Drum brakes... Rebuild or swap?? 1968 fj40

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May 5, 2014
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Charlotte, NC
Looking for some help with my 1968 Fj40. Trying to decide what to do with my brakes. How hard is the disc brake conversion? Would I be better trying to repair the drum brakes? Or I am also considering buying a pair of axles from a newer FJ with disc brakes? Please send any tips, suggestions, and or links for parts/kits/videos.

Thanks
 
Front disks are hard to beat. The EZ way is to swap knuckles/spindles/brakes from a disk brake axle. The 79 and up FJ40, FJ60 and mini truck solid axle knuckles are beefier with wide pattern arms. You might as well use the fine spline Birfields too. You could also swap axles from a disk brake FJ40, but you want to make sure the gear ratio is the same.
Good drums will be fine on the rear.
 
Classifieds, local clubhouses in your area, Craig's list.

Swapping knuckles isn't hard, I figured it out long before mud by simple visual comparison.
 
If you don't have the right tools swapping the knuckle's is a shot in the dark. Of the options you mentioned I would vote for swapping in a set of newer axles that match. It is a pretty easy swap and the only thing to add is the Booster and disk brake master cylinder and proportioning valve.
 
I paid $300 for my FJ62 axles, brakes, knuckles, and steering arms (no housing/diff). I've seen them cheaper (~$100). Depends on what part of the country you're in and how prevalent FJ60's/mini trucks are. If you can find one of these trucks at a wrecker/pick and pull, you might be able to get them super cheap. I paid a lot for mine, but it was also tough to find a good axle near me!
 
I recently rebuilt all my drum brakes..then got a full xtra set..so ive 8 rebuilt whl cyl's to get rid of if youre kping stock
 
being a 68 you also need to figure out a booster, run a separate rear line to isolate the front and rear brakes. it is more than just the front axle disc setup.
also being 68 you may have ball and claw which would mean a complete axle housing swap also.
 
3 puppies is right. you need to know your production date because 68 was right around when toyota went from ball and claw to birfield. if you are ball and claw, you will have have to swap inner axles, which will not match your side gears and you will have to figure out sealing where the inner axle seal is.

if you get a 76-78 disc setup, you can swap fairly easily into an older birf axle, but you've got the weaker and harder to find parts (small pattern disc knuckles, long birfs). the easiest disc stuff to find is going to be the mini truck which will require your first mod of grinding out your knuckles to fit the birfs. from there, you run into brake line issues. drums have one line splitting out to each front tire and the rear axle and are a smaller fitting at the hardlines than disc. disc has one line for the front and a seperate line for the rear axle

and yes, you have to deal with a boosted setup, which means modifying your firewall or using a spacer that sometimes doesn't work with your manifold setup.


rebuilding your drum cylinders is cheap, easy and requires a bit more maintenance (when you start noticing the brakes aren't as good, you have to adjust your cylinders, which can be a pita).
 
Rebuild or replace your wheel cylinders, put new brake shoes on, then turn/replace your drums. Adjusting is fairly simple, so long as all of your wheel cylinders rotate & aren't frozen. That's what I just did, and my truck will stand on its nose with drums all around. I do recommend splitting your lines front/rear as a safety precaution.

Brian
 
I'd say it depends on what you do with your cruiser. I don't off-road mine, but I do drive it almost daily. It's a 67. And, because it has the original 1F and it's no speed demon, the drums are totally fine with me. Just my 2 cents.
 
Thanks for everyone's input. I think I am going to rebuild or purchase a new set of drums. I have another frame to work off of and I think I will get a newer set of axles with disc brakes for it.
 

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