fj40 axles on a samurai

[Rocjeeper22]

was wondering has anyone ever run axles from a fj40? would this be a good swap for a samurai to make it alittle wider and stonger? or would mini truck axles just be better with the use of wheel spacers?

[Bass Man]

Brent at Trail Tough says they are heavy and weak.

I say, I've seen a lot of LC's on 35's on those axles with no problems, even at about twice our weight. Try to find a 1978+ front axle.

[Grind]

I have a pair of 71 FJ40's that I was going to put on my Samurai, which I don't own anymore, I wouldn't say they're completely 'weak', but the only bad thing about them is the pre 78' are all course splined, ring & pinion, inners/outers and the drum breaks. Basically you're going to spend a little more money on the 78' and before than the 78' and up if you wanna build it.
They're awesome axles though, in my opinion. They're huge! but you will lose a little bit of ground clearance with the housing.

[verceingetorix]

Try to grab a set of 78 or newer axles as they have the fine spline pinion and front disk brakes. Another option is a set of FJ-60/62 axles which are around 60" wide.

The only real issues is the the knuckles amd balls need to be replaced if you want to run aftermarket birfs. They also are a little harder to put under a zuk if you are going leaf springs versus a mini truck axle due to the diff location but nothing too serious.

My friend is running my old set of FJ-62 axles and I would love to have the extra width the axles provide compared to my current mini truck axles. He runs 35" SX or his set of 38.5" SX's depending on terrain.

The mini truck axles or FJ debate depends on what size tire you are going to run, ect. I think the FJ's larger ring gear would offer a little more security compared to the mini truck R&P when running 38-42" tires.

[T_MADD]

I've got fj40's under mine.
If I was to do it agian I would go with mini's. They are cheaper to build, more aftermarket options and used parts(stock and aftermarket) are much more plentiful.

[LittleBlackSambo]

Originally Posted by Rocjeeper22

was wondering has anyone ever run axles from a fj40? would this be a good swap for a samurai to make it alittle wider and stonger? or would mini truck axles just be better with the use of wheel spacers?

i was wondering if anybody has ever read the faq about fj axles in the samruai tech section of pirate4x4?

[txzuk1988]

Originally Posted by LittleBlackSambo

i was wondering if anybody has ever read the faq about fj axles in the samruai tech section of pirate4x4?

YES! But its not written in Texan... Or Canadian...

the FJ40 tech is not nearly as available as the 60/80 stuff

Rich

[csmith24]

Go try ih8mud.com for more landcruiser info. I am sure you can find plenty of reading over there. What else do you want to know about them specifically?

[sami-stine]

the fj40's will be more funds to build but i think you will do fine if you can find the disk front's. there is a company that build some new birfs for them NEW FIELD or something like that. they have a higher splin count set now too.

[NOODLES]

Originally Posted by sami-stine

the fj40's will be more funds to build but i think you will do fine if you can find the disk front's. there is a company that build some new birfs for them NEW FIELD or something like that. they have a higher splin count set now too.

bobby long sells kits for 40 axles.

[Rocjeeper22]

Originally Posted by verceingetorix

The mini truck axles or FJ debate depends on what size tire you are going to run, ect. I think the FJ's larger ring gear would offer a little more security compared to the mini truck R&P when running 38-42" tires.

This what it has right now. A SOA, 6.5:1 t-case, ZOR dif crabs and from what it looks like a custom belly skid and custom front bumper. Sitting on 31" Yokohama Geolanders MTs. Im planing on doing front and rear missing links. RUF with stock springs, Rancho 1.5" in rear and a Skys 1'' body. Sky full shock mount kit, Rancho RS9000XL. Power steering of some kind. OTS Cross Over / Histeer, and would like to run 35'' km2s on 15x8 wheels and a few oher things like cage, rear bumper, rock sliders and whatever. I was also thinking of mybe just run 285x85r16s with out the 1'' body. If I would run the 285s would the stock axles handle them if i Chromoly front and Calmini HD Rear with Trusses on both? lockers i would run in the stock would be Powertrax's and 4.57 r & p.

[GRMhick]

78-84 FJ-40 fronts are almost identical from the shafts out to a mini truck. Same shafts, birfs, knuckles, etc. Downside is the high likelihood of course spline pinion shafts (read" WEAK), even if they are newer axles, as they are common to be swapped in (your buying parts axles remember?). But if your going to swap the ring and pinion, swap it to a fine spline pinion and enjoy having a heavier duty 3rd member than a mini truck.


80-90 60 series are 58" wide, same long side axle shaft as a mini, longer short side. Same birfs as a mini. Vented rotors, and larger calipers. Strong pinion shafts. Much stronger diff than a mini. Its also my opinion the housings are less likely to bend than a mini housing. Downside: 60 series axles have 3.73 gears. The 62's used a 4.10 ring and pinion, but are harder axles to find.

Highsteer kits bolt up to both axles, as do 6 shooter knuckles, longfield 30 spline kits, ARP knuckle studs, etc.

Also note, cruiser rear axles are a c-clip design on the semi-floating. But full float axles are available from other countries.

I think 60 series stuff is a good swap. And with the number of cheap 60's I'm finding, a pair of 60 axles are cheaper than mini truck axles.

[T_MADD]

Originally Posted by GRMhick

78-84 FJ-40 fronts are almost identical from the shafts out to a mini truck. Same shafts, birfs, knuckles, etc. Downside is the high likelihood of course spline pinion shafts (read" WEAK), even if they are newer axles, as they are common to be swapped in (your buying parts axles remember?). But if your going to swap the ring and pinion, swap it to a fine spline pinion and enjoy having a heavier duty 3rd member than a mini truck.

The birfs are a little shorter shaft(not a big deal), but the knuckles are different. You have to grind the bell in order to make mini birfs fit.The steering arm bolt pattern is also different so not only is there no (cheap)aftermarket arms but the pattern is closer together which make them weaker.
I think the only aftermarket arms are the behind the knuckle drag link arms$$$.

[GRMhick]

Originally Posted by T_MADD

The birfs are a little shorter shaft(not a big deal), but the knuckles are different. You have to grind the bell in order to make mini birfs fit.The steering arm bolt pattern is also different so not only is there no (cheap)aftermarket arms but the pattern is closer together which make them weaker.
I think the only aftermarket arms are the behind the knuckle drag link arms$$$.

I always thought that was only on the pre-78 axles?

I've swapped a fj-40 knuckle onto a mini truck with no issue (trail fix). maybe somehow I had a mini knuckle?

I know woody's truck (from ih8mud) runs 30 spline birfs and 6 shooter knuckles. His old setup were cryo'd knuckles with ARP studs on some sort of cruiser housing. Last I checked, it all bolted up no proble.

EDIT: I did some quick research. Here is something from 4x4labs about their highsteer kit. Also another tidbit from trailgear about their steering knuckles.

Originally Posted by http://www.4x4labs.com/steering.shtml

Bolt Patterns
'78 and earlier Land Cruiser / small bolt pattern
'79 and up Land Cruiser / large bolt pattern Toyota pickup,4Runner / large bolt pattern FJ60 FJ62 Land Cruiser / large bolt pattern 70 series Land Cruiser / large bolt pattern (right or left hand drive).

Originally Posted by http://www.trail-gear.com/highsteer.html

Toyota High Steer Arms... Fits 1979 - 1985 Toyota pickup and 4Runner. Also fits 1979 and later Land Cruisers with spring over conversion.

Which makes me close ('79 not '78) but confirms that the 79-84 40 series used the same knuckle bolt pattern as the 79-85 mini trucks, and the 80-90 land cruiser 60 series.

[dr_claw]

78 newer cruiser stuff and mini truck axles are the exact same minus the diff. 8" vs. the 9.5"

I am running a rear Land cruiser (factory off set) and mini front.

[Killerpee]

LC disk brakes start at 75, not 78.

You are unlikely to break a front FJ40 pinion unless you get axle wrap, so fine spline is only really necessary in the rear.

All aftermarket gears can be ordered fine spline, so if you are planning to regear, its no big deal.

There is no need to grind the mini-truck birf, as previously stated, to fit in an FJ40 housing. Simply clearance the housing so you can run any birf as a trail spare.

[TheSuzukiOgre]

I did this swap with FJ62 axles $200 bucks total at the local salvage yard 1/2 off day. It wasn't that hard of a swap really the steering had to be custom on the drag link but everything else was easy. The spring sits barely on the diff the ubolt had room between the 3rd and the perch. If you can score them i would recommend it. Whether you go mini truck or cruiser the diff will be offset by about 2 inches either way, I don't have vibes either at 60-65 mph.