trouble on Cruiser/mini truck hybrid axle build (1 Viewer)

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Joined
Sep 8, 2005
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17
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Location
Dundee, OR
Well gentlemen, I started construction this weekend on a 40 series/ Toyota mini truck hybrid centered rear axle, and ran into a bit of a problem. The OD of the mini tube and the ID of the LC tube have a variance of about .100" between them :doh: :eek: . This just isn't going to fly. The Cruiser center section is from a 79, and the mini axle was from an 84. LC ID = 2.7, Mini OD = 2.595. Now that I think about it, the 79 housing that I currently have might have looked different than my old 67 housing, I think the design of the tubes and welds might have changed somewhere along the line. So I have to wonder if the ID/ OD mismatch is because of manufacturing variances, or if it's necessary to have a certain year or older Cruiser housing to build the hybrid. If anybody here has calipers and a early to mid 70's 40/55 series could you please post what the OD of the of the housing tube section is (my 79 tube OD is 3.215"), this might clue me in to what went wrong. I'm assuming the wall thickness is the same throughout the years.
As far as fixing this pig goes, I'm up for any ideas. The only thing I've came up with is to make some .050 sleeves that I could weld on to the mini tubes...... or use some .050" steel sheet metal, if that guage is available, form it around the tubes and weld it in place. :confused: We'll see. If anybody has any suggestions please chime in.
BTW, Woody, was the fitment of your tubes tight when you built your hybrid? It sounds like it from what I saw in your hybrid build up link on an older post. Thanks for doing the write up as well.

:beer: :beer: :beer: note: subitute Bushmills for beer!
 
yep, my stuff fit together snugly....no clue what year the rear housing doner was tho, but most likely 72-74....

possible to shim the mini to center it?
 
your OD measure for the LC housing is spot on what I got on my 70 housings and a late model( swaybars) rear housing. That mini tube seems way small.
 
Thanks for the measurements John. As far as the mini tube OD's go, a couple of guys I work with have mini's so I'm going to measure them and see if I can get to the bottom of this.

Edit: I checked out one the mini trucks where I work, an 83. It measured 2.6" same as my hacked up mini axle.
 
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I just measured an '86 4Runner rear housing we have out back. The outer narrow portion is 2.966 OD and the wider inner part is 3.145. This came out of an IFS truck.
 
Full_M3tal said:
Ok I Dont Get It, To Technical For Me... Are You Trying To Put A Mini truck Birfield In A Cruiser Axle?...

He is making a centered rear axle using mini-truck outer axles setups and a cruiser center sections. :D ;)
 
i just finished up my Mini/Cruiser Hybrid.. i did have a gap similar to what is described above.. I will Do a writeup once its all completed.. i just made tack welds along the inner part of the mini truck sections, then ground them down till they slid in with some taping with a hammer.. Then made sure the gap was even all the way around on the weld surfuce.. Tacked it up, double checked everything and welded it up.. EZ as Pie..

Both the Cruiser Housing and the Mini Housing where not perfectly round due to the fact that they are made of two halfs welded together..

Here is a photo of my Gap..

Cruiser Axle is from a 77 / Mini Axle was from a 83 truck
Gapsm.jpg
 
Full_M3tal said:
So Really Im Just Woundering Why Do All This Work, When You Can Just Change The Knuckles?

There are no knuckles on the rear and changing knuckles won't get you a centered diff!
 
strongest toyota rear made from stock parts obtainable in the US. You also get to keep your locker and gears from your old axle. Not you mention have the same carrier front and rear. Minis have better drum brakes than fj40s.

Very cost effective
 
Wow....dude

LC has a bigger ring gear than the Mini

I would do it like isotel did it, as long as the two pieces are centered on each other and can't move (supported on the tack welds) that gap isn't a problem, its when you weld something with a gap that is unsupported that you get problems since the weld shrinks the pieces together as it cools
 
Full_M3tal said:
Ok Ok... Very Odd, Use Mini Outers, And LC Center, Just To Center The Pinion? Why Not Drop A Mini In, Or Is It That You Just Want A 3/4 Ton Pinion?

8" R&P is notably weaker than the LC R&P, IF you get a fine-spline pinion..
 
so what do you run for shafts? are the mini and cruiser shafts the same diameter and spline count? or do you have to change out the side gears? but this thing is realy sweet.
 

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