Adding a new Brake Booster to an early Non-booster FJ-40 (1 Viewer)

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wngrog

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I bought a new brake booster from @Racer65 and finally worked up the nerve to install it.

Dual Diaphragm Disc Brake Booster for Land Cruiser FJ40 FJ55 FJ60


My firewall is Swiss cheese from the original master to the 4 bolt non-ABS 80 master I was trying to make work non boosted.

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Well, my brakes sucked. Period. I have all new parts front and rear (disc/drum) with a RAcer65 proportion valve but the brakes were 3 pumps and a prayer at best.

I began by removing the old stuff. Lucky I kept lots of slack in my brake likes just for this reason

IMG_3934.JPG
 
The early firewall comes with a fancy rib that runs vertically right in the thick of things. I already had to notch it to get the brake lines in the single master from the manual setup but this time I had to cut deep. I used a sawzall.

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I plugged all the old holes to keep heat out and screwed the old holes full of bolts. You could use anything but I used little plastic plugs

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K
 
There is a spacer made by JT Outfitters that clears the firewall but with my 2F and 84 FJ60 air cleaner the spacer would not work. It would have put the master into my carburetor.
 
So the real problem with this swap is not the engine bay and the vertical rib.

The real issue is that the booster studs (if you use the existing center hole) puts them right into the inner tub supports for the brake and clutch assembly.

I had to use a carbide bit, sawzall and a drill to clearance the inner supports to get the booster studs through.

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Look closely at the top left bolt. It enters the firewall right where the main support meets the firewall. This took a lot of grinding with an air tool with a carbide bit.

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The bottom right bolt also came through right where another firewall support joins the tub

I used the carbide tool to make 2 of 4 of my firewall holes oblong to fine tune the rod coming out of the booster to the pedal.
 
As for the rod that comes out of the Racer65 booster, for this application it was too long.

I bottomed out the pedal bracket and hacked the rod off as far as I could.

IMG_3942.JPG


Once I mocked it all up I realized I needed about 1/32" of clearance for my clutch master to bolt up. I had an old master and I test ground on it to see how deep I could go. It didn't take much and it cleared.

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Nice going!!
 
Great info. Couple of questions:

1. Did you use the adapter/spacer for the booster to clear the rib? (I think I'll cut mine out and try to sty flush to the firewall.
2. Did you use the original gas pedal/cable or did you go to newer pedal/linkage?
3. What fan/shroud did you use? Is there a fan that allows you to keep the f shroud when going 2f?
4. Wonder if the booster/master I got with the '76 axle will work?

As you can see, I'm doing the same, have a '65, front axle out of a '76, 2f out of a '79, trying to get all the info together to start the changes.

Tia
 
I used the spacer Racer65 sells with his booster. It won't work without that. The plunger would be way too long. I cut it as short as I could and it just Barely worked.

I have the stock 68 pedal with a new cable from Cruiser Outfitters.

The part that sticks out of the firewall into the engine is about 2" long and it just hits the side of the booster. It works but it's close.

I have a 2F shroud that I cut in 1/2 and used. I used and 80 plastic fan (because I had it and it was new) and it was way too big. I shaved it off. I'd start with the smallest plastic fan you can find.

Your 76 stuff will work.

Go to the link in my signature and read through it. It's all documented and even the wise one @jimc chimed in with some solid gold tips on a 2F In an early truck.
 
Mark @65swb45 makes an adapter to make the swap easier I believe- uses the three factory bolt holes to mount to the firewall and provides for the four bolt pattern... Perhaps he will provide a picture and the details of the installation.
EDIT: looks like his bracket is made to adapt a dual circuit master to a 3 bolt firewall not for installing a brake booster to the firewall.

JToutfitters also makes a spacer/adapter to do this in the early 3 bolt master trucks. I haven't used either but am leaning towards Mark's version as it looked a lot cleaner to me.

HTH,
Will
 
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Yes. Both solid options. I did not want the additional leverage of that adapter. Also when I roughed up the measurements it would have put the master into my carb and now that I've installed it I know it would have. Maybe not an old school 2 piston master but the one I have would have hit.
 
I have one of Mark's adapters in hand. Haven't tried to mock it up yet, but it's going to push my master into the carb. I may try the non-power route first, or I may cut the adapter down and cut the firewall support to use a booster. Racer65's booster is looking pretty good to me about now.
 
There is a thread I just saw in this forum with a 65 using the spacer. It worked but he had a Weber. Totally different animals.

If I had a round cleaner to the passenger might would work.

Not sure what the worry is on cutting the rib though. 1" is still there so structurally it's fine.
 

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