Front disck brake conversions
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Read the tech writeups.
Unless your cruiser is a street truck only, do not use one of the kits. They do not uprade anything but the brakes themselves.
I paid $200 to a fellow lister for complete knuckles with lockouts and birfs off of a '79 cruiser. All I have to do is buy new gaskets, a tub of grease, and bearings if I wish and then dissasemble my knuckles and reassemble the new ones on my axle.
Knuckles from any cruiser/minitruck/4runner 76-85 will work.
Late model (79+) cruisers are the best, they have the vented cruiser rotors, the fine spline birfs, associated fine spline lockouts, and the "large" steering arm bolt pattern which has much more support for aftermarket hysteer arms etc.
Next choice would be any of the minitruck or 4runner knuckles.
Read the tech writeups, they explain exactly what is necessary. (very little grinding and a shim so your tie rod will work with the arms).
Should be half the price of SOR's kit and you will end up with stronger birfs/lockouts and the large bolt pattern to boot.
Unless your cruiser is a street truck only, do not use one of the kits. They do not uprade anything but the brakes themselves.
I paid $200 to a fellow lister for complete knuckles with lockouts and birfs off of a '79 cruiser. All I have to do is buy new gaskets, a tub of grease, and bearings if I wish and then dissasemble my knuckles and reassemble the new ones on my axle.
Knuckles from any cruiser/minitruck/4runner 76-85 will work.
Late model (79+) cruisers are the best, they have the vented cruiser rotors, the fine spline birfs, associated fine spline lockouts, and the "large" steering arm bolt pattern which has much more support for aftermarket hysteer arms etc.
Next choice would be any of the minitruck or 4runner knuckles.
Read the tech writeups, they explain exactly what is necessary. (very little grinding and a shim so your tie rod will work with the arms).
Should be half the price of SOR's kit and you will end up with stronger birfs/lockouts and the large bolt pattern to boot.
i am also doing the same thing, can i just purchase a mini axle and just keep everything from the knuckle out, including the birfs?
Shane
Shane
I bought a whole front axle of a mini truck for $100. got new hard lines for about $6 and did the work myself.
- Rico.
- Rico.
Cruiserdrew
On the way there
I've bought complete 60 series front axles, minus the housing since it's too heavy to ship and not needed, twice, for about $175. Add to that new wheel bearings($75-$100), a knuckle kit($100), new rotors($100), and rebuilt loaded calipers($150) and you spend a bit of cash. I converted my 40 to 60 series stuff and have been pleased. I'm currently cleaning, painting and rebuilding 60 series stuff on the bench, so I can do a direct swap on my 60 all at once and have a whole front end worth of spares available. It isn't cheap, but what is more important than your front end and brakes? Like many things on the Cruiser, it's worth it to do it right, once, rather than half-assed 3 times. I hear nothing but good things about the mini-truck conversion, but for the same money and effort, I would do a real Land Cruiser conversion with FJ60 parts and get the vented rotors. '79-'83 FJ40 parts wuld be even better (no TRE mods needed) but I havn't seen many of these up for sale. If you do the conversion, order the new style knuckle studs from Toyota or Marlin. They are very trick and good functional bang for the buck.
Toy-mini, saw one go for 300 bones a week ago and it ran. Junkyard axles sell for $100 to $150. Disc brakes, bigger birfs, bigger bolt pattern on steering arms, etc.
[quote author=paranoid56 link=board=1;threadid=16644;start=msg160355#msg160355 date=1085020545]
i am also doing the same thing, can i just purchase a mini axle and just keep everything from the knuckle out, including the birfs?
Shane
[/quote]
Yep.
i am also doing the same thing, can i just purchase a mini axle and just keep everything from the knuckle out, including the birfs?
Shane
[/quote]
Yep.
[quote author=Mustard75 link=board=1;threadid=16644;start=msg160361#msg160361 date=1085020798]
Hello CrusinGA. I was just wondering ... will there be any modifications (i.e. steering arms) necessary if using parts off of a 79+ FJ40? Thanks.
[/quote]
I *think* i will have to purchase the shims to install in the steering arm to make the older FJ40 tie rod work.
That should be it.
Hello CrusinGA. I was just wondering ... will there be any modifications (i.e. steering arms) necessary if using parts off of a 79+ FJ40? Thanks.
[/quote]
I *think* i will have to purchase the shims to install in the steering arm to make the older FJ40 tie rod work.
That should be it.
I got the mini parts for 50 bux and paid about 75 bux for new bearings, gaskets, steering arms etc. The cheapest rebuild kit I found was from liquid off road. Great service and lots of info.
Who has the tie rod shims for sale? I've heard of them but not seen em.
I spent around $600 on mine, but that was with brand new calipers, new vented rotors, and a new 1" master cylinder (I had a single circuit MC). An el cheap estimate is around $250, the standard $100 for the birfs, knuckles, hubs, etc with calipers and rotors attached, $100 for the knuckle rebuild, which you should do since its all out, and $50 for unanticipated odds and ends and a half gallon of CV grease.
Cruiserdrew
On the way there
[quote author=72FJ40 link=board=1;threadid=16644;start=msg160896#msg160896 date=1085096815]
Will the birf's etc. from an 84 bj60 fit into my 72 fj40? should i take the steering arms, tie rods too from the 60?
[/quote]
The knuckle and associated parts will work fine, but you need everything-birfs, knuckles, steering arm spindles, hub, lockouts and brake caliper. Don't forget to get the hardware too, especially the cone washers. The bolt pattern for the knuckle studs has to match the steering arm so you must make that part of the swap. You'll also need the locking hubs since the spline count on the 60 birfs are way different from the coarse ones you have now. You will also have to grind out the inside of the knuckle "ball" on the end of the axle housing. Just grind a bit top and bottom until the new birf just slides in. Then you need a small conical shim to adapt your old TRE's to the new steering arms. I got the shims from Mudrak, but I think MAF sells them too. The alternative is to make a new tie-rod and drag link using FJ60 TRE's but that is a lot more work. It's a good swap, I did exactly this and it turned out great. I used all new parts and hardware so it looks sharp too. That will last until Sunday when I'll be up on the Rubicon
THis whole process is actually easier than it sounds. Good luck.
Will the birf's etc. from an 84 bj60 fit into my 72 fj40? should i take the steering arms, tie rods too from the 60?
[/quote]
The knuckle and associated parts will work fine, but you need everything-birfs, knuckles, steering arm spindles, hub, lockouts and brake caliper. Don't forget to get the hardware too, especially the cone washers. The bolt pattern for the knuckle studs has to match the steering arm so you must make that part of the swap. You'll also need the locking hubs since the spline count on the 60 birfs are way different from the coarse ones you have now. You will also have to grind out the inside of the knuckle "ball" on the end of the axle housing. Just grind a bit top and bottom until the new birf just slides in. Then you need a small conical shim to adapt your old TRE's to the new steering arms. I got the shims from Mudrak, but I think MAF sells them too. The alternative is to make a new tie-rod and drag link using FJ60 TRE's but that is a lot more work. It's a good swap, I did exactly this and it turned out great. I used all new parts and hardware so it looks sharp too. That will last until Sunday when I'll be up on the Rubicon
THis whole process is actually easier than it sounds. Good luck.
What type of master cyl do you use with mini truck diskbrakes
Any dual circuit boosted m/c will work.
All that has to be done to a M/C that was formerly for front drums is to remove the residual pressure valve. 5 min job.
I will keep my current new stock booster and m/c when my disk shiz gets on.
All that has to be done to a M/C that was formerly for front drums is to remove the residual pressure valve. 5 min job.
I will keep my current new stock booster and m/c when my disk shiz gets on.
