I want/need front disc brakes. I can procure all the parts needed, but I can't do the work myself. Who can I pay to do it in the immediate area? And how much will the labor be, approximately? I could help if necessary. I have a stock 71.
Front disc brake swap...who can I pay to do it?
- Thread starter SouthBostonFJ40
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OK, I can do easy things like changing my intake and exhaust manifold gasket, but things like steering and brakes and other safety related stuff, I don't want to fool around with. If these will make my 40 stop better than with the drums, then I want them.
Is this the best route? I am not necessarily looking for the cheapest route. I just want the best braking ability I can get.
I have looked at the technical links and searched and read threads on mini truck swaps and FJ60 swaps. I don't know what to do. They all seem difficult to me.
That is probably the easiest route, and it allows you to get in there and replace all seals, bearings, seals, wiper kit, etc. The whole rebuild kit is around $100 (if you reuse the wheel bearings).
If you are thinking safety, my truck never drove better than when I finally got around to rebuilding the knuckles.
That rebuild kit is not at all hard, and if you can follow direction from you chiltons, haynes or this board, you can absolutely do it. Or, with enough beer and pizza, you can get a local cruiserhead to help you out.
The only special tools you need are a fish pull scale (about $9), a tie rod fork and a brass drift for the cone washers.
Get a big piece of cardboard to lay the stuff out,a big bucket of kerosene or parts cleaner, do one side at a time, and go to town.
If you are thinking safety, my truck never drove better than when I finally got around to rebuilding the knuckles.
That rebuild kit is not at all hard, and if you can follow direction from you chiltons, haynes or this board, you can absolutely do it. Or, with enough beer and pizza, you can get a local cruiserhead to help you out.
The only special tools you need are a fish pull scale (about $9), a tie rod fork and a brass drift for the cone washers.
Get a big piece of cardboard to lay the stuff out,a big bucket of kerosene or parts cleaner, do one side at a time, and go to town.
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- #6
- Thread starter
- #7
JJS,
Are your knuckles already rebuilt or are they something that I would rebuild and install?
I have all the parts except for the rebuild kit, pads and rotors. I really need to do this to my cruiser because I am sick of adjusting drums and the brakes keep pulling. I haven't done it before but it really doesn't seem that hard. If you are really interested and want to come check it out while I do it maybe we can work something out.
- Thread starter
- #10
Are you doing mini truck or FJ60 or something else I don't know about? Also, do you happen to have a list of parts to buy?
The knuckles don't need to be milled out. I think you need a set of mid-90's K1500 rotors, and a machine should will have to take about 0.02" off all the way around. This is definitely the cheapest way to disc brakes that I can think of. I went to later model knuckles to run Longfields.
The knuckles I will be using are from a FJ62. As far as I know here is the parts list
Knuckles out from a mini or 60 series. knuckles, birfs, steering arm, hubs, locking hubs, cone washers. ect.
new rotors
new pads and hardware
rebuilt calipers
new rubber lines
knuckle rebuild kit with knuckle and wheel bearings.
4Runner master cyl.
I also believe that I will need a sleeve for knuckle to make the tie rod ends fit.
grease
brake clean
rags
I am probably forgetting something but normally there is a list out somewhere on mud.
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I saw your other post about wheels. I know you can get the disk brake wheels for like $75-100 each if you wanted to buy them new. I have a buddy that works for Toyota or got to Wellesley Toyota as YT members get a discount there. Someone said grind off the rivits and weld them. That sounds hack and I wouldn't do that. You can also run spacers as thats what Randy did on his troopie.
the best braking will be fj60/62 knuckels or mini truck solid axle knuckles and the 4 runner early 90's 4 big cylinder calipers vs the 2 small 2 big landcruiser calipers. there are many larger bore MC the 4 runner one is prolly the cheapest version but the fzj80 one is nice as well.
I would get my rebuild kit from Marlin Crawler in that you will get there super big axle seals. which are a huge improvement over the stock seal. you don't need new bearing but when I did it i got them anyway just to be safe.
I had an earlier axle (1964) so I ended up getting a complete 78 fj40 axle and swapping it under then rebuilding it completely. just doing the knuckels alone is prolly a 5 hour job the first time. someone who has done them before could do it with the proper tools in 2-3 hours per side. I took my time and it took me 2.5 full days .
if you do them yourself and it is worth doing yourself. there are a couple specialty tools you will need.
a fish scale ( I got mine from Marlin for $8 and a 52mm socket (It could be a different socket number) but these are things i carry in my birfield kit as well. changing out a birf is something every cruiser owner should know how to do and changeing/rebuilding the knuckeles is not that much farther in.
that said if this is your daily driver and you don't have a week end to do the swap nor the tools or time. I think any mechanic could do this job as long as they had your FSM and follow the correct torque settings. you can put it all back together by not using the correct torque settings but that is just asking for failure down the road.
HTH Jason
I would get my rebuild kit from Marlin Crawler in that you will get there super big axle seals. which are a huge improvement over the stock seal. you don't need new bearing but when I did it i got them anyway just to be safe.
I had an earlier axle (1964) so I ended up getting a complete 78 fj40 axle and swapping it under then rebuilding it completely. just doing the knuckels alone is prolly a 5 hour job the first time. someone who has done them before could do it with the proper tools in 2-3 hours per side. I took my time and it took me 2.5 full days .
if you do them yourself and it is worth doing yourself. there are a couple specialty tools you will need.
a fish scale ( I got mine from Marlin for $8 and a 52mm socket (It could be a different socket number) but these are things i carry in my birfield kit as well. changing out a birf is something every cruiser owner should know how to do and changeing/rebuilding the knuckeles is not that much farther in.
that said if this is your daily driver and you don't have a week end to do the swap nor the tools or time. I think any mechanic could do this job as long as they had your FSM and follow the correct torque settings. you can put it all back together by not using the correct torque settings but that is just asking for failure down the road.
HTH Jason
Are you running stock wheels? Disk wheels (rock crawlers, etc) will fit drums, drum wheels will not fit discs.
FJ60 stock chrome spoke wheels are about $20 ea at a junkyard, rock crawlers are around $35 ea new.
You are going to be into it for $500 regardless, even if you do it yourself.
$100 rebuild kit for axle
$75-100 for a front disk axle, 79+ Toyota pickup or landcruiser
$50 ea reman calipers
Stock FJ60 vented rotors, new- $75 ea? You could turn them off the parts axle for less, but I would check new first.
Gear oil, brake fluid, new lines and hoses, you get the idea.
Poor Wally does this swap for clients often, I would think Kina (cruiserland) and several other guys fairly locally.
FJ60 stock chrome spoke wheels are about $20 ea at a junkyard, rock crawlers are around $35 ea new.
You are going to be into it for $500 regardless, even if you do it yourself.
$100 rebuild kit for axle
$75-100 for a front disk axle, 79+ Toyota pickup or landcruiser
$50 ea reman calipers
Stock FJ60 vented rotors, new- $75 ea? You could turn them off the parts axle for less, but I would check new first.
Gear oil, brake fluid, new lines and hoses, you get the idea.
Poor Wally does this swap for clients often, I would think Kina (cruiserland) and several other guys fairly locally.
This would be FALSE!!! The rivets are NOT what hits the calipers. It's the shape of the center stamping that hits. The edge of the center stamping between where the rivets go is where the drum brake wheels hang up on the calipers. Learned about this the hard way...
Nick
- Thread starter
- #19
I just reread the tech links on disc swaps. One talked about having to send out the minitruck steering arm and have 40 tie rod ends welded on to it. The other had a complete parts list that totaled $900 for minitruck parts alone. I am bugeting $1,000 -$1,200 for this project. Bob at Baystate quoted me approximately 8 hours of labor @ $70 per hour or $560 with me supplying the parts. Quick math shows a total of $1,460 which seems like a lot more than it should. What am I missing here?
You can but the steering arms already done for $72.50 each from Cruiser Outfitters. I have heard of people using a starter bushing to sleeve it. Labor is the expensive part.
Knuckle rebuild kit: $87 or $160 (w/ wheel bearings)
Brake Rotors: $60 each
Brake lines: $15 each
Brake Calipers: $65 each
Pads: $45
Brake Master: $75
Steering arms: 72.50 each
Axle for knuckle parts: $100-150
Total: $805ish parts+ $560 in labor = $1365
I'm guessing at the cost of a lot of these prices. This isn't a cheap swap and worse if you are going to pay someone to do it. But if you want it you will pay it.
Shops tend to go by a flat rate book. I think by buddy at Toyota said that it pays like 8 hrs and you sure don't want to pay their $102/hr rate. Could you find someone to do it cheaper than BayState maybe but you have to remember you get what you pay for.
A lot of shops don't like you to bring your own parts becaue they inflate prices which adds to their profit. You are taking that away by bringing your own parts and many times they will not warranty your parts.
Knuckle rebuild kit: $87 or $160 (w/ wheel bearings)
Brake Rotors: $60 each
Brake lines: $15 each
Brake Calipers: $65 each
Pads: $45
Brake Master: $75
Steering arms: 72.50 each
Axle for knuckle parts: $100-150
Total: $805ish parts+ $560 in labor = $1365
I'm guessing at the cost of a lot of these prices. This isn't a cheap swap and worse if you are going to pay someone to do it. But if you want it you will pay it.
Shops tend to go by a flat rate book. I think by buddy at Toyota said that it pays like 8 hrs and you sure don't want to pay their $102/hr rate. Could you find someone to do it cheaper than BayState maybe but you have to remember you get what you pay for.
A lot of shops don't like you to bring your own parts becaue they inflate prices which adds to their profit. You are taking that away by bringing your own parts and many times they will not warranty your parts.
