FJCO +8/80 Rear Brake Adapter install/review (1 Viewer)

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cruisermatt

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We are doing three installs in a row with these so I figured I would do a little review/how-to as I otherwise have seen virtually no mention of these on this forum, additionally to potentially help other installers as they ship without instructions or hardware, or any indication as to what do for a cable/handle.

First, the what and why. These allow you to bolt 8/80-newer rear brakes onto a older housing. This is a really good idea for a lot of reasons.
1. The current BEST mechanical parking brake using Cruiser parts.
2. Single wheel cylinder and self adjusting setup.
3. All parts from the backing plates out are available new OEM and besides the drums are the same even on new production 70 series today.

Some immediate alternatives to this setup:
1. Find a original 8/80-84 rear axle. Very hard to find in NA these days.
2. 70 series rear axle and move the perches. Potential FF and disc options. Again, not easy to find in NA and in my shops case we have three conversions within a few months.
3. Narrow a 60 rear axle, essentially making a 8/80-84 40 axle. Easiest to find. Not easiest to do for anyone.
4. 60 rear axle and leave it wide. I have done this and the extra width can be nice (3” wider overall). Spring perches need to be moved.
there are obviously way more options then this for rear brakes but these are the immediate common upgrades to get a good axle-mounted parking brake and more modern components with Toyota parts.

From a cost/storage/ease standpoint we can stack up a few pairs of these adapters a lot easier then a few 70 series or 80-up 40 rear housings.

More tomorrow :)

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Nice, those brakes work great. Do you have a parking brake cable made? With the spacer how do you get the axle flange to meet the drum correctly? The axle flange sits in the same spot, but now the brakes are pushed out like 1/2" or however thick those spacers are right? Maybe I'm picturing it wrong in my head
 
Will these use the 60 series rear drums as well. they would be easy to source.
 
Will these use the 60 series rear drums as well. they would be easy to source.

Yes, all 8/80-up rear drum brakes. 40/60/70/80.
 
Nice, those brakes work great. Do you have a parking brake cable made? With the spacer how do you get the axle flange to meet the drum correctly? The axle flange sits in the same spot, but now the brakes are pushed out like 1/2" or however thick those spacers are right? Maybe I'm picturing it wrong in my head

I will get to the parking brake cable
 
To fasten the adapters to the housing you have to drill four holes. The adapters have a dowel that pins into one of the original holes. Clamp it to the housing and use the adapter as a drill guide.

For hardware we used M10 x45mm SHCS and nylocks, and thick flat washers.

Some criticism, the lower two bolts go through the original housing flange where there is a machined step so the nut/washer would only have 20% of its surface area grabbing. Would it be fine? Probably, but I thought it looked hokey so I took a cutoff whee and went into the machined step carefully to essentially mill it down in just that area.

Important, make sure you install the adapters the right way up, otherwise the new backing plates will go on wrong.



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Parking brake cables and handle.
I had been waiting for a review from @wngrog on the company that was supposed to mod one to work, but I don’t care for the original pull handles that much and all these trucks are getting a bunch of mods anyways so I have been going with what I know works, floor mounted handle.

Currently finishing up install in a 69, the handle doesn’t do down all the way without contacting the original seat bracket so I am trying to re drill the stop/switch higher up on the handle so it starts a few clicks up. Pics of that later.

The next build is a 1977 and has a lot more room down there without the toolbox or wide bench seat mount.

Parking brake handle and bracket are 70 series. Available new and very inexpensively.

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For the cable I went with a cable for a 77 (70 series). They have the same axle width as the 40 and I figured it would be pretty long to give me plenty of slack, this particular truck has the rear springs flipped, SOA, so on a regular 40 I would think that on of the shorter wheelbase 70 series cables would work well, like BJ70 or 73?

Tabs for the cable on the axle need to be fabricated. The equalizer tabs are all the same from what I’ve seen but there are several variations of the tab closer to the differential.
Another criticism is I feel that for the money of these they could include some pre-cut tabs…

Sorry about the greasy lens and messy shop. Hopefully have some finished install pics tonight.

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How long did it take to get the adapters

All three sets I have purchased came in within 5-6 business days of order
 
OK, ?, if you move the backing plate out by the thickness of spacer how does the drum fit ? Is there a spacer to space the drum off the axle flange ? Which I highly doubt so I cant figure unless there is a different drum used ?
 
OK, ?, if you move the backing plate out by the thickness of spacer how does the drum fit ? Is there a spacer to space the drum off the axle flange ? Which I highly doubt so I cant figure unless there is a different drum used ?


You’re way overthinking it.

These make a pre 80 axle look like a post 80 axle. Simple as that.

+8/80 rear drums as well as all the other brake parts.
 
Got my seals in (I don’t normally stock the 68-72 seals) and am getting this buttoned up.

Hopefully this quells any question of drum spacing?


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Some almost-finished pics of the cable brackets and routing. Also, a tab on the diff will need to be fabricated or source a cover from a later cruiser that has one.

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I know Kevin who went by Tools R Us before he sadly past away installed a lever between two cables when he installed a 60 series axle in an FJ40 with the hand brake handle under the dash. Maybe Claudia @DSRTRDR could post a picture if she is around her 40 Kevin did this mod in.

Someone has mentioned Georg @orangefj45 has 8/80+ 40 series axles as well as the split case hand brake parts for sale. Believe using FJCO adapter and 60 series rear axle brake parts you are already over $1K just in parts. Start getting in this much I would price all the options before deciding which direction to go. I plan on converting everything except my 68 FJ40 to 8/80 rear full floating axles so this option wouldn't work for me.


Think a easier way to explain the brake axle spacing is the E-7/80 backing plate is basically flat while the 8/80+ is dished away from the axle. The spacer takes up the dished in space so the brake shoes are roughly in the original location.
 
I know Kevin who went by Tools R Us before he sadly past away installed a lever between two cables when he installed a 60 series axle in an FJ40 with the hand brake handle under the dash. Maybe Claudia @DSRTRDR could post a picture if she is around her 40 Kevin did this mod in.

Someone has mentioned Georg @orangefj45 has 8/80+ 40 series axles as well as the split case hand brake parts for sale. Believe using FJCO adapter and 60 series rear axle brake parts you are already over $1K just in parts. Start getting in this much I would price all the options before deciding which direction to go. I plan on converting everything except my 68 FJ40 to 8/80 rear full floating axles so this option wouldn't work for me.


Think a easier way to explain the brake axle spacing is the E-7/80 backing plate is basically flat while the 8/80+ is dished away from the axle. The spacer takes up the dished in space so the brake shoes are roughly in the original location.

No matter what you do it is $1K or more in parts.
The point is that this is a setup that will function way better in the long term and be less maintenance then a splitcase mounted brake. That being said I do have a few splitcase brake setups and we are doing a few installs of those, but they are more stocker around town drivers.

Like I also said, we are doing three of these installs in just the next few months, so as a business I want to have the ability to do dozens of these over the next few years. I would much rather store a few dozen steel plates and backing plates then complete axles. Are there even a half a dozen 8/80 40 rear axles for sale in NA?

I can't find a good photo of a 8/80+ housing without the backing plate. The flange is much closer to the housing tube opening. That's why this works. Everything is in the correct location, wheels, shoes, drums, etc
 
Still need to figure some mounts for the cable along the bottom of the body crossmember but it’s hooked up and working really well (just on the flat shop floor for now) even before adjusting the shoes out.

For anyone interested, rough pricing on this setup was about $1200 in parts, all new OEM besides the adapters themselves. My guys have about 6 hours on the install. Once we start lasering the tabs that will probably go down to about 4hrs.

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Onto the next one. This one is a 1977 so it has a bit more room for the handle with the bucket seat mounts.
This one is getting rear springs flipped too but staying SUA so may try a shorter cable, like a shorter wheelbase 70 or maybe a 43 cable if it’s still around.

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I know Kevin who went by Tools R Us before he sadly past away installed a lever between two cables when he installed a 60 series axle in an FJ40 with the hand brake handle under the dash. Maybe Claudia @DSRTRDR could post a picture if she is around her 40 Kevin did this mod in.

Someone has mentioned Georg @orangefj45 has 8/80+ 40 series axles as well as the split case hand brake parts for sale. Believe using FJCO adapter and 60 series rear axle brake parts you are already over $1K just in parts. Start getting in this much I would price all the options before deciding which direction to go. I plan on converting everything except my 68 FJ40 to 8/80 rear full floating axles so this option wouldn't work for me.


Think a easier way to explain the brake axle spacing is the E-7/80 backing plate is basically flat while the 8/80+ is dished away from the axle. The spacer takes up the dished in space so the brake shoes are roughly in the original location.
the reason Kevin had to fabricate a lever is that I wanted to keep the dash-mounted handbrake pull that's OEM in the early 40 series (mine is a '72) - this lever fabrication is not necessary for floor-mounted handbrakes because their pull cable already has the appropriate length and attachments

all parts either already were on my truck (dash-mounted handbrake pull and cable), or came with the rear 60 axle (parking brake actuator cable) - Kevin just found a way of mating the two systems

I have forgotten what the 60 axle cost me at the time (almost 10 years ago by now), but from what I understand they are pretty penny more these days
 
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the reason Kevin had to fabricate a lever is that I wanted to keep the dash-mounted handbrake pull that's OEM in the early 40 series (mine is a '72) - this lever fabrication is not necessary for floor-mounted handbrakes because their pull cable already has the appropriate length and attachments

all parts either already were on my truck (dash-mounted handbrake pull and cable), or came with the rear 60 axle (parking brake actuator cable) - Kevin just found a way of mating the two systems

I have forgotten what the 60 axle cost me at the time (almost 10 years ago by now), but from what I understand they are pretty penny more these days


Thank you for posting Claudia. I just remembered as part of you H55F install Kevin installed the 60 series rear axle for the hand brake and kept the handle under the dash. As I remember the lever in the middle help increase the throw. Do you have any feedback on it works. I have never seen your 72.
 

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