FJ62 - Convert to H55 5 Speed or Rebuilt A440F

[BG_TX]

I have a cherry ride, near mint with the exception of the transmission that finally crapped out on me. I have decided I will not let any local shops attempt to rebuild the transmission because of the horror stories I have read. I have narrowed my decision to two options and I am looking to the boards for experienced feedback.

1. Convert the existing transmission to an H55 5 Speed (as some would say, getting rid of the slush box).
The Pros I am aware of:
· Better highway performance with the added gear reducing RPMs resulting in less wear on the engine
· Potential for improved gas mileage (I stress potential)
· Added performance/acceleration since shift points are controlled manually
· Maintenance will be much easier/less expensive than working on an automatic
The Cons I am aware of:
· I am not aware of a reputable shop in the DFW area who has/can perform the conversion with warranted results
· Cost of additional parts to complete the conversion aside from the H55 and what can one expect to pay in labor (I will not be able to perform this job ‘cause I’m a newb)
· I have a feeling if I go with an H55 I will rag the engine out…
Cost
· New H55 with rebuilt transfer case ($3495) - MAF
· Rebuilt H55 with transfer case ($2995) – MAF
· I swear I saw these somewhere new/in crate for $1850 but I cant find the distributor

2. Replace the existing auto with a reconditioned one from Wholesale Automatics (Rodney’s)
The Pros I am aware of:
· The comforts of having an auto
· The ‘62 will remain near stock for nostalgic purposes
· Recalibrated valve body provides Lock-Up in 3rd and 4th gears (reducing wear on the engine)
· Reputable mechanic with proven results
The Cons I am aware of:
· Expensive maintenance when the transmission experiences problems in the future (although I don’t expect problems in the near future with the reconditioned auto)
· Slush box remains and performance remains as is (although I read about adjusting the kick down to maximize shift points)
Cost
· Reconditioned A440F and Torque Converter ($1838) – WA
· Reconditioned A440F and Recalibrated Valve Body (3rd and 4th gear Lock-up) ($2481) – WA
· Reconditioned A440F, Recalibrated Valve Body and Recalibrated Torque Converter ($3372) – WA
· Reconditioned A440F and Torque Converter and XL External Oil Cooler ($1991) - WA


I was leaning towards a reconditioned A440F and torque converter with the XL external oil cooler since I do not plan on extreme wheeling but I was speaking to another LC enthusiast yesterday who is partial to the H55. I can see benefits in both but there is probably quite a bit I am not aware of since this is my first 4x4 and LC, so I thought I would bring it to the boards for feedback.

To give you an idea of my intentions with the ‘62 that may assist in providing the appropriate match, the vehicle is my weekend cruiser. I primarily use it to go fishing and camping but I also like to cruise around in it and get it dirty on occasion. I intend on taking long trips with the vehicle and I will be adding an HFS lift and larger tires (35” max) to the vehicle when the transmission issue is resolved. I do not intend on doing extreme wheeling in the vehicle, the lift is primarily for added clearance, stability and I like the aggressive stance of a lifted 60/62 cruiser.

 

[GulfShoresFJ60]

Well the cost of the H55F swap for just the parts is close to $3000. You can get a brand new Toyota H55F from the dealer for the $1850 price you mentioned. There is a lot more involved in the H55F swap than the A440F replacement. You have to add a clutch pedal, master and slave cylinder, clutch, flywheel, bellhousing, and you have to retube the driveshafts since the length of the H55F is different than the A440F.

Also the A440F has a taller? overdrive. In otherwords you will be turning more RPMs with the H55F than with the A440F overdrive.

Here is a link on a H55F install into the FJ62: https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=29988

 

[Tinker]

Seems like everyone likes Rodney's rebuilds.

Your lift won't add stability, though.

 

[overhanger]

I've had the Extreme Valve Body on my truck for the last 35K miles and it is an easily recommended upgrade to the stock A440F. Now, it is time for a Rodney transmission as mine has started showing signs of needing replacement. I will be going with the Extreme A440F which is different from the reconditioned one you are quoting prices on. Mud 60 series hall monitor Euclid has one of the trannies you are talking about and I'm pretty sure he is still a happy Wholesale Transmission customer. Your dilemma is whether to shift or not to shift, as I see it. There are more and more successful H55F swaps to read about and both transmissions have their merits as you have pointed out.
A new moderate lift suspension, when compared to a clapped out original, will add stability with all four corners acting as a system rather than bouncing around independently as the worn out OEM will tend to do.

 

[DBS311]

To give you an idea of my intentions with the ‘62 that may assist in providing the appropriate match, the vehicle is my weekend cruiser. I primarily use it to go fishing and camping but I also like to cruise around in it and get it dirty on occasion. I intend on taking long trips with the vehicle and I will be adding an HFS lift and larger tires (35” max) to the vehicle when the transmission issue is resolved. I do not intend on doing extreme wheeling in the vehicle, the lift is primarily for added clearance, stability and I like the aggressive stance of a lifted 60/62 cruiser.

If this is true I would recommend you stay away from 35's. 33's will be plenty for your needs and then some. To run the HFS lift and 35's, you are opening up a huge list of mods to do.

To give advice on your dilemma, I would do everything I could to put the H55f in. The A440, IMO, robs too much power from the little available.

 

[euclid]

1. I like auto's better in pretty much all off-road situations.
2. Rodney's a440 is the best you can get.

 

[Toadhopper]

I think you can get the price down from the MAF prices you have listed for the H55F swap,3K is a more accurate overall estimate if you take your time shopping around.
The big difference I see is, do you really like the AT or are you a clutch person at heart? Euclid, and many others, like the autos for wheeling and there is something to be said for sticking with what you like!
Maybe you can test drive someone's LC w/a H55F in it. The LC 5 speed is a truck tranny so its characteristics are different than manual trannys in passenger cars. I'll bet if you drove around for an hour in one w/a stick it would really help you make up your mind.
Good luck,
Bryan

 

[TuesdayPrepper]

I have everything I need except the clutch pedal and mounting hardware. I was told that I will need a donor vehicle to get the parts to install the clutch pedal, is this true to your knowledge? Is there a specialist on here somewhere who sells them?

 

[fl4031003]

Clutch

Mid 85 through 87 FJ60 is what you need.

 

[land crusher]

I've heard good things about the the 3FE/H55f combo in a 62. A cruiser mechanic I know said he did one for a customer and said it really let the 3FE shine.

 

[Spike Strip]

You'll need the clutch/brake pedal bucket - You might PM Georg (orangefj45 on the board). He's got a shop in N. Cal and has all kinds of used stuff.

 

[Michael Hanson]

Hi, Since your in the Dallas area. I like an auto the best, ESP when you get in bumper to bumper traffic which is always in this area. I like my manual transmissions but in traffic they will wear you out. People talk about the differences in mpg for auto vs. manual , We see very little difference and we drive a lot of cruisers and they see a lot of miles. Biggest thing I see that makes a difference is RPMs . Keep cruisers close to 2000-2800 they are fine , go over that and it's hard on them . Mike

 

[LAMBCRUSHER]

I have everything I need except the clutch pedal and mounting hardware. I was told that I will need a donor vehicle to get the parts to install the clutch pedal, is this true to your knowledge? Is there a specialist on here somewhere who sells them?

Georg has a great write up on the 5 speed swap, heck I got some deets regarding the pedal bucket in my thread with some pics for that part. I just did a 4 speed with the extension housing so it would be the same length as the H55, should I ever win the lotto. The engine has 333,306.6 miles on it right friggen now, and I did the swap about 21,000 miles ago. the manual makes it a totally different beast 4 speed, or 5, but I'd have to agree that an auto is nice off road. But, if I owned another 62 series, it would get a manual...




for the manual swap, use an 86/87 -LATE 85- I mean like December production date to be safe with that particular year-pedal bucket and clutch master and slave to avoid having a bunch of headache involved with drilling the firewall....you'll see what I mean if you get into it that far...it's easy peasey hole location with the right parts...HTH

 

[stockhorse]

An opinion from a wholesale auto box owner.
I have a 3f auto, a 3f manual, a 2h(with aftermarket turbo) auto, and a 12ht auto.

Being in Australia we didn't get the 3fe in 60 series (they came in the 80 series) so can only relate it to 3f and diesel motors.
The 3f auto has a standard box and it performs MUCH better than the 3f manual (5 speed) both off road and on. The only time the manual is better is overtaking trucks at 110kph, as you can change down and punch it and get better acceleration at the higher speeds.
The 2h with turbo has a Wholesale Auto (Rodney) box and upgraded torque convertor direct from Rodney at a cost of $7600 Aus. How does it perform compared to the standard box? Not much difference to be honest.TC lock up in 3rd is IMO a waste of time and a marketing point with little to no practical application. Shifts are Harsh with the extreme valve body and I had rodney change it (after 5000 klm) to the Nomad valve body that gives good shifts but is nowhere near as harsh on shifts. The standard auto box with a good cooler, synthetic oil and a correctly adjusted shift and throttle cable performs very well. If you were to drive all 3 of my auto 60's you would not be able to tell which had the Wholesale Auto (rodney) box in it.
The 5 speed is not a bad box to drive but doesn't gain anything (except high speed acceleration) over the auto and if you are towing anything becomes a 4 speed as it is recomended not to tow in 5th gear.
For the money outlay, convenience and if you were previously happy with the auto, then stick with auto add agood cooler and run synthetic fluid. From MHO and experience the Rodney box is not worth the extra cost so go a good standard box and use the money saved for other things.

 

[RockDoc]

I have to disagree on the 3rd gear lock up being a waste. I have an extreme VB in an otherwise untouched A440F and I find that 3rd locked up is great for hills, towing on the highway and passing on the highway. It's not as big a deal with the 2FE (which can hold OD much better), but when I had the 3FE, I was in 3rd a lot.

I agree that the shifts feel harsh, but don't worry much about it as I understand that is better for clutch life in the tranny.

 

[Dieseler]

I have a 62 that has a worn auto box and I have just bought another 62 that is well maintained and has a good auto trans and the difference is night and day on drive ability.
I compare this to my other Cruisers which have a H55 one being a 12HT and the other a 3F carbed motor and hands down I love the way the smooth running auto performs I even notice and huge difference in fuel savings especially over the 3F with a 5 spd.
I am almost thinking of converting one of my 40's to an auto box to see how it is over a 5 spd or 4spd trans.

 

[Elbert]

If you have the $$ then potentially the rebuilt auto is the way to go, and if you are going to run a lift kit that will support 33-35 inch tires then I suggest you re-gear too.

Swapping the auto transmission would be by far the easy job and any guy who knows anything about toyota old school stuff would be able to do that.

The only thing I think a manual is better at Off-Road is controlling your speed on a downward slope.

If you have to pay for the labor either way you go, the auto transmission swap will be the cheapest.

I would look at any of this as something you are doing for the "fun" factor... and just go from there. I don't know what kind of warranty you would get in either case with the parts or labor.

About the same time as what you are going through...people start looking at other options for the entire engine and transmission all at one time and jump off the deep end and potentially go with a GM V8 and GM Transmission or some people go the Cummins I-4 or I-6 route. When you start throwing around considerable $$ in regard to the vehicles value (if that concerns you) then it makes sense to open the door to different options.


The deal with an auto transmission on a low powered engine is that the auto transmission does or seems to take power to "feed itself" but it makes up for part of that with the torque converter. Will the world change with the new auto trans....I doubt it (but I've never driven one / Rodney modified auto trans). One of the drivers to go manual is to save some $$ if you can do that yourself and to gain some "free power" back. A lot of that is a very subjective thing, but you have to consider why someone would do the swap in the first place....so there is some merit in the swap to a manual. But that gets right into the question of preference and subjective view. Its very hard to beat the performance of modern day auto transmissions....not necessarily true of the old stuff.

You would be well served to go drive one of each if you can find one truck with each type of modification where the owner will let you drive it. Because you may find that in the end...regardless of what you hear & read here may not line up with your seat--of--the--pants judgement and feel. I would not spend $3+K to find out that one or the other just made no positive difference for you and you got no value added other than the truck runs down the road.

 

[LAMBCRUSHER]

If you have the $$ then potentially the rebuilt auto is the way to go, and if you are going to run a lift kit that will support 33-35 inch tires then I suggest you re-gear too.

Swapping the auto transmission would be by far the easy job and any guy who knows anything about toyota old school stuff would be able to do that.

The only thing I think a manual is better at Off-Road is controlling your speed on a downward slope.

If you have to pay for the labor either way you go, the auto transmission swap will be the cheapest.

I would look at any of this as something you are doing for the "fun" factor... and just go from there. I don't know what kind of warranty you would get in either case with the parts or labor.

About the same time as what you are going through...people start looking at other options for the entire engine and transmission all at one time and jump off the deep end and potentially go with a GM V8 and GM Transmission or some people go the Cummins I-4 or I-6 route. When you start throwing around considerable $$ in regard to the vehicles value (if that concerns you) then it makes sense to open the door to different options.


The deal with an auto transmission on a low powered engine is that the auto transmission does or seems to take power to "feed itself" but it makes up for part of that with the torque converter. Will the world change with the new auto trans....I doubt it (but I've never driven one / Rodney modified auto trans). One of the drivers to go manual is to save some $$ if you can do that yourself and to gain some "free power" back. A lot of that is a very subjective thing, but you have to consider why someone would do the swap in the first place....so there is some merit in the swap to a manual. But that gets right into the question of preference and subjective view. Its very hard to beat the performance of modern day auto transmissions....not necessarily true of the old stuff.

You would be well served to go drive one of each if you can find one truck with each type of modification where the owner will let you drive it. Because you may find that in the end...regardless of what you hear & read here may not line up with your seat--of--the--pants judgement and feel. I would not spend $3+K to find out that one or the other just made no positive difference for you and you got no value added other than the truck runs down the road.

this is solid advise...

 

[82RECCE]

I have an Fj62 I'm looking at putting a new H55 in. I only have one question: will I need a new transfer case for the H55 or will the existing one I have on my FJ62 work?

 

[CenTXFJ60]

The wxis

I have an Fj62 I'm looking at putting a new H55 in. I only have one question: will I need a new transfer case for the H55 or will the existing one I have on my FJ62 work?

The existing one is what you’ll use. Unless you want to convert to a manual vs vacuum operated system. But you can do a mod to your current one if that’s the case as well. Plenty of threads on this and I did the conversion on my brothers 62. Was a fun project. Good luck and keep us posted.

Diesel
But for now I’m just going to keep this 3FE going and fine tune the truck as it is. I don’t want to do an engine swap until everything is ready to support that (suspension/drivetrain etc)