Installing new H55F and rebuilding transfer case (1 Viewer)

[jawjatek]

This is in my 1987 FJ60 I bought last year or so, and have been fixing up. I splurged on a new H55F from our man beno, and tcase kit from georg @ Valley Hybrids, and what the hell, a Aisin clutch rebuild kit from Kurt at Cruiser Outfitters.

I have a friend with a shop way up in the hills, so I have to do the work there, but I have good space, air, tranny jack, etc. Beers in the fridge, and tunes on the stereo. Good place to work. Unfortunately he started a M-F job this week of all times, so I can only get in an hour or so a night, but weekends are OK. So, we took out the H42 and tcase. Then I disassembled the case, following the FSM and the many threads I read here. It took me all weekend to pull the tranny and dissasemble the treansfer case.

Now I've got to evaluate the innards of the transfer case. I still need to use the press to take down the rear output shaft. I have no idea what to look for.

I found no chunks of metal in the case, no broken teeth, no visible damage. Prior to this, my only gripe was a slight clunk in 4L when going very slow and getting on and off the gas, I could make it clunk-cluck, clunk-clunk. A buddy suggested it was the transfer case, but I don't see anything in these parts that would explain that, or why we did not hear it in 4H.

Disconnect battery, remove starter and shafts, drain, remove shifter boots, etc.

Jack stands and disconnect all per FSM. Safety first!

I found it easier to work from the top to disconnet t-case shaft, since NONE of the numerous threads on this site and others explain this part worth a flip. So I leave it as an exercise for the reader.

It takes some eyeballing and fooling around with blocks and straps to get the tranny jack just right.

Some grunting and whacking with a big wood block and it slides right out.

Time for a beer.

 

[jawjatek]

Allright, so Sunday morning I spent cleaning parts, and then got into the trans case. It has to come apart. I found that a few pieces were missing, and the last time it was apart, it was put back together with no gaskets at all, just black rtv.

Today I took the case halves and flywheel to a local hotrod outfit I trust, and they hot-tanked my case and reground my flywheel. I was informed when I picked it up that the previous machinist had the flywheel badly out of spec, and he fixed the "step" (?).

Now I need to evaluate the gears and see what if anything, needs replacement.

Cracking the case, as it were. Should have made a table, but I just used a big piece of cardboard and a couple 6x6 stobs.

I just followed the FSM methodically... a yellow highlighter to color in what was done as I proceeded with the endeavor.

Need to press out the front output shaft thingy...

Ready to pull case off the old H42

Rear output shaft group.

Idler gears and stuff.

Pays to stay organized and take notes.

The ugly.

The good.

Ready to put back together.

 

[klinetime574]

I just went through all of this with my 1984. Let me tell ya. If you ever get discouraged just wait until you drive it. 5 speed is the bomb!

Seems like you have all of the necessary parts. If 4WD worked and there are no teeth missing I really don't see any concern. I had 214k miles (now 215k mi) on the gears in my TC. New bearings/ idler shaft and it operates at 100%.

Good pics! I think you have this under control

 

[cruisermatt]

Not to diverge from thread topic but a U.S. spec late 60 had an H41? I thought they only went to 84?

 

[jawjatek]

EDIT: trans is an H42 as pointed out, not an H41. Correction to prev info.

I do have the prev owner's receipts, which also casts some doubt on the provenance of the drivetrain.

In 2009, for $3100, Jimmy's automotive did "install/rebuild transmission" as well as some AC work. Clutch disc and plate look almost new. Lots of fresh grease in TO bearing. Who knows what happened, maybe they installed a tranny from another 'cruiser. Don't know. It is plain to see the case had been opened before. They would have had to, to replace the transmission. No gaskets whatsoever, all seams and bolts slathered in black RTV, one output 32mm nut had no washer under it! SO heritage is suspect in my opinion. Best to just rebuild it all.

What do I look at on the gears? It seems to have some rotational slop, a little bit, between high and low gears on the rear output shaft. Thrust measurements are within spec, and preload felt ok before I cracked it. Dunno?

 

[Cruiserdrew]

All the US spec ones had H42s. The ones 85 up got the longer version of the H42.

 

[jawjatek]

So I have a couple newbie t-case re-builder's questions; I hope one of our industry experts chimes in:

1. on the rear output shaft stack, the high and low gears both float on the rear output shaft, and the clutch ring in the middle, controlled by the fork, couples the selected gear (High or low) to the rear shaft. How much "slop" is permissible here when engaged , and if I feel a little, how much is too much?

2. This is a new trans, so trans output splines have no wear. Does this fact mandate buying a new t-case input gear?
2b. I would expect there to never be any rotational free play (slop) here. Correct?

3. What do I look for on the gears when visually inspecting?

Thanks in advance!

 

[cruisermatt]

Any time there are spline-d shafts (input shafts, output shafts) I like to spread some anti-seize on them. I pulled a transmission in December and did that and it made removal way easier when I pulled it again three weeks ago.

 

[Slow Left]

Nice work Jawjatek! I like the way you work...!

Sorry, I can't answer any of the questions you posted up in post #7...I'm not sure how to measure 'rotational slop' between meshing gears or what acceptable tolerances for that slop would be. I had a spare transfercase (early model, since I've got an '81) and ended up swapping out the bearing retainer (one of the tabs broke of the original) and stacked the gears and new bearings on the replacement rear output shaft only because I was having a heck of a time getting the needle bearing casing out of the original one...

I probably could have gotten away with reusing all the original gears (no chipped teeth) and rear output shaft and just installed all new bearings, races and seals from the kit and reusing the original shim and slapped it all together, but if you think that transfercase has been apart already, I think you are wise to try and answer the questions you are asking. Georg would be a great guy to ask if someone else here on MUD doesn't post up and address those questions for you...

Cheers and enjoy that new 5 speed!

 

[jawjatek]

I just went by a buddy's machine shop at lunch and we traded skills; I removed and soldered a new data back up battery on the mainboard of one of her HAAS CNC machines, and she pressed off the gears on the rear output shaft for me. Took us both less than 5 minutes.

WHAT THE HECK? Is there supposed to be sleeve bearings under the Hi and Lo gears? Or did some shop guy do this sleeving? In the FSM I do not see any sleeve bearings for these 2 gears in the FSM. It shows bearings for "ATM" (automatic transmission?) only. What do I have here? I will post a pic but I am at work at the moment.

 

[Cruiserdrew]

Should be bronze bushings that support the gears. In FJ62s, the gears are supported by real roller bearings. Still, the bronze bushings last a long time and work just fine. They can be replaced, which since yours is apart, this would be a good time.

 

[orangefj45]

Can you post a pic of the "sleeves"?

The gears in your case should be bushing supported. The bushings are pressed into the gears and do not need to be pressed out unless they're damaged or worn below spec.

Georg @ Valley Hybrids

 

[jawjatek]

They are bushings. I didn't know they were that way since FSM does not mention them. When I get home in a hour or so, I will clean the gears and take pictures.

Georg: do you typically have to replace any of the gears or clutch rings when you do a rebuild? How do I evaluate what needs replacement if I do not see any visible chips or damage?

 

[orangefj45]

Theres,always some play between the output shaft, output gears and clutch collar. But there should be none at the bushings.
Inspect the splines in the bore of the input gear. The teeth should be squared off st the top and bottom. If they're sharpened yo a point, you need to replace it.

Georg

 

[jawjatek]

Gotcha. Thanks! Still cleaning parts and will post some more pics later this evening.

Edit: here are pics. I found that when I had pressed off the gears, one bushing had come out of the low gear and was still on the shaft. That was the "sleeve" i saw on the shaft journal. When I cleaned it I was able to wiggle it off the rear output shaft with my hands. Upon further inspection I found it was split completely down one side, and had some scarring. The high gear still had its bushing inside, but there are some rude scratch marks in it.

rear shaft teeth and journals.

Rear output shaft and journals 2:

Split low gear bushing:

High gear and bushing:

another high gear pic:

I take it I can replace these bushings? Or do I need the whole gear?

 

[jawjatek]

Bump for new pics.

Guess I found the source of my low range "clunk".

Sent email to beno to find a set of new bushings. I think this was the whole problem, including my clunk issue (bushing spinning and hitting the gear groove?) because this truck was an engineer's grocery getter and weekend trip to the lake car for years before I got it, not a salt mine work truck, so it has had a easy life 4WD-wise.

PS the code on transfer case is 7A4478 = Jan 1987 which matches the vehicle door plate mfg date.

 

[TLC Norway]

I got the bushings from George or Marlin, can't remember. Both has them, I see them at least on the page of marlin.
When I checked with toy dealer, only the bushing WITH gear was avavible.
I ran out before they digged up a price. ;p

 

[jawjatek]

Thanks. I ordered a set from Marlin. Otherwise they would have to come from Toyota Japan per beno.

 

[orangefj45]

I have the bushings in stock at all times, Marlin actually got them from me .......

Georg @ Valley Hybrids

 

[orangefj45]

I would be really leary of that output shaft. Usually if the bushing is stuck on the shaft, you'll end up having to replace it. Take a mic and measure the diameter of both bushing surfaces. I bet the low side will show more wear.

Georg @ Valley Hybrids

Ps: I have these shafts in stock as well ........