manual v. automatic

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djwolf43

10 Year
Joined
Mar 24, 2013
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Hello all,

I'm looking at buying my first landcruiser and I had a question for you all. Manual vs automatic transmission. What do you guys think? I don't plan on taking it trough mud, but I sure I'll encounter some mud eventually. This rig will be mostly for going camping. I will but a lift on it eventually, most likely will run 33-35" tires. Any ideas on gas mileage?

So what do you guys think?
 
I'm pretty partial to manual. If you can get one, get a 5 speed but you'll more than likely need to buy it yourself and put it in, Unless you're outside of the USA, then you'll have no problem finding one. I've got a 5 speed in my FJ60 and I love it, my dad had a 91 FJ80 and the auto behind a 3FE was... lacking. But I've heard and expect that a 3FE with a manual would be pretty nice. Just my .02
 
All personal preference, but my .02 would has to agree with 84, manual doesn't drag the power out of the tractor motor in these trucks as much as the auto. If you live in a mountainous area hill passes are bad as it is but having to hear your auto downshift a couple thousand times going up and then the associated heat in the trans at this time is no bueno. Also if you should have problem in the woods manual is much easier to limp home ie pop starting
 
^^^ Agreed, all personal preference. I had both FJ60s (round lights/manual) and FJ62s (dual rectangle lights/auto) in my area for sale and really I went with the manual and round lights out of personal preference. Gas mileage is going to be approximately the same between both 13-17mpg on a GOOD day, plan for 10-14mpg if not less.

Each, FJ60 vs FJ62, have their quirks and pluses but really you can't go wrong with either. On a basic note, it comes down to; do you want to do the work or have the truck do the work for you? I.E. automatic windows/locks vs. manual, manual tranny vs. auto, Carburator vs. EFI.
 
I have owned an automatic FJ62 for over 5 years now and as long as it is properly cared for it is easy to drive. The 3FE also has a slight increase in power over the manuals. As long as you treat it right, install a temp gauge, and install a really good cooler you should have no problems.

The auto does suck going up hill. If you plan on rock crawling then I would recommend a manual as you can get a toybox from marlin crawler.

The pros of the FJ62:
power mirrors
power windows
1 button press high 4wd
auto transmission

If you plan on using this vehicle for camping and very basic offroading then there is no problem getting the auto. I picked up a spare A440F auto trans and when my first one went out at 300,00 mi I just stuck in the second one and kept driving it.
 
If you live where you routinly drive over 65 get a 62. The 62 while not a speed demon can be driven on modern freeways. The sixty with the stock 4 speed is a bad combo. Its got a bad first great for off road and no overdrive for on road.

Now if you just roll around town and want to look cool driving slow then a 60 is fine. Or if your that guy who drives 55-60 on the 75-80mph highways its good to.

Only way ill ever have a 60 is with a v8(current setup). 62s are fine how they are.
 
I agree with Kurtis.

I can drive my 62 on the freeway and keep up in the fast lane if there is normal traffic.

Downsides of the 60 or 62: They are slow beasts and the only way to truly fix that is to swap a larger engine in which is time and money. These vehicles are not cheap so plan accordingly.
 
For light wheeling autos can be a lot easier to use off road especially in the rocks, the torque converter lets you go as slow as you want. On road the standard gives a little better seat of the paints feel and fuel mileage can be a little better.

Its prob gonna be a split either way 6 of one half dozen of the other. If you get a 4 speed you prob wont be real happy though unless your a die hard like me.
 
I have an fj80 so its a but different, but I pulled the auto out of it and installed the h42 out of an fj60. It was night and day different while driving, with the manual you actually have power while going up hills and its never searching for a gear like it did with the auto. If it was me I would get the 60 and do a 3fe conversion, or get a 62 and put in an h55.
 
Thank you all for responding. It seems to me I would like to manual trans.

When doing a h55 swap...where do you get the trans?

There is a fj60 here in town for a good price, and it has a motor/autotrans out of a 91 or 92(according to the ad). Is there a difference in this years autotrans vs. a stock fj60 autotrans?
 
FJ62 came with and auto, I believe the 91/92 still had the same A440F auto that the 62 had.
Since this is a swap vehicle, going from the standard FJ60 2F, to the FJ62 3FE you might get some more documentation on the swap and where it was done and by whom.

For the swap, I believe that with the 3FE you should be able to do a direct drop in for the H55F, of course adding the clutch equipment. The H55F is still available from Toyota and about $2500, used is very rare and hard to find.
 
I've always preferred an auto over manuals. They each have pros and cons. Most of my 4 wheeling is slow rocky stuff, nothing where I need to be haulin azz or rock crawling. My FJ62 is on it's second tranny due to the previous owner didn't take care of it. Also, many of the "problems" you will hear folks talk about have a great deal to do with things other than the Tranny itself. The stock setup with the stock tire size works very well. Problem is, what's usually the first thing people do when they get Cruiser Happy..? Yep, slap some big meats on there to look good....and totally screw up the power band for the auto trannys. I recommend you read everything you can here on Mud and also check out a website "The wagon way". Google it. It has a lot of great info for you. Then buy your cruiser and join the ranks of the rest of us "Yota Tards" and begin a new life. ;)

I like my auto setup 'cuz I can set my throttle cable for the desired speed and then have lunch while my rig drives itself to camp! :hillbilly:
 
Remember if you have square headlights its a 62 and originally came with a 3fe and the auto Trans, if its a 60 it came with the 2f and a 4spd h42. The h55 like was said before can be had new from your Toyota dealership for ~$2500 from what I have read you want to stay away from the used variety unless you have driven it and know the history.
 
I got a late 87 FJ62 with manual everything but the auto trans....I fixed that with an H42. the 3FE LOVVVEs it some clutch. 5 speed would rock, I catch myself trying to shift into it from time to time:hillbilly:
 
I have to laugh because even with my 2f I find myself trying to shift into 5th as well, i don't know if it is just habit having so many cars with 5th or just thinking about how it would be great to have OD! Just had a rod bearing go so I will be swapping the 3fe in, point being I wish I had the cash to go H55, but still a great truck with the 4 speed. Also as said there are solutions ie marlin crawler
 
Im partial to manual as well, I have a 3" lift and 33X10.5 BFG all-terrain tired on my 60, I get somewhere in the neighborhood of 12 mpg.
 
I have a 60 with a mild lift that I use as a daily driver and moderate trail truck and I love having the manual in it for that. I also have a 62 that I use for rock crawling and more hardcore trails. I love both trucks but each for their purpose. I hate the manual trans on steep climbs though. I mean front tire lifting off the ground kind of climbs.
 
IMHO, auto transmissions are only good for one thing. Drinking hot coffee while you drive.

I get 12-15 mpg in my desmogged 60. I get 70 mph at 2900 rpm on 31.5s.

Manual trans puts you in tune with your truck.
 
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