Saving another FJ60! (2 Viewers)

[2mountainfish]

If you are in SF, Valley Hybrids would be your best, cheapest source.

You are correct about Georg having the best price. However my local dealer matched his price and saved me from paying shipping or doing a 12 hour drive to pick it up. I would have preferred to go through Georg but this time it made more sense to get it from my dealer.

 

[2mountainfish]

And so the fun begins. I have to admit, next to installing my new engine, this is the most anticipated upgrade I've done. Hope it's as awesome as everyone says.

 

[2mountainfish]

Well today went fairly well. As always double the time you think things are going to take . Make sure and index all of your driveline if your happy with the way it feels and sounds. Hardest part so far was splitting the t-case. Be careful where you pry. Tomorrow is a new day and hopefully I will be almost done by days end.

 

[NookShneer]

Mark your BB on the flywheel while you have it all out. Another tip I learned from @mattressking was to slide a short 2x4 between the back of the motor and the firewall to support the motor and not have something under the oil-pan. I like your ratchet solution.

 

[2mountainfish]

So today went ok. I didn't add pics of the t-case reseal or assembly, enough threads on that. On thing that is hard to deal with is jigging up the trans jack to hold this awkward combo.

 

[2mountainfish]

I also want to address the saying of (direct bolt in), while it is a bolt in, there is A LOT of work to be done. I had pulled this drivetrain and rebuilt it ALL about 25k ago. So I didn't need to clean years of grunge , do ujoints,clutch,or t-case rebuild. If any of those are on your list of need to do's, this will be the time to do it. Offroad.com actually has a two part thread on a H55 swap that is really good. This swap is not overly challenging but be prepared for a lot of work. Tomorrow I am going to fill fluids and start the engine with new tranny attached but no driveshafts. I want to make sure it shifts and runs without any funky noises. Sorry for the fuzzy pics, I must of gotten grease on the lens, have no clue where it could have come from.

 

[2mountainfish]

H55 install/swap is now done. Just want to share a couple things that don't seem to be widely discussed. First off, the H55 top plate is almost 2" taller then the H42. If you've ever pulled a H42, you know how tight it is to the tunnel. With that being said, I removed the bolts that hold the tunnel plate to allow it to move up when I stabbed the H55. 2) I found it easier to fill the trans through the shifter hole in the top plate which saved having to pump 5.5 quarts by hand. 3) You will need a 12mm x 1.75 tap to thread the bolt hole that is not used between the t-case and trans. 4) Make sure you have ALL the new seals and gaskets for the t-case Before you start. All in all it was a good project and makes the rig drivability way better. Feel free to ask me any questions you might haveHappy wheeling.

 

[2mountainfish]

One other thing I want to address is, some people say the five speed is clunky and not smooth, however, you have to remember this is a new transmission and it needs to wear in. Give it a chance, and it will change your life.. Really, the early results will be worth it in the end.

 

[2mountainfish]

I have about 200 miles on my swap now. Takeaways are, 1)The trans is tight compared to the well used h42 it replaced. You have to take your time shifting. I'm sure it will loosen up with time. 2) I am running 33s with 4:11s and the ratios just seem to be better spaced as your running through the gears. 3) The drop in 5th gear is only 500 rpm but it really makes a big difference in how less stressed everything feels to do 65-70 mph. The noise level is not a lot less which is somewhat disappointing, however, these trucks aren't exactly quiet to begin with, nature of the beast. 4) For me, the most important thing is the much lower 1st gear ratio for off road. I can't wait to try it out. In closing, for the price I think it will be money well spent. My Speedo has read 4mph faster then actual since it put in the 4:11s so these pics are actually 70-71 mph. 4th vs 5th. If you've run out of things to fix on your rig I recommend this swap. Thanks for watching.

 

[77CruiserDog]

Very solid thread and great work on this rig! After many more months with the 5 speed, how do you like it? Has it smoothed out a bit? Have you done your first fluid change in it?

 

[2mountainfish]

Thanks for the compliment . The shifting has smoothed out a bit. No fluid change yet, still less then 1500 miles since the install. I just have to remember, it’s a truck 5 speed, not a Celica, so it will always be a little rougher. I also have a locker in the rear which makes things a little rougher sometimes.

 

[The Machinist]

Once you get past 3000 miles shifting gets pretty smooth. Beyond that it starts to feel more and more like the old 4 speed as miles rack up.

 

[77CruiserDog]

Once you get past 3000 miles shifting gets pretty smooth. Beyond that it starts to feel more and more like the old 4 speed as miles rack up.

Nice!! That's awesome to hear!

 

[kirvesmies]

@2mountainfish , just read thru all 10 pages way to keep after it from start to finish. i'm not a camo fan for the whole thing but something with yours just looks right. ask your fab'ber friend how much for one of those front bumpers shipped to ontario.....canada. to my eye that is one of, if not, the best fitting lookswise on a 60. one parting question, did you regear to 4.11 before the swap to the h55? if so, how did it work with the h41 n 33's? thanks

 

[2mountainfish]

Thanks for the compliment, as far as a bumper, he has since moved and I can’t find him. I did put the 4:11s in with the H41 and drove it that way for five years. It worked good for the most part, however, I didn’t like running 2800-3000 rpm to cruise on the highway @65-70. Off road it worked fairly well. The lower 1st and 2nd of the H55 is better though.

 

[kirvesmies]

@2mountainfish , thanks for the reply. kudos given where due man. the bumper query was more tongue in cheek than for reals. i assume you were on 33's also with the h42. as my road trips are all on back roads so the rpm doesn't overly concern me

 

[2mountainfish]

Yes , I have always been running 33s. 4:11s with 33s and H42 will serve you well.

 

[2mountainfish]

I haven't posted in a while, so the update is, she is still running well and is now my daily driver . Nothing like driving a vehicle that you know inside/out and up and down. For all of you considering an Fj60, don't let the age fool you. If you give them proper maintenance and upgrade when you can, they will serve you well. 40,000 miles since my complete rebuild and she has not missed a beat..

 

[2mountainfish]

John and Moureen , miss you both.

 

[2mountainfish]

Very solid thread and great work on this rig! After many more months with the 5 speed, how do you like it? Has it smoothed out a bit? Have you done your first fluid change in it?

Sorry, never saw this post. Yes it has smoothed out and I have done my first fluid change. One of the best upgrades I did besides rebuilding the engine.