14 Bolt axles in Land Cruisers

[PPFJ60]

I have been doing some searching on installing 14 bolt axles in Land Cruisers. The cost of going to a centered rear 14 bolt and dana 60 front with a NP205 adapted to my NP203 all at the same time seems kind of steep. My SOA FJ60 is road legal and I use it for weekend fun trips and for transportation to work when the snow is to deep for my Honda Civic.

Here is some information on my existing setup.

-85 FJ60 SOA on stock springs and 37" tires on FJ80 16" wheels and 2" wheel spacers.
-383 V8 / 700R4 / NP203 / Toyota split xfer case
-Front axle is Long Field 30 spline with hub gears / ARP steering studs / ARP hub studs / 4X4 Labs steering / ram assist.
-Stock rear FJ60 axle that has broken the short side shaft twice.

Seems like a 14 bolt will fix the rear so I am thinking of modifying a 14 bolt from SRW (67" WMS-WMS) to use two short side axle shafts to I end up with a 61" WMS-WMS off set axle.

I think I will be working my way towards 4d's so at some point I may want to run a dana 60 on the front so I don't know if I should convert the 14 bolt to 6 on 5.5 or just run 8 lug rears and 6 lug fronts for now.

Now for questions......

1) I assume someone is running a modified 14 bolt with two short side shafts so has any of these people had problems with this setup?

2) Would it be better to modify a C&C 63" 14 bolt to end up with the correct Toyota TC alignment. and find 8 lug wheels with more back spacing to align the front and rear wheels?

3) Will the FJ60 split xfer case hold up to 4d's?

 

[mookie]

my opinion....your front axle and t-case will hold up fine with 40's

 

[PPFJ60]

I was hoping that the front axle would hold up since it should be as strong as a stock D60 with the upgrades in has now.

 

[CID 96]

Just being curious, why not a Toyota full floater. Is it not strong enough to run the bigger tires?

Sid

 

[mookie]

Just being curious, why not a Toyota full floater. Is it not strong enough to run the bigger tires?

Sid

the general consensus is that the full-floater does not increase your axle shaft strength much if any....it has the same spline count

 

[PPFJ60]

I though about a FF FJ80 axle but I don't think I would be any stronger than I am with the FJ60 axle. I had some spare parts but my last short side shaft is in the cruiser now. By the time I put Poly Pro shafts in and rebuild my carrier, that is in bad shape from two exploding axle shafts, I will spend ~ $650.00 on the FJ60 axle that is only a little stronger than stock. If I go to bigger tires the FJ60 axle with Poly Pro shafts won't stand up.

Here are my ideas on how I get from where I am to where I think I need to be when running 4d's or bigger.

Idea 1) Build a 14 bolt with two short side shafts to get close to stock FJ60 width. Run this axle for 9-12months. Build a full width D60 front axle for the front in 9-12 months. Swap the short 14 bolt for a full width axle.

Idea 2) Sell my current axles, wheels and tires to kick start the fund for the D60/14 bolt/4d dream.

 

[CruisinFJ60]

the general consensus is that the full-floater does not increase your axle shaft strength much if any....it has the same spline count

Also I believe the shafts are the same thickness as well.

what a full floater can do that a semi cant is carry more load with less stress on the shafts and since the weight rides on a hub and bearings on a FF vs on the axle shaft and a single bearing like a SF. so that being said if you were loaded down when wheeling or have a heavier truck the bouncing of the vehicle would be a little less stress.

 

[PPFJ60]

Anyway, seems to be plenty of discussion on SF vs FF axles and adding to that is not what I was hoping for by starting this thread.

What I was hoping to discuss with this thread was some specifics on 14 bolt axles in Land Cruisers.

Switching to an NP205 would cost about $700 for the adapter to my NP203 and about another $100 for the NP205. That would open up axle choices to the full width axles with centered rear.

Modifying a 14 bolt to be passenger side drop and changing the pinion flange would allow me to keep the LC TC. Seems like a lower cost way to go but I hope to get input for the people who have gone down this road before me.

 

[CruisinFJ60]

Anyway, seems to be plenty of discussion on SF vs FF axles and adding to that is not what I was hoping for by starting this thread.

What I was hoping to discuss with this thread was some specifics on 14 bolt axles in Land Cruisers.

Switching to an NP205 would cost about $700 for the adapter to my NP203 and about another $100 for the NP205. That would open up axle choices to the full width axles with centered rear.

Modifying a 14 bolt to be passenger side drop and changing the pinion flange would allow me to keep the LC TC. Seems like a lower cost way to go but I hope to get input for the people who have gone down this road before me.

my bad, i got off topic.

I plan on doing the same mod to my truggy. I am un decided if I will cut the tubes and do like freds40 did on his or if I will shorten it and make it use two short side shafts. But what I do know is I will be turning the hubs down and making it a 6 lug axle and running my land cruiser cases. I think they are plenty strong and If I have issues with the 3 speed case I can go to the much stronger split case.

I already have a toybox and dont want a bunch of spending money and changing things just so I can get a centered rear diff. I would rather modify the 14B to be offset like the rest of my gear train. Also I plan on keeping my front LC axle for the same reason you stated in that it should be as stong as a stock D60 with the 30 spline longs in there. not to mention they are lifetime warranty so unless you are busting longs on a regular basis I would stay yota up front and keep everything in line.

 

[Isotel]

Start Collecting parts,
Find a 205, D60 Front, 14B Rear, 4 link parts and Coilovers, 8 Lug Wheels and 40's

Keep it as is for this year! Put her all together next winter..

Oh, your going to need another Powerstroke too Nice photo BTW! i dont know how Pretty Penny stays on all 4's.

 

[PPFJ60]

The only problem with waiting to put a 14 bolt in the rear is I think my FJ60 rear axle tube is bent and my last short side shaft is in it now. I don't think it will make it until next year. I took the locker out of the rear to help it survive until it's cured of the axle breaking disease.

I have my eye on a truck that would make a very cool tow rig but it's a bit of a project as well. I may have to go back to riding my ATV to save money.

Back to the 14 bolt in Land Cruisers discussion.

I am thinking of running a modified 14 bolt with two short shafts. Is anyone running this on a LC with the stock TC and does it work at 75 MPH without drive line vibration from axle to TC case alignment? How does the 14 bolt diff then line up with the TC? If my 60 was a trailer queen I wouldn't care and maybe that's the case with the people that have gone down this road.

 

[GLTHFJ60]

Freds40 built his offset 14B to work with the split case and apparently it lines up perfectly. I think I remember seeing him post up that he could cruise at 75 all day long.

 

[Mace]

The two short shaft idea is perfectly acceptable. There is no reason it can't cruise at any speed.

Also, I believe that there is a Toy flange out for the 14 bolt now, but you'll pay for it.

A 2000's superduty front shaft is the perfect slip into the LC's tube and adapts to the 14 bolt as well.

 

[Kurtis]

There was someone on here offering to build it offset and 6 lug it for a ridiculously good price. Its in one of the 14b threads.

 

[LukeZero]

The two short shaft idea is perfectly acceptable. There is no reason it can't cruise at any speed.

Also, I believe that there is a Toy flange out for the 14 bolt now, but you'll pay for it.

A 2000's superduty front shaft is the perfect slip into the LC's tube and adapts to the 14 bolt as well.

Yep. Got one from Jess at High Angle Driveline for the rear of my buggy. It was spendy, but it's really cool. I use the front driveshaft from an 84 4Runner from the t-case to the 14 bolt. It uses two short side axle shafts to be slightly narrower than stock. I can't go 75mph in it with 5.13 gears, but it feels like I could with 4.11s.

PS. I have an NP203/205 dual set up behind an SM465 that is all brand newly rebuilt if you're looking. PM me.

 

[cruiserruf]

why not just throw chromoly in the back? don't know if they make it for the 60s, tho

 

[PPFJ60]

I think Freds40 build used a 14 bolt but swapped the short side with the long side and kept the full width axle. That won't line up very well with my stock FJ60 front.

PS. I have an NP203/205 dual set up behind an SM465 that is all brand newly rebuilt if you're looking. PM me.

PM sent.

There was someone on here offering to build it offset and 6 lug it for a ridiculously good price. Its in one of the 14b threads

Locker/Gears/install kit will be another $900 on top of the axle tube.

No matter what axle setup I end up with it will be over $1k before I am back on the road. Just trying to keep it from being over $2k because I didn't like how it turned out and had to redo it.

 

[Kurtis]

You might as well figure in disk brakes while your at it as well and get rid of the 250lb drums

 

[CruisinFJ60]

why not just throw chromoly in the back? don't know if they make it for the 60s, tho

they do, and I just busted one 2 weeks ago, a short side even.

and that is with a 2F that has 270,xxx miles and a truck that weighs a lot less than the truck in question running the same size tire he wants to step to.

 

[Isotel]

What Gears are you running?

I still think the easiest is to fix your issues, you gotta be able to find a straight rear housing for like $20 locally,

Post up some photos of that sweet Broken shaft!