Shop in NW for H55F tranmission install? (1 Viewer)

[SeattleFJ62]

Hello all,

Based on the strings on this site, sounds like my A440 transmission is dying (1989 FJ62). The engine is fine for now (original 3FE).

Wanted to get people's thoughts on having an H55F transmission installed and keeping the 3FE engine for another few years, then installing a 5.3 Vortec. No serious off-roading and I may tow a Bayliner once in a while.

Can anyone recommend a place in Seattle or the NW that does good work? And what is a reasonable cost for a shop to do everything to install an H55F?


Thanks in advance!
Scott

 

[Irish52084]

A member here does some good work from what I've seen, His name is torfab. PM him and I'm sure he'll be able to at least point you in the right direction.

 

[Kynot62]

I love my H55 but unless you are going to wheel the rig I wouldn't do it. An H42 is actually a better "road tranny" if you are set on a manual.

You might think about waiting till the tranny really dies then do the vortec swap and include an auto at the same time. You would be money ahead as an auto generally has a better tow capacity for that bayliner

But whatever way you go, call Tor. He is a good guy and can do the tranny as well as the vortec swap.

Tony

 

[snowboardonsnow]

x10 on Tor,

and all you south sounders should start lurking and speaking up in the clubhouse section! I know there are a TON of us on here, but never see you guys around the clubhouse.

 

[T-bones 60]

I love my H55 but unless you are going to wheel the rig I wouldn't do it. An H42 is actually a better "road tranny" if you are set on a manual.

Tony

Why would you say a H42 is a better for the road? I have had both H42 and now H55. I think the 5 speed is much better on the road. Easier on the clutch with the lower 1st gear and easier on the engine with overdrive on the highway.

 

[Kynot62]

Why would you say a H42 is a better for the road? I have had both H42 and now H55. I think the 5 speed is much better on the road. Easier on the clutch with the lower 1st gear and easier on the engine with overdrive on the highway.

The ratios in the 4 speed box have better spacing between the gears if thats the way to word it. But only if the gearing and tire size is matched to it.

The jump from 1st to 2nd (as well as to 3rd) in the H55 is pretty big. I notice it because I run a very low powered 3B, a gas rig may not notice it as much but my rig was much smoother in the shifting dept when I still had the H42 but I had to change it out due to lack of top end with my 4.88 gears. I also wanted the low first gear as I wheel my wagon pretty hard.

For what the original poster wants to do with the rig I think the money would be better spent elsewhere. I love my H55 but the expense when you don't really need the low first gear or in reality the overdrive (setting up the tire size to your gears can accomplish much of the same thing) doesn't make financial sense.

Tony

 

[Godwin]

The OP is running a 3FE and a H55F would match up very well with this engine, especially at highway speeds. One of my 60s is set up with a 3FE and H42 and if I could swap in a H55F I'd do it in a heartbeat.

 

[jpeg]

another vote for tor. he does great work and you can't go wrong trusting your cruiser to him.

 

[Elbert]

look at it this way... once you go to the 5 speed you don't have to generally worry about getting the trans rebuilt ever, it is the perfect replacement in my mind for the current setup. I run the yota 5 speed with my V-8. I would have loved to have had the yota 5speed with I had the stock I-6 2f(powerhouse).

If you are planning to swap to a V-8 then it would seem to stay the course of where you are now...and then jump off into the V-8 swap. If I were to do a V-8 swap again I would look hard at the 4L60E or 4L80E auto trans, then of course you may want to look at the NV4500 GM manual 5 speed.

You certainly can use the yota 5 speed manual but you will have to run a marks adapter or other adapter type device between trans and engine. Auto does away with that but then you have to adapt from the trans to the toyta split transfer case if you coose to run that particular transfer case.

I would look long term at where you want to end up, before making any choices today in regard to the I-6 stock setup.

 

[SeattleFJ62]

Thanks!

Thanks Elbert and everyone else! I've read good things about the 4L80E auto trans - the NV4500 GM manual 5 speed is new to me, but I like what I've read so far, though I like to stick with Toyota whenever possible. I'll call up Torfab, thanks for the recommendation.

Cheers,
Scott

 

[Elbert]

i may not have been clear above...my reference to the adapter is when mating the H55f to to a GM V8.

I think you'll find a number of threads talking about the NV4500, the H55F, the marks adapter, the ranger Overdrive, advance adapters, and the GM auto trans 4L600E / 4L80E.

I think the toyota 5 speed is a good transmission if you want to go manual and it would be a plug and play for the most part (to the extent I know) swapping into your present truck. You then could of course use it with the V8, but you then would have to also use an adapter to mate trans to engine with the V8.

If I were to do my swap again I would probally go the route of the GM auto trans with GM V-8, but that's me and there are many different views on what people think is the best course of action. I know that in the future if I get into another swap I will avoid any type of adapter between engine and transmission, but that's just my view.

 

[TobyB]

The ratios in the 4 speed box have better spacing between the gears if thats the way to word it.

This, especially if you match your diffs to the tires.

The HF55 is a great transmission (numerically) for getting to the trail
and then crawling, or mudding, or just generally playing. It's more
'general purpose work,' not unlike a bigger truck or even tractor.

The gear spacing on the 42 is better for a street- driven car.
Not truck, car. Especially in towns with lots of intermediate speeds.

For the few of us who use them that way, it makes sense to
drive someone's HF55- equipped truck before spending the coin on it.
You might decide you like the HF55, anyway, but it's worth trying before you buy.

And another good word for Tor.

t