Newbie questions (1 Viewer)

[b4wheeler]

I am new to the LandCruiser and am getting ready to purchase an FJ40.

I have a few questions that would help in my search and therefore my buying decision.

What are the differences in the grillls of the different years and what are the differences of the rears of the different years?

I am sure that I can use the front differential out of my Toyota pickup, but can the rear be used or all the FJ40 c-clipped?

Any leads to good info would be helpful.

Thanks

 

[woody]

Cruiser front and mini fronts are 90% NOT interchangable...birfields, lockouts, and knuckles are "just about" it for swapability....and even that varies.

Cruiser rears and mini rears have nothing in common....mini's are centered, cruisers are offset like the front axles.

Locate the Cruiser FAQ link in the "Tech Links" section (right column, towards the bottom) and it will give you a great start on what all changed over the years on the FJ40

IMO, the best year is 1978. Followed closely by 1976-77, then 72-73, then 74, then 75, then back to 68-71, then up to 79+....

 

[wayne_fj40]

Cruiser front and mini fronts are 90% NOT interchangable...birfields, lockouts, and knuckles are "just about" it for swapability....and even that varies.

Cruiser rears and mini rears have nothing in common....mini's are centered, cruisers are offset like the front axles.

Locate the Cruiser FAQ link in the "Tech Links" section (right column, towards the bottom) and it will give you a great start on what all changed over the years on the FJ40

IMO, the best year is 1978.  Followed closely by 1976-77, then 72-73, then 74, then 75, then back to 68-71, then up to 79+....

Thanks Woody I've had a sh*tty day so far now I should scrap the 70 cruiser isn't life grand!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[woody]

lmao!!!

IMO, it's all what you are doing with it....if I wanted a daily driver, it would be a 79+...for a no-change stock offroader, a 78, or 76-77....for a builder/doner for a future SM420 conversion, 72-73 for the better t-case, then 69-71.

 

[wayne_fj40]

Okay fine that makes me feel better  :GI'll tear up the free signs heheheGod I'm starting to feel better already till I have to go to another project meeting :GWhat does Imoa stand forI'm lost or just burned out today

 

[Bama_B]

Hope you have a boatload of money stashed away...

1) Get a friend who knows FJ40s to help you when you select one. You should know up front what you are getting. My 71 has fairly good metal considering the age but needs quite a bit of work. PO did some crazy things they didnt bother to tell me about (front diff welded to axle housing, 30 spline diff with ball and claw inner axles). Having to deal with certain issues is common but this is rediculous!

2) Shop around for quite a while before you settle on one. Price and condition vary widely.

3) Know what you want to do with it and to it. You looking for something to buy and drive or rebuild (custom, stock, frame off)? &nbspepending on that, it will require some work (ie all your spare money and free time).

That said, its worth it! Now I have something to do with all of these tools Ive been collecting...

 

[woody]

IMO = in my opinion

usually is "IMHO" (In my humble opinion) but too often people tell me I'm not humble, so I just gave up on it...hehehe

 

[IDave]

I think he meant LMAO, and mistook l for an i :G
Laughing my ass off, Wayne.
By the way, I know some people here think the metal on a 78 is as good as a 70-75, but I have a buddy with a 78 with rust holes you can put your arm through, and my 71 spent 6 months parked at the bottom of a pond and only has a couple of pin holes :

 

[wayne_fj40]

Thanks all,and you to Idave i'm happy to hear I can make you laugh your a**off now I will go crawl to my ROCK to drive over:'( :G


   

 

[CruisinGA]

my 71 spent 6 months parked at the bottom of a pond and only has a couple of pin holes  :

Story please?

 

[b4wheeler]

Thnaks, but I think you missed my point.

I realize the the rear is not centered, but I was asking mainly about the differentials.

Will the front interchange with the mini???? I have a mini with 5.29s and an ARB and would like to retain it if I could.

I assume the rear won't because the cruisers are c-clipped. I have a mini rear with 5.29s and a detroit and would like to keep that too.

 

[woody]

as I said, nothing in the mini matches...the centers are completely different, the gears don't swap, the lockers don't swap, nothing. Every their design is quite different.

IIRC, the only thing that might is the fine spline pinion flange on a mini "might" cross to a 78+ fine spline pinion.

There "are" makers of centered rear diffs that use Cruiser centers and mini shafts....the spline count is the same.

Won't do you a lick of good tho since you have mini stuff now....

what you have are mini parts for sale....hehehe

 

[IDave]

No, No, Wayne, I mean LMAO = Laughing My A** Off,

I didn't mean I was laughing at you! You've had a bad enough day, excepting in the stock market, I gather. Heck, if I had a quadruple recently like you did I'd be out partying, not crying. :bow:

 

[Landpimp]

the grill question.

79+(I think there are some early 79's with round bezel) have the square bezel(grill) as well as 3.70 gears, gas tank under body and some other stuff. PS and AC were factory options. in 1980(sometime) 40's changed some more(still sqaure bezel) and in addition to the other changes, they got a split t-case(like a fj60, prolly the best t-case) parking brake lever is on the floor(not the dash) e-brake is on the rear axle(not the t-case) springs changed as well, heater(if it has one) is under the center console(like a fj62) the 80+ fj40's make a great daily driver.....drives like a fj60. in 1983 a few more changes happened, the dash was changed, interior hood release and the steerring wheel locks, might be a 1-2 minor diffs I forgot. Seats changed in 80-1 I think, they have no metal backing.
80(1) the steering wheel changed to one more like a fj60, odometer went to 999999.99 in.....80(or at least 82)
1980, wheels changed from the hub cap style(15x5.5) to the white spoke 15x6, same wheel as a fj60(but they are chrome)
Locking hubs were optional all the way thru 83, my 82 still had the stock drive plates(like a fj80) Now has Aisins.

Easiest way to tell a(stock) 80+ with split t-case........look inside if the parking brake is on the floor its a split case.

I'm sure I forgot some stuff.

78 and before had the round bezel. in 75 ambulance rear doors. 75 got the one piece side doors(in US) 75 got the 2F and 4 speed, 76 disc brakes. 75 square turn signals. Tire carrier changed in 76 for the tubular style(late 79, carrier changed again, slightly)

74 and before, F motor and 3 speed(except most 74's had 4 speed)

Thats kinda the short version.

I LOVE my 82 fj40 :G
http://pic4.picturetrail.com/VOL55/691553/1566988/25324616.jpg

John

 

[CruisinGA]

I LOVE my 82 fj40 :G
John

I can see why 8)

 

[Gus]

8) Sweet cruiser Landpimp, I'll be lucky if mine ever looks that nice :G

 

[Landpimp]

8) Sweet cruiser Landpimp, I'll be lucky if mine ever looks that nice  :G

Thanks, its all stock, not restored, not replainted, no rot, interior is perfect(doors had been cut for speakers, thankfull the dash wasn't cut), had been dealer serviced, never wheeled, I don't think the 8274(put on at dealer in 82) had ever been used) top or doors never off.....pretty much they way it came when I got it from the original owners widow :G

....don't be afraid to knock on a door and ask..."any chance you would sell the Cruiser?" this one had been sitting for 5+ years.....she said "I have been waiting 5 years for the right person to knock on the door"

I went thru it and serviced some stuff(front end and brakes mainly), replaced a few things(with OEM), added a Tuffy console(and CD player), shocks, OEM wheels(painted gray) tires(33x9.5) and stuff like that.

It still had the OEM drive plates(instead of Aisins) when I got it.

I'll tell ya, the late model 40's make a great daily driver, they drive pretty much like a fj60.

I'm adding OEM power steering.....thats about it(well maybe OME springs)

Bunch more pics of the 40 and my other junk
http://www.picturetrail.com/cruiserdude

John

 

[axlechassis]

this is an interesting article. You should join TLCA also for the great magazine.

http://www.tlca.org/trails/articles/history/landcrsr/index.html