'71 FJ40 Brake conversion (1 Viewer)

[FJ40Pilot717]

Just purchased a 1971 FJ40 and looking to convert the brakes from drum to disc. Wondering who has done it and which brakes they went with? Man-a-fre seems to be the pricier one but better quality. Also does anyone have any say in if I should just do the front or fork over more money to do all 4?
Thanks from a guy who knows little.

 

[unculturedswine]

Hey! Just wrapping up the JT Outfitters 4 wheel conversion on my 1972, I was a little intimidated at first, but it wasn't too bad. I did all 4, I don't want to deal with drums ever again.

 

[mdsims]

What month and year is your 71? I believe there was a brake circuiting change mid 1970. Maybe 7/70 or there abouts. Early being one circuit. Later being two circuits with a booster. The answer to that question will influence how difficult your job will be.

 

[FJ40Pilot717]

Nice job on going w all 4. Highly considering that. I'll check out that brand. Not sure if I know enough to do it myself (or that I even trust myself). My FJ is a 71 (November to be exact) i do believe it has the two circuit booster

 

[mmw68]

Check out @Poser , he has a brake kit package for the rear brakes that rocks.

https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/rear-disc-brakes.152126/

 

[AZMoonshadow]

I have a 1970 (7/69) FJ-40. I just did a front wheel disc brake job and dual master cylinder upgrade. I purchased everything from MAF. The products and service was great! It wasn't as hard as I expected and it came to me very complete. I did order additional brake line fittings as you will be bending and making your own lines. (not as hard as it seems). I also invested in an Eastwood Pro Brake Tubing Flaring Tool (I know, a lot of money... but it worked flawlessly). What a difference the discs make. Also, the new master cylinder is not power-assisted but I've not really felt that was a real problem. With my year, changes to the fire-wall would have been required to update to power brakes. MAF's kit fixed that really nicely. My next step is to upgrade the rear drums.

 

[David70FJ40]

Got the entire package from JT Outfitters, front and back. Went on well and stops very well. Mine is an early '70 and the brake lines had to be replaced entirely. That was the worst of it.

 

[Recon1504]

I also have a '71 FJ40 that I converted the brakes to 4 wheel disc. Went with FJ60 parts on the front axle and used Poser's kit on the rear axle. Highly recommend Poser's rear axle set up, very simple to install.

 

[DakotaKid]

I did all 4. Stops on a dime and drives like a new truck. Poser will take care of ya. I also found that if you need a part as you tear into it he's great to get it to you fast.

 

[bikersmurf]

I also have a '71 FJ40 that I converted the brakes to 4 wheel disc. Went with FJ60 parts on the front axle and used Poser's kit on the rear axle. Highly recommend Poser's rear axle set up, very simple to install.

X2
This would be the way I'd recomend. Stock front brakes are hard to beat.

I've not read good things about JT Outfitters... Like them breaking.

 

[SouthBostonFJ40]

Nice job on going w all 4. Highly considering that. I'll check out that brand. Not sure if I know enough to do it myself (or that I even trust myself). My FJ is a 71 (November to be exact) i do believe it has the two circuit booster

If you have an 11/71, then you have a 72.

I bought a 78 front axle and swapped over the axles and everything from the knuckles out. I took the old calipers to the dealer and used them as cores for shiny new (reman) Toyota calipers. I also bought new rotors from Toyota. You'll learn how to put it all back together when you strip down your axle and the later model axle should you go that route. Very intimidating before you do it. If you can turn a wrench and follow a process, you can do it yourself and you'll be shocked at how easy it really is. I also went with the @Poser rear disc brackets but I opted for the calipers and machined rotors too. No sense tracking down parts from multiple sources when they're available from one.

 

[FJ40Pilot717]

Thank you everyone great great info

 

[mmw68]

I did Poser's rear disc kit too.. amazing and simple. Steve is great to deal with too.

 

[Devil Frog]

I would use late model FJ40, FJ60, or mini truck knuckles/discs on the front so you also upgrade to the fine spline birfields and hubs. The course spine birfields are a leak link.

 

[mags]

I am starting my front re-conversion this week. I say that because I have JT outfitters discs on the front. Rear are still drums. I am swapping the front knuckles from original to an 84 FJ60 disc setup I got from a mud member. I bought the rear JT outfitters conversion frames and I am just taking my current front JTO calipers pads and rotors and moving them to the rear.

Make no mistake to do this conversion costs $ and time. I am probably in the neighborhood of $1800 already spent but that includes knuckle rebuild kit, new upgraded master cylinder and steel braided lines as well as all the other pieces and parts.

On the JTO disc conversion. I will say that they stop perfectly fine. Honestly they were probably the only thing stopping my truck the last month as my drums were just failing and I wasn't going to rebuild just to replace. I really went with Toyota knuckle conversion up front for ease of part purchases in the future. Yes with JTO its Monte Carlo calipers but if you replace them like I did you find out there is some grinding to do. You can also buy the rotors at autozone but you have to have the inner diameter turned at a machine shop to match your original JTO rotor. So advantages and disadvantages but the JTO kit stops just fine.

 

[cseitz]

The most cost effective I could come across due to availability of parts was mini truck front knuckles/shafts with the entire hub assembly. This worked out pretty well, the only thing you need to consider is steering arms. I went with high steer (my knuckles came with Marlin hy-steer arms) so I avoided that issue entirely. Of course I went with POSER's stuff for the rear conversion and I wouldn't consider anyone else...Besides power steering, disc brakes are my second favorite modification.

 

[CharlieCR]

Hey! Just wrapping up the JT Outfitters 4 wheel conversion on my 1972, I was a little intimidated at first, but it wasn't too bad. I did all 4, I don't want to deal with drums ever again.

View attachment 1118248

Nice upgrade.! I was

Hey! Just wrapping up the JT Outfitters 4 wheel conversion on my 1972, I was a little intimidated at first, but it wasn't too bad. I did all 4, I don't want to deal with drums ever again.

View attachment 1118248

Great upgrade! I saw the Man-a-fre kit, nevertheless I read that they are not compatible with the riveted factory rims, so I´m looking for some good quality kit that fits properly. I have two sets of rims and tires and would like to keep the factory ones for normal driving (33" MTs), and the other ones just for mud (35" Komodo extreme) . Does this kit fits with the riveted factory rims? Wondering how has been the experience with your new kit?
Cheers!

 

[southern son]

If finances permit, I would definitely convert all four to disc. I put all new drum parts on the rear of mine and later converted the front to discs using late model 40 parts (new rotors, calipers, and pads). If I had it to do all over again I'd have put discs on the back using @Poser's kit. I don't think the cost is much different to convert vs. putting all new drum parts back on - the drums themselves ain't cheap. PO had already converted mine to a dual master cylinder, so I did not have to buy or adjust those parts, FWIW.

As an old friend once said "Ignorance will work you to death" and it definitely got me on that one.

 

[MICKEYD]

I just did this, my $0.02. Made a call to Classic Cruisers and got everything - FJ60 knuckles, hub, spindles, birfields, backing plates, new calipers, new rotors, new pads, mini truck master cyl, all new seals and bearings. Best money I've spent on the truck. My rears are still drum but this thing has amazing brakes now, it's stopping power really surprised me!

 

[Redeye69]

I love it when people revive old posts.
I have a late '69 that i am doing a frame off resto-mod on. Part of that is 4 wheel discs. I have the rotors and calipers but have been struggling with finding a small booster to clear the LS and accelerator cable hole. Which mini truck booster works best?