I have asked about this issue in a couple of different forums. I can't get anybody to give me any kind of response. I am hoping that someone in the Landcruiser section can help me out.

This is what I am dealing with. I am running an offset Dana 60 from a J4000 Jeep truck in my '76 FJ40. I am in the process of converting it to disk brakes, but have hit a snag. I have a set of rear disk brackets that are like the TSM D60 rear disk brackets. The way that it sits now, I don't think that I will be able to use them. The problem is that I cannot get the upper caliper bracket close enough to center the caliper over the rotor. I would like to stick with a bolt on bracket, but if that is not possible, I will use a weld on bracket. The problem is that even with a weld on bracket, it will be sitting almost directly over the axle flange.
Someone brought up the fact that I could use a different rotor with a deeper or skinnier hat depth, but I have no idea of where to even start looking for different hat depth sizes on rotors. Any help that you guys could give would be greatly apreciated. Thanks in advance. Thomas

HOW FAR FROM CENTERED IS IT? IF YOU CAN GET A BRACKET TO WORK WITH FLOATING CALIPERS ITS WILL SELF CENTER. OR POSSIBLY YOU CAN MODIFY YOUR EXISTING BRACKETS. CAN YOU GET A PIC?

I have been looking for a way to modify my existing brackets, and there is not enough meat on the bottom to really modify. It is between 1/4 to 1/2" from being centered.

One option I could do is not run one of the bolts holding on the lower flange bracket, but since there are only four, I don't feel safe doing that. I will take some pics of it and try to show what I am talking about.

what calipers are you running like fixxxah said the calipers float if you are using floating calipers but they float like 3/8 of an inch or close to it are you sure it is not close enough bolt the rotor to the axle shaft and put the caliper on it and then move your pins and see if they will thread into the bracket.

I am running the El Dorado calipers with the e-brake built into them. I am not completlely set on using these caliper yet, so I could go out and get a different one if possible. They do have the float built into them, but I still can't get the caliper close enough to center. I can put the caliper over the rotor and thread the pin into it, but there is not enough room to get a pad in there.

I have the pics taken, so I will post them shortly. Hopefully they will help.

Here is the first pic. This showing the bracket that I have now and how it sits. As you can see, the bolt that holds the lower bracket on keeps the upper bracket from getting closer to the axle flange.

NO PIC BRO!!

Okay, let me try this again.

Here is the second pic
This shows where the caliper sits with the bracket in the current position

Third Pic
This shows how the brackets sits without the rotor in the way. Hopefully you can see the bolt better in this pic

Last pic
This shows the upper caliper bracket that I needed to clearance to fit over the weld that holds the flange on.

OK, SO WHY DONT YOU CLEARANCE THE PEICE THAT HOLD THE ACCTUAL CALIPER ENOUGH TO GO EVER THE FLANGE, AND BOLT UP FLAT AGAINST THE OTHER PIECE OF THE BRACKET? IF YOU HAD TO, YOU COULD EVEN CUT THOSE 2 WINGS FREE FROM EACHOTHER, BOLT THEM UP TIGHT AND THEN WELD THEM ONTO THE OTHER PIECE OF THE BRACKET AND IT LOOKS LIKE IT WOULD PERFECTLY SPACED, AND IF NOT PERFECT THE FLOAT WOULD CERTAINLY HANDLE IT.

DID THAT MAKE ANY SENCE?

If I was to clearance the upper bracket so that it fit over the flange, there would be barely anything left.

I hadn't thought about cutting the two wings apart since it would greatly reduce the strength of the system. You might be onto something if I weld the upper piece to the lower bracket after cutting it apart. I will have to look at that and see if it will work.

Originally posted by ouibus
If I was to clearance the upper bracket so that it fit over the flange, there would be barely anything left.

I hadn't thought about cutting the two wings apart since it would greatly reduce the strength of the system.


BUT, IT WILL BE BOLTED DIRECTLY TO THE OTHER PEICE, WITH NOT GAP IN BETWEEN. AND IF YOU HAVE TO TAKE ALOT AWAY, IT WILL BE BETTER TO CUT THE WING APART, CLEARANCE THEM NICELY, BOLT THEM TOGETHER, THE BOLTS WILL HOLS EVERYTHING IN ALIGNMENT, AND THEN WELD THEM TO THE OTHER BRACKET, ALL AROUND .

Actually, something that I forgot to show in the picture is a 1/4' spacer that fits in between the lower bracket and upper bracket. So I might be able cut it apart like you are talking about and just weld it up. I would still question the strength, but maybe I am being too overly cautious.

YEAH MAN, I WOULD ACTUALLY FEEL SAFRE WITH THOSE SANWICHED RIGHT AGAINST EACHOTHER AND WELDED, THAN WITH THAT BIG GAP AND A CHANCE OF SHEERING THOSE BOLTS. PLUS IF YOU DO PUT THEM RIGHT ON EACHOTHER AND WELD IT, YOU'LL USE THE BOLTS TO ALIGN THEM FOR WELDING ANYWAY, SO YOU CAN JUST TIGHTEN THE CRAP OUT OF THEM AND LEAVE THEM ON AFTER YOU WELDED THEM, AND HAVE NO DOUBTS.

WELDING THEM IS THE SAME RISK AS A WELD ON BRACKET...

I have been following fairly closely and have seen these kits installed. Why haven't you remove the bolts holding the flange(the rusty ones in the picture) and that would allow the caliper bracket to be flush. Then you use other GRADE 8 hardware and then you bolt them all together as Fix said. But I really don't recommend that you weld in that area due to the fact that removal will be impossible, but also the temper factor of the steel is very weak. The hardware will be more than plenty to hold it.
You could use only 4 bolts on the bottom side and be completely strong enough.

Kruzrtek

KRUZRTEK, I MEAN WELD THE TWO BRACKETS TOO EACH OTHER MAKING THEM INTO ONE BRACKET. IF YOUR A HALF DECENT WELDER ITS NO RISK AT ALL, ASSUMING THOSE ARE MILD STEEL, WHICH I'M SURE THEY ARE.

I WAS ASSUMING THAT WAS HOW THEY WERE MENT TO BE SET UP, ITS HARD TO NOT BE ABLE TO SEE IT FIRST HAND. SO THERE ISNT SUPPOSED TO BE THAT BIG GAP IN THE FIRST PLACE? THEN WHY IS THE HARWARE SO LONG?

Like I said, the space in between the two brackets has a spacer that fits in there. Once you can clearance the bracket to fit, it sits flush against the spacer and the bracket.

Kruzrtek,
I tried removing those rusty bolts and replacing them with grade 8 hardware, but there is one problem, if I upgrade to 1/2 bolts to fill in the holes, the head of the bolt on the other side rubs against the hub on the inside of the rotor. The shank of those bolts is a 1/2", but the threads are smaller than that. Also, 1/2" bolt heads don't fit in between the flange and axle housing and weld. You have to grind the head of the bolt down just to fit. I am going to try and locate some new bolts of the same kind, so I won't be worried about their strength.

Here a pic of what the bolts look like. Hopefully this helps.

The caliper does not need to be centered over the rotor. As long as there is a little bit of space between the caliper and the braket when you have a new brake shoe on the outside of the caliper.
The only direction the caliper will move is toward the center of the vehicle, it will do that as the brake pad wears.
So with that said, can you put the outside pad on with the braket like it is in the picture?

I don't have the pads for those calipers with me, but from the numerous brake jobs that I have done, it really doesn't look like I have enough room yet. I am still working on it, and I think I might have a solution. I will just have to keep pluggin away at it.

Here is a pic of my d 60 which is from a 82 J20, I used mid 70's chevy 3/4 ton rotors because they where cheap and also the calipers are from a 77 blazer. I picked these years because they whrere the cheapest years I could find. I also made my simple weldon brackets out of some .375 plate that I had around

with the caliper

MENDER, HOW IS THE CRUISER COMING?? LET'S SEE SOME ACTION PICS! I REMEMBER HOW MUCH ARTICULATION YOU HAD AVILIBLE WITHOUT THE SPRING, WHATS IT LIKE IN THE REAL WORLD? HAVE YOU GOTTEN TO DIAL IN THE SUSPENSION YET?

I agree with the small weld, that would be more than ok on mild steel, but not cast steel.
And as far as the hardware goes, could you possibly use an Allen head type bolt(round head, small diameter head) would that clear?

Hey Metal, do you fly that A-10 or is that just a pic?
Just wondering, cause I lived in Louisiana at England AFB
and they were always flying and shooting at old machinery
out by the house. VERY COOL PLANES!!!!

Kruzrtek