Builds Cruisermatt's FJ62 Build-up (2 Viewers)

[Output Shaft]

The pinion angle should be the same we there the suspension is loaded or unloaded right?

Not exactly, but close enough not to fret over. The rear shackle allows the end of the spring to lift upwards a wee bit when the spring compresses, essentially rotating the entire spring upwards a tad from the back... maybe changing the pinion angle minus a degree or two.

But that is all academic.
What really hoses all the careful pinion angle calculations and fitments is just a good ole bumpy dirt road. If you want to see how (un important) pinion angles are...just take a look at the rear wheel when driving off road. The axle is all over the place.. vibration is insane.. and any semblance of a "correct" driveline angle is sheer fantasy.... regardless of the resting angle.

As a wise LC shaman once told me... "I'd rather replace a U-Joint every few decades... than a pinion gear due to lack of lubrication, due to a tilted up differential".

Well, maybe he didn't say it in so many words... but you get the point. U-Joints are cheap. Pinion gears are not. Aim for 0º

 

[cruisermatt]

Doing this myself was NOT easy. Those who have met me in real life know I am not that big. Using leverage and proper tools as well as a bit of creativity leads to no injures or straining. Work smarter, not harder.

It was another super hot day today. My driveway looks pretty redneck most of the time

 

[cruisermatt]

I only tacked the perches on the housing, I'm currently at the machine shop having them finish weld them on. Will update with pics.

 

[GLTHFJ60]

Why didn't you weld the perches yourself?

 

[cruisermatt]

Also I did this without disconnecting the leafs, I think I'll disconnect them for assembly though. If I didn't care about scratching all the axle paint of leave them attached.

 

[cruisermatt]

Why didn't you weld the perches yourself?

Sorry I missed this, haven't used my welder since about 8 months ago, I went to practice on some scrap and I lost what minor skill I had built up. Plus I'm out of gas. I'm welding all the tabs for the brake lines an LSPV, they are coming out alright.

Also my machinist TIG welded them and it's beautiful!

I have a question, how necessary are the metal plates that go between the lowest spring and the perch?

 

[GLTHFJ60]

I have a question, how necessary are the metal plates that go between the lowest spring and the perch?

They're not. As long as the spring pin fits snugly into the spring perch, you're good.

 

[cruisermatt]

 

[cruisermatt]

Apparently these are hard to find?

 

[cruisermatt]

OK sorry to leave the audience hanging (people are actually watching this thread right?... Right?), got the axle under the car and built on Thursday, bled the brakes and Friday morning with my dad and left for Hard Rock Offroad to go wheeling with the FLCA. I decided to take backroads for my lack of highway gearing (the Florida Turnpike is rough for slow vehicles), so I'm going down a twolane country road, listening to Rough Boys, pumped to go wheeling, then...

*BOOM*

rear driveshaft is slowly disappearing in my rear-view mirror! Both u-joints sheared, leaving both yokes attached to the transfer case and pinion.

After pulling over, retrieving driveshaft and slip-yoke, and making sure the transfer case and differential pinions didn't have any odd play, decided to drive the last 65 miles in FWD. With the locker up front, this proved to be quite dangerous. I pulled over 50 yards later and called AAA...

And rode that to the rest of the way!

By the time I got to the park it was late so we crashed and decided to fix it in the morning.

When I started pulling the yokes in the morning I noticed a huge amount of play in the diff pinion flange, so it was decided to pull the diff to make sure the bearing wasn't ruined. Turns out it was fine, the nut had been staked too loose from the factory, and since that diff had been in the FRONT of my truck for 25 years it was never an issue because it was never in 4WD at high speeds. It was determined that this was the cause of the drive-shaft failure.

I am SO glad I installed the Full-floater the day before, it made diff removal a breeze. Luis (LC60) supplied a new u-joint and the slip-yoke from his spare FJ40 driveshaft and we were wheeling by 11:00.

 

[cruisermatt]

Here's mine and Charlie @ctuna74 together.

Had to get winched backwards out of that last one. Did I mention that I hate mud?

 

[cruisermatt]

And here's some pictures of the axle swap from last week

LSPV bracket

Perches welded on

And I had my mine shop widen the holes in the trust washers to 6 mm so I can run regular 6 mm hex bolts instead of the specialty Phillips bolts.

Has anyone tried replacing the two jam nuts and star washer from the from with this setup?

 

[GLTHFJ60]

That is the beauty of the FF rear axle right there, textbook example

And I had my mine shop widen the holes in the trust washers to 6 mm so I can run regular 6 mm hex bolts instead of the specialty Phillips bolts.

View attachment 1103204

Good idea, but if the phillips screws are not stripped, they do the job just fine. What made you think to do this?

Has anyone tried replacing the two jam nuts and star washer from the from with this setup?

No, but I had dreamed of doing that many times. In theory, if the thread on the front spindles is the same as the rear this locking nut setup would do the same job.

 

[cruisermatt]

Good idea, but if the phillips screws are not stripped, they do the job just fine. What made you think to do this?

I stripped the first three phillips screws and had to drill them out

Before I did the fourth I Youtube'd how to use an impact, and that one came out no problem

 

[darwink1]

Thats what i had to use on mine when it was bein torn down. No way i would bave gotten them off by hand. Good job man!

D

 

[cruisermatt]

Dropped of driveshaft at a shop to have it rebalanced. They reported back it needed a new tube, so it's now a spare. New (Used) driveshaft assembly on its way from Mel Lowe

There was still a bit of incorrect play in the rear pinion but since the M22 nut had already been staked twice on both sides I decided not to reuse it again. Ordered a new nut and HD seal from Marlin, because why not. They sent me the wrong nut, 20mm!

Went to my dealership and picked one up, this time it's correct. It has a large flange so I assume I shouldn't use the washer with the new nut?

My original driveshaft (80-84) is going to be a spare, I'm going to look at ways of mounting it under the car along the frame.

 

[cruisermatt]

 

[GLTHFJ60]

Correct. No washer necessary with the flanged nut.

 

[cruisermatt]

Halp

The flange is sitting flush against the diff and seal but the pinion does not look like it is sticking out enough. It looks like the pinion got shoved inside!

 

[cruisermatt]

I tried pulling it out by threading the nut on without the flange and using the nut to get a solid grip on the pinion, no budge.