Marlin Crawler Land Cruiser Products (1 Viewer)

[Marlin Crawler]

Except for used, where are the Semi Float axles available? Trail Gear was making them. I haven't heard of a source for new, much less chromoly.
I contacted a few of the aftermarket axle companies in the US, including the one that was building for Trail gear. The numbers were too small to interest them without charging their full retail.

Currently, there are none to our knowledge.

 

[lcwizard]

That's what I thought. This item may work out. I've built floater conversions before. Sold a few but most ended up in house.
They get pricey so people will tend to look at other options. In the long run it may be easier to start with an 80 series floater.
If you can make a c-clip eliminator around a quality bearing it may be saleable. In the past there have been sets made with Green bearings
that I had bad luck with. You may be able to do a Toyota truck style with the same bearing. I'm not sure why. I've not seen a but one c -clip failure on a Cruiser in 40 years except in a badly maintained diff . I like your doublers. Maybe focus on more complete shifter options to make
the install easier for the novice. You've already got great products.

 

[Marlin Crawler]

That's what I thought. This item may work out. I've built floater conversions before. Sold a few but most ended up in house.
They get pricey so people will tend to look at other options. In the long run it may be easier to start with an 80 series floater.
If you can make a c-clip eliminator around a quality bearing it may be saleable. In the past there have been sets made with Green bearings
that I had bad luck with. You may be able to do a Toyota truck style with the same bearing. I'm not sure why. I've not seen a but one c -clip failure on a Cruiser in 40 years except in a badly maintained diff . I like your doublers. Maybe focus on more complete shifter options to make
the install easier for the novice. You've already got great products.

That's the thing, semi float axles get a bad wrap, but they are actually quite stout as long as the housings are straight. We just rebuild a semi-float for @MyCruiserisaHogBeast. That truck weighs 6000 lbs and that axle must have had 300k miles on it, and the bearing surfaces where trashed but that truck was still rolling and has been wheel hard behind a diesel!

 

[60Works]

Except for used, where are the Semi Float axles available? Trail Gear was making them. I haven't heard of a source for new, much less chromoly.
I contacted a few of the aftermarket axle companies in the US, including the one that was building for Trail gear. The numbers were too small to interest them without charging their full retail.

My information seems to be old. Sorry. A couple of years ago I looked at axle shaft options and (I am pretty sure) there were semi float chromoly built by Nitro offered by Just Differentials. In a Thread at the time (no idea which), several Mudders reported that the chromoly semi floats would pit at the bearing surface after only a few thousand miles, ruining their bearings and forcing them back to OEM. This (plus the "Toyota Nerd" factor ) pushed me towards buying a used 60 FF housing, overhauling it, and buying chromoly FF axle shafts. This did indeed get very expensive and were I to do it again, I would have swapped in an 80 FF.

The premature failures might have caused production to cease and no one wants to try again.

 

[cruisermatt]

My information seems to be old. Sorry. A couple of years ago I looked at axle shaft options and (I am pretty sure) there were semi float chromoly built by Nitro offered by Just Differentials. In a Thread at the time (no idea which), several Mudders reported that the chromoly semi floats would pit at the bearing surface after only a few thousand miles, ruining their bearings and forcing them back to OEM. This (plus the "Toyota Nerd" factor ) pushed me towards buying a used 60 FF housing, overhauling it, and buying chromoly FF axle shafts. This did indeed get very expensive and were I to do it again, I would have swapped in an 80 FF.

The premature failures might have caused production to cease and no one wants to try again.

You’re thinking of Poly Performace.

And it’s not the manufacture, it’s the nature of the material.
Chromoly = strength against fatigue and yield, however not the best in terms of long-term wear resistance. You don’t want a chromoly semi-float axle shaft unless you’re driving it onto a trailer and then off a trailer and straight onto the trailhead.
Not for a daily driver.

Now, for those that have dedicated wheeling trucks they’re a great option. The diameter of a Toyota semi-float shaft is substantially larger then the full float shafts.
32-spline shafts with a 100-series diff and a truss and you’d be very close to 14b/D60 strength.

 

[Tapage]

I had great luck with my PP SF axles .. but still would like to move to a FF ..

 

[Cruiserdrew]

I had great luck with my PP SF axles .. but still would like to move to a FF ..

I did too. Must have had the better heat treat.

In the US at least, FF 80 axles are common and nearly perfect.

 

[Tapage]

In the US at least, FF 80 axles are common and nearly perfect.

that's on the table for sure .. and I know ( since I know me ) that would lead me to go rear linked ( since it does not makes sense to me to remove all the links brackets from the axle along with the coil bucket ) with at least coils ..

 

[Marlin Crawler]

So, if (when) we bring back the Land Cruiser Toybox to split case that'll fit the manuals as well as the '62 autos, how many of you will purchase one, like, today, assuming the price is north (could be well north) of $2K? The new Toybox would have some improved bearings and oiling. This is the best Land Cruiser mod ever you can make, period, but while everyone wants one that doesn't necessarily translate into sales with this type of premium product. We would need to make some adapters and inputs specifically for this, it doesn't share anything with the Hilux stuff.

So, show of hands! Who would give me money TODAY, if they could have one within the next couple of months?

 

[60Works]

I want to say yes but you've got me shy when you suggest 'well north of $2k'.

How about two boxes for $3k?

 

[Cruiserdrew]

I think I paid close to $2k for mine in 2008 or so. Best money ever spent on that truck.

While these Toyboxes seem expensive, after a trail run or two you forget the cost and just live with the goodness of it. And the fact that new ones will be even better is awesome.

Think about it-it might revive the FJ80 platform. Because a 3FE 80, could be adapted to a Land Cruiser 4 speed from a 60, which could then get a Toybox and a split case.

I see the FJ62/80 automatic as a dead end, since it's relatively easy to adapt a 3FE to an H42 or H55.

And it would be cool to have a toybox that could have say SM465 on one side and split case on the other!

 

[hoser]

So, show of hands! Who would give me money TODAY, if they could have one within the next couple of months?

I would've given you the money last year but since the Toybox wasn't available, I had to go with another vendor.

 

[CaliCruiser]

I voted Toybox. I can't tell you how many messages and emails I've received over the years asking about a Toybox install on my H55F. I've haven't been as involved in the LC community lately, but if half of that interest still exists today then I would say its worth an initial run. I'll echo what Andy has said and say that it is the single best modification for a wagon if you intend to do anything beyond moderate four wheelin'.

MC I'll send you a message separately with some additional thoughts.

Dylan

 

[NookShneer]

I'll be installing something down the line (Toybox or Blackbox) it would be nice to support MC when I get to that point.

 

[TachedOutOffRoad]

Toy box.

Need to be able to crawl! Only other option is $1050 gears right now and a dual case set up is so much better.

I don't see me spending $3-5k on a tranny swap ever, but would spend $500 on a box in a heart beat.

"I" don't mind fabbing a new cross member or DSs though.

 

[cruisermatt]

Toy box.

Need to be able to crawl! Only other option is $1050 gears right now and a dual case set up is so much better.

I don't see me spending $3-5k on a tranny swap ever, but would spend $500 on a box in a heart beat.

"I" don't mind fabbing a new cross member or DSs though.

A Toybox will not be $500. Lol.

 

[TachedOutOffRoad]

It won't be $3-5k like a H55 either!

Should be less than a grand I imagine?

 

[cruisermatt]

It won't be $3-5k like a H55 either!

Should be less than a grand I imagine?

You should keep imagining then... I’d be amazed if they are less then $1800-2000 a unit. And MC probably doesn’t really even make money on them. It costs a LOT to manufacture small runs of custom billet aluminum gearboxes.

 

[lcwizard]

It won't be $3-5k like a H55 either!

Should be less than a grand I imagine?

with enough numbers that would only be the adapter plate

 

[TachedOutOffRoad]

I reread this thread while not sitting in the airport at the end of a 15 hour day.


I was mistaken in thinking this was an adapter to make a dual case set up like with two mini-truck cases but with two LC cases instead.

Didn't know the old toy box was entirely machined whole new reduction box.

No, I will not pay well north of $2000 for a toy box in the next few months.

But coming from mini trucks, I am on the budget end of the LC community.

I just bought a stock 60 that needed repairs for what you can buy a built mini truck for. SMH. It's a whole new world.