71FJ40 Chevota

[71FJnick]

I received the knuckles and am now putting together a shopping list for everything to get the axle done.

I need to figure out the front brakes too. I'm thinking minitruck from the booster to the rotors, or maybe Lexus...17" wheels may be in the plan if I go with 37s
So nothing new just yet...

 

[71FJnick]

I'm putting together the shopping list for my new SOA axle while I save some cash.

What I currently have:
Stock 71 front axle with drum brakes
SOA 68 ball and claw axle w 4.11 gears
Trail gear 6stud knuckles

What I think I need to shop for:
Axle housing:
cut an turn
Ruff stuff dos axle perch kit

Rebuild kit:
Cruiser outfitters or similar with bearings etc.

Axles Stock? Marlin, or cruiser outfitters chromoly

Knuckle Lower cap
Stock 79+ fj40, 81-85 minitruck
Trail gear?

Spindles
Stock?

Steering arms
4x4 labs histeer

Knuckle studs
ARP

Hubs
Ifs hubs or stock minitruck

Rotors
Stock minitruck or fj60 slotted
Disk brake backing plate or eliminators
Marlin crawler eliminator plate

Calipers
4 runner finned calipers
Fj60 calipers
Lexus GS 470?

One option is to search for a minitruck or fj60 axle and use as much as I can.

Any thoughts on upgrades while I'm shopping?

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

be sure and price compare - that's a lot of work and quite a bit of custom. For mine, I came to the conclusion it was cheaper to simply buy full-size axles and run with them.

 

[71FJnick]

Yea I'm hoping the only real custom deal is the cut n turn and perches.
Then I'm trying to go with bolt on Toyota stuff, just need to do the research to make sure I buy the right stuff.
So.... Now I use the search function

I'll post as I narrow down choices for input and pns as I start putting it together.

Haha! Just saw the Hancock tire commercial with the '40 in it!
Nice!

 

[Mace]

I'm putting together the shopping list for my new SOA axle while I save some cash.

What I currently have:
Stock 71 front axle with drum brakes
SOA 68 ball and claw axle w 4.11 gears
Trail gear 6stud knuckles

What I think I need to shop for:
Axle housing:
cut an turn
Ruff stuff dos axle perch kit

Rebuild kit:
Cruiser outfitters or similar with bearings etc.

Axles Stock? Marlin, or cruiser outfitters chromoly

Knuckle Lower cap
Stock 79+ fj40, 81-85 minitruck
Trail gear?

Spindles
Stock?

Steering arms
4x4 labs histeer

Knuckle studs
ARP

Hubs
Ifs hubs or stock minitruck

Rotors
Stock minitruck or fj60 slotted
Disk brake backing plate or eliminators
Marlin crawler eliminator plate

Calipers
4 runner finned calipers
Fj60 calipers
Lexus GS 470?

One option is to search for a minitruck or fj60 axle and use as much as I can.

Any thoughts on upgrades while I'm shopping?

Your best option is to find a fj60 or later 40 axle to swap over. The mini stuff is fine, but the slotted rotors are better.

It's hubs will require new guts, the housings are the same, but the inner gear has less splines.

I like the eliminator plates, but the stock shields can be cut down easily.

Cut n turn is easy to do yourself if you can weld.

Upgrade to 30 spline axles. You will never have to worry then. And you can keep stock shafts for spares (but not the stock burgs you currently have).

Keep the stock mini/60 spindles.

There is very little fab other than the cnt and welding on new perches. Everything else is bolt.on.

 

[kbahus]

Because it is easier to spend other people's money than mine........he dropped the price on craigslist:

For Sale: - FJ40 Wheeling Project (MA)

 

[White Stripe]

You have a lot of options. I would probably get a set of 60 or 80 axles if it was me. The stock 40 axles are too narrow for anything over 33s in my opinion. Personally I like a axles on a lifted 40 to be around 63" of width.

 

[71FJnick]

Finally scored a complete 85 mini truck axle, and now begins the process to strip the 71 axle, cut n turn, and mini brakes.
It'll take me a while because... Well I work slow and outside, but I'll get there [emoji3]

And I got the first side disassembled

Also for removing the cone washers I found a YouTube clip where the studs were removed rather than popping the cone washer. Now this particular axle has been worked on sometime in the past 30 years so this trick may not work for everyone, but it worked for me!

Sent from my iPhone

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

when I was in my early 20s, I had a full-size GM truck that I lifted. Eventually, I got tired of the bumpsteer so I spent the big bucks (like $100 - but since my bi-weekly paycheck was $368, it was a lot) and bought the raised pitman arm.... and spent 2 solid days trying to get the old one off. Finally I gave up and took it to Richardson brothers - an hour later (and $100 lighter) it was done and I was on my way. I now know what I did wrong; but every time I see those stupid acorn washers I get shivers.

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

btw - you up for wheeling this Saturday at Jack's pass?

 

[71FJnick]

Yea, I've heard stories about "The Cone Washer", wheeling sounds awesome but clearly the 40 won't drive and my other option, a '66 F 100 is a bit too big and shiny for trees [emoji3]

I'll send you a PM, maybe we can meet up


Sent from my iPhone

 

[71FJnick]

Finished taking the knuckles off, then decided to inspect the housing. Two reasons for this, 1) I need a way to set all the angles after the c&t so I wanted practice on known dimensions. 2) I want to take before and after dims so I can see how bad the housing warps
Here's my "precision" setup
Level jack stands

Place housing and point diff at 90deg

Yup perches are zero...

1 deg caster and 9deg kingpin angle... Seems legit

Sent from my iPhone

 

[71FJnick]

Also checked for warp
Leveled some tubing in front of the axle, then checked from the peak of the axle (set angle finder on the stand to 90 deg) and checked 5 spots

The numbers from the drivers knuckle:
.158 knuckle
.331 diff breather
.258 diff breather (inside)
.306 diff
.135 knuckle

I took a few repeat measurements and was within .010"

This seems to say, as expected, the factory housing warps downward (peaked at the pass spring perch and frowning toward the knuckles) with a delta of .080"ish.

Something for me to check after the new perches, I figure im safe to at least .080 in the opposite direction, though I'm sure the machinists will disagree [emoji851]



Sent from my iPhone

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

You know, most factory tolerances are up to 10x more then what you did.... it'll be fine

 

[71FJnick]

Does anyone have an opinion on trussing the front axle?

I'm working on the "while I'm
In there list" and items like diff protection, knuckle ball gussets, etc aren't that much of an investment while I'm welding on an axle.

So far, I'm thinking:
Ruff stuff spring perches
Marlin knuckle ball gussets
Ruff stuff diff guard (or fab my own)
Maybe Marlin truss for 8" diff modified to fit.

Is trussing necessary? Is there a big risk to warping the axle?


Sent from my iPhone

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

you lose clearance and risk warping... skid plate, sure. truss? I wouldn't unless you're planning monster jumps.

 

[71FJnick]

That's what I was thinking, I'm more of a slow and steady driver no jumps


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[71FJnick]

Got the shock mounts and steering stops removed today, next up is to order some parts [emoji3]

Sent from my iPhone

 

[71FJnick]

Got some stock front shackles (Thanks @Irish11 !) The shackles that we on it are 5.25" long and nearly vertical. The spring can compress and move, but I wanted to take some height out of the truck, and get more movement from the shackles to increase travel.

I'm not a suspension expert, so please educate me where I'm wrong. I'm shooting for 30'ish deg at ride height, the springs are 44.25 along the arc, when the springs are flat, I'd like the shackle to be nearly flat, but not hitting the frame.

The frame height dropped from 23.5" to 22.5".
I think this sets the springs in a decent location so I can start setting up the perches and cut n turn for the new axle

 

[71FJnick]

more pics
before:

After: