Fj60 4-speed to 5-speed swap procedure questions (1 Viewer)

[Dave L]

Hi all,

Sorry if this has been documented elsewhere - I did several searches and went through many threads but couldn't find the info I'm looking for.

I have an Fj60 made in July of 1985 that has the 4-speed gearbox with the spacer that (I'm told) makes is a candidate for a direct swap with the H55F 5-speed.

I've got one in the cart for $2750 along with the shifter, knob, gasket from trans to t-case and OEM Toyota H55F Oiler Pipe - Fits H55F & Split T-Case Applications (TR36010).

Is that what I need?

Some vendors I went to said I need plugs for extra bolt holes - what are these and where do they go please?

Also 1/4 tap (if this is for tapping/threading something I think I have one already) but what do you need to tap and why?

and where does the oil pipe fit?

Other threads on this topic recommend having bolts that you cut the heads off and use as dowels, but I can't picture where or how during the re-install they go?

If there is a thread with the full procedure then please point me to it - many thanks in advance.

Background - I think my 2nd gear synchro is bad, shifting is difficult and getting worse when on the move unless you get the timing just right and there is a whine in 4th that I don't like (plus a fair bit of glitter in the trans oil when I changed it about 6 months ago). If I have to take it out anyway then I figure why not get the upgrade. my level of aptitude and experience is piss poor although I have removed and replaced the head and block to get them rebuilt - don't ask me how I go the engine back in without taking the trans out, I'm still not sure how I did it. Car has 203K miles on it I think it was at 190 when I got it and 4k since the engine rebuild.

 

[3_puppies]

or buy a combo trans and tranny from 1 of the vendors here on mud, valley hybrids, cruiseroutfitters, cruisermatt
any of these companies will be glad to help you out
then it is a bolt in easy peasy
sell your existing transfer case

 

[OSS]

a binding pilot bearing will also cause less smooth shifting because the transmission input shaft can't spin down easily.

Yes there will be an unused bolt hole in the transfer case front plate that needs to be plugged when the 5 speed is installed. The picture shown below shows the location and the best way to do it. - a tapped hole with a brass plug.

 

[Dave L]

a binding pilot bearing will also cause less smooth shifting because the transmission input shaft can't spin down easily.

Yes there will be an unused bolt hole in the transfer case front plate that needs to be plugged when the 5 speed is installed. The picture shown below shows the location and the best way to do it. - a tapped hole with a brass plug.

View attachment 3892304View attachment 3892305

Thanks OSS!

I replaced the pilot bearing when I got the clutch changed - one of the first things I had done when I got it - before I started trying to do stuff for myself.

So I can just use a 1/4 tap to thread the now-redundant bolt hole and get any brass plug from a hardware store and put it in there with some RTV?

And the little oiler just sits in the indentation shown - sounds simple

I just got a harbor freight transmission jack - any tips on the procedure for dismounting and re-installing please?

Thanks a lot man

 

[DrRock]

My truck has the same date code of manufacture (07/1985) and the swap was easy. Only other topic is I’d check the rubber mount that goes between the transmission and crossmember. Mine was fine but some suffer from being blasted with oil/road debris and need to be replaced. Not a showstopper as you can easily change it later but have a look now. For a while these were not available but @cruiseroutfit should have them in stock.

Cheers, James

 

[OSS]

see following pics.
Cutting the hex head off of two bolts you can get at the hardware store allows them to act as alignment dowels when installing and pulling the transmission. Some guys even grind a slot in the end of them so they can be unscrewed with a screwdriver. I never did that but it would be nice.

I used a Harbor Freight transmission jack too. See picture. By far, the best and easiest and most secure way to secure the transmission assembly to the jack is to bolt a piece of plywood to it, then bolt the transmission mount to the plywood. That way, there's no way the awkward unbalanced trannt/transfer assembly can fall off.

I had remove the tranny a few other times before - using just a floor jack - and I definitely don't recommend doing that..

The tranny assembly isn't perfectly horizontal when its all bolted in. It angles down a bit - but your transmission jack will be rolling on a horizontal surface - the ground.
That being so, when you are installing the tranny by rolling the jack forward, The tranny input shaft will not be perfectly aligned with the pilot bearing hole. So don't expect the sucker to slide in effortlessly. It hangs up a bit due to imperfect alignment. Just go slow and fiddle with it and you'll get it to seat in.

Make sure the splines on the input shaft are lined up the same way as the splines in the clutch disc - so you don't get hung up there.

I supported the engine with the Toyota jack when the tranny was out and supported it with a cinch strap when removing, through the floor, to a cross bar between both door windows in the cab

 

[OSS]

The transmission on the jack is pretty high. You're going to have to jack up the L rear wheel really high to be able to roll the jack w tranny out from under the vehicle.

 

[Dave L]

see following pics.
Cutting the hex head off of two bolts you can get at the hardware store allows them to act as alignment dowels when installing and pulling the transmission. Some guys even grind a slot in the end of them so they can be unscrewed with a screwdriver. I never did that but it would be nice.

I used a Harbor Freight transmission jack too. See picture. By far, the best and easiest and most secure way to secure the transmission assembly to the jack is to bolt a piece of plywood to it, then bolt the transmission mount to the plywood. That way, there's no way the awkward unbalanced trannt/transfer assembly can fall off.

I had remove the tranny a few other times before - using just a floor jack - and I definitely don't recommend doing that..

The tranny assembly isn't perfectly horizontal when its all bolted in. It angles down a bit - but your transmission jack will be rolling on a horizontal surface - the ground.
That being so, when you are installing the tranny by rolling the jack forward, The tranny input shaft will not be perfectly aligned with the pilot bearing hole. So don't expect the sucker to slide in effortlessly. It hangs up a bit due to imperfect alignment. Just go slow and fiddle with it and you'll get it to seat in.

Make sure the splines on the input shaft are lined up the same way as the splines in the clutch disc - so you don't get hung up there.

I supported the engine with the Toyota jack when the tranny was out and supported it with a cinch strap when removing, through the floor, to a cross bar between both door windows in the cabView attachment 3892359View attachment 3892357View attachment 3892358View attachment 3892356

Thanks again OSS - are the alignment dowel bolts the ones that are sticking out from the clutch housing in the last pic?

instead of jacking up the whole car to get the assembly out to work on it could you shuffle the new transmission in and swap it while the whole lot is underneath? Or lower it all on to cardboard to drag it out?

 

[toy_tek]

instead of jacking up the whole car to get the assembly out to work on it could you shuffle the new transmission in and swap it while the whole lot is underneath? Or lower it all on to cardboard to drag it out?

I think you’ll find jacking the frame up will be much easier. Maybe if you substitute plywood for your cardboard idea, but sliding that in/out with a couple hundred pounds of transmission on it will be 10x the effort of jacking the truck, then how are you going to get the trans up on the jack once it’s underneath?

Another tip - when aligning the trans input shaft to the clutch/pilot bearing, put the trans in gear so you can have one hand on the output flange and turn it back/forth ever so slightly to allow the splines to line up- if it’s all in alignment the trans should slip forward easily without forcing anything. Mine went in like butter.

 

[OSS]

are the alignment dowel bolts the ones that are sticking out from the clutch housing in the last pic?

yes
they are screwed into the two bottom bolt holes that the transmission bolts use

 

[ff347]

I put one of these inside straddling the transmission tunnel and did most of my lowering and raising from inside. I found it easier to let the transmission and transfer case swing suspended then with a transmission jack. I did make some alignment pins and they helped as well. I had all 4 tires on 8x8’s stacked two high to have as much room as possible. Clutch alignment tool, tiny chain hoist, ratchet straps, etc.
Like anything lots of ways to do it, I did have to get assistance as well.

 

[Spike Strip]

So I can just use a 1/4 tap to thread the now-redundant bolt hole and get any brass plug from a hardware store and put it in there with some RTV?

Not RTV - RED loctite High Temp if available (Loctite 272).

You want a 1/4" NPT plug, allen head. Just like in the picture.

Or, if you want to stay all Toyota - has a 1/4-19 BSPT plug that fits perfectly into the 5th hole on h55 swaps. Need the BSPT tap which I believe is different from a NPT Tap.

I would read this long thread: some h55f and split case tech - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/some-h55f-and-split-case-tech.600279/

 

[Dave L]

I think you’ll find jacking the frame up will be much easier. Maybe if you substitute plywood for your cardboard idea, but sliding that in/out with a couple hundred pounds of transmission on it will be 10x the effort of jacking the truck, then how are you going to get the trans up on the jack once it’s underneath?

Another tip - when aligning the trans input shaft to the clutch/pilot bearing, put the trans in gear so you can have one hand on the output flange and turn it back/forth ever so slightly to allow the splines to line up- if it’s all in alignment the trans should slip forward easily without forcing anything. Mine went in like butter.

Thanks - I'll probably have to

 

[Dave L]

Not RTV - RED loctite High Temp if available (Loctite 272).

You want a 1/4" NPT plug, allen head. Just like in the picture.

Or, if you want to stay all Toyota - has a 1/4-19 BSPT plug that fits perfectly into the 5th hole on h55 swaps. Need the BSPT tap which I believe is different from a NPT Tap.

I would read this long thread: some h55f and split case tech - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/some-h55f-and-split-case-tech.600279/

View attachment 3893122

View attachment 3893123

Thanks - got it