Removed the mismatched lights and grinded off the uneven angle iron mount that was horribly welded on. She looks way better in my opinion 
What have you done to your Land Cruiser this week? (64 Viewers)
- Thread starter IH8MUD
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This is in my future too - recently picked up a H41 I’m hoping to put in this winter. I see you pulled the interior out and hoisted through the tunnel - has anyone tried it from underneath? I’m sure there’s no “right” or “wrong” way but if one way works better it’ll be good to know going into it.
@4Cruisers - how’s the H41 do on-road? I know it will be a big improvement on the trails but I’m a bit curious as to just how much it will put a dent in my ability to accelerate.
4Cruisers
SILVER Star
We drove the '76 FJ40 up to SAS #1, along with the Texas contingent we met in Taos, through Alamosa, South Fork, and Creede. Did OK at 60 mph. We drove over the 4WD Stony Pass into Silverton, then over Red Mountain Pass to Ouray. That was the only high elevation highway pass on the way there - it did OK. We went over Red Mountain Pass a few times during the week and it powered up the hill both directions OK. Then again into Silverton and over Molas Pass and Coal Bank Pass on the way home.
We also drove it on an 850-mile road trip to Chinle, AZ and back on a leg of the FJ40 Cross-Country Expedition. On the way to Chinle we met up with @mesa man and his son in his V8 powered FJ40. I put in a lot of miles at 65 mph with no problem. A bit noisy as expected. Of course there was about zero traffic because we took the back roads and avoided I-40.
In order to improve both highway and trail performance, for my '71 FJ40 build I'll be going with a '76 2F, newer H41, split transfer case with a 3:1 gearset from Cruiser Outfitters, 3.70 FJ60 differentials, and 30X9.50R15s (upgraded to 235/85R16s on 70-Series wheels when the new 30X9.50 tires wear out). I think that'll be a much better set-up than what's currently in my '76.
Alot of people step up to 33s for highway speed or am I wrong?
David70FJ40
Older Than Most
I have a H55, split case from an 86 FJ60 and ride on 33's. For my '70 FJ40 65 is no problem, but I prefer 60.
1911
chupacabra
You have to shift out of 1st real quick since it is almost 5:1, but after that it is no sweat. I rev mine up to about 3K rpm before I shift. If you have larger tires it works well; I run 33". Top gear is 1:1 just like the H42, so no difference in highway rpm once you get up to speed.
4Cruisers
SILVER Star
That's what I did on my stock '84 FJ60, worked well. Plus a bit of extra ground clearance.
If youre referring to the tube, not quite. I think it's 3/16.
Yeah I know the top gears are the same - just curious if the lower ratios in the low gears really have it falling in its face out of red lights, Mack truck style or if is more manageable. I’m going to the H41 either way, just curious what I’m getting myself into!
rkymtnflyfisher
Trout Bum
I can get my 40 going pretty quick in second gear if I need to, I have just recently started to use first gear.
Same set up as most, sitting on 33x12.5.
I found a new steering wheel to replace my 1980 Toyota truck wheel. It’s one generation newer than I wanted for my 71 but the condition was right and at least it’s from a 40.
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Is yours running a H41? I don’t know if I knew that.
1911
chupacabra
I like mine very well, and don't find 1st gear to be too low, but I am running (stock for me) 3.70 diffs and 33" tires with my H41. I could start from stop in 2nd gear if I wanted to, but to save my clutch I almost always start in 1st. I'm not going to win any drag races, but it's not Mack truck slow either.
Yeah mine will be pushing 4.11's and 7.5R16 (about 32"?) tires so it'll definitely be slower but I'm sure I will get used to it. My truck has no issue starting in 2nd with the H42 - I have to do it occasionally because I have an intermittent mesh issue with 1st from a stop and a loud, but still functioning, input bearing (2nd reason I'm moving to a new trans). I agree it's probably hard on the clutch so I try to avoid it.
It seems like from my reading on Mud so far the best course of action to swapping a transmission is pulling the seats, console, and transmission hump, disconnecting the heater lines and all the shifters and linkages, pulling the transmission tunnel and going in from the top through a door with the engine crane. I dont really want to pull the heater if I don't have to as this means draining coolant, which never goes according to plan! Hoping I can get away with leaving that installed. Seems like a lot of work but I can also see trying to do it with a transmission jack from underneath would be cumbersome with the torque tube and the super off-center weight load from the passenger-side drop on the T-case. Tilting the engine would help but I can see getting the "stab" into the pilot bearing being difficult from underneath.
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rkymtnflyfisher
Trout Bum
1911
chupacabra
I pulled mine from underneath with an adjustable transmission jack (because I already had one) but I did pull the seats and trans hump also, and used ratchet straps from my roll cage to the trans to help stabilize/support it going out and in. Did it all by myself with no problems. I didn't touch the front heater or hoses, but I don't have a rear heater so I would know about that. The ability to tilt the plane of the trans jack in any direction or combination of directions is a great help with the off-center weight and shape of the trans/transfer case combo. You can get a cheap but serviceable transmission jack from Northern Tool for ~$200, or you used to could - maybe the price has gone up by now.
You can get some more room to work by unbolting the rear motor mounts and letting trans. settle down under its own weight, but I didn't need to on mine.
I bought a couple, M12 (IIRC) bolts (as suggested by a Mud Moderator) that I could cut the heads off (you might want to cut grooves afterward so a screwdriver can pull them back out) to use as a guide on the bellhousing to get the transmission in. A cheap screw jack on the transfer case, and the engine hoist thru the door, no problem, a bit of muscle and tinkering adjustment, but really no problem.
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I have the super cheap harbor freight transmission jack - it has worked in the past but it definitely doesn’t take the side-heavy load well.
This one:
I will probably try this again but last time (with the engine out of the truck) I found it was tough to get access to the alignment bolts once everything was lined up - not impossible, but I imagine it’ll be even tougher under the truck.
1911
chupacabra
The H41 was never offered in the North American market, so they are relatively rare here - if you have one, it had to have come from elsewhere. Mine is an Aussie transmission that I bought rebuilt from Spector.
But it is pretty obvious from either looking at the 1st gear if the top is off (the H41 1st gear is noticeably larger diameter than and H42 1st), or by counting the number of times the driveshaft turns with a single flywheel revolution in 1st gear. If you get nearly 5 driveshaft revolutions, you have an H41 (though the H55 has a similarly low 1st also). If you only get 3-1/2 driveshaft revolutions for one flywheel rev then you have an H42.
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