H55 in a 40 tips (1 Viewer)

[Zekester]

My 4 speed transfer case bit the dust tonite when it tried to fit a broken gear tooth in between two other gears...

So this has sped up my install of a 5 gear I have in an '84 60 series.

My 40 series is an '80, built in 11/79, originally with a B engine, now a 3B from an 86 or 87 60 series. my original 4 speed is in teh truck. The 5 speed is still in the 60, i haven't looked at it, but am posting this to get a feel of the little things I have to look at.

I know I will have to do my driveshafts, but do the 4 gear shafts bolt to the 5 gear flanges? or do i take the 60 series shafts and use them, with modified flanges to bolt to my diffs?

I believe my cross member is common to both,

I know the shifter is in a different place, that's easy, right? just cut a new hole and cover the old?

umm...does the 60 series clutch mount in the same place, ie, do i just unbolt my clutch cylinder, and bolt it onto the 60 series belhousing?

anything I should modify on the 5 speed or transfer case before it goes in? Until I look at it, i won't know if I'm putting new seals and bearings in them yet.

the deal about the H55 having problems with 5th gear slipping out, Crushers has told me of a mod you do to the forks to hold 5th in, or better explained that pushes 5th farther to better engage it, anyone have experience with that?

As always any help would be appreciated...

 

[seapotato]

sounds like you mostly have it covered.

If you still have the 60 parts truck you can swap over it's pinion flanges onto your diffs in the 42 ( provided they're fine spline as well, if they're original they should be)and that'll take care of the bolt patterns if they are in fact different.

for the clutch, it's all the same, theres a couple different slaves, (bolt holes are different spacing on some, but you might be ok, I don't know the years they changed things there.) but if you still have the one on the 5 speed, just use it and connect it to the master and you should be good.

and for the tranny crossmember, the 5 speed ones have an extra "dip" in them to clear the front shaft, with 3" lift it might get close on the old one ( had to modify the 4 speed one I used with about a 4 inch lift, so depends on how your's flexes.) cutting a bit off the ends of the 60 crossmember to make it fit works pretty well.

you might have to cut the frame crossmember at the back to clear the back of the tcase, but you might not.

nothing else major that I can think of.... your speedo cable may or may not reach, mine did,barely... but it was a tight as hell.
cheers
r

 

[Zekester]

when it comes to driveshafts, if I use the 60 pinion flanges, I'd like to not cut up my 40 shafts, to keep as spares, once i rebuild the munched 4 speed transfer case, If I use the 60 shafts, do both of them need to be shortened, or am I still ina situation where one needs to be lengthened?

I'm at the point now where I'm leaving the bellhousing behind the 60, and using mine, unfortunately i can't get the 60 inside ina timely manner, so I'm just going to pull it as best i can with no bellhousing....

 

[crushers]

use the stub ends of the 40 series drive shafts with the modified 60 series bodies, no need to swap the companion flanges...
you will need to lengthen the front 3" and shorten the rear 3"
of course if you use the rear 60 drive shaft then you can shorten it for the new front and shorten the original 40 rear for the new rear.
you do NOT need the 60 bell housing, the 40 will work fine.

(as discussed earlier on the phone)

 

[Zekester]

I was trying to get away from cutting up the 40 shafts, just in case i ever need to go back to the 4 speed, it would be a quick swap, once I rebuild the 4 speed and transfer case, (the 4 speed needs a new output shaft)...

but shortening both shafts will definitely be easier...

 

[crushers]

stock 4 speed driveshafts are cheap...
BTW, do you still want me to look at that 5 speed? if so then remove the t/case.
suggestion, bolt the thing in and drive it. if it needs tweaking later then we can do it in the warm summer humidity.

 

[Zekester]

they may be cheap, but I still have to find them...

I'm going to start pulling the 5 gear out tomorrow, and the 40 is ready to recieve it, if things look ok, I'll just bolt it in, If I can get the pinion flanges, i'll take them, if not, I won't...

I'm just trying to get info...so i am prepared for anything that can come along...

It's going to be quite the mission getting the 5 gear out, the truck is frozen to the ground with flat tires....if I could get a tractor to knock it on it's side..i would....

 

[crushers]

heads up,
the 5 speed will fit with roughly 1/2" clearence to the cross member so you have to tilt the engine down at the back, bolt in the 5 speed and then lift the butt end of the t/case into place and insert the L brakets onto the frame.
it is a bolt up but it is a T I G H T one. patience and a warm place to work it important.

 

[Zekester]

I've got patience and a warm place to work...for the install....

I'm not at all worried about the install..it's getting the 5 gear out of the 60 that is outside frozen into the muskeg that worries me.....

 

[Zekester]

started this morning, pulled the transmission and case from the 60, and have it bolted into the 40,

see my post in the 40 section, I have an issue with the crossmembers, please go here > https://forum.ih8mud.com/40-55-series-tech/271129-5-speed-tranny-mount-issue.html
and make comments...

everything else went ok, the flangs have the same bolt pattern, so i'm shortening both 60 driveshafts, using the front 60 cardon, on my now super short rear...

 

[crushers]

comment left
just bolt it in and drive the friggin thing.