BJ40 no manual hubs (1 Viewer)

[BajaTank]

Hello Fellas, found this 1983 BJ40 right hand drive here in California. Straight from Japan.
Have a couple of questions for you the experts, and thank you for the help.
First I notice the rig does not have manual hubs, and has a pull knob on the dash board for the 4 wheel drive which turns out to be a vacuum switch to the transfer case just like the 1969 and older.
Now, does it mean that without the manual hubs is a full time 4 wheel drive? if so why the vacuum switch then?.
And last question, can I install manual hubs?
Thank you.

 

[Living in the Past]

Vacuum shift went away in the US in the early seventies but continued in other markets including JDM. Could simple still have drive plates since lock out hubs were only a factory option in the later years.

 

[RobNasty]

Those look like the OEM drive flanges. With your current configuration, as your wheels/tires turn, the inner axles shafts are also turning, as is your front differential.

Free-wheel hubs (the kind you're expecting to see) effectively disconnect the movement of the wheels from the axle shafts, reducing drag and wear and tear on your front axle.

The handle on the dash to engage four-wheel drive acts on the transfer case - when in four-wheel drive, the transfer case's front output shaft spins, actively sending power to the front axle.

Free-wheel hubs can be added to your axle. It's kind of impressive that such "manual" hubs weren't added 30 years ago.

 

[Living in the Past]

Do find it interesting that it doesn't have the insert dash. We had it in 83 and believe some if not all RHD had them in 82.

 

[BajaTank]

Thanks for the info, very useful.
I will install free wheel hubs.

 

[Living in the Past]

Thanks for the info, very useful.
I will install free wheel hubs.

While highly unlikely there is a very small chance it could be full time 4WD. Toyota played around with full time 4WD on the FJ40 in the mid seventies. A couple of those are still around in the US. Easy to tell just see if it looks like the standard split transfer case.

 

[BajaTank]

It does not look like a split type transfer. Shifts only in H, N and L straight. Does not have H2, N H4 and L2 like the ones I usually seen.
I was curious about the 4WD set up.

 

[Dieseler]

The hubs would be the same as you would find on the Tacoma ..... non manual hub.
You will not get 4WD until you pull the dash switch to engage your TC then you will have 4 High there is only 4H and 4L and N in your TC.
This hub is not that uncommon in JDMs I'm not sure if it was factory or POs changed out but I've seen it often in JDM 40s.
You can change it out to manual but it has it benefits you dont have to get out to lock in your hubs (pull and play).

 

[Living in the Past]

The FJ62 have a split transfer case with vacuum but only real difference is on the front output area. As for L2 the early FJ40 had pin that pulled the 4WD button. The FJ62 used a solenoid to switch the vacuum to the diaphragm. When the Transfer is switch to low it also switches the solenoid to prevent 2L. Guessing this would be the same way. Possible that light in the 4WD switch would light up when transfer is switched to low.

 

[honk]

I had those drive plates on a '77 JDM BJ40 and left them that way. Seems to me that any spinning gears driven by the wheels are under no or light load so where's the harm? Like the man above said - never had to remember to get out and lock the hubs, and nobody can mess with them.
Since having that truck I've left my hubs locked on my '77 FJ40. It doesn't add any noise or change how the truck steers or drives and I haven't been able to detect any loss in fuel mileage.

 

[handcannon]

I have a 71 with stock vacuum operated 4WD. I am able to use 2L because of the way the vacuum switching works. Just put TC into low, without going into 4WD.

Don

 

[Living in the Past]

I have a 71 with stock vacuum operated 4WD. I am able to use 2L because of the way the vacuum switching works. Just put TC into low, without going into 4WD.

Don

If that is the case it's because someone did a mod or the lever is bend and doesn't catch the the flange just behind the knob that is designed to pull out the 4WD knob when the lever is moved to low range.

 

[Wes]

This hub is not that uncommon in JDMs I'm not sure if it was factory or POs changed out but I've seen it often in JDM 40s.

This is definitely factory. While I'm sure many will argue, there are benefits to not having free wheel hubs.

 

[BajaTank]

I had those drive plates on a '77 JDM BJ40 and left them that way. Seems to me that any spinning gears driven by the wheels are under no or light load so where's the harm? Like the man above said - never had to remember to get out and lock the hubs, and nobody can mess with them.
Since having that truck I've left my hubs locked on my '77 FJ40. It doesn't add any noise or change how the truck steers or drives and I haven't been able to detect any loss in fuel mileage.

I wil take your word for it and leave the hubs alone, after all it is not a daily driver.

 

[handcannon]

If that is the case it's because someone did a mod or the lever is bend and doesn't catch the the flange just behind the knob that is designed to pull out the 4WD knob when the lever is moved to low range.

That is entirely possible. However, any mods would have been done shortly after it was new. I've owned this 40 for somewhere around 12 years. My brother had it before me, and must have purchased it somewhere around 1980.

Don

 

[Living in the Past]

I know of no Land Cruiser that was built to be operated in 2L. On the pre 68 it was easier to see the pin on the lever and flange behind the knob since it was on the dash not under it. I have a 65 FJ45 and 70 FJ40 that I could take pictures of. Believe the easiest why to do away is remove the pin in the lever. If that was removed the threaded hole would still be there.

 

[handcannon]

I will look the system over today to see what is there. I've never even thought about the lever system having been modified.

Don

 

[Captn Conch]

I have a 71 with stock vacuum operated 4WD. I am able to use 2L because of the way the vacuum switching works. Just put TC into low, without going into 4WD.

Don

FWIW, I've operated mine in 2 low now and again, just pull the high/ low lever out which action pulls the 4wd knob out, and I just push the 4wd knob back in. Never had a problem with it.

 

[Living in the Past]

FWIW, I've operated mine in 2 low now and again, just pull the high/ low lever out which action pulls the 4wd knob out, and I just push the 4wd knob back in. Never had a problem with it.

If you can do that then the linkage rods are out of adjustment. My 70 was out of adjustment when I bought it. Now working like it should. No problem running in 2L just don't lock the hubs. My 68 has Lock-rights from and rear. Pain in the a$$ to steer when 4WD. With the rear locker and low range can go most places. My point is Toyota didn't design them to be in 2L. If it does some mod was made or out of adjustment.

 

[handcannon]

I will look the system over today to see what is there. I've never even thought about the lever system having been modified.

Don

FWIW, I've operated mine in 2 low now and again, just pull the high/ low lever out which action pulls the 4wd knob out, and I just push the 4wd knob back in. Never had a problem with it.

I just remembered to look at my system. It's been slightly modified. Everything is still there. It's easy to see what it should do when the cable is in the correct location on the bracket that holds the cable. But, the vacuum pull knob cable has been moved downwards so that the pin on the high/low lever won't touch the flange on the vacuum pull knob.

It was a real easy mod. Just unscrew the two screws that clamp the vacuum pull cable to it's bracket, and move the cable down to the bottom clamp hole. Just one screw now holds the cable in place, and the vacuum pull knob and the lever work totally independent of each other. Don't have to do anything to the hubs if they are already locked in. You can access 2L without any fiddling around.

Don