FJ80 Rear under a FJ60? (1 Viewer)

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How difficult would it be to swap a fj80 FF rear axle under a fj60? I'm going to be helping a friend swap out his rear on his fj80 and was thinking about how nice it would be to have a FF rear. I read some people had done it I just wanted to find out some of the common problems/steps associated with doing it.
 
Yeah I know the FF FJ60 axle would be easier, but more expensive. Plus my fab skills aren't too bad and I think the FJ80 axle would be sorta cool. I just wanted to know if there would be any major hangups on the project. Most likely I would keep it stock width too.
 
Totally doable, you get a FF, disk brakes and the e-brake from the 80 fits without any mods under the 60. The axle is wider but if yah get wheels with a 5" or 5.5 back space the tires would sit flush with the body. Welding the perches for the spring leafs shouldn't be too hard.
 
What about the rear driveshaft, how are the angles? Also would a stock FJ60 rear DS work? Or Would I have to get something custom made?
 
I used my original DS. Angles shouldn't be hard to figure out. Yah MIGHT have to shorten it or lengthen it.
 
Oh yeah forgot to mention the brake line on the frame or the axle will need to be modifed, but even that shouldn't be too hard.
 
Totally doable, you get a FF, disk brakes and the e-brake from the 80 fits without any mods under the 60. The axle is wider but if yah get wheels with a 5" or 5.5 back space the tires would sit flush with the body. Welding the perches for the spring leafs shouldn't be too hard.

This could be a dumb question, but do you run dual spares? One for the backspacing up front and one for the BS in the rear?
 
I would rather run a wheel spacer in front so all the wheels matched. Plus you'd get the wide look and a good excuse to chop up your fenders :)

Or why not run 80 axles front and rear?

off topic: John, I have actually met the Gordon that beer is named after :D
 
I would rather run a wheel spacer in front so all the wheels matched. Plus you'd get the wide look and a good excuse to chop up your fenders :)

Or why not run 80 axles front and rear?

off topic: John, I have actually met the Gordon that beer is named after :D

Makes sense. I'm assuming with 80 series axles, you could use the 80's locked thirds as well. You'll just have to fab up some sort of locking system.

Off topic: did you shake that man's hand and thank him? :cheers: I love the stuff, just not the price. :bang:
 
You can drop an 80 series rear diff in to the front FJ60 full floater axle with some mods to the axle (new studs, a notch and a different short side axle shaft if you use a locking diff, if I remember correctly). I am not sure I would want the smaller FZJ80 front reverse cut high pinion axle up front. Seems that they are a little fragile but I may be wrong about that since that configuration is supposed to be stronger. But I don't readily hear of 60 series front diffs breaking like you do the FZJ80, but that doesn't mean that is doesn't happen. I was worried about the alignment of the t-case and FZJ80 rear axle flanges but I guess you could run a double cardon shaft if it becomes an issue. You will most likely have to run 16" rims as well. I have read somewhere that the stocker rims would fit but I do not know first hand.

Manuchao, do you feel that the rear is fine with the stock u-joints in the driveshaft?
 
Stevo, the hard brake line ont he 60's is and/or dumps ont he rear pass side. On the 80's axle it runs in the middle above the diff.

Jleefj62 No, I dont... right now is only one spare the back spacing on the fzj80's is 4.5 and my tires stick out about one to one and a half ich all around... if you (and you can) run a deeper back space on the wheels then they will not stick out as much.....but even on the stock configuration it is not that bad.

Aseif007 is right... the front diff is smaller thus making it the weak link....specially for those that wheel their rigs...

I run the 60's TC and was able to use my stock rear DS w/o any issues so far.. the stock u joints seem to handle it all fine up until now.... I dont know if there would be any down sides to running a DC shaft on the rear.
On the front I run half of the 60's DS to the TC and half of the 80's DC to the front diff as the flanges are different in size..the good thing is that they do match when you mate the two different half's together.

I think that on a FZJ80 you can only run 16" wheels.. My 15" steelies (also with a 4.5 back spacing) did not fit as the made contact with the brake caliper on the rear but they did seem to fit on the front.
I think 91's and 92's 80's came with 15" wheels but those (i think) where SF rear axles.
 
The reason I have for running only the rear is because it is available. also I like having the 9.5" ring and pinion front and rear. Also I don't believe there is a hysteer kit for the fj80 axle.
 
I think that on a FZJ80 you can only run 16" wheels.. My 15" steelies (also with a 4.5 back spacing) did not fit as the made contact with the brake caliper on the rear but they did seem to fit on the front.
I think 91's and 92's 80's came with 15" wheels but those (i think) where SF rear axles.

Was it enough that grinding the calipers wasn't feasible? I've got brand new 15" steelies with 2.5" backspace (to accomodate steering linkage mods and 4Runner calipers up front), and I'd hate to have to spend more money on 16" wheels.

I take it the bolt pattern is the same on the 80's rear?
 
I take it the bolt pattern is the same on the 80's rear?

Same bolt pattern. Both early and later 80's wheels bolt onto a 60/62 just fine.
 
Spook50, grinding the calipers never crossed my mind... as I already had the 16" wheels... I think you could run 1/4" spacers on the rear and that would help the rim sit nice and flat against the brake disk/drum.

Yeah same pattern.. !!
 
Do I need to modify the brake system at all? I just helped my buddy pull the axle tonight and its from a 1995 and has disk brakes.
 
This thread has me curious to try and find a locked 80 rear at the junk yard here. There are about half a dozen 80s between the two yards that have imports. one's bound to have the complete rear.

How much wider is an 80 rear than a 60's?
 

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