I worked mine over this weekend. The easy way
The "No Slop" FJ62 shifter mods
- Thread starter Spook50
- Start date
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.
My husband does not post, so y'all bear with please. We have a 90 FJ62 that has what we are assuming is the same fore to aft slop referred to in this thread. The truck is pretty much not in gear when the selector shows it to be in gear, you kind of have to get in between so nothing is showing red on the selector or it's kind of partway showing on the selector. The prior owner must have worked on this issue as there are new linkage bushings under the truck. We did the shift lever position adjustments as per the FSM. It seemed to work as D was suddenly actually drive, but we had no Park. The shifter would not engage far enough forward to catch Park. You could push it up and see it on the indicator, but it could not click in. We started from scratch and tried again--multiple times. Where we are out now besides frustrated is D, 3, 2 and low all seem to work, but no park. If I recall correctly, we have reverse in park since park is not actually engaging, reverse is in the right position but seems to have a delay in shifting and neutral is not really working and or hard to find.
One other thing I noticed that my husband is going to take back apart and look at because he did not understand what I was trying to explain--- When he had the actual selector in the truck taken apart, it looked to me like the metal piece that the shifter engages with (I think it is the second or third photo on the first post of the thread) has almost no pattern difference to it in the first three gears (PNR). There is a noticeable difference in the other gears, but the first three, the cut out pattern almost all blends together like it is worn out. I can't tell from the photo in the first post if they are the same or not. You can also move the gear selector down through these gears without pushing the button, I don't know if that is normal. I know this is an old thread, but I hope someone can help.
One other thing I noticed that my husband is going to take back apart and look at because he did not understand what I was trying to explain--- When he had the actual selector in the truck taken apart, it looked to me like the metal piece that the shifter engages with (I think it is the second or third photo on the first post of the thread) has almost no pattern difference to it in the first three gears (PNR). There is a noticeable difference in the other gears, but the first three, the cut out pattern almost all blends together like it is worn out. I can't tell from the photo in the first post if they are the same or not. You can also move the gear selector down through these gears without pushing the button, I don't know if that is normal. I know this is an old thread, but I hope someone can help.
Did this last night on our "new" 62...great info, thanks for the write-up.
To add to this discussion, as there was a question about the info in millimeters...I measured the components:
The ID of the shifter base "tube" is 17.9mm
The OD of the shaft that connects the handle to the rest of the linkage is 16.0mm
So you're taking a 3/4" OD x 5/8" ID (19mm OD x 15.9mm ID) Hillman bushing and turning it down to 17.9mm OD, and hogging out the ID slightly to 16.0mm
If there's a similar bushing in 18mm OD x 16mm ID, you'd be really close to plug-n-play.
Even if it wasn't a flange bushing, you could easily match the width of a cylindrical bushing to the 16mm portion of the shaft, and add a thin washer on either side. Couple different ways to skin this cat.
- Brian
Last edited:
I don't know why I even bother trying to fix a problem myself without first consulting Mud. Nailed it!
Nice one!
If my FJ62 shifter can move from Neutral to Drive while being in Drive, would this mod fix it? Or does it fix a different symptom of the shift linkages that is separate from my problem. This happened after swapping in a different A440F trans.
It could, everything is firmer and I think it may have helped solve that for me. I can't quite remember so don't take my word for it.
First, I would check the shifter handle adjustment. Make sure the springs are seated properly and once you have the top off (just two allen screws) you can rotate the white plastic cylinder to tighten things up. The wedge on the top of the cylinder keys into the shifter button and releases the pin on the shifter gate. Mine required adjustment after doing the brass bushing.
First, I would check the shifter handle adjustment. Make sure the springs are seated properly and once you have the top off (just two allen screws) you can rotate the white plastic cylinder to tighten things up. The wedge on the top of the cylinder keys into the shifter button and releases the pin on the shifter gate. Mine required adjustment after doing the brass bushing.
So I finally got around to going through this thread properly and understanding the modifications done. Here's my part number research so those don't have to go sifting through multiple pages and threads. I grabbed the information shared in this thread as well and added the Mcmaster part number which eliminates touching the ID.
Toyota OEM 90385-16008 control shaft blue nylon bushing replaced by custom bronze bushing. Modify/machine on lathe or with dremel etc to: ODØ17.9mm, IDØ16.1mm. Use Hillman bronze bushing @ lowes Item # 215730 Model # 882995 or McMaster P/N 6659K33 which has ID at Ø16.1mm ready to go.
The Hillman bushing comes with dimensions: 5/8-in Bronze Machine Bushing, 3/4" OD x 5/8" ID (19mm OD x 15.9mm ID)
Stock Toyota parts currently available:
90389-08005 Brass tube bushing (2x) $1.07 ea from partsouq. Bushing for column shift control shaft.
33723-22010 Swivel for gear selecting rod No. 3$7.03 partsouq (threaded flanged pin on transmission / floor shift rod)
90480-17177 $1.40 second shifting rod rubber bushing (2x, both sides of floor shift rod under truck)
9413000802 Nut that goes on end of Swivel $0.54 (1x)
9461310800 Washer 4X $0.54 (2 per side of floor shift rod under truck)
9451200800 Lock Spring Washer $0.46 (1x)
9046814004 Clip $0.46 (2x)
9451201000 Spring Washer (goes on end of main shifter rod after bronze bushings)
Toyota OEM 90385-16008 control shaft blue nylon bushing replaced by custom bronze bushing. Modify/machine on lathe or with dremel etc to: ODØ17.9mm, IDØ16.1mm. Use Hillman bronze bushing @ lowes Item # 215730 Model # 882995 or McMaster P/N 6659K33 which has ID at Ø16.1mm ready to go.
The Hillman bushing comes with dimensions: 5/8-in Bronze Machine Bushing, 3/4" OD x 5/8" ID (19mm OD x 15.9mm ID)
Stock Toyota parts currently available:
90389-08005 Brass tube bushing (2x) $1.07 ea from partsouq. Bushing for column shift control shaft.
33723-22010 Swivel for gear selecting rod No. 3$7.03 partsouq (threaded flanged pin on transmission / floor shift rod)
90480-17177 $1.40 second shifting rod rubber bushing (2x, both sides of floor shift rod under truck)
9413000802 Nut that goes on end of Swivel $0.54 (1x)
9461310800 Washer 4X $0.54 (2 per side of floor shift rod under truck)
9451200800 Lock Spring Washer $0.46 (1x)
9046814004 Clip $0.46 (2x)
9451201000 Spring Washer (goes on end of main shifter rod after bronze bushings)
- Thread starter
- #50
Strength isn't affected enough to cause an issue. My shifter is still working perfectly after doing this mod. It is absolutely critical though to use a drill press with a vice to hold the shifter arm still, and to ensure you drill dead center. I found (with other projects) that the bit will still wander about half a millimeter when you first contact the metal if you go too fast. Start out with very soft contact so it can make an indent, then you can continue drilling through.
I'm am leaning away from the pins as I'm feeling a little lazy about the upgrade you showed. In your opinion did the pins and tack weld make a huge difference worth doing? I am thinking of trying without the pins and if there is still slop then move to the upgrade.
- Thread starter
- #52
Honestly I think the weld made a bigger difference than the pins in fore/aft slop. The pin on the transmission linkage made a difference, but if you're only going to do one or the other, go for the weld.
Good to know. Welding is a 10m job compared with the pins.
diesellibrarian
SILVER Star
I have found a MUCH easier fix for this problem. Basically, you take a 1/2" straight copper plumbing union, and remove a *small* amount of material from the inside of the tube (I used a sanding drum on my Dremel and some 60 grit sandpaper). With that bit of material removed from the inside, the interior and exterior diameters are almost a perfect fit for the shifter bushing, and it's exactly the right length as well.
To install, remove the plastic housing from around the shifter, remove the 17mm nut from the right side of the shifter pivot, and then remove the shift lever. Put some grease on the inside and outside of the copper tube, and slide it in around the pivot shaft. I then put on a plastic washer between the pivot housing and the lever, then reinstalled the shift lever, and DONE. Feels like new. Total investment in time: 20 minutes. Total cash invested: 50 cents.
The pic shows the type of plumbing union i used, in case my description is not clear.
To install, remove the plastic housing from around the shifter, remove the 17mm nut from the right side of the shifter pivot, and then remove the shift lever. Put some grease on the inside and outside of the copper tube, and slide it in around the pivot shaft. I then put on a plastic washer between the pivot housing and the lever, then reinstalled the shift lever, and DONE. Feels like new. Total investment in time: 20 minutes. Total cash invested: 50 cents.
The pic shows the type of plumbing union i used, in case my description is not clear.
Do you not remove the bushing from the left side then? Looking at mine I have two nuts to remove from the left side in order to get the “shaft thread” out , unless I am completely confused.
diesellibrarian
SILVER Star
It may be that there was nothing left of the old bushings, which may have made things easier. The only piece I had to remove was the shifter lever, which gives access to the pivot from the right side. That seemed to be all that was necessary, but your mileage may vary.
- Thread starter
- #57
Funny to see this method is still being used and improved on so many years later. I finally solved my issues completely by converting to an H55F 
