1970 Brake Options? (1 Viewer)

[Scota4570]

Drove my '70 today. The brakes are malfunctioning again. Maybe 200 miles since serviced by some other guy before I go the vehicle. He did a bad job, the petal pulsed right after he was finished. Now it is pulsing and locking up the driver's rear and pulling left when braking with any force.

I have done many successful brake jobs over the years. Thing is it never lasts the life of the pads. The cylinders leak. IT just seems to be a poorly designed system.

I have seen some videos of disk conversation. IT looks like the first time would require a lot of re-engineering of the parts to make it work.

I do not have access to a lift. My garage space is insufficient to allow working on it inside. None of the local shops will work on it at all... too old the let in the door.

Ideas?

 

[POPO AGIE]

Upgrade to disk brakes.

 

[45Dougal]

They shouldn't be pulsing even if badly adjusted.
This is because either your drum is now oval instead of round, or it isn't mounted true on the hub for some reason.
I'd take off the drum and measure it carefully with a vernier caliper - or get a machine shop to measure it with a dial gauge.
You'll probably find that it needs re-facing (not a big job).

Once set up correctly these drum brakes are actually pretty good; even on my truck with the extra weight.

It's really not that hard to make them work right - they're designed to be easily fixed in developing countries with limited tools and resources.

 

[peesalot]

My 1st ? is if you have a dual circuit MC with booster or a single with no booster ?

 

[texcwa]

Minitruck Front Axle Disc Brake Conversion​

Did mine about 12 years ago and have not even had to replace the front pads yet. Once you get all the parts can be done in a weekend without a need for a lift. Just do a search on this site and you will get all the info you need. I also replaced the master with a fj80 master that bolted right onto booster.

 

[POPO AGIE]

You can use knuckles, rotors and calipers from a later FJ40.

 

[Scota4570]

Mine has no booster. IT has a single reservoir master cylinder.

The video I watched on a disk conversion required modifying kit parts that did not fit as advertised. IF I did that I would have replace the master cylinder also?

I wish I knew a place that did that job and had experience. Sometimes re-inventing the wheel gets frustrating.

 

[peesalot]

Your in Salinas, call Georg at Valley Hybrids in Stockton, they are great and certainly know the program and are close.
My 70 has the dual circuit MC & booster with 4 drums and it stopped decent but wet was scary. I was able to go all 4 disc, no proprtion valve, stock MC. I wouldnt want the drums & single MC. Georg will hook you up wether you want to upgrade your MC ( fastest/cheapest ) or wether you want disc conv. A proper drum set up with boosted MC will work fine, when your on a steep hill like exiting river on fordyce you will learn wet drums dont work.

 

[NYIronPig]

Front Disc Brake Conversion Kit for Toyota Land Cruiser FJ40 FJ45 FJ55 Drums – JT Outfitters - https://www.jtoutfitters.com/product/front-disc-brake-kit-for-toyota-land-cruiser-fj40-fj45-fj55-drums/

Here is another option, front disk brake kit that is an easy install on your stock 1970

 

[peesalot]

Not saying nothin other than I did that kit, please call Georg or Kurt at Cruiser Outfitters first, for youyr sake.

 

[NYIronPig]

Not saying nothin other than I did that kit, please call Georg or Kurt at Cruiser Outfitters first, for youyr sake.

That kit was s***?

 

[Scota4570]

I will call both Cruiser Outfitters and Valley Hybrids.

Stockton is not close, more like a 4 hour drive if I made it at all in the '40. My dad once had a tow bar for it. I think I should find another tow bar. It is just not practical to drive any long distance. Even in cool weather it is very hot in the cab. In the current 95* Stockton weather it would be unbearable.

 

[peesalot]

I guess I didnt realize how far apart, different valleys . Not a hard job to do but getting drums right takes just plain trial & error, adjust, check, adjust, check, adjust and thats with the boosted dual MC. There is a spacer made so you can put a boosted MC on your firewall ( choose which MC you want , alot like the 80, Georg/Kurt can help there) try that with your drums adjusted correctly and you may be good to go. FYI changing the MC to a boosted MC involves using the mentioned spacer AND posiibly other mods to linkages, air cleaners, may not be an issue, again the guys will know right away what works.

 

[texcwa]

George at Vallet Hybrids is the one that got all the FJ60 parts for the conversion. Just had to buy new standard chevy calipers and pads. No modifications needed to be done except a small amount of grinding on the birts to fit (very minor amount that could be done with just a file). It's not a hard job, just messy. Only thing that requires a little bit of know how is the shimming for proper play in birt, used a fish weight scale to verify. George also rebuilt my Transfer Case for me.

 

[POPO AGIE]

Drove my '70 today. The brakes are malfunctioning again. Maybe 200 miles since serviced by some other guy before I go the vehicle. He did a bad job, the petal pulsed right after he was finished. Now it is pulsing and locking up the driver's rear and pulling left when braking with any force.

I have done many successful brake jobs over the years. Thing is it never lasts the life of the pads. The cylinders leak. IT just seems to be a poorly designed system.

I have seen some videos of disk conversation. IT looks like the first time would require a lot of re-engineering of the parts to make it work.

I do not have access to a lift. My garage space is insufficient to allow working on it inside. None of the local shops will work on it at all... too old the let in the door.

Ideas?

You can use Toyota parts, knuckles, hubs, rotors and caliper. Everything will bolt up and parts are available. I have a 78 and used the front hubs caliper and rotors for the rear axle that I converted to a full floater. I bought reman calipers at NAPA for about $90, most parts you need can be sourced rather cheaply if you look for the right price. The Fj60 knuckles were pretty cheap and not hard to source. I got rotors from Red Line in Colorado that are a direct replacement for the rotors used on a FJ40 they bolt to the inboard flange of the wheel hub. Newer Toyota master cylinders are not that expansive or a booster.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

I will call both Cruiser Outfitters and Valley Hybrids.

Stockton is not close, more like a 4 hour drive if I made it at all in the '40. My dad once had a tow bar for it. I think I should find another tow bar. It is just not practical to drive any long distance. Even in cool weather it is very hot in the cab. In the current 95* Stockton weather it would be unbearable.

And read this!

Tech Talk: Ultimate 40/55 Series Disc Brake Conversion Parts Thread (Work in Progress)

Skip anything that has you reusing course spline birfield outer axle and uses adapters to fit GM calipers and rotors. Like hard pass skip. These require you to re-use your course spline (low strength) outer birf joint and free-wheel hubs, both of which have no options for upgrades. If you have a...

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