60 vs. 55 Axles

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andrew.fletcher

andrew.fletcher

Joined
Jan 10, 2006
Threads
49
Messages
354
Location
Kansas City, MO
Website
usacac.army.mil
I’ve got a set of 55 axles and 60 axles and trying to figure out which route to go on my diesel conversion 55 so I’m looking for advice. Both fronts have some leaking so either way I go I will need to partially disassemble to clean up and replace gaskets.
What I want at the end of the day is:
Front/rear disc brakes with 3.73 gears (this will be a DD for the family so rock crawling isn’t a factor)

Parts I have on hand
55 axles- Front and rear drum w/ 4.11 gears
60 axles- Front disc, rear drum 3/ 3.73 gears
New rotors for the 60
Rear disc brackets that fit the Monte Carlo calipers (I believe these will fit either axle)
’85 Transfer Case (not sure if it’s a split case or not, what’s the difference?)
’72 Transfer Case (recently rebuilt)
Front and rear drive shafts for both sets (I doubt either will line up without modification)
E-brake set-up from the 60
Used 62 springs in good shape
55 springs are shot

What I don’t know or can’t do:
Will the 60 knuckles fit on the 55 axles
Weld the brackets for the 60 axles on the 55 frame
 
Andrew,
Yes, the 60 knuckles will fit your 55 axles.
Yes, you will need to "outboard" the spring perches to fit the 60 axles.
Put the 6o diffs in the 55 axles....


If you can unbolt the two halves of your transfer case, it is a split case...
 
Pighead said:
Andrew,
Put the 6o diffs in the 55 axles....
QUOTE]

Which reminds me... The third member flanges on the 60 series are different from your 55 thirds so, like PIG Head said. Put all the 60 guts on the 55 housing using the 60 birfs but 55 inner axle shafts. Its really a lot easier than it sounds when you haven't been into one yet. they are very self explanitory and eaiser to work on, but you will get dirty as there is a lot of greese in there.

60/62 housings are 3-1/2 inches wider than 40/45/55 housings which is why PIGHEAD recomends sticking with the 55 housing since its going to be an "on-road" vehicle.

Good luck...
Click to expand...
 
If you want easy, the 60 knuckles out on the 55 axle is by far the easiest.

If you want best, I would swap to FJ60 axles-they are wider as mentioned.

In an ideal world a 60 transmission with the split case is more desirable than the 1 piece case of the FJ55, but you have to figure out the ebrake. There are a couple of options, but if you used an FJ60 rear axle, you could just use the FJ60 rear drum emergency brake and forget the rear discs. The FJ60's rear drum brakes are excellent, as long as you keep the bellcranks freed up.

The FJ60 3.70 gears will give you a good highway ratio, and seeing that they will have fine spline pinions, they will be stronger as well.

There has never been a 3.73 ratio for Land Cruisers. The pinion has 10 teeth, the ring gear has 37. That's 3.70 Go count them if you don't believe me.
 
the 3:73's will be great on the road even with the OD tranny. i'd put the discs and 60 3rds on the 55 axles, you can re-drill the flanges for the 55 shafts or, since you'll be redoing the shafts anyway have the shaft shop do a combo, you'll have to get a 60 shaft for the ends but thats no problem, 60 rears are cheap.
 
Cruiserdrew said:
If you want easy, the 60 knuckles out on the 55 axle is by far the easiest.

If you want best, I would swap to FJ60 axles-they are wider as mentioned.

In an ideal world a 60 transmission with the split case is more desirable than the 1 piece case of the FJ55, but you have to figure out the ebrake. There are a couple of options, but if you used an FJ60 rear axle, you could just use the FJ60 rear drum emergency brake and forget the rear discs. The FJ60's rear drum brakes are excellent, as long as you keep the bellcranks freed up.

The FJ60 3.70 gears will give you a good highway ratio, and seeing that they will have fine spline pinions, they will be stronger as well.

There has never been a 3.73 ratio for Land Cruisers. The pinion has 10 teeth, the ring gear has 37. That's 3.70 Go count them if you don't believe me.
Click to expand...

Oh I believe you, I'm still a complete rookie when it comes to Landcruisers!

I gotta ask, if the drums are so great why do I see so many changing over to discs in the back? If it's not a significant advantage, I'll just stick with the drums for ease of the e-brake. If I go with discs, I need to put the e-brake on the transfer case correct?

For the axles, in addition to the width, one other advantage (I think?) is the ability to use 62 springs which if I understand correctly give a better ride because they're about 1/4" or more wider than 55 springs.

As far as transmissions go, it's gonna be an automatic (4l60 or 700r4). I'm going with the split case because everything I read on here tells me it's the way to go.

It really comes down to is whether or not it's worth the cost to buy perches and have someone put them on. I've read the ride difference is pretty substantial. One advantage to the 60 axles is I can get them completely ready to go and swap them out vs. leaving the truck on blocks while I swap out the guts. Garage space may be at a premium at times 'cause I'm in the midst of putting coil-overs and IRS on the MG. Hopefully I can use my fabricators shop to do the MG. Nothing like trying to do a medium project and major project at the same time.:bang::bang: That statement deserves two of those little bastards!!
 
RHINO said:
the 3:73's will be great on the road even with the OD tranny. i'd put the discs and 60 3rds on the 55 axles, you can re-drill the flanges for the 55 shafts or, since you'll be redoing the shafts anyway have the shaft shop do a combo, you'll have to get a 60 shaft for the ends but thats no problem, 60 rears are cheap.
Click to expand...

The 60 rears will be real cheap since they're sitting on a shelf in the garage!!

I just have to make a decision and go with it. Problem is it's all just sitting in the garage so I read threads and get GFI's. I still haven't ordered the damn bellhousing bolts or new flywheel for the engine!!
 
do you have access to the 60 series driveshafts? if so, grab the slip yokes from them. swap them onto your 55 driveshafts to match the pinion flange on the 3.7 diffs. otherwise, you'll need to have the round pinion flanges and drill them to match the 55 yokes.
 
You can run FJ62 springs on anything you want, the width of the spring is the same, 2 3/4 inches. If you want to keep your rear springs in their existing location, you will have to change the position of the perches on the FJ60 axle. Ruffstuff makes great perches and they are not expensive. On a 55 I would not bother to swap rear springs. On 60 or 62 springs, the pin is offset forward a bit, and that could cause axle position problems, ie not centered in the wheel well.

People swap to discs in the rear because they don't need to be adjusted. Stock 2 cylinder FJ55 drums are a super PIA to adjust. FJ60 drums are different, and assuming you hook up the e-brake, the brakes adjust themselves. I have found them to be plenty powerful, but discs might have a bit more.

Also, since the backing plate mount is different, I don't think the disc brake brackets are swappable between 55 and 60 housings. SOmeone correct if wrong.

Split case is totally the way to go. You could add the drum mechanism to the back with the MAF kit if you decide not to hook up the rear e-brakes on the FJ60 axle.

If you find my ROTW in the 40 section, I have some pics of the outboarding mods needed to run and FJ60 axle up front. And dieselcruiserhead did a great write up on running 60 axles on a 55 that I think made the FAQs.
 
Cruiserdrew said:
You can run FJ62 springs on anything you want, the width of the spring is the same, 2 3/4 inches. If you want to keep your rear springs in their existing location, you will have to change the position of the perches on the FJ60 axle. Ruffstuff makes great perches and they are not expensive. On a 55 I would not bother to swap rear springs. On 60 or 62 springs, the pin is offset forward a bit, and that could cause axle position problems, ie not centered in the wheel well.

People swap to discs in the rear because they don't need to be adjusted. Stock 2 cylinder FJ55 drums are a super PIA to adjust. FJ60 drums are different, and assuming you hook up the e-brake, the brakes adjust themselves. I have found them to be plenty powerful, but discs might have a bit more.

Also, since the backing plate mount is different, I don't think the disc brake brackets are swappable between 55 and 60 housings. SOmeone correct if wrong.

Split case is totally the way to go. You could add the drum mechanism to the back with the MAF kit if you decide not to hook up the rear e-brakes on the FJ60 axle.

If you find my ROTW in the 40 section, I have some pics of the outboarding mods needed to run and FJ60 axle up front. And dieselcruiserhead did a great write up on running 60 axles on a 55 that I think made the FAQs.
Click to expand...

If that's true about spring widths, someone must have changed them somewhere along the line, at least on the 60 I had. I took the good springs off the 60 and put them on the 62 and was quite surprised to find out the 60 springs I was putting on were about 1/4" thinner than the stock 62 springs. The 60 springs were pretty new looking, from Canada, but are definately more narrow than the stock ones. When I measured them up against the 55 springs, those were thinner also. I'll have to double check it to make sure.

Can I take the drum set-up from the 60 and put that on the 55?
I'm leaning more and towards the 60 route. I know I'll have to shell out the funds for welding the perches on but I think it's worth it. Thanks for the link to Andre's, if I remember correctly his was SOA also. I just looked it over again; pushed me a little closer to the 60 option. Time to start pricing all this.

nuclearlemon said:
do you have access to the 60 series driveshafts? if so, grab the slip yokes from them. swap them onto your 55 driveshafts to match the pinion flange on the 3.7 diffs. otherwise, you'll need to have the round pinion flanges and drill them to match the 55 yokes.
Click to expand...

I kept everything from the case to the hubs when I parted out the 60. I figured I would be using some if not all the parts in some form on the Pig.
 
andrew.fletcher said:
Can I take the drum set-up from the 60 and put that on the 55?

.
Click to expand...


No and not even close.

Here is another thought. It's the front axle that's hard. Just swap the 60 knuckles out and leave the stock axle housing.

Run the 60 axle in the back since the mods needed there are trivial. You rear will be 3 inches wider than your front, but it should be fine. You'll get the better brakes and e-brake that you need.
 
andrew.fletcher said:
If that's true about spring widths, someone must have changed them somewhere along the line, at least on the 60 I had. I took the good springs off the 60 and put them on the 62 and was quite surprised to find out the 60 springs I was putting on were about 1/4" thinner than the stock 62 springs. The 60 springs were pretty new looking, from Canada, but are definately more narrow than the stock ones. When I measured them up against the 55 springs, those were thinner also. I'll have to double check it to make sure..
Click to expand...
from canada means definitely not stock. most aftermarket lift springs are made in canada.
 
I decided to go with the 60 axles front and rear. Thanks for everybody's input and knowledge. It might not be the easiest but I think it's the best choice. I can rebuild those and still drive around also!

Drew
 
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