Sorry for the newbie ? but what is a full floater axel? what is the diffrence let's say a 92 vs. 93? Thanks
Full Floater? (1 Viewer)
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A full-floating rear axle has spindles, very similar to the front spindles, that the hub rides on. The axle shaft can be removed independant of the wheel/tire, meaning the car can still roll with an axle shaft removed. Semi- and non-floating axles support the weight of the vehicle on the axle shaft rather than a spindle. The easy way to spot a FF axle is to look for a ring of nuts or bolts inside the ring of lug nuts. Those nuts/bolts hold the axle in the housing- if removed, the axle shaft can slide right out without even removing the wheel.
-Spike
-Spike
Because full floaters do not use the axle itself to support the weight of the vehicle, a FF axle setup is generally associate with heavy duty service. The axle merely sends power to the wheel, and the weight is born by the wheel bearings at the hub. Thus the term "full floater" as the axle is free to "float" as it bears no weight. Having torn mine apart for service, I can assure you it will not actually float, so I think I got ripped off...
DougM
DougM
what is a non floating axle? As far as I know never seen one of those.
Nor have I, but it stands to reason they exist. I always thought a c-clip axle shaft was non-floating, but I don't know. My Nissan H233B axle was semi-floating, and when I broke the shaft I was able to drive it home, albeit with some wobbling from the wheel. I assume the bearing arrangement determins axle type. The Nissan bearings were able to support the wheel with only the outer end of the axle supported, I assume a non-floater wouldn't be able to do that.
A search gave me the following: http://www.autospeednet.com/sites/3dauto.com/viewterm/4638/0/
"Early vehicles used a live axle known as the plain or non floating axle. This type of axle is not used on any modern wheeled vehicle. The axle resembled the semi-floating axle on the outside. However, the axle shafts were supported by two roller bearings. One roller bearing was located just inside the outer end of the axle shaft housing. The other roller bearing was located at the center of the axle shaft and inside the axle shaft housing. The inner ends of the axles were connected to the differential side gears by keys and key ways.
These axle shafts had to carry the weight of the differential assembly on the inner ends. The vehicle wheels were attached to the outer ends of the axle shafts. Therefore, the outer ends of the axle shafts carried the
entire weight of the rear of the vehicle. End thrust on the axle shafts was absorbed, or taken up, by a ball-type bearing located on each side of the differential case and by a block between the inner ends of the axles."
So essentially, a non-floating axle shaft supports both the carrier and wheel, a semi-floater supports the wheel, and a full-floater supports nothing.
-Spike
I always thought a c-clip axle shaft was non-floating, but I don't know. My Nissan H233B axle was semi-floating, and when I broke the shaft I was able to drive it home, albeit with some wobbling from the wheel. I assume the bearing arrangement determins axle type. The Nissan bearings were able to support the wheel with only the outer end of the axle supported, I assume a non-floater wouldn't be able to do that.A search gave me the following: http://www.autospeednet.com/sites/3dauto.com/viewterm/4638/0/
"Early vehicles used a live axle known as the plain or non floating axle. This type of axle is not used on any modern wheeled vehicle. The axle resembled the semi-floating axle on the outside. However, the axle shafts were supported by two roller bearings. One roller bearing was located just inside the outer end of the axle shaft housing. The other roller bearing was located at the center of the axle shaft and inside the axle shaft housing. The inner ends of the axles were connected to the differential side gears by keys and key ways.
These axle shafts had to carry the weight of the differential assembly on the inner ends. The vehicle wheels were attached to the outer ends of the axle shafts. Therefore, the outer ends of the axle shafts carried the
entire weight of the rear of the vehicle. End thrust on the axle shafts was absorbed, or taken up, by a ball-type bearing located on each side of the differential case and by a block between the inner ends of the axles."
So essentially, a non-floating axle shaft supports both the carrier and wheel, a semi-floater supports the wheel, and a full-floater supports nothing.
-Spike
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do you have any pics on what these ring of nuts/bolts look lik? Do I need to remove the rear hub cover to determine this? Can you determine FF axles via the TransAxles codes? Mine is A442F K294. Would the HDJ81 happen to be full floater (front/rear)?
if you pull the rear hub cap and find this underneath than it is a full floater
code K294 means lockers, in the US lockers always come with full floating axles, not sure if that aplies overseas but if I were to bet I woudl say you have a full floating rear axle
all front axles are full floating.
Picture courtesy of Concrete Jungle
RT,
Yes - my rig has that ring of nuts -thanks for the pics. This confirms that I have full floating rear axles or all probably all HDJ81s
Regarding K294 as meaning lockers, I asked the forum before for some info on how to check availability of lockers (Post #48 https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=122187&page=2). I am sad to say that for some reason, even though I had code K294 stamped on the vin plate, mine is not locked - I wish it was. I don't have the motors that Beowulf mentioned should be installed in the diffs.
Anyway- am not using the LC for wheeling - just DD. Just the thought that my rig is designed for "heavy-duty service" is enough consolation for me (.... still sour graping on the side that the LC was not locked)....
thanks again.
Yes - my rig has that ring of nuts -thanks for the pics. This confirms that I have full floating rear axles or all probably all HDJ81s
Regarding K294 as meaning lockers, I asked the forum before for some info on how to check availability of lockers (Post #48 https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=122187&page=2). I am sad to say that for some reason, even though I had code K294 stamped on the vin plate, mine is not locked - I wish it was. I don't have the motors that Beowulf mentioned should be installed in the diffs.
Anyway- am not using the LC for wheeling - just DD. Just the thought that my rig is designed for "heavy-duty service" is enough consolation for me (.... still sour graping on the side that the LC was not locked)....
thanks again.
I've always know what a semi and full floating axle is but what is the advantage 4 wheeling of the full over the semi
This would trouble me. Where did you buy your vehicle? Was it ever in a wreck, etc.?
Having the K294 and not having lockers seems odd.
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I've always know what a semi and full floating axle is but what is the advantage 4 wheeling of the full over the semi
With the full the spindle carries the load, if an axle is broken the truck still rolls and can be driven out. That's most of the time not true with a semi, depending on where they break the wheel may not even be attached to the truck.
Plus the full floater is designed to handle more stress and abuse, which wheeling can dish out.
There is a negative to the full floater that's actually quite common on 80s. There is maintenance required to repack the rear wheel bearings, which is rarely done on 80s. Many Toyota dealerships will respond to a request to repack the wheel bearings by stating the truck doesn't have them. Yes, they do and they should be repacked when the fronts are.
DougM
There is a negative to the full floater that's actually quite common on 80s. There is maintenance required to repack the rear wheel bearings, which is rarely done on 80s. Many Toyota dealerships will respond to a request to repack the wheel bearings by stating the truck doesn't have them. Yes, they do and they should be repacked when the fronts are.
DougM
hmm, were it a US truck then I would say with certainty that that door and the axles did not leave the factory together, "one of these things is not liek the other" overseas maybe there are some diffrences but it seams to me that K294 would be a universal toyota designation regaurdless of the vehicles destination.
Another reason to LOVE full floater axles is pulling the diff is a breeze compared to a semi floater. Don't ask how I know....
unless you have e-lockers and a twisted spline on the rear PS ...don't ask me how I know!
Though I've found it that the rears need repacking much less than the fronts do.
Done mine about three times now and everytime the rears were looking real good--only replaced bearings twice back there though.
I can assure you there is a big advantage and that´s is safety.I've always know what a semi and full floating axle is but what is the advantage 4 wheeling of the full over the semi
In our country many of our old land cruisers came with a semifloating Dana rear end. Most common problem with them were when the bearing were overheated (lack of lubrication) and the inner race got "welded" to the outher race. When this happen, the outer race start to rotate inside the rear end tunnel and guess what: you see a tire bolted to a hub and axle pulling out and suddenly you are facing some serious and danger situation because you are driving with three wheels.
Many years ago my old full floating FJ-40 broke it´s rear diff when a nut get loose and ended inside the gears, 50 miles deep inside the rain forest (close to the border with Brasil and from the next help). Because I had a spare couple of front wheel hubs I could remove the rear driveshaft, both rear full floating axels and bolt the front hubs and return to our base camp driving the FJ40 with only front wheel drive and for me that´s a big reason to love them !!!!!
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mine's a jdm. imported directly from Japan to the philippines. But after arriving in the Subic port, the auctioner has to convert it to LHD to conform with Philippine laws. Maybe during the conversion, the "locking" axles were replaced with regular ones. Hence I got stuck with a "K294" code on the plate with no lockers. No way to verify anymore the history of the truck. This is the only logical explanation I can think of since you mentioned that K294=lockers.
