How bad of an idea is using the Car Muncie 4spd in an FJ40 for mix use? (1 Viewer)

[Maximus924]

I get the gearing isn't optimal for off road use, but my 40 will probably see only tame off road use. I just got my original F engine running better, but if I decide down the road to go with a SBC V8 it would be interesting to use up some parts I already have laying around, and one of those is a M20 muncie running around and its not a top candidate but just curious if any of you guys have a M20 (or the more desirable M22 or even M21) in their FJ40s?

realistically I will probably stick with a toyota fj40 trans or a granny low SM465, but since I have a car trans staring at me I thought I would see how bad of an idea the general population thought this would be? I know adapters are available for stock transfer cases... but that doesn't mean I should get one!

 

[reddingcruiser]

It's been done before. There's one for sale in CA on craigslist somewhere that I came across recently with a 40 t-case already behind it. Personally, I'm not a fan of the Muncie tied to a Toyota t-case (just my opinion). I would stick with stock Toyota 4-speed or SM465 if you want tried and true. But hey, you own the tranny, you just need the adapter.

Me, I prefer an automatic.

 

[derail]

This might be it.
Muncie transmission with land cruiser transfer case

 

[mtquivr]

I had one in my cruiser until I switched to the NV4500. It was great on the street for a DD. Shifting was like a knife through hot butter, so smooth. I had no problems with mild off roading, just had to use the low range a little more often.

 

[reddingcruiser]

This might be it.
Muncie transmission with land cruiser transfer case

Yep, that’s the one.

 

[Maximus924]

I had one in my cruiser until I switched to the NV4500. It was great on the street for a DD. Shifting was like a knife through hot butter, so smooth. I had no problems with mild off roading, just had to use the low range a little more often.

Can I ask how your clutch was setup? adapting a slave cyl to the GM bellhousing? or using a hydraulic internal throwout bearing? or somehow adapting the oem slave cylinder setup?

 

[mtquivr]

I used a Center Force clutch with the stock slave cylinder on an AA mount to the GM bellhousing.

 

[Ian Macdonald]

Mine worked fine until it got possessed by gremlims. I topped out at 55 mph, but had tons of low end torque. I replaced it with a sm465 when it started to get stuck in 2nd gear constantly. Somehow, though, it didn't feel right for a 4 wheeler. Love the sm unit!

 

[Downey]

Old school wisdom here, from back in the day:
1. Car Muncie trannys do not have a low 1st gear for off roading.
2. Car Muncies can handle high torque at high rpm easily, but your transfer-case can't. Fortunately your stock tranny, which can not handle high torque at high RPM breaks down the torque/rpm before it reaches the transfer-case, so transfer-case is protected. Those with V8's and Car Muncie 4 speeds were cracking a couple transfer-cases per year, the cases all cracked at the idler shaft front wall.

 

[ferg]

Used to wheel with a guy that had one in his 40. Always something wrong with it. Stick to a trans designed for a 4x4 with a nice low first gear.

 

[Maximus924]

Thanks for the input, more or less what I was looking to hear, I'll save this muncie for its intended use, parts or spare for a 2wd truck I built with a 400 pontiac.

 

[lcwizard]

In the 70's the Muncies were the favorite swap. M-21 and 22 were serious fun on the street, not so much off road. First gear was like the
3 speed first, a bit high for serious stuff. The other Muncie is still a cheap favorite...the sm420

 

[mtquivr]

I was out hunting once and had to get on the freeway quickly. I punched it and went through the gears and one of the guys with me couldn't believe it. I told him I had one of the hot setups for the 1960s...4.11 gears, Muncie 4-speed, Hurst shifter and a 327.

 

[reddingcruiser]

I was out hunting once and had to get on the freeway quickly. I punched it and went through the gears and one of the guys with me couldn't believe it. I told him I had one of the hot setups for the 1960s...4.11 gears, Muncie 4-speed, Hurst shifter and a 327.

Yeah, and a fast dragster was running in the 6 second range. Now they're in the mid to high 3 second range.

I was a hard core SBC guy until I dropped in an LS-SERIES motor into my 40.

My how times change.