FJ40 Full Floater Axle Build (IH8C-CLIPS) (1 Viewer)

[Stumpalama]

Some more progress, slowly but slowly:

Cut the backing plate mount with my plasma. That bad boy is THICK!

I was definitely maxing out my little 50A all-in-one machine. It had been a while since I'd used it and think I needed more air, it kept making a molten puddle on the back side.

Cleaned up:

With Bracket:

Flush to the axle face:

 

[Stumpalama]

^^^X2?


my self narrowed fzj80 is at 59 7/8"ish- that is I took 3 1/8" out of it on the right side and stuffed it with a nitro cut to length. I am only on 285s, but I hammered them on a pretty rough 4 mile dirt trail 2 time 5 days a week and there were zero issues with it so far. I didn't know the that the spindle adapters made for such a narrow track; that's friggin awesome. I like the idea of a bolt on spindle over the welded on piece; makes for an easily repairable tube...

Did you use an alignment jig?

 

[jcj_78FJ40]

Some more progress, slowly but slowly:

Cut the backing plate mount with my plasma. That bad boy is THICK

Is this clearance for welding the brackets?

 

[Stumpalama]

I believe so... though with the later axles, there are only 4 bolts for the backing plate and I'm fairly certain I could have welded the bracket without cuttig, but it looks cleaner and it's not like this is reversable.

 

[LAMBCRUSHER]

Did you use an alignment jig?

no...I left a bit of a lip on the spindle end and packed and adjusted the wheel bearings onto the hub, loaded the hub onto the spindle, fed in the stock shaft and torqued it in place, stuck that whole shebang into the housing with an empty diff in place and crossed all 8 of my fingers, both of my thumbs and legs, and balls while making 3 passes with my lincoln buzz box. I was very concerned about it being fubarred, but the tread on those tires, the tracking of the rolling rig and the fact that I was trying to break it for about 2 1/2 years unsuccessfully have convinced me that I might have got lucky...that said- I'm sure it can't be dead on...but I don't think anyone could tell w/o slappin a jig on it or taking it to an alignment shop- but I'm not going to do that till I know where to rent a truebar and some alignment pucks from(hint hint)

 

[LAMBCRUSHER]

my local yocal shop that does this type of thing started the quote at 750- and that was IF they had pucks already- and they were certain they didn't...they wanted another 350 for those...(fearless gear) Haff Hawged


some crappy pics...

 

[BlueCruiser84]

So you are going to end up with a removable diff cover on a full float axle? I like that.

Is this setup going to add or subtract from the stock track width? I would be interested in doing this on my 60 if it made things a bit wider...

 

[Jakes40]

Sounds like it adds an inch on both sides.

Great thread Stump!

 

[LAMBCRUSHER]

which is about PERFECT

 

[Stumpalama]

So you are going to end up with a removable diff cover on a full float axle? I like that.

Is this setup going to add or subtract from the stock track width? I would be interested in doing this on my 60 if it made things a bit wider...

It will add about 4-ish" to the track width, from what I've been told. My front is right about 60", so I want to stay under that.
The only issue with doing this on a 60 is relocating the e-brake.

 

[Skrewball]

Looking at the pics got me thinkin about the alignment bar. For ease of alignment, a stub could be machined to fit the spindle ID and make it a tight fit into the existing bearing pocket. You could hammer/press it into the bearing pocket and then bolt the spindle to the flange and it'd be pretty damn straight. If the axle housing wasn't straight, then the old bearings would have worn terribly on the old shafts.

 

[Stumpalama]

Interesting idea Vince. I already have the pucks inbound and I don't know any machinists around here... I also am still sore after paying too much to have that stupid steering shaft stub machined (unknown to me, I paid to have the machinist program it into a computer vice having it done by hand on a lathe, as I expected).

I was also under the impression that the alignment bar helped keep the axle straight while welding. Yes? No?

 

[lcwizard]

As i recall It adds more like 4 1/2" total. 61~ 61.5" track. I have it my 60 rear housing, still a few things to do before it's on the road. I widened the 60 front with two extension sleeves, about 5 1/4"

 

[lcwizard]

I didn't use an alignment bar..I trusted Toyota to have used one when they welded the ends on. Besides I learned 30 years ago when I built
a Ford 9" for my FJ40 that the factory units weren't that critical. After putting 6 lug Ford rear together and bringing it to an alignment shop
to check caster and toe, the alignment guy said "don't worry, this is straighter than 90% of the factory axles I test " If the flanges sit flat on the machined surface of the ends , you're probably fine.

 

[lcwizard]

I just built this same rear end for my 55 and had RVC make some 300m axles. I tried to run the bearings wet the first time out but RCV flanges leaked so I installed seals and now I running the bearings in grease.
Pictures here: Target carrier




Axle drawings,


View attachment 1164474

You've got a good design. Many people make the mistake of having the outer splines cut too long. You want the drive plate to " bottom out "
on the splines as the c-clip groove becomes available. Otherwise the axle shaft will walk out and knock the dust cap off or worse if the splines are really long. I perfect fit will be an interference fit that requires soaking the axle in dry ice and acetone while heating the drive plate to a couple hundred degrees to install. You might want to send the drive plates to the axle guy to do this if he's willing

 

[BlueCruiser84]

So you just popped these brackets on the axle tube and welded them on? Nothing Fancy?

Is there more info on one of these axle builds? Maybe i missed it but what do you use for brakes/spindles/bearings in the back? And it's ok to use the existing semi-float third member chunk?

 

[Stumpalama]

So you just popped these brackets on the axle tube and welded them on? Nothing Fancy?

Is there more info on one of these axle builds? Maybe i missed it but what do you use for brakes/spindles/bearings in the back? And it's ok to use the existing semi-float third member chunk?

There is another thread that discusses this. If you do a google image search for FJ40 LCwizard, you will find some images and the links to the threads. I found this much faster than trying to get the right combo of words in the 'mud search engine.

The beauty of the brackets is that you use all Cruiser front end parts: Spindle, wheel hub, bearings, brake discs and calipers. You can use the rear diff, as there is no fundamental difference between front and rear diffs, except the pillow block in the rear, which you will no longer need.

 

[Stumpalama]

I didn't use an alignment bar..I trusted Toyota to have used one when they welded the ends on. If the flanges sit flat on the machined surface of the ends , you're probably fine.

@lcwizard : Just so I am clear on this (I'm often slow on the uptake) you are talking about the flange that the outer face of the bracket lines up to (as pictured below), correct?

 

[LAMBCRUSHER]

ah yes, the one good reason to do the zj80 axle- the disc with ebrakes...I LOVE my ebrake.

 

[jstncse]

Looking good Stump.