Ok, I tried using the search but kept getting closed down by the server...

Has anyone ever put Toy axles under a Cherokee? Seriously considering doing so... 87 or later rear, and a hybrid in the front... Toyota housing with D44 knuckles and shafts. I've really come to like the fact that they have a drop out center section and that you can weld on the housings without much drama.

Now, before anyone starts screaming about blastphemy and that I should be looking at D60's, there is the cost of 60's, which is always a issue, and since I'm a CB by nature, I figure that Toy axles will last long enough to justify a set of D60's down the road...
THX
Chad

I think toy axles would be great under my TJ. Have to use the FJ80 Land Cruiser axles though for the coils. Toy axle weakness is the birfield joint. But the -80 axles have a HUGE birf! It's also possible to modify the regular leaf spring axles to coil. Or you could just convert your truck to leaf and be done with it.
That said, Toy axles are getting a little hard to find as more people do a SAS on their later generation IFS Toys.
I'd like to do it just because I'm always gonna be a 'Cruiser freak! Shoulda kept my FJ60 when it got totaled. I feel like an ass....

No reason to even use a toyota front. Pass. side drop both the mini truck axle (55" wide) and the FJ80 (63" wide).

Birfield's can be upgraded to basically like running CTM's. No reason to try to do a D44 knuckles either.

I'm planning to go with a Waggy D44 front (61"), with Tacoma 8" rear (60").

Like NCxj said the diffs on the wrong side as well as the Toy mini being ~4 or so narrower than an XJ front axle. Longfields have made birfs virtually a non issue anymore. Find a later Waggy axle or better yet a Ford high pinion 44 for the front.

I have an 87-95 (58.5") Toy 8" in the rear of my MJ Comanche and a Waggy D44 up front (61.5"). I love the combination.

If I were you, I would either use a Waggy D44 front, or have WelderBoy put D44 tubes and knuckles on a Toy center-section and use Waggy shafts. D44 shafts fit into a Toyota carrier, same 30 spline 1.31" diameter, but slightly different spline angle which isn't really an issue.

also, I highly doubt you can fit a 58.5" Toyota rear in the back of an XJ with out putting the leaf springs narrower, maybe on the "frame" rails. MJ leafs are mounted a couple inches narrower and they barely cleared the drums on mine. If you got a 60" Toy axle from a Tacoma or later 4runner, you should be fine.

read this page 3 times: http://home.4x4wire.com/erik/diffs/

Good thread. I'm considering running a wider (post-86??) Toy rear in my XJ project along with a narrowed HP Ford 44 front. Everyone says the Toy rears are the shit and a lot lighter than the D60s I had on my previous YJ (trying to keep the weight down).
Dion

Originally posted by chuggins143
Ok, I tried using the search but kept getting closed down by the server...

Has anyone ever put Toy axles under a Cherokee? Seriously considering doing so... 87 or later rear, and a hybrid in the front... Toyota housing with D44 knuckles and shafts. I've really come to like the fact that they have a drop out center section and that you can weld on the housings without much drama.

Now, before anyone starts screaming about blastphemy and that I should be looking at D60's, there is the cost of 60's, which is always a issue, and since I'm a CB by nature, I figure that Toy axles will last long enough to justify a set of D60's down the road...
THX
Chad

hmm...to cheap to buy a D60 but can afford the high cost of making a hybrid axle:rolleyes:
if you need more strength the the stock HP 30 in the XJ going to a toyota diff isn't much of an upgrade and the expense of sapping on D44 outers- why not just get a D44 in the first place? I like toy axles but swapping them just for the sake of swapping axles doesn't make much sense. .....oh:flipoff2: save up and get the 60

just to stir the thoughts a little what about using fj80 axles, complete with diff locks?

Originally posted by Gary E
just to stir the thoughts a little what about using fj80 axles, complete with diff locks?

Wrong side still, 63" wide

Originally posted by Gary E
just to stir the thoughts a little what about using fj80 axles, complete with diff locks?

those would be sweet, the one major problem is that there still aren't any aftermarket Birfs for them, but apparently soon. They also hang a little lower than the 8" but still pretty great clearance.

about the whole wrong side thing, it's actually fairly easy to switch the diff side. you probably want to cut and turn the knuckles to get your castor and pinion angle right anyway, so while you're at it you just flip and rotate the knuckles so that the housing is upside down. then you need to redrill some of the third member mounting holes and plug and relocate the diff breather.

Iy you want to use a sheetmetal housing/drop out center, with 30 spline axles (for D44 ft shaft interchangability), why not use a Chrysler 8.75" drop out center?

You can get them in XJ friendly widths (66-70 B-body's ~60", E-body's slightly wider), and the 8.75" pumpkin is stronger than the 8" Toyota.
There was an axle builder who was adapting Toy axles to take Chysler 8.75 pumpkins, for applications where the Toyota's 7.8" ring gear just wasn't cutting it.
So I'd guess the 30 spline Toy shafts interchange with the 30 spl Chryslers (maybe with a slightly different pitch angle, like the Toy vs D44 issue).

Originally posted by Jayrockn7


hmm...to cheap to buy a D60 but can afford the high cost of making a hybrid axle:rolleyes:
if you need more strength the the stock HP 30 in the XJ going to a toyota diff isn't much of an upgrade and the expense of sapping on D44 outers- why not just get a D44 in the first place? I like toy axles but swapping them just for the sake of swapping axles doesn't make much sense. .....oh:flipoff2: save up and get the 60

have you ever even ran a toy axle? thier much stronger than a d30 and for 150$ its far stronger than a stock d44 plus you can carry one spare 3rd member that will work for frt and rear axles. also swap in a pass drop d300 and that solves your diff side problem plus you have a much better transfercase.

but i would just get a rc 8 lug d44 and a shaved 14 bolt out back for about 400-600$ total

Originally posted by REDNECKTOY


have you ever even ran a toy axle? thier much stronger than a d30 and for 150$ its far stronger than a stock d44 plus you can carry one spare 3rd member that will work for frt and rear axles. also swap in a pass drop d300 and that solves your diff side problem plus you have a much better transfercase.

but i would just get a rc 8 lug d44 and a shaved 14 bolt out back for about 400-600$ total

Toyota axles vs D44 (both stock) are pretty much equal. If your talking about with aftermarket birfs, then you got to compare them to CTM's and aftermarket shafts.

Just bolting in a D300 will NOT solve the axle issue. You got more things to do to make it work than just that.

Since someone said it incorrectly earlier: FJ80 axles use the same 8" differentials as minitruck axles.

The FJ80 comes with the beefier V6 rear diff that is identical to the one found in V6 and Turbo trucks after 1986, and is the only application that has a high-pinion front diff, since the factory FJ80 tie rod is BEHIND the axle, and would have gone right through the low pinion diff.

But the high pinion, V6, and 4-Cylinder diffs are all swappable - they will all swap into each others housings and they use the same axle shafts.

What are the spring bucket widths on a fj-80 are they even close to a coil sprung jeep front?

I have done this to my TJ. Klune - D300 - Rear Turbo IFS axle, Front 85 with 1.5" alluminum spacers (for correct width) and Longfields. Tom Woods made me some custom output flanges for the D300 that bolted to my Toy d-shafts - $120/piece but allowed me to use d-shafts I already had and the Toy d-shafts are very beefy and operate at extreme angles.

I don't see any specific questions in you initial post so I'm not sure what info you are looking for but it is doable. In fact the rear will be much easier in an XJ cuz you just need to make spring pads and weld at the appropriate angle.

Good luck - and ask away if you think my experience could help you with a specific question. :)

Just bolting in a D300 will NOT solve the axle issue. You got more things to do to make it work than just that.

adapter shifters cross member common sense to anyone that is swapping in non stock axles

how much do ctms cost? my point exactley

Originally posted by NCxj


Toyota axles vs D44 (both stock) are pretty much equal. If your talking about with aftermarket birfs, then you got to compare them to CTM's and aftermarket shafts.

Just bolting in a D300 will NOT solve the axle issue. You got more things to do to make it work than just that.

what kind of experience are you speaking from here?


Hunter

Actually just bolting a D300 in, unless the tranny is 21 spline out - 4cyl tranny like mine, will work. I believe there are either 21 spline inputs for the D300 or 23 spline outputs for the AX-5 available (I think the latter). Maybe use a clocking ring for extra clearance (cept you may have to hack the tub) and the stock x-member and tranny mount if you can clock the 300 so it fits. Get some companion flanges to bolt to the Toy d-shafts and you are good to go.

If the stock x-member won't work easily, making a x-member is not terrifically hard. Or I should say, if you are considering doing an axle swap, making a custom x-member should be within your grasp.

Of course there is also the axle swap but we all know that.

I speak from experience.

chuggins143 - if you are serious about doing this, and would be keeping the coil setup in the front, lemme know. I can snap some digi-pics to give you some ideas about coil mounts, CA mounts and that stuff. I raised my lowers and uppers about 2 inches so the bottom of the axle is smooth with no mounts looking for stumps and rocks.

i would love to see an xj changed over to pass side drop.. i just dont think the clearance is there of the expense is worth it. Also an xj front axle is not to my knowledge 60 " wms to wms.. is slightly more narrow as the front of an xj tapers in. I've seen ford HP 44's go for 100 bucks here out of an f-250, driver drop.. not terribly difficult to install... if you are going to swap axles because you need the added strength with larger tires.. why stay at stock width? at 7.5" of lift.. my rig got a bit tippy with stock width axles when twisted up.

i would love to see an xj changed over to pass side drop

ILL be sure to post pics when i get a digi cam

Originally posted by xjpart2


what kind of experience are you speaking from here?


Hunter

I guess your asking about the D300/axle comment. It will work...I just wrote it wrong. Somethings need to be moved/rerouted for it to clear. Not at all trying to say it won't work b/c there is more than one person running this setup.

Originally posted by Jpr


chuggins143 - if you are serious about doing this, and would be keeping the coil setup in the front, lemme know. I can snap some digi-pics to give you some ideas about coil mounts, CA mounts and that stuff. I raised my lowers and uppers about 2 inches so the bottom of the axle is smooth with no mounts looking for stumps and rocks.

:cool: If you have the digi camera, please do! I've sourced the parts I'll need here locally... axle parts anyway... just waiting on that refund check to arrive so I can go buy parts. I'll be keeping the coils in the front with the possibility of long arms, and if I can find the time a 4-link in the back using rear coils out of a UC Grand... if that doesn't suit my taste height wise, then I'll just have to find some longer coils.:D
THX
C

Originally posted by NCxj


I guess your asking about the D300/axle comment. It will work...I just wrote it wrong. Somethings need to be moved/rerouted for it to clear. Not at all trying to say it won't work b/c there is more than one person running this setup.

actually im talking about all the advice your giving. is any of this from personal experience or is it all just speculation?

Hunter

chuggins143: I thought I might have had a few pics on my computer at work of my front axle but I don't. I will snap some pics tonight - or ASAP. I don't have a star so I can't post pics but I can email them to you directly if you gimme your email addy.

Here are some pics before the Long Arm transform. I'll get some better pics soon.

http://www.yankeetoys.org/stewarts/Joey%20C/page1.htm

Originally posted by xjpart2


actually im talking about all the advice your giving. is any of this from personal experience or is it all just speculation?

Hunter

I guess you can call it speculation BUT it's been gone over more times than I care to count.

As for the facts, pulled them from the FAQ in the toyota section and just remember them. :rolleyes: