Birf, Birfields, Birfield inner axel swap fj60 into fj40 for Disk Brake Swap (1 Viewer)

[mcwinery]

I am doing a Disk Brake conversion from a FJ60 to a FJ40.
How do I swap the inner axel of a fj40 with the into Birfield of a FJ60? (the FJ60 drivers side inner axel is a couple of inches longer than the fj40 housing)
I did not find an easy answer so I decide to start my own thread.

Thanks to a little information out there and a phone call to Georg who is orangefj45 on this forum, this is what I did.

This is what I did using "the Pipe Trick".

I took a 2 1/2 inch stainless steel pipe, a little longer than the inner axel. I place the inner axle shaft down the pipe with the birf bell resting on top of the pipe. Then I pounded it onto the ground with the pipe and birf together onto a a piece of plywood on top of a hard surface.

You have to pound it very hard and the axle shaft comes loose. In my case popped out and hit the plywood. By having it placed on plywood prevents the spline from getting damaged.

 

[mcwinery]

The 3rd picture is the spline with the c-clip attached. The c-clip on the FJ40 spline broke when I removed the spline. So I took the clip off the fj60 spline and put it onto the fl40 spline. I would have used a new c-clip but it was not available.

To put it spline and inner axel back together I did the reverse and used a piece of schedule 80 1 1/2 inch pvc around the spline and lightly tapped it as I put the inner axel back into the spline. I was careful to make sure the c-clip went and helped it a little with a small screwdriver to keep it in place as I tapped it in on the ground.

I should be done with my swap next week.

 

[PabloCruise]

Great pictures, please take more as you go through the process.

I would like to see pics of how much housing you have to grind to fit the 60 birf in the 40 housing.

Thanks!

 

[mcwinery]

Here is the before picture of my axel housing.

 

[belaw]

Great pictures, please take more as you go through the process.

I would like to see pics of how much housing you have to grind to fit the 60 birf in the 40 housing.

Thanks!

x2! I would like to see this "graphically explained" as well.

 

[mcwinery]

Pictures after grinding housing

Here are the pictures I referred to when I ground out my knuckle housing. I will post my pics on Monday. They look very close to these. I have read that you only need to grind out the bottom. But I did top and bottom. I used a 4" grinder which came out looking exactly like these pictures. It is snug going in, but once packed with Sticky Red Hi Pressure grease it seems to fit perfectly. I did read elsewhere that after loading them with grease it was much tighter to get out. You might want to cut a tiny bit extra. I did before I packed it with grease.

 

[Rigger]

Wow! I had no idea you had to remove that much material to get that '60 birf in there! I had to clearance my housing a little for later '40 birfs but I just had to shave a little bit off.

 

[belaw]

Here are the pictures I referred to when I ground out my knuckle housing. I will post my pics on Monday.

C'mon mcwinery, it is Wednesday and still no pics.

(more pics = more better!!!)

 

[KZRSOIZE]

very good info!!!!!!!

 

[Josie'sLandCruiser]

Hi All:

Not much material has to be removed from the housing to allow fitting the 1979-89 Birfield joints. I simply ground a bit of material off of the bottom, then test-fitted the Birf/inner axle combo. A few grinding/test fitting tries and you will discovered when it is good.

Oh, BTW - for removing the Birf from the inner axle shaft, laying it on a piece of cardboard, then wacking the open-end of the bell with a BFH usually pops it off no problem.

Regards,

Alan

I would like to see pics of how much housing you have to grind to fit the 60 birf in the 40 housing.

Thanks!

 

[mcwinery]

Pictures of Housing ground out, steering arm insert

Here is the housing after I took my grinder to it. I did top and bottom evenly.

https://forum.ih8mud.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=408233&stc=1&d=1270087495

This is the right side after I took it apart and back together for the 3rd time.

https://forum.ih8mud.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=408234&stc=1&d=1270087638

This is the steering arm which I added a shim inside of hole so my fj40 tie rods would fit into the fj60 tie arm.

https://forum.ih8mud.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=408235&stc=1&d=1270087638

 

[mcwinery]

My greased up pics.
First on is the outer housing greased up ready to roll.

Next is the greased up knuckle and housing which has the left housing side on the right side.

Hence the last picture is the spindle removed after I had it greased up. Remember Mickey ears face towards the rear. Then I got to do it all over again, this time with the housing for the right side.

 

[mcwinery]

Progress

I had to remove my spindle bolts again to put the gasket between the spindle and dust cover. Decided to take a picture of the rotor greased and ready to go with the oil seal installed. I did take some time to clean up the Hubs. All toll it was about 1 hour on each of them. I polished the Stainless with a stainless wire brush and painted the outer side black. I lost 1 cone washer and Georg from Valley Hybrids is sending one my way. Thanks Georg.