Axle Identification

[SlowCruiser68]

Newbie here. Can anyone help me identify if my front axle is ball and claw or birfields?
Looking to swap to 60 knuckles and disks and would like to know before I order everything and and up having ball and claw axles. Thanks!
68 FJ40
Vin: FJ4056238

 

[ferg]

Need pics of lockout hubs and or outer axle splines. Ball and claw were course splined. Something like 6 or 10 splines.

 

[Splangy]

Need pics of lockout hubs and or outer axle splines. Ball and claw were course splined. Something like 6 or 10 splines.

The early birfs were coarse splined too. I think 1968 was the first year for birfs. Not sure you can tell the difference from the outside.

 

[3_puppies]

maybe he could pull the plug on the housing and see inside or stick a screwdriver inside and rotate the axle????
smooth would be birf.

 

[pjohnson]

Don't be skeered, pop the knuckle off and look.

 

[SlowCruiser68]

Don't be skeered, pop the knuckle off and look.

It's looking like that's what I'm going to do. Just seeing if anyone had any little tricks or knowledge before hand.

 

[cult45]

As Splangy said 1968 was the first year of birfs, so there's a good chance it'll be them. You know you have to groind the housing a bunch to fit a disc brake axle in there? Ask me how I know.. I ended up using a complete 8/1980 onwards drum housing with 60 series disc knuckles and the original two-cylinder rear drums on my 1970 [same OEM axle setup as yours]. Much easier.

 

[SlowCruiser68]

As Splangy said 1968 was the first year of birfs, so there's a good chance it'll be them. You know you have to groind the housing a bunch to fit a disc brake axle in there? Ask me how I know.. I ended up using a complete 8/1980 onwards drum housing with 60 series disc knuckles and the original two-cylinder rear drums on my 1970 [same OEM axle setup as yours]. Much easier.

I'm no stranger to grinding to fit. But just exactly how much grinding is involved?
Where would be the best place to get a used axle housing?

 

[cult45]

It's only a few mm, but it's got to be done with a dremel. You could find a housing in the classifieds or on Facebook or on.. what do you guys have over there.. Craigslist? Also good to note is that you fellas also got OEM front discs in the late seventies when 40's were more prolific, so perhaps one of those would be good? But an 8/80 onwards housing will allow you to run 60 series knuckles and discs. I also used a City Racer prop valve and an FJ80 booster and master and now my 45 stops better than my missus brand new Mazda CX5! No joke!

 

[SlowCruiser68]

It's only a few mm, but it's got to be done with a dremel. You could find a housing in the classifieds or on Facebook or on.. what do you guys have over there.. Craigslist? Also good to note is that you fellas also got OEM front discs in the late seventies when 40's were more prolific, so perhaps one of those would be good? But an 8/80 onwards housing will allow you to run 60 series knuckles and discs. I also used a City Racer prop valve and an FJ80 booster and master and now my 45 stops better than my missus brand new Mazda CX5! No joke!

I'm fine with the grinding if it's only that much. Are you saying 60 knuckles won't fit on my 68 axle?

 

[Living in the Past]

Newbie here. Can anyone help me identify if my front axle is ball and claw or birfields?
Looking to swap to 60 knuckles and disks and would like to know before I order everything and and up having ball and claw axles. Thanks!
68 FJ40
Vin: FJ4056238

View attachment 1914638

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View attachment 1914640

View attachment 1914641

The early birfs were coarse splined too. I think 1968 was the first year for birfs. Not sure you can tell the difference from the outside.

Years ago someone was selling off a ton of FJ40 micro-fiche on eBay. This may have been around the time I joined Mud or before. I now wish I have bought a bunch of the early to 3/69. Since Toyota dropped everything earlier it ha become hard to date changes. I have a 3/67 68 model which has all the 68 changes except Birfield axle. Vehicle isn't here and would have to dig out the title but believe it was FJ40~5153X. So quite a bit earlier. Just know the 68 model started out with ball and claw front axle.

 

[ferg]

As for the grinding part, I used a file and took my time when I converted mine. I used '82 mini knuckle and outer parts.

 

[SlowCruiser68]

Years ago someone was selling off a ton of FJ40 micro-fiche on eBay. This may have been around the time I joined Mud or before. I now wish I have bought a bunch of the early to 3/69. Since Toyota dropped everything earlier it ha become hard to date changes. I have a 3/67 68 model which has all the 68 changes except Birfield axle. Vehicle isn't here and would have to dig out the title but believe it was FJ40~5153X. So quite a bit earlier. Just know the 68 model started out with ball and claw front axle.

So you're saying the 60 knuckles and brakes will fit on the 68 axle housings but not the earlier ones?

 

[Living in the Past]

So you're saying the 60 knuckles and brakes will fit on the 68 axle housings but not the earlier ones?

No saying you need to personally verify if it has ball and claw or Birfield. No clear date that I know of when the change happened. The ball and claw used a bronze bushing to seal gear oil from knuckle grease. Later used a seal. I personally would not try to adapt a ball and claw axle to disc brakes. But I have a early drum Birfield axle to use sitting in a stack of axles. I have acquired a few 40 series disc brake axles too. Now I plan on just keeping the stock drums. Found it was just easier to buy another FJ40 or two with disc brakes.

 

[SlowCruiser68]

No saying you need to personally verify if it has ball and claw or Birfield. No clear date that I know of when the change happened. The ball and claw used a bronze bushing to seal gear oil from knuckle grease. Later used a seal. I personally would not try to adapt a ball and claw axle to disc brakes. But I have a early drum Birfield axle to use sitting in a stack of axles. I have acquired a few 40 series disc brake axles too. Now I plan on just keeping the stock drums. Found it was just easier to buy another FJ40 or two with disc brakes.

Ah okay. Gonna pull a knuckle off and see what I got. Worst case scenario if I have ball and claw stuff what am I looking at price wise for a newer axle housing? And how far are you from Louisiana

 

[cult45]

John is right, there is no fixed date for changes. Usually, manufacturers launch new models or updates on previous models in August the year prior. Hence a lot of the 40 series changes are documented as say 08/1973 for the 1974 year. I also concur with a teardown.

 

[SlowCruiser68]

Good news guys, I do in fact have birfs

 

[1973Guppie]

It's only a few mm, but it's got to be done with a dremel. You could find a housing in the classifieds or on Facebook or on.. what do you guys have over there.. Craigslist? Also good to note is that you fellas also got OEM front discs in the late seventies when 40's were more prolific, so perhaps one of those would be good? But an 8/80 onwards housing will allow you to run 60 series knuckles and discs. I also used a City Racer prop valve and an FJ80 booster and master and now my 45 stops better than my missus brand new Mazda CX5! No joke!

Nah, just use a grinder and then a flap disc to finish it off. It's important to leave the inner seal in the axle housing when grinding so you can test fit using the whole birf and axle combination. If you only use the birf you will most likely be off as the whole combo has to be installed straight.

 

[gladly]

Nah, just use a grinder and then a flap disc to finish it off. It's important to leave the inner seal in the axle housing when grinding so you can test fit using the whole birf and axle combination. If you only use the birf you will most likely be off as the whole combo has to be installed straight.

Holy thread resurrection!

I agree on grinder/flapdisc, and wish I had your tip about putting the seal in first about 6mo back