I want to go to fine spline and disc brakes and I have seen a couple axles from '72 and 76 fj40's for sale on C.L. My question is, Will these bolt straight up to my '67? Are there any issues I need to know about before I get started? Thanks.
Axle Question
- Thread starter mrjay2u
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dgangle
total rice
To answer your question....yes. But there are more things you should be aware.
1. Measure to see if the knuckles turned or perches moved/replaced if you want the same pinion and caster angle.
2. Disc brakes on front axles came to us in the USA after 9/75. If the 72 axle is disc it has been converted by someone in the past with who knows what parts.
3. If the third member comes with it, verify the R&P ratios are the same as your rear axle if you intend to use it. Or switch out your front third member in the new-to-you front axle assembly.
4. You may need a different pinion flange on the 72 and definitly on the 76 to use your front driveshaft. This can be bought from any of the typical vendors such as Cruiser Outfitters, MAF, etc. Others more knowledgable than myself in this older stuff can correct me if wrong. Ignore this if you re-use your front third.
5. Also the tie-in point for the front brake flex line may not be located in the same point but this can be fixed.
6. Condition is typically unknown so plan on a pinion seal and knuckle rebuild at a minimum. I'm sure the seller will say they are perfect and don't need this. Plan on in anyway.
You don't have to buy a whole axle to get disc breaks...easily retrofitted with later 40, 6x or 79-85 mintruck parts but I assume you already know this.
What kind of $$ are they asking?
1. Measure to see if the knuckles turned or perches moved/replaced if you want the same pinion and caster angle.
2. Disc brakes on front axles came to us in the USA after 9/75. If the 72 axle is disc it has been converted by someone in the past with who knows what parts.
3. If the third member comes with it, verify the R&P ratios are the same as your rear axle if you intend to use it. Or switch out your front third member in the new-to-you front axle assembly.
4. You may need a different pinion flange on the 72 and definitly on the 76 to use your front driveshaft. This can be bought from any of the typical vendors such as Cruiser Outfitters, MAF, etc. Others more knowledgable than myself in this older stuff can correct me if wrong. Ignore this if you re-use your front third.
5. Also the tie-in point for the front brake flex line may not be located in the same point but this can be fixed.
6. Condition is typically unknown so plan on a pinion seal and knuckle rebuild at a minimum. I'm sure the seller will say they are perfect and don't need this. Plan on in anyway.
You don't have to buy a whole axle to get disc breaks...easily retrofitted with later 40, 6x or 79-85 mintruck parts but I assume you already know this.
What kind of $$ are they asking?
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rusty_tlc
Dain Bramaged Member
X2 on retrofitting. It's not much harder than the typical knuckle service. You will need to borrow the SST to center the birfield when you replace the knuckle but there are enough people on this board that have it you shouldn't have a problem
dgangle
total rice
that's the correct way but many use the same preload shims as the donor parts and use the new HD Marlin Crawler inner axle seals with success. I used the centering tool and was surprised how off mine were.
- Thread starter
- #6
$400 for the '76 front and rear complete. When doing a retrofit, I was told that the "ball and claw" used in the early years are different diameter than the birfs and cant be swapped. True? Im still learning, most of this is like like the french instructions in my BBQ assembly book.
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rusty_tlc
Dain Bramaged Member
Since the knuckle and axle "ball" aren't machined to match they need to be centered. Different thickness shims on the trunnion bearings are used to correct for variations in the manufacture of the different parts. We are only talking about a couple of mm at most.
The drawback to not centering the knuckle is that the axle will be off center slightly which will make it ride on one side of the axle seal more than the other. When I swapped the min truck knuckles into my FJ40 we set the shims by the Kentucky Windage method. My knuckles started leaking oil within a few thousand miles.
I just rebuilt mine using the centering tool so I'll see if it makes a difference. For the extra few minutes it takes you don't have much to lose.
rusty_tlc
Dain Bramaged Member
That would be a good price where I live.
I wouldn't worry about the ball and claw axles. Just go through the '76 axles, check the thirds for wear, make sure the ratios match, replace seals, etc. and bolt them up. Even if it takes a little finagling.
dgangle
total rice
$400 for complete front AND rear axles from the 76? Buy them. I am pretty sure you will need 2 new pinion flanges as stated above. Do pinion seals too while they're apart. Buy the Toyota seals, not the crappy generic aftermarket/Autostoned variety.
dgangle
total rice
My donor disk brake parts came in a pile. I set the shims equally, top & bottom to get the desired preload. With std inner axle seals they leaked like a mo-fo. I borrowed the tool from a trusting Mudder and found my setup was off a mile. It took like 0.070" on the bottom and 0.002" on the top. Musta been made on a Monday morning or Friday afternoon. You gotta have the tool, an accurate micrometer capable of measuring >6", able to follow instructions clearly spelled out in the body & chassis manual, read the micrometer and be able to add and subtract. Coolerman has a good how-to thread going here in the 40/55 forum.
When I bought my '74 way back when, it already had a disk brake front axle. I have no idea what year it was from, but it has the large pattern knuckles. My axle seals have never needed replacing, so it must be centered pretty well.
Thanks for the info guys.
And yes, buy that '76 front and rear. I think you can easily get $500 for a complete fj40 disk brake front axle.
Thanks for the info guys.
And yes, buy that '76 front and rear. I think you can easily get $500 for a complete fj40 disk brake front axle.
rusty_tlc
Dain Bramaged Member
I would get the universal flanges from High Angle DL. That way any year axle will be compatible
dgangle
total rice
good info, thanks
- Thread starter
- #14
What is High Angle DL? Thanks for all your input. Im setting up arangements for the axels. Someone said to use the toyota seals. I thought the Marlin seals were the best to use?
dgangle
total rice
High Angle Drive Line. It's a company that makes and sells stuff. Know how to use google or any other internet search engine?
I recommend you buy the Toyota pinion seals and Marlin HD inner axle seals.
I recommend you buy the Toyota pinion seals and Marlin HD inner axle seals.
DanS HJ-45
SILVER Star
dgangle
total rice
didn't know MC offered those as well. I say get them too and saving on the shipping!! Gotta link on these????
- Thread starter
- #18
dgangle
total rice
