Full floater.... but better? FF axle flanges.

[slowandsteady BJ]

Yea...sorry.. I see now, that this was the initial question.

Looking forward to see what makes this work.

lol, no worries.

Also, since I'm driving a mildly built 60, and am interested in having a locked but beefy rear axle (have SF + lockright currently) would be interested in how to mod a stock rear SF w/out major overall modifications (if possible).

So far this appears to be the only good way to make a SF axle durable..... Stock shafts will be OK for lighter rigs with smaller tires. My rig is a Hef-a-lump with grippy 37's and lower gearing..... SF killing recipe.

FL cruiser's Avatar


Here's the difference..
The flanges I've built are self aligning. I'm using Toyota's machined ends to align the flange. One downfall is you are stuck with a fixed width. 59 1/8 if you use a 40 housing or 61 1/8" with a 60 housing. I will post up pics tomorrow of the assembly so there is a better understanding.

Please post the pics!
Got an idea of the custom shaft cost?
Say I wanted to retain my stock width, does that need to be specified before getting shafts?

Again, sweet product. You guys got some great ideas and Ive always heard good stuff about "Ruff Stuff".

 

[lcwizard]

here's some pics:
end of housing with the dust shield knocked off

flange slipped on housing

axle seal adapter with Marlins "Marfield" seal

adapter and seal installed

spindle, shield and hub seal installed

full assembly, waiting on calipers to arrive

 

[Tapage]

If you go for a more simple budget minded build you can come in at or even under the cost of the poly bull crap.

the only issue that I'm seen with the swap ( been thinking in that for a while ) it's the wheel bolt pathern .. coz I don't know any 14B FF 6 bolts ..

 

[lcwizard]

the only issue that I'm seen with the swap ( been thinking in that for a while ) it's the wheel bolt pathern .. coz I don't know any 14B FF 6 bolts ..

plus the 14bolt third member is a really tight squeeze in the cruiser housing. I'm
guessing you'd be shaving the ring gear

 

[FL cruiser]

Very nice setup!! Simple and easy.

As for using an axle splined at each end:
I guess an Aisin selectable hub could be used, but even with a chromo hub gear I would wonder about the durability. The rear takes more torque and has more traction than the front.


On some foreign BJ40's I've observed many without locking hubs. They have a fixed drive flange. I've never had one apart, but am curious if one of those would be a good candidate? I'm guessing it would.

Or would the splined at each end shaft be a bad idea and would the axle need to be secured to a drive flange at the outer end?

 

[lcwizard]

Bobby Long has been making floaters with his drive flanges for quite a while. Others have been doing it for decades. The key is either oversizing the axle splines or undersizing the splines in the flange. This creates an interference
fit where the flange will be heated and pressed on. Bobby does this before
shipping. Other axle builders can do the same. If you didn't mind the expense
you could have a one piece built or cut down something like a poly performance
piece

Very nice setup!! Simple and easy.

As for using an axle splined at each end:
I guess an Aisin selectable hub could be used, but even with a chromo hub gear I would wonder about the durability. The rear takes more torque and has more traction than the front.


On some foreign BJ40's I've observed many without locking hubs. They have a fixed drive flange. I've never had one apart, but am curious if one of those would be a good candidate? I'm guessing it would.

Or would the splined at each end shaft be a bad idea and would the axle need to be secured to a drive flange at the outer end?

 

[slowandsteady BJ]

Looks good.

Dan, Whats the increase in width? Got an idea of the shaft cost + seals and adaptors?

PM me if you like.

Id like to see a pic the the drive plates as well when time permits on your end.

Cam

 

[Kynot62]

If you didn't mind the expense
you could have a one piece built or cut down something like a poly performance
piece

I noticed that when I put my one piece Poly Performance axles in my factory FF, it really looked like the flange was resistance welded to the shaft. I have seen this process done before when two red hot components were forced together under pressure while one was turned slowly.

I only say this because of the discoloration on the unpainted shaft. Don't know if they make them this way or not. I wouldn't think it was from any sort of hardening or tempering as the colors in the steel were very localized not all over the place. The picture is right after they were installed and you can see the color differences in the picture

The other thing I noticed was an imprint that was hardly readable on the edge of the flange. It was a diamond shape and if memory serves this is a makers mark from Strange axle. If it isn't who actually manufactures the PP axles?

Tony

 

[jcj_78FJ40]

Is the seal adapter a Marlin product?

 

[lcwizard]

Looks good.

Dan, Whats the increase in width? Got an idea of the shaft cost + seals and adaptors?

PM me if you like.

Id like to see a pic the the drive plates as well when time permits on your end.

Cam

the spindle flanges and seal adapters are 220.00
and no, jcj, the seal adapter isn't a Marlin part. I'm building it here. I am,however,
recommending Marlins birfield seals even though stock fits the same hole


The adapters add about 4" width

 

[ntsqd]

I wasn't aware that anyone offered custom length FF axles with the cone washer holes. Wanting the cone washers is what was driving my thought of using the FJ80 front drive flanges. If I can buy a FF axle, at any reasonable length, that has the tapered holes for the cone washers in it's flange then I'd rather leaves that connection in the hands of the axle maker.

 

[GLTHFJ60]

lcwizard, I may have missed it, but are your flanges supposed to be welded onto the SF axle housing or is it purely an interference fit?

 

[lcwizard]

Longfield's driveplates have the tapered cone positions as well as including 4 extra dowl pin locations. He supplies the bit and dowels as a do it yourself option

 

[lcwizard]

lcwizard, I may have missed it, but are your flanges supposed to be welded onto the SF axle housing or is it purely an interference fit?

They are to be welded on. I doubt I could rely on the machined end of the housing to be that consistant over 40 years. The half dozen I've measured are within 2/1000's but I can't speak for the other half million

 

[GLTHFJ60]

They are to be welded on. I doubt I could rely on the machined end of the housing to be that consistant over 40 years. The half dozen I've measured are within 2/1000's but I can't speak for the other half million

That's what I assumed, just wanted to make sure.

The price for converting a SF axle housing using this kit and chromo inners is a bit more what I paid to get my factory FF and throw some PP axles in it. However, with this kit you get a bit more width and it should be easier to find as well as put together.

 

[esh]

Dutchman in Portland OR will make any kind of custom FF axle shaft you need. I have a weird Dana 60 to LC hybrid FF rear on FJ454 and at one point they said they couldn't do it with their tooling, but out of the blue they called a year later to say they had the correct tooling in and asked if I wanted some axles made up (about $150-190 per shaft, custom). That call cemented me as a life customer.

Not affiliated, just happy about their knowledge depth and ability to build nearly anything you need- Custom Axles and Rear Ends by Dutchman Motorsports | Brake kits | Housings | Differential Components | Ford 9" | Quick Change | Dana 60

 

[lcwizard]

Yeah , Bobby quoted me 165.00 each for shafts, 85.00 for driveplates so I'll have 500.00 in axle shafts
alone. I do hate dealing with rear drums so I'm going this route. Toyota parts just add to the cool factor.

 

[GLTHFJ60]

Thinking this through a little further, you'd benefit by converting to rear disk brakes, but you'd lose the emergency brake, a necessity if you're using a manual transmission. You could run something like the TSM transfer brake kit but that adds to the expense.

 

[lcwizard]

True but I'm running a 5.7 ,700R, 203/split case doubler.....I've got park....and line locks

 

[Bomar]

True but I'm running a 5.7 ,700R, 203/split case doubler.....I've got park....and line locks

In your 60?