Do I get new axles now or later?

[youngmanchego]

I’m doing a 43 build in Colombia (yeah yeah it’s entirely made out of bondo and cocaine, I know).

Before I get started, the grand vision of this truck is that you can buy/replace just about anything w stock Toyota parts (so minimal cutting/grinding/welding and max use of highly available (60 and even better, 80 series) parts. I also have a brutal buy right or buy twice mentality. I wasted a lot of time and money on my last build getting the wrong parts or buying parts out of order (~learning~). I don’t want to do that again.

The brakes on this truck are a mess. It’s a 1973 w/ 4 drums and a single circuit master cylinder. No booster. This is normal. Many of the Colombian trucks on FJ.co and BaT of same the vintage have this ludicrous MC set up.

There are several complete front and rear 1980+ FJ40 axle assemblies near where I am in Bogota. I could kill many many birds with one stone if I swap in the new axles… I think.

Pros
- front disc brakes and rear 4-bolt axle housing flanges (many e brake options, including stock, w this for future H55)
- 3:70 difs and full float rear (this’ll be a highway truck mostly)
- larger knuckle pattern for PS upgrade
- doing an 80 series MC upgrade anyway

Cons
- I’ll need to swap the flanges on the drive shafts bc the stock 3 speed transfer case flange is different than the dif flanges on the new axles.
- They’re really expensive, even in Colombia (about $2k for both).

Other considerations/questions…

- I will add a 2.5” OME lift when I get back to the US. Would the later axles require a different lift kit than the 1973 axles? I ask bc I could skip the axle swap for now, make do with the drums and new MC, do the lift, and then add late model axles in the future.

- are FJ60 birf + long-side inners the same as late FJ40 birfs + inners ? If I still have to trim the housing to use 60 series birfs + inners, I may as well use 60 knuckles/arms on the 1973 axle. This is an OCD/parts availability thing. I can’t find a straight answer on the Mud.

TLDR;
Can I get an OME lift now for the 1973 axles and then swap in 1980+ axles in the future or will I need a new lift kit then? Am I better off spending a lot more now buying 1980+ axles, and potentially fulfilling a lot of future needs?

 

[FJ404345]

Well to be honest you are doing it wrong from the start

How far you are already with the 73?

60 axles are 3" wider then 40 axles

i would advise you to buy a FJ43 1982/83/84 model with the 40 series original power steering, 40 series original disc brakes and the 40 series original airconditioning already on it, so you only have to add a 5speed, in order to have the most original loaded 40 series series, and buy one without bondo

 

[Mike Shull]

Fact check this info as it’s coming from my research when I was swapping my axles. I ended up going with 1-ton axles.

• FJ60 axles in the states (maybe the same in Columbia?) are 58.5 WMS
• FJ62 are 60 WMS
• FJ80 are 61-63 WMS depending on the model and position
• FJ40 are 55 WMS

Your housing choice really depends on what width you want and whether you want and are able to find factory lockers. You can put minitruck disk brakes on the front of your 43 axles (assuming they are the same as the ones in the US?), and Monte Carlo disk brakes on the rear (if it’s not a full floater) with a custom bracket (or other setups).

For street/highway use, I’d honestly leave the rear as drums and swap mini truck disks for the front if you are on a tight budget. This should work well with an FJ80 booster/MC, and be inexpensive. If you have funds and you can find a donor, you might consider swapping an 80 rolling chassis under it.

You can put leaf spring perches onto any axle. Do your research as I don’t know if FJ60 perches align with the 40 series springs. Also, if you do go the minitruck route, consider what WMS you want as IFS will be wider. Either way I’m pretty sure that you will at least need the knuckles from a solid axle mini truck. Do your homework as it’s easily been 25 years or more since I have worked on drum front end axles.

 

[1911]

- I will add a 2.5” OME lift when I get back to the US. Would the later axles require a different lift kit than the 1973 axles?

Yes; the later axles have different-size spring eyes and bushings than the earlier ones.

 

[youngmanchego]

Well to be honest you are doing it wrong from the start

How far you are already with the 73?

60 axles are 3" wider then 40 axles

i would advise you to buy a FJ43 1982/83/84 model with the 40 series original power steering, 40 series original disc brakes and the 40 series original airconditioning already on it, so you only have to add a 5speed, in order to have the most original loaded 40 series series, and buy one without bondo

Not really my question but I appreciate the feedback. 1973 was on purpose- simpler, better steel, and smog except. I also just like the older ones more. I had a late model rig (1978) and sold it for that reason. Too many gizmos and plastic. To each their own I guess

 

[youngmanchego]

Fact check this info as it’s coming from my research when I was swapping my axles. I ended up going with 1-ton axles.

• FJ60 axles in the states (maybe the same in Columbia?) are 58.5 WMS
• FJ62 are 60 WMS
• FJ80 are 61-63 WMS depending on the model and position
• FJ40 are 55 WMS

Your housing choice really depends on what width you want and whether you want and are able to find factory lockers. You can put minitruck disk brakes on the front of your 43 axles (assuming they are the same as the ones in the US?), and Monte Carlo disk brakes on the rear (if it’s not a full floater) with a custom bracket (or other setups).

For street/highway use, I’d honestly leave the rear as drums and swap mini truck disks for the front if you are on a tight budget. This should work well with an FJ80 booster/MC, and be inexpensive. If you have funds and you can find a donor, you might consider swapping an 80 rolling chassis under it.

You can put leaf spring perches onto any axle. Do your research as I don’t know if FJ60 perches align with the 40 series springs. Also, if you do go the minitruck route, consider what WMS you want as IFS will be wider. Either way I’m pretty sure that you will at least need the knuckles from a solid axle mini truck. Do your homework as it’s easily been 25 years or more since I have worked on drum front end axles.

Thank you for the thorough reply. I’m set on using all Toyota parts, so I’ll probably rock the rear drums for the time being. I definitely do not want a wider axle, so I will stick with 40 housings. Im just not sure if it’s worth upgrading to the later model axles.

 

[youngmanchego]

Yes; the later axles have different-size spring eyes and bushings than the earlier ones.

Shoot, this is what I was afraid of. I’m noticing, however, with the FJ45 spring kits (which is what I believe I need for a 43) the compatibility is 1965-80. I don’t think this is a typo, is it? Cruiser Corps and Metal tech say similar things. Would that imply the eyes and bushings may have stayed the same longer? Anyone w a 45 care to chime in on this one? Maybe @FJ404345 ?

 

[Mike Shull]

Thank you for the thorough reply. I’m set on using all Toyota parts, so I’ll probably rock the rear drums for the time being. I definitely do not want a wider axle, so I will stick with 40 housings. Im just not sure if it’s worth upgrading to the later model axles.

Double check this but I don’t remember needing to replace the axle shafts when swapping disks/knuckles from a later model Toyota onto a drum housing. Front disks will stop better as you know, though that may not be a concern.

 

[Mike Shull]

Double check this but I don’t remember needing to replace the axle shafts when swapping disks/knuckles from a later model Toyota onto a drum housing. Front disks will stop better as you know, though that may not be a concern.

Wait a second, the birfields have different splines on the early model. The later model birfields should slip right in with minor adjusting of the housings for clearance.

 

[youngmanchego]

Shoot, this is what I was afraid of. I’m noticing, however, with the FJ45 spring kits (which is what I believe I need for a 43) the compatibility is 1965-80. I don’t think this is a typo, is it? Cruiser Corps and Metal tech say similar things. Would that imply the eyes and bushings may have stayed the same longer? Anyone w a 45 care to chime in on this

Wait a second, the birfields have different splines on the early model. The later model birfields should slip right in with minor adjusting of the housings for clearance.

Yes you’re spot on from what I understand. Going off Kurt’s thread, I’ll likely jump up to 60 series hybrid birfs (w 40 inners) and knucks/discs for later upgradability and parts availability