pbgbottle
Forum Lifer
AH! good point you would think the caliper would stop it from flopping out like that . i haven't seen the M-A-F conversion kit either 
Wheel fell off- broken birfield? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter chubby
- Start date
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.
Cruiserdrew
On the way there
Have it towed to Mudrak in Sonoma. He can help you and will have the parts needed to get it going again.
This would be a fairly easy fix yourself, but you are likely to need parts, so you need a place it can be torn down and sit.
It's going to be more expensive than you think, if the spindle is damaged, and depending on how badly the inner axle is damaged.
You are one lucky dude.
This would be a fairly easy fix yourself, but you are likely to need parts, so you need a place it can be torn down and sit.
It's going to be more expensive than you think, if the spindle is damaged, and depending on how badly the inner axle is damaged.
You are one lucky dude.
x2.
Its like I'm talking to a ghost: at anything over a slow crawl, this was a fatality. Got any lotto # picks for us?
I think the backing plate theory is a good one. It looks like the caliber broke off too. It is down on the ground, still on the disk, looks like it went around once and now the brake line is wrapped tight around the birfield.
AH! good point you would think the caliper would stop it from flopping out like that . i haven't seen the M-A-F conversion kit either
- Joined
- Oct 25, 2008
- Threads
- 40
- Messages
- 1,331
- Location
- Central Oregon
- Website
- www.oregoncruisers.com
more pics!
If your truck still has the 1971 front axle, then it is very likely that it has this style of disc brake conversion.
That would also explain why the caliper is still with the rotor after the bolts that hold the spindle to the knuckle fail, as the caliper bracket is retained to the knuckle by the same bolts that retain the spindle.
Replace that brake line, or replace it later after it fails. Hopefully when it does fail, it will be in your driveway, just like this.
Also just an FYI:
What is depicted in the picture is not indicative of a spindle nut failing, as was suggested in previous posts.
The spindle nuts retain the wheel bearings to the spindle. They do nothing to keep the spindle attached to the knuckle.
The only way you can have an axle shaft walk out of a knuckle is if your fasteners that retain the spindle to the knuckle have failed.
good call with Mudrak in Sonoma..if you don't make it to Gary in Sonoma, Georg in Stockton at Valley Hybrids will do EXCELLENT work too!
have that thing checked out, especially if you do not own tools and are not familiar with 4x4s
good luck
have that thing checked out, especially if you do not own tools and are not familiar with 4x4s
good luck
I am not putting down Mudrak, but stockton is an easy drive . Just work your way over to 580 and take it all the way to Manteca (turns into 120), hang a left and go noth about 5 miles and take the Waterloo (I think) exit. Right off hey 99. Georg is great and if you work it out with him, he can proabably get it done if you wait for a long day.
- Thread starter
- #31
Looks like the root cause was a dustcover that wasnt omitted by the previous owner during the disc brake conversion. This only allowed one or 2 threads of each of the 8 bolts holding everything together. Needless to say, all found their way free. I'm definitely feeling lucky this didnt happen while I was moving at any appreciable speed.
Despite sitting all contorted for a day, the stock axles are still straight. I tried to buy a jack last night but it was too heavy to lug around on my bike.
It's at Mudrak now for a rebuild of both sides. It was definitely towed up there, even that was a challenge as the brake line was the only thing holding the wheel to the vehicle.
I've included some pics for your amusement, thanks for all your advice and comments!
Despite sitting all contorted for a day, the stock axles are still straight. I tried to buy a jack last night but it was too heavy to lug around on my bike.
It's at Mudrak now for a rebuild of both sides. It was definitely towed up there, even that was a challenge as the brake line was the only thing holding the wheel to the vehicle.
I've included some pics for your amusement, thanks for all your advice and comments!
Wow! I guess God wants you around for a while longer! If that happened at speed, you would not be doing well.
TK
TK
I am surprised you didn't feel a change in your steering!
Mufflers help prevent a lot of problems 
dgangle
total rice
The second picture in this post shows it is a MAF FDB kit. I had one of these POS kits for a short time. These do not come with or use any dustcover so that blows your theory out of the water. The bolts attaching the spindle to the knuckle failed due to some reason. This could be anything from improper torque, too few bolts used, not the correct bolts, not safety-wired, etc). This kit utilizes the (8) stock 8X1.25mm bolts that have drilled heads for safety-wiring. I'd take a close look at the otherside to see what was done...it may not be too far behind.
Let me share with you another piece of good news. Wilwood discontinued those 4-piston sand-cast calipers and ALL replacement parts several years ago. In the event you need a replacement caliper or parts, you're screwed. Pads are avail from Wilwood & Summit. Earl's makes the SST-braided brakeline for MAF.
Last edited:
Cruiserdrew
On the way there
While it's at Mudrak's this would be a great time to upgrade to the large pattern knuckles and disc brakes off an FJ60. I'm pretty sure Gary would have all the parts.
Please post up a follow up diagnosis of what happened to the spindle bolts, if they failed, why they failed, etc. The torque spec is fairly low for those and they could easily be over torqued if run in with an impact.
Please post up a follow up diagnosis of what happened to the spindle bolts, if they failed, why they failed, etc. The torque spec is fairly low for those and they could easily be over torqued if run in with an impact.
