Rear axle / brake swap from discs to drums (1 Viewer)

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

Joined
Apr 30, 2017
Threads
5
Messages
29
Location
Delaware
Hello, I am in need of a rear axle (rusted through diff) for my 95' and am able to get one off a 91' with drum brakes.

My question is, if possible, what would be needed to do this swap?

Thanks!
Pat
 
Well, there's this:
96 axles under a 91

I assume you're desperate to get back onto the road and not some Jacobite disc brake hater. Why not scavenge the diff parts you need and keep the axle as is?
 
Haha I am desperate. Axle is completely rusted, not salvageable.

To clarify I have a 95' and want to put a 91' rear axle on my rig... Since the 91' has 15" rims, and my 95' has 16", it should have room to fit right?
 
Don't do this. You'll have to change the master cylinder and you'll end up with brakes that are not as good.

Get a 93-97 full float axle. It will be a direct swap.

Try Car-part.com and enter your zip code and you'll see what's in your area, or contact one of the Land Cruiser dismantlers.

Looks like piles of them $300-$500 in PA and NJ.
 
EDIT: what he said.

I think physically the housings are the same size, the differences should be the internal and bolted on components.

You need to check:
1. the gear ratio (I don't have the '91 data available)
2. the ABS connection, and what to do with it (I assume you can block it off, but then you've lost the rear ABS) (see above)
3. the parking brake system (a quick check of '91 and '95 service specifications will verify the drum/rotor ID; if they're the same, you should be good)

You also lose the full float axle design, but that's really OCD. The wheel size is really irrelevant; you should select tires/wheels to match the OEM OD requirements (for speedo operation, torque match, etc.). I can't remember the bolt circle changing; if I'm wrong about that, someone will correct me.

Other than that, yeah, it should fit, but I haven't done it.
 
Don't do this. You'll have to change the master cylinder and you'll end up with brakes that are not as good.

Get a 93-97 full float axle. It will be a direct swap.

Try Car-part.com and enter your zip code and you'll see what's in your area, or contact one of the Land Cruiser dismantlers.

Looks like piles of them $300-$500 in PA and NJ.
It seems like this might be your best bet to get that thing back on the road without having to spend a fortune or do any other modifying.

I would start slathering all the bolts with a mix of acetone and trans fluid to get things ready for removal. Just keep painting that stuff on every few days and when you go to do this, you will have a much better shot at getting things off without snapping or rounding all the rusty connections. It doesn't hurt to wire brush as much of the rusty junk off as you go either. When the time comes, I have found that adding heat and then shoving a candle on to the hot parts can also help.

Good luck!
 
I've gotten 2 of these 80 series rears in the last year, and while the brakes and stuff need to be refurbished, the axles themselves were in excellent shape. The one I got most recently was so clean, the original factory paint was still in perfect shape!

I know on the East Coast it might be different, but the recycle yard here, let me go in the back and choose the one I wanted - they had a whole rack of 80 series rear axles. $300 hub to hub with differential and everything. If they will let you pick, do that and get a clean one. Mine even had the sway bar with it.

I assume your brakes and hubs are still ok, but it's nice to get spares, so try and get a complete axle. Then the swap will literally take just a couple of hours and some manual labor. Then of course you'll need to go through the hubs, repack the bearings and bleed the brakes. I only had to replace 1 set of wheelbearings in 2 axles and even it was usable, so you may get lucky and all it will need is a seal and some new grease.

I never thought of Delaware as one of the rusty states. Was your truck used to launch a boat in salt water? That's an amazing amount of rust in your original pictures.

Good luck, don't give up on your Land Cruiser too quickly.
 
I bet Cruiserdrew is right about it being used to drop a boat into salt water. That would explain the rust patterns you showed in the original thread.

As a side note, given how rusty things are on certain parts, I would think about doing the rear heat delete mod. It only costs a few bucks and it will save you the headache of rupturing those lines, which I am sure are rusty as heck. That will prevent the hassle of them bursting which will cause the truck to lose coolant which could cause some major problems in the head gasket department if you can't get off the road quickly.
 
The truck is a one owner and spent most its life in upstate NY. I welded a hitch to it due to the rust, so I don't think it was dropped in salt water for boating. unless the PO thought it was half boat and tried to create some bubbles with the exhaust... nothing would surprise me at this point lol.

If there was a hitch prior I would definitely agree with you because the rear is a lot more rusty than the front. I know it did sit for a while prior to my purchase, so maybe the rear was over grass and front on pavement?? :cool:
 
Upstate NY is the epicenter of vehicle rust. Likely yours is bad because of all the salt spray pointed at the rear by the front tires!

If you find a rust free axle, it will be a huge upgrade!

:cheers:
 
Own a '91 80 Series -
Next week I'll be picking up a '93 80 Series rear end for a the Disc/ FF swap, an OME 2.5" Lift (needs 4 new shocks) and a set of (5) 16" wheels.

I keep reading this should be a DIRECT SWAP
**However, couple questions:
1. The donor '93 axle could not provide emergency brake cable - Wouldn't my stock E-Brake cable work?

2. Will the Drive Shaft line right up?

3. '91 is non-ABS, the '93 is ABS - Must I purchase a non-ABS Master Cylinder?

4. I do not have funds to purchase a locker, or new gears - ?Just bolt it in and worry later?
- Same for rebuilding/ or a general servicing; ?just get it in and do it later; or, Rebuild it while loose, then SWAP

Probably the NEWBIE questions..... I would appreciate the previous experience anyone could share with me.
- Possibly a checklist, if you will.
 
Own a '91 80 Series -
Next week I'll be picking up a '93 80 Series rear end for a the Disc/ FF swap, an OME 2.5" Lift (needs 4 new shocks) and a set of (5) 16" wheels.

I keep reading this should be a DIRECT SWAP
**However, couple questions:
1. The donor '93 axle could not provide emergency brake cable - Wouldn't my stock E-Brake cable work?

2. Will the Drive Shaft line right up?

3. '91 is non-ABS, the '93 is ABS - Must I purchase a non-ABS Master Cylinder?

4. I do not have funds to purchase a locker, or new gears - ?Just bolt it in and worry later?
- Same for rebuilding/ or a general servicing; ?just get it in and do it later; or, Rebuild it while loose, then SWAP

Probably the NEWBIE questions..... I would appreciate the previous experience anyone could share with me.
- Possibly a checklist, if you will.


1-Ebrake cable likely will not have the right length across the rear axle and it's likely, but not definite, a new one from 93 and up will be needed. They are not expensive, so no big deal.

2-Yes

3-You will need a disc/disc master. Advics BMT-090 will work

4-You can rebuild it once installed but don't neglect this. Change the gear oil, inspect and repack wheelbearings, new seals, new brake pads, and be ready to replace the brake calipers. You're going to spend some $$, that's normal.
 
Definitely appreciate the info. Cruiserdrew

Figured I'd try to improve on the appearance cosmetically until I'm ready. A little 'Rust Busting'.

Other than those few questions, not sure what else to consider or be concerned with. Learning how to Swap during this Swap... I've never swapped an axle before. I'll have help, but just trying to cover my bases before I get started.

If anyone has more advice or suggestions, let me know. I'd be grateful
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top Bottom