i hear everyone talk about mini truck conversions but i dont know what year or mods that need to be done to make them work"properly"so lets hear from you people that can help please thaxs <IMG SRC="smilies/smokin.gif" border="0"> <IMG SRC="smilies/smokin.gif" border="0">

i seem to remember minitruck 79-84 are the magic years. get everything from the knuckle out, including birfields. there are writeups on www.ih8mud.com (http://www.ih8mud.com)

if that does not help, e-mail me, i've done a few. pretty easy stuff. just make sure you set the preload right on the knuckle bearings. the only "fab" work needed is some grinding on the axle housing.
good luck.the force will be with you! <IMG SRC="smilies/trooper.gif" border="0"> <IMG SRC="smilies/trooper.gif" border="0"> <IMG SRC="smilies/trooper.gif" border="0"> <IMG SRC="smilies/vader.gif" border="0"> <IMG SRC="smilies/trooper.gif" border="0"> <IMG SRC="smilies/trooper.gif" border="0">

actually, 79-85 was the solid axle years. ive done it also. ih8mud should be some good stuff, also in the tech sewction of this pirate site dogwalker did a write up. good stuff too!

don't worry about it they are very easy to do. the first axel experience i have was doing the disk brake swap. i used this write up it is very useful help is here (http://www.computerlandredlands.com/Staff/Shawn/tlc.html)

The '84 and '85 trucks have beefier tie rods and tie rod ends.

I found the standard grinding wheel on my 4-1/2 inch angle grinder was a little big to grind down the lower inside surface of the knuckle ball on the end of the axle, I finished off the grinding with a tungsten-carbide cutter in my rotory tool (Dremel-type).

I went with '85 truck parts, FJ60 vented rotors, '87 IFS truck calipers, and booster/master cylinder from the '85 truck. I'm using the FJ40 tie rod and relay rod, with FJ60 tie rod ends. I have to fab a sleeve to get the tapered pin on the relay rod ball joint to fit properly in the larger tapered hole in the FJ60 tie rod end (I hope to finish this today using a bronze bearing from the True Value hardware store). One other thing I found when using the '85 booster/master cylinder, the rod that extends into the cab to attach to the brake pedal had to be shortened. I adjusted the distance on the U-shaped part that screws on the rod to fit the FJ40 pedal set-up, but didn't notice the end of the rod was interfering with the pedal, and things started to bind up until I figured out what was happening.

i personally used my l.c. tie rod and also my l.c. brake master cyl and booster. the thing i did to the steering arms off the truck was had wardens in p.ville ream em for l.c. tie rod. with my master cyl i took the little compression spring out of it for the front. then i was done. the grinding was a pain with a 4" angle grinder and i would have used a dremel type tool if i had the bit. but good luck! it was also my first rodeo <IMG SRC="smilies/biggrin.gif" border="0"> i had NO experiance going into it. it was a great learning thing for me and real easy once you get all the parts and plan what you want to do.

If you can sport the extra cash, find '86 and later V-6 IFS calipers instead of the solid axle calipers. These allow you to use vented rotors. If you do get the IFS calipers, use either '76-'79 rotors(for 79-80 minitruck parts-look for rotors held onto hubs with 6 14mm head bolts)or FJ60 rotors for the later('81-'85)minitruck parts(look for rotors held onto hubs with lugstuds)
The conversion is easy as rebuilding you drum brake front axle; just substitute the disc parts...Tie rods can be a bit of a pain, but not too hard.