and 5th was great for level cruising. However, the 2F simply doesn't have the cajones in stock form for any kind of a grade. I shaved my head 40 thousandths, 2.5" exhaust and all smog removed, which helped.

My LX had the 2F, H55, 4.11s with 33x10.50x15s and it had far better highway usability with 5th gear, even without any modifications to the engine other than an HEI distributor.

My troopy was a Vortec 350, H55 and 3.73s with 33x12.50x15 and it was simply ideal due to the power and gearing.

Now keeping the 5 on the tree is a whole different level of cool-as-hell.
 
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Interesting timing because I only started making this assembly two weeks ago, and two days ago got to where I can shift to all 5+1 gears (with pliers)
Posting because it will be a 5-on-the-tree Something-J-4-something (HZJ45), but I don't know how much good it will do you. It's an R151F.
I doubt there's any way to adapt it to your F engine, and if you put that into an FJ40, your driveshaft would be negative 2" long.
I'm putting it in a 45 SWB, so not worried about the driveshaft. And it came bolted to a 1HZ that I'm using, so not worried about adapters.
This part at the transmission end should be done this weekend. I've seen a few iterations of the steering column end in my dreams (none of them using 3 speed parts) but it will be a couple of months before I have anything made there.

And probably 1.5 years before any sort of driving :flipoff2:
 
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65swb45 said:
The essential thing that made the 4 on the tree possible was the fact that the 74-80 transmission came with a two piece top cover, where the tower could be separated from the shift forks. ALL THREE SHIFT FORKS are below the tower.

While it has been a long time since I looked inside a 5 speed, the fact that the 5th gear selector is exposed makes me think that machining the one piece cover down would still not net you three shift gates at one level, which is what the factory column shifter requires.
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The 40 series four speed 8/80+ still had a cast iron top cover with the removable shift tower.

While I'm not sure how it would work in this application there is the goofy shift pattern cast iron cover for the H55F. Fifth gear and reverse are on the left side. But it is a single level shift rods. These came out of Pakistan. I'm sure @Chamba really wants one. He has should a high regard for their quality workmanship. LOL
 
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I run the 4 speed adapter mentioned to have 4 on the tree. Look into that, I love it!
Mine is a ‘70 with 33’s and a tired F engine and while it’s no hotrod, I’ve got no issues hitting 80+ mph if I want and keeping up with traffic is a non-issue on the freeway. I have Sniper efi but that is not a power adder.
Looking into the health of your current engine is the biggest thing. Good compression? Valves adjusted correctly? What carb? Is it functioning and tuned properly? Ignition system shape? Brakes dragging?
Another big one, what rpm are you shifting at? If you’re lugging around in 3rd gear at 2000 rpm then it’ll feel way doggier. Shift between 3000-3500 and feel that tractor power!
 
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Skreddy said:
.......Shift between 3000-3500 and feel that tractor power!
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^^ THIS!!! ^^ ....albeit, I shift around the 3K mark, but made a huge difference in the drive performance/feedback.

5 on the column...NICE!
 
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GA Architect said:
^^ THIS!!! ^^ ....albeit, I shift around the 3K mark, but made a huge difference in the drive performance/feedback.

5 on the column...NICE!
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I typically shift at 3k but if I’m at a hill or something I’ll go to 3500.
 
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