FJ62 Auto-Locking Hubs??? (1 Viewer)

[LCABOVEALL]

Hey LC Fam!

I have a headscratcher going on. The 88 FJ62 I bought about a month ago is going through some mechanical rehab. A lot, as it turns out. I have some conflicting mechanical parts on the rig, or so I think, related to the transfer case / front diff engagement of "H4". What drew my attention to this "headscratcher" is that the "4WD" dash light stays on all the time. Here are he facts. The dash has a "H4" switch, which is meant to transition the rig from H2 to H4. My original 88 owners manual explains this clearly. The owners manual also illustrates that the manual transfer case shifter has three positions. "H2" - "N" - "L4". see picture attached. Here is the twist. The knob on my transfer case shifter has 4 positions. "H2 - "H4" - "N" -"L4", see picture attached. As far as I can tell, the shift lever allows for all 4 positions. Finally, the rig has manually locking "Free-Wheeling" hubs as I assumed all FJ60 and FJ62's have. The locking hubs are "new-ish", which the previous owner told me he had replaced.

What am I missing? Why the redundancy of the "H4" switch, and the manual "H4" shifting? The local Toyota service manager suggested that this model had an option of Auto-Locking Hubs, and that someone had replaced these with manual locking hubs at some point, which does not sound right to me. I have never seen an FJ62 without manually locking hubs. My owners manual does not reference this as an option, and I have not been able to find anything online that points to auto locking hubs ever existed on an FJ62. What the what!!?? Any ideas???

 

[Spook50]

The auto hubs were never available in the US market, and even outside the market they were still rare. Yet another "holy Grail" of cruiserdom. From the sounds of it, your tcase has an FJ60's shift mechanism. Likely the case was replaced with a 60 case at some point, so I expect your push-button selector is actually disconnected from the system. The FJ62 manual tcase shifter only has three positions; H - N - L. H could be 2WD or 4WD depending on the push button selector's position (assuming hubs are locked of course), and L would trigger the vacuum solenoids to automatically engage 4WD when you shift into it (this is in stock configuration).

 

[LCABOVEALL]

The auto hubs were never available in the US market, and even outside the market they were still rare. Yet another "holy Grail" of cruiserdom. From the sounds of it, your tcase has an FJ60's shift mechanism. Likely the case was replaced with a 60 case at some point, so I expect your push-button selector is actually disconnected from the system. The FJ62 manual tcase shifter only has three positions; H - N - L. H could be 2WD or 4WD depending on the push button selector's position (assuming hubs are locked of course), and L would trigger the vacuum solenoids to automatically engage 4WD when you shift into it (this is in stock configuration).


Thanks SPOOK50. That would explain the redundancy!! It sounds like this push button H4 selector was one of several electrical "down-grades" between the 60 and the 62, excluding the EFI...definitely an upgrade. Was push the push button H4 selector an option for any 60 model, if not, all 60's had a 4 position manual selector? Does the manual selector in the 60 allow you to transition from H2 to H4 while in motion, or does it require you to full stop? If the manual selector does allow you to shift into H4 while in motion, what's the upside to the push button selector if any?

 

[AussieHJCruza]

If your hubs are locked, shift from H2 to H4 whenever you like, just put the clutch in if it's a manual. If it's an auto then you may have to stop and shift to neutral to take the load off the transfer case, although you could try shifting when you're just coasting and see what happens. If the hubs are locked the front drivetrain is turning the same speed as the rear so a relatively easy shift.

 

[Skniper]

If your hubs are locked, shift from H2 to H4 whenever you like, just put the clutch in if it's a manual. If it's an auto then you may have to stop and shift to neutral to take the load off the transfer case, although you could try shifting when you're just coasting and see what happens. If the hubs are locked the front drivetrain is turning the same speed as the rear so a relatively easy shift.

You can shift on the fly with the Auto trans too (that is, shifting into H4 WITH the axle hubs locked). Just make sure you’re going in a straight line and don’t have any unnecessary load on the drivetrain. I always feather the gas pedal a little to allow the front drivetrain to “bump” into place.

You must stop and put the Auto trans in Neutral to shift down to L4.

 

[Godwin]

Hey LC Fam!

I have a headscratcher going on. The 88 FJ62 I bought about a month ago is going through some mechanical rehab. A lot, as it turns out. I have some conflicting mechanical parts on the rig, or so I think, related to the transfer case / front diff engagement of "H4". What drew my attention to this "headscratcher" is that the "4WD" dash light stays on all the time. Here are he facts. The dash has a "H4" switch, which is meant to transition the rig from H2 to H4. My original 88 owners manual explains this clearly. The owners manual also illustrates that the manual transfer case shifter has three positions. "H2" - "N" - "L4". see picture attached. Here is the twist. The knob on my transfer case shifter has 4 positions. "H2 - "H4" - "N" -"L4", see picture attached. As far as I can tell, the shift lever allows for all 4 positions. Finally, the rig has manually locking "Free-Wheeling" hubs as I assumed all FJ60 and FJ62's have. The locking hubs are "new-ish", which the previous owner told me he had replaced.

What am I missing? Why the redundancy of the "H4" switch, and the manual "H4" shifting? The local Toyota service manager suggested that this model had an option of Auto-Locking Hubs, and that someone had replaced these with manual locking hubs at some point, which does not sound right to me. I have never seen an FJ62 without manually locking hubs. My owners manual does not reference this as an option, and I have not been able to find anything online that points to auto locking hubs ever existed on an FJ62. What the what!!?? Any ideas???

View attachment 2506998

View attachment 2506999

Open the hood and look on the firewall for the vacuum switching valve that shifts the t-case between H and L. If it is there it is likely that it's failed and pushing the H4 button is not disengaging the front wheel drive.

Regarding the t-case knob a PO could have switched out the FJ62 knob for a FJ60 knob. Easy test is to check the shift pattern of the t-case. If only forward-backward then that's the action of the FJ62 case. If you can do the L shaped shift then FJ60 case.

The Toyota service manager should have been able to sort this out in 5 minutes or less.

 

[Skniper]

Hey LC Fam!

I have a headscratcher going on. The 88 FJ62 I bought about a month ago is going through some mechanical rehab. A lot, as it turns out. I have some conflicting mechanical parts on the rig, or so I think, related to the transfer case / front diff engagement of "H4". What drew my attention to this "headscratcher" is that the "4WD" dash light stays on all the time. Here are he facts. The dash has a "H4" switch, which is meant to transition the rig from H2 to H4. My original 88 owners manual explains this clearly. The owners manual also illustrates that the manual transfer case shifter has three positions. "H2" - "N" - "L4". see picture attached. Here is the twist. The knob on my transfer case shifter has 4 positions. "H2 - "H4" - "N" -"L4", see picture attached. As far as I can tell, the shift lever allows for all 4 positions. Finally, the rig has manually locking "Free-Wheeling" hubs as I assumed all FJ60 and FJ62's have. The locking hubs are "new-ish", which the previous owner told me he had replaced.

What am I missing? Why the redundancy of the "H4" switch, and the manual "H4" shifting? The local Toyota service manager suggested that this model had an option of Auto-Locking Hubs, and that someone had replaced these with manual locking hubs at some point, which does not sound right to me. I have never seen an FJ62 without manually locking hubs. My owners manual does not reference this as an option, and I have not been able to find anything online that points to auto locking hubs ever existed on an FJ62. What the what!!?? Any ideas???

View attachment 2506998

View attachment 2506999

The local Toyota service manager is incorrect. Manual Aisin locking hubs on these only (in the US at least).

Does your transfer case lever actually move into all the positions indicated on the shift knob? If it does then someone has converted your transfer case to the older fully manual shift transfer case. If your transfer lever only moves to 3 positions straight up and straight down, fore and aft (as indicated in your owners manual), then someone has simply placed an older style transfer case knob on your shifter, which is just posing . Check all positions on the shifter and let us know.

Also, crawl under the vehicle and shoot a couple photos of the front of the transfer case, around where the front drive shaft attaches to it. The shift mechanism/modules are very different between old and later versions.

You can also look at the top of the firewall just to pass.side, there should be blue and red electrical module looking thingys, those are the later style FJ62 vacuum shift solenoids. Are they still there?, do they look disconnected?
The push button 4WD button should not be illuminated all the time.

 

[g-man]

If it were me, I'd be looking under the truck at the linkage. 62= vacuum lines coming into the actuator at the front passenger side of the t/case. 60= shift arm moves linkages that cover both 4wd and hi/low. See that it is actually out of 4wd and test the EDIT sensor that sends signal to the green 4wd indicator on the dash. The sensor is at the side of the t/case black round ...wires running to it.

 

[g-man]

I know of no auto locking hubs on a 60 series.

 

[Spook50]

I know of no auto locking hubs on a 60 series.

I didn't realize they even existed until I saw a post from @cruiseroutfit a few months ago and thought I was looking at a custom one-off or something.

 

[3_puppies]

You can shift on the fly with the Auto trans too (that is, shifting into H4 WITH the axle hubs locked). Just make sure you’re going in a straight line and don’t have any unnecessary load on the drivetrain. I always feather the gas pedal a little to allow the front drivetrain to “bump” into place.

You must stop and put the Auto trans in Neutral to shift down to L4.

you can do that with any FJ40, 45, 55, 60, 70 as long as the hubs are locked and you are not spinning a tire.

 

[LCABOVEALL]

I love this forum...… no doubt the singular best source for LC info.

As an update, with the US holiday , and the fact that I busted a tire doing 75mph on the highway last week, I have not yet had a chance to get up under the rig. This week I will take picture of the transfer case and post them. With all the great input from all of you, I'm confident that one of two realities exist. 1) one of the 4 past owners of this rig, at some point, replaced the FJ62 transfer case with an FJ60 transfer case. 2) just the knob was replaced. I'm good either way. Frankly, I would prefer to have the manual shifting T-Case as most of the electrical upgrades made to the FJ62, especially on the 1988 model, are a bit "buggy" . The manual shifting T-Case seams more reliable. However, I do understand that the value of the FJ62 would be higher if all original, and the push button H4 worked as it should. I don't intend to build this out as trailer queen, but more of a daily driver with moderate off-roading for fun. Besides, my 06" LC100.....the "Beardedgoat"" makes for an ideal recovery vehicle for any all situations.

 

[Randy88FJ62]

My 88 4Runner came with auto locking hubs up front. I don't know about the guts but if they are similar to a manual hub then you could swap out the clutch that engages the splines to fit a landcruiser instead of a mini truck.

Not sure why you would want to attempt that but Toyota made them for the 4Runner.

 

[LCABOVEALL]

My 88 4Runner came with auto locking hubs up front. I don't know about the guts but if they are similar to a manual hub then you could swap out the clutch that engages the splines to fit a landcruiser instead of a mini truck.

Not sure why you would want to attempt that but Toyota made them for the 4Runner.

Thanks! Didn’t know the 4Runner had this option. I’m happy with manual locking hubs. Thanks!

 

[LCABOVEALL]

Ok, here is an update. The manual t-case shifter deficiently only has three positions. And does not move in the “L” configuration of the 60. I feel certain that someone replaced the knob with a 60 knob vs. a 62. Now that I know what to look for, the knob looks brand new.

As suggested, I got under the rug and took pictures of the t-case. Please see attached picture of the front of the t-case , and the passenger side. Does all of this look right? I notice a hole in the side, in front of, what I assume, is the 4WD indicator that turns the green 4WD light on and off. Or is this the actuator triggered by the 4WD button? Is this hole missing a part? Thanks all!!

 

[3_puppies]

looks like a 62 series vacumn actuator to me, not sure what hole you are talking about.
when you push the 4wd button, the solenoids under the hood change vacumn and it moves the actuator from 2H to 4H it slides a collar over the front output shaft to tie both the front and rear outputs together.

 

[LCABOVEALL]

I circled the hole and attached another pic.

 

[3_puppies]

IIRCC that is used for manual shift transfers, it would be threaded and it would indicate the transfer is in 4wd
on the vacumn transfer it is not drilled and tapped

 

[LCABOVEALL]

IIRCC that is used for manual shift transfers, it would be threaded and it would indicate the transfer is in 4wd
on the vacumn transfer it is not drilled and tapped

ah, got it. Does this hole need to be plugged? Or is it blocked on the inside of the case? Sounds like that what you mean.
Also, where are the vacuum hoses that run into the t-case? I assume what I’m looking at are electrical wires.

 

[3_puppies]

ah, got it. Does this hole need to be plugged? Or is it blocked on the inside of the case? Sounds like that what you mean.
Also, where are the vacuum hoses that run into the t-case? I assume what I’m looking at are electrical wires.

in your first pic above, the vacumn lines go to the UFO looking piece, that is the vacumn actuator thingy.
the other are wires for sensors.

is the hole open into the transfer case? if it is there would be no oil left inside as it would just drain out.