HJ 60 1985 gearbox, 3rd gear jams

[ken cheers]

just seeking any info on whats causing a 5spd box to jam in 3rd. Its gradually getting worse and to leave 3rd gear requires backlash of drivetrain several times to pull it out to neutral.
Its done 250,000km now. gearbox overhauled at 190,000 k for this same reason. new bearings installed, clutch and pressure plate. After rebuild, 2nd became hard to obtain and sometimes its best to slip it into 1st (without releasing clutch) and then back to 2nd. gearbox was noisier after rebuild but mechanic who specialises in trucks and haulage equipment said its basically a truck box and will be noisier. I wasn't overly satisfied with that and I was a mechanic 30 years ago.
So, 60.000 k later I now have a issue that is increasingly difficult to leave 3rd gear. Similar symptoms to last time, just getting harder to leave 3rd. the mechanic drove it last week and has no idea currently.

the wagon has had a easy life and not been off road. is in a very well preserved state and tight as new in all other facets.

Whats likely to be the issue my these problems?

 

[OSS]

If the problem isn't being caused by the shift lever rubber seat gone bad, (easy to check...just remove the shift lever while TMS is still in truck) then the only other option is to drop the TSM and do -another- rebuild or replace it.

 

[Freewheel]

+1 Check your shift linkages. The H55 is a pretty bomber transmission. Mines got 355,000 km on it and it's as quiet and well behaved as when I got it at 220,000.
I would suggest that transmissions should really be rebuilt by people who specialize in them and don't do anything else... not sure if your guy is fitting that description.

 

[ken cheers]

Thanks for your replies. Im assuming TMS means transmission? I did forget to include that I never have synchro problems getting gears and last O/H they were not requiring replacement at all either. checking shift linkages on a HJ60 would mean pulling the top of the box off? There are no external linkages as the stick goes straight into box?
On the point of just rebuilding it or replace it. I had it rebuilt last time and the issue has once again arisen in far too short a period in regards to KM's travelled. So the danger in that is that a rebuild will be required far to often.
the history on the owner before me and from new. he drove it slowly around town and it seen no dirt although he bought it for retirement and fishing. He was to afraid to get it dirty. So we found on the last rebuild the clutch torsion/cushion springs were totally failed. So this car has spent a lot of its time in a country town in 3rd gear and I bought it at 103,000 km.

looking forward to find a solution to this issue. thanks in advance

 

[OSS]

There are two solutions to choose from:

1. Find a competent transmission technician (unlike the first guy who created even more problems on the last rebuild)
2. Buy a new transmission

But at this point, with that many KMs on it and new problems developing because of the bad rebuild due to the mechanic's incompetence or from using non Toyota parts, option 2 is looking like the wisest way forward...and likely cheapest way in the long run.

It all depends on how long you want to keep your cruiser. If you want to "keep it forever" option 2 is the way forward.

The H55F can last a very long time if taken care of. Mine has 440,000 Kms on it and it still runs quiet and great.

 

[ken cheers]

Thanks. yes this car will be forever. Condition is excellent and great on fuel. resale is rising.
the mechanic is a major truck repairer of 40 years and the one who worked for him on this was used to all heavy haulage equipment. So I don't think its like a back yard basic car mechanic operation. they have done all our farm trucks for 25 years.
they couldn't find anything on pull down that would provide the 3rd gear jamming. so they just put a kit of bearings through it. Problem solved for only 60,000 km.

 

[ken cheers]

vehicle is booked in for repairs in a week. went to a transmission specialist and he feels it could be in the slides of the gears and may replace third gear and give it a new bearing kit I gather. The noise after I put a new clutch in last time on idle with clutch disengaged is possibly due to a cheaper clutch. he did explain it all to me well at the time but my recall of it all has diminished. Ill update on any further findings.

 

[ken cheers]

An update. $2600 and its fixed. new bearings again plus gaskets and a new 3rd gear hub (if thats what its called). Apparently it had a fine wear in it that allowed to stick and required jarring to set it free. like introducing back lash to enable gear change from 3rd. Last repairer obviously didn't look as they new it was a 3rd gear issue. Also we found they had left out one bolt that secures the gearbox to the transfer case......mmmm
quite surprising given they are considered a major truck repairer and successful. the gearbox still makes that growl in 3rd a bit when around 1000 to 1200 revs. the clutch still makes a growl when not engaged and idling. this is said to be because its a heavy duty one and its the springs? goes away as soon as clutch engaged. Clutch had zero wear in last 60,000 k, so kept it and put in new spigot also. i do a few trips in a 10 day period and 2500 km later im finding oil stains on concrete. seems the gearbox is leaking out the front. Nice chap puts on the hoist, tells me its rear main possibly... dirty oil. responded, it wasn't leaking at all before and the oil on my driveway is clean. End of discussion which he then said he must of damaged a front seal in the box on assembly and will pull it out again.
he is a honest guy but i cant see how he initially said it was dirty oil. possibly honest mistake ? we were both under the car together when i said its clean oil. we are both historic car club members and i would have about 25 more cars and bikes than he, and he may well rent part of my new workshop i will build this year which is 500 sq metres. given all this im perplexed with the dirty oil response. all past work has come in under expectations so he hasnt a history with over charging me.

Anyhow, thanks all for ideas and i guess this car done its first 100,000 km in a 60 zone and was lugged around in 3rd gear mostly. it never really went out of town before i got it. I guess thats what wore out 3rd gear?

 

[hj 60]

I don't think anyone would only drive around in 3th and no problem if they did, I don't, 3th is short and slow but depends on wheels size.
Sounds like your are talking to the wrong repair guys, I am a bit jealous because in USA a new h55f seems to be 2800 dollar.
But to many stories of bad overhaul, scares me a bit to never trust a guy that says he can fix it, also some thread here explain and show pretty much what needs to be done, a mechanic must have the steps in his system after a dozen fixes.
So to follow the fsm is one thing, the special tools another, the bf hammer slamming is third.

But anyhow a leak can of course happen, we al leak at age, just find the seal and replace, might look at it as a new repair, 2500 km is a lot.

 

[ken cheers]

I don't think anyone would only drive around in 3th and no problem if they did, I don't, 3th is short and slow but depends on wheels size.
Sounds like your are talking to the wrong repair guys, I am a bit jealous because in USA a new h55f seems to be 2800 dollar.
But to many stories of bad overhaul, scares me a bit to never trust a guy that says he can fix it, also some thread here explain and show pretty much what needs to be done, a mechanic must have the steps in his system after a dozen fixes.
So to follow the fsm is one thing, the special tools another, the bf hammer slamming is third.

But anyhow a leak can of course happen, we al leak at age, just find the seal and replace, might look at it as a new repair, 2500 km is a lot.

thanks for your response but if i may express a different opinion. as i mentioned wheel size and its standard toyota above. I guess third gear in the hum can get wear and certainly if spending 98 5 of the time in third. I knew the dear old 85 year old guy who owned it from new. he bought it to all his dreams of fishing etc but wasnt game to get it dirty and it was detailed weekly and i received it immaculate after his passing. and got enough tyres already mounted on new rims to last the next 150,000 km. im not sure what a H55f is but possibly a gearbox. this i didnt buy but as mentioned, third gear was replaced and it fixed it along with new bearings also. i would rather not a exchange box as mine really hasnt done a lot of work and now should last my life out. some clutches give a resonation at idle which i have found to be normal and hope that helps some people. the first repairer was highly experienced with about 45 years on all things trucks including body mods and engineering ability to pass large mods. However it was his top mechanic who does all our other farm trucks too who did. i think he must of had a bad day or his heart wasnt in it. it wasnt a shonky business as some may allude. i guess that why there are warantees on repairs. So i didnt "trust a guy who said he can fix it". i trusted a professional repairer.
i dont know what "FSM" means, sorry. or hammer slamming third? It was never a issue to select 3rd, just an issue to leave it. We all leak at age but this was a week old. so its not aged gaskets. Also im a little disturbed that you think 2500 km is a lot of distance im sure there is a misunderstanding there? its only about 1500 mile and any repair should last 1000 times longer than this. Anyhow its got to come out and the offending seal likley is apparently simple and doesnt require full dismantling of the box again. obviously this is warranted.
they are a tough box and normal driving shouldn't require attention for maybe 300-500K KM. the last repair which ive had to have redone, required the clutch to be replaced as the cushion springs had completey failed also and this would be due to a lot of lugging passing through crank pulses.

 

[hj 60]

Hello Ken, yes H55f is a gearbox:

FSM is factory service manual: FSM Knuckle Rebuild 8 pag.pdf
Hammering: using a big hammer to get it all together (bearings)
2500 km after a repair could just be an new ordinary repair if you are sure it is a new seal that is leaking even that can happen but nice if it is done under warranty, mechanic must not be happy because more time and no money.