How to properly engage 4wd on a '68 fj40? - a rookie introduction (1 Viewer)

[DistrictFJ40]

Hi, longtime lurker of the forum/ site and I've recently purchased a 1968 FJ40. The truck is pretty well taken care of and it's had lots of little upgrades along the way many of which i'm still discovering - new Warn manual hubs up front, along with front disc brakes and lots of various Man a Fre suspension upgrades. I've been de-bugging some electrical and giving the truck an overall shakedown over the last few weeks and I realized I have no idea how to properly engage the 4wd system in the truck.

Additionally the prior owner did a little dashboard re-arranging so some of the levers, buttons etc look like they've moved over time (someone swapped the heater and horn locations... and the electronic choke in the carb has replaced the old fast idle knobs etc. What *should be the proper 4wd engagement for a '68 (three speed on the floor). earlier trucks had the vacuum operated front drive knob to engage the front drive shaft located near the glove box... but looking at my dash i'm not sure this truck was equipped? Also still learning the subtle differences year to year of these trucks. First truck i've owned with manual hubs so I want to make sure I understand the right way to engage/ disengage.

 

[Rigger]

I’m no expert, but your 4x4 engagement would have been dash mounted but seems to have been moved to the floor.

 

[61twpw]

The short lever next to your gear shift lever is to engage the transfer case. Vacuum operated systems have the control under dash.

 

[middlecalf]

I think that short lever is for lo-N-hi in the transfer case. Is this an SBC? Pics of engine bay and cowl would help. What’s the red dash button do? That fire extinguisher pocket is nifty.

 

[DistrictFJ40]

the Long pull- out vacuum control I see on earlier models does not appear to be here, but has perhaps been relocated. Did the 68’s have the dash mounted pull out for “FD”? Anything I should check for vacuum lines that may have been re-run?

 

[DistrictFJ40]

I’ll get some shots of the engine bay- it’s got a 3.9 straight six. No idea if original though. Anyone please feel free to weigh in on what you see under the hood just reran a bunch of wiring and put in a new alternator last week as well (dual battery setup was installed not quite right).

 

[middlecalf]

If your pocket instruction plate is original to your rig than you did have the FD pull and the dash mounted lo-N-hi lever.

Once we do figure out how to engage your FD you want to make sure your front hubs are turned in first. And don’t use 4wd, even high, on pavement unless it’s slick, from snow or ice.

 

[DistrictFJ40]

Engine bay pics attached.

 

[middlecalf]

That’s a serious wire going from battery to alternator.

Where’s does this tube originate - manifold? If so, then where does it go under the dash?

 

[1962fj40]

For reference, here's a couple pics of my 1962 FJ40 10+ years ago untouched by me.

 

[Living in the Past]

That red arrow points to a drain for the cowl vent. Glove box plaque that shows three and floor shift for transfer case is fairly rare. Probably why it you have the original one from the dash shifter. My 68 originally had the dash shifter and column shift transmission. Not has a four speed and floor shifters. I do have a 70 that has the original setup.

 

[DistrictFJ40]

That tube connects to .. nothing it appears

 

[lcwizard]

I think that short lever is for lo-N-hi in the transfer case. Is this an SBC? Pics of engine bay and cowl would help. What’s the red dash button do? That fire extinguisher pocket is nifty.

red knob is the old Hazard switch....
I'll bet the P/O just swapped in a later t-case with stock floor shift. It will use an "L" pattern

 

[DistrictFJ40]

If I want to test this theory, I should get on a gravel road, lock the hubs, the. Yank the lever down to h4?

 

[thebigredrocker]

@DistrictFJ40
as living in the past mentioned, the tube is a drain tube. When water enters the cowl vent, it drains down that tube. There will also be a second tube to the right of your heater.

To put the Transfer case into 4wd, take your transmission out of gear. Then you can pull the transfer shifter down then all the way to the right. To get out of 4 Lo, tranny in neutral, then move transfer shifter left then up.

 

[middlecalf]

Looks like this has been modified as @lcwizard points out. I was looking for a hose that sent vacuum to the original FD vacuum unit, but it’s been deleted. Yes, get on a gravel or dirt road and use the diagram lcwizard shows to go into 4wd. If you go into 4lo, you’ll notice a significant increase in low end torque and associated RPMs for a given speed.

 

[Avattack]

With the gear shift instructions picture you posted, this is what it would look like. Agree its been modified.

 

[UltraFJ40]

1971

 

[thebigredrocker]

1971

View attachment 2010366

Is that your shaggin' wagon?

 

[UltraFJ40]

Is that your shaggin' wagon?

That was my first 40, I loved that little roller skate. Now it's gone along with most of the rest. I'm holding tight for another one.