Alright I built my 85 front axle and bought the 30 spline longs already and put some time into it but I was waiting to finish my toy front with a solid axle widening kit. The spacers were temp and I don't want to run them on trails. I also had a welded 4.10 4 cyl third this was another cheap test to see if I wanted a locker in the front full time or spend for selectable.
I originally was looking for an fj60 front but people wanted too much for them so I went with what I had at the time a toy front.
I'm running a Tacoma rear which is wider than IFS and a 4.1 welded as well.

So I've decided I want a detroit and 5.29's in the rear for the taco rear. But on the front I was going to do a solid axle widening kit. A friend has the IFS hubs and spindles but I do not have a v6 third member or locker bought for the front. I was definitely going to step up to a better third member and a high pinion is out of my possibilities due to my link setup.
Well today I found a fj60 front in the boneyard complete and I grabbed the steering box while I was there now I have two. Toy ring gear is 8" and fj60 is depending on where you read 9.25 to 9.5" which is the beef I'm looking for. I was actually there looking for a v6 third member. I would have to buy a longer inner from for my 30 spline longs to fit and swap my knuckles and high steer over as well. I would not need spacers or solid axle widening as well. I would have to redo some of the brackets on the axle but in all honesty thats no big deal to me. I know I would lose some ground clearance on the fj60 but feel ring and pinion strength to be very valuable as I have seen 4 cyl diffs go boom. I'm running 38's on a 16v with an auto tranny, shogun box and 6.5 sammy tcase.
I'm leaning towards the fj60 front but still don't know a couple more things. Is the fj60 housing metal thicker than mini truck? Is there any other dilemnas besides needing to lengthen the tierod? I already have to build a custom drag link so thats not a factor? Anything I'm missing or not thinking about here?

Which one would you run if you were me?

tough choice. if your not breaking the 8", then it's tempting to stay with it. if extra beef really is needed then i would look at any clearance issues caused by the bigger 3rd mem. if i put it in place of the 8 in my tracker i would have issues. clearances may be no issue on your rig. the much heavier front could be beneficial in the rocks, improving c.o.g. if i used it i would match it up to a ford 9" rear. the 8" has more available for it, but if you like the welded front( i didn't, unless i was in drifted snow) then this would be irrelevant. keep us posted on how you like the fj60 frt. if you go that route.

the very little added strenght of the fj60's R&P IMHO is marginal compared to that of the mini

not worth the hasle! parts are easy tp find for the 8" not so much for the fj60! there wider thats a plus! but like for me a wider axle is something i need, i have a frame hight of 25" and am on mini trucks so i'm narrow not for long i got a set of 3/4ton axles from a dodge for 200, there a 8 lug d44 and a d60 with 4.10's a slight step up from my 3.90's but i can go 5.89or 6.12 on these with as light as i am!

More factors to the pie on an 85 toy front the truss on the bottom actually sticks down losing clearance. The truss I would be running on this axle would be in the front it comes with no trussing at all the fj62 did though. The tube is 3" and the fj60 is 3.5. When a fj60 front is shaved you gain the inch you lost and are right back to a mini front again. I have seen blown front 4 cyl third members before. Also the knuckle studs on the bottom of a mini hang down farther from the tire on a space mini front on the fj60 front the knuckles are close to the tire and already wide.

So I'm clear I already yanked the fj60 front the day I was there its in the garage and my debate has begun. I had to buy a detroit and 5.29's for either axle as this was my next move so part availability is neither here nor there.

Also the knuckle studs on the bottom of a mini hang down farther from the tire on a space mini front on the fj60 front the knuckles are close to the tire and already wide.

fj60 and mini knuckles are identical.

fj60 and mini knuckles are identical.true but the tire is farther away from these knuckle studs with a spacer added to the mini giving the area for the rocks a better grab. Spacers also give you less effective turning and at 120" thats something I need an advantage on

Spacers also give you less effective turning and at 120" thats something I need an advantage on

scrub radius is hurt by axle width not the spacers. So the wider fj60 front will turn the same as the mini front with spacers (assuming they are the same width)

scrub radius is hurt by axle width not the spacers. So the wider fj60 front will turn the same as the mini front with spacers (assuming they are the same width)
I disagree the knuckle is the turning pivot point. With an fj60 the knuckle is wider and closer to the tire. Thats why you need a longer tie rod to use it. With the mini truck on spacers the tires are spaced farther from the knuckles which is the effective turning pivot point.

Knuckle joint is always the pivot point regardless of spacing.
Spacers also don't change turning angle.
You could put 3' spacers on and the pivot point and turning angle would not change.
The only thing that changes is the distance the tire travels to get to that angle.

IMO pretty much the only reason I'd want the center of my tire over the king pin is to:

1. stop front wandering when taking off fast. <don't have this problem...taking off fast that is :homer:>
2. minimize vehicle movement when adjusting on a sketchy obstacles. slightly turning your wheel shouldn't upset your rig enough to flip you onto your lid.

both seem like good enough reasons to work for the goal, most folks don't. its common to see spacers even on 1tons.