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ZUKIWORLD Discussion Forum => Technical Discussion - Performance / Modify => Topic started by: airmanwilliams on March 08, 2011, 09:23:59 AM

Title: landcruiser axles
Post by: airmanwilliams on March 08, 2011, 09:23:59 AM
I have axcess to landcruiser axles and wondered if anyone can enlighten me about the swap of these axles into a samurai. I just rebuilt my axles and put in 5.12 gears with a hybrid housing in the rear but now am able to get a good deal on some landcruiser axles and am looking to see how much work it might take to swap these granted while going to school it might be a long drug out project of rebuilding and cleaning them.
Title: Re: landcruiser axles
Post by: ASI H8 on March 08, 2011, 10:10:17 AM
I'm going to be stepping into a Yota swap soon myself.  From what I have been seeing, Sky makes a front axle kit.  It looks like it is a basic SPOA.  Big issues will be spring perch alignment and steering geometry.  There is a guy on Zuks of KC that is doing the same swap.  http://www.zuksofkc.us/index.php?topic=859.0 (http://www.zuksofkc.us/index.php?topic=859.0)

What year are your axles?
Title: Re: landcruiser axles
Post by: Jluck on March 08, 2011, 11:12:02 AM
Cruiser axles are different than pickup axles from the knuckles in. They work good for sammys due to the off set rear. Go for it! That's what I have in mind for my kick too.
What series axles are they? 40,60,80...?
You will have to fab up your own mounts or you could start with a 40 or 60 series shackel reversal if you are using leafs.

Title: Re: landcruiser axles
Post by: airmanwilliams on March 08, 2011, 11:19:21 AM
im waiting for my buddy to go back and check them out and tell me what the specs are like the series, year and more. From what I gather right now I have to cut the old spring perches off and put new ones on for the samurai, get a disc break conversion for the front and thats all I know so far.

what am I going to have to get for steering? with these being on a daily driver what do you guys think I should get for transfer case gears? Anything else I need? anyone seen a write up they have a link to for me?
Title: Re: landcruiser axles
Post by: Jluck on March 08, 2011, 11:55:54 AM
They must be 40 series if there drum braked. I don't know about there perch width. You can use toy pick up ott arms.or somewhere I saw cruiser ott as a package.
You will need t/case gears! Factory cruiser will have 3.73or 4.10's
Title: Re: landcruiser axles
Post by: Drone637 on March 08, 2011, 02:02:48 PM
You can also swap over to the Mini-Truck outers on the front end.  I just don't know how.  :D  An FJ-40 from my club runs the different outers and brakes from a Corvette on all 4 corners. 
Title: Re: landcruiser axles
Post by: airmanwilliams on March 08, 2011, 02:04:59 PM
ok even though I have alot of post I am still a newbie with all this and have to ask, what are outers?
Title: Re: landcruiser axles
Post by: Jluck on March 08, 2011, 02:07:19 PM
steering knuckles out. on the end of the axles there are "balls" and the knuckles (outers) go on to the balls.
the part that OTT steering arms bolt too.

Title: Re: landcruiser axles
Post by: airmanwilliams on March 08, 2011, 02:08:30 PM
thanks jluck this is going to be a long process of getting to learn and know everything.
Title: Re: landcruiser axles
Post by: Drone637 on March 08, 2011, 02:09:47 PM
You never know everything.  But you can learn an awful lot from mistakes.  :P
Title: Re: landcruiser axles
Post by: airmanwilliams on March 08, 2011, 06:07:35 PM
ok so I talked to the guy and all he knows is that they are early 70's landcruiser axles and nothing else. is there a way to tell if they are 40 or 60 series or are they definately 40 series being drum brakes front and rear and early 70's?
Title: Re: landcruiser axles
Post by: ASI H8 on March 08, 2011, 06:47:29 PM
Title: Re: landcruiser axles
Post by: airmanwilliams on March 08, 2011, 06:57:44 PM
thanks for the info and help guys. do you all think im wise to get these two axles for $200 and rebuild them versus paying about $300 for one regular axle and rebuilding a couple of those to put under?
Title: Re: landcruiser axles
Post by: mrfuelish on March 08, 2011, 09:22:36 PM
i have a set of those laying in my yard, I was going to put them on mine until I found out how heavy they are and went to toy pick up diffs. the front shafts are the size of base ball bats.
Title: Re: landcruiser axles
Post by: ASI H8 on March 09, 2011, 05:47:50 AM
thanks for the info and help guys. do you all think im wise to get these two axles for $200 and rebuild them versus paying about $300 for one regular axle and rebuilding a couple of those to put under?
$200 for two axles, matching, Front and Rear?  That is tough. 
Two things I would consider: 
1. What I expect out of the axles and 
2. What would I have to do ($$$$$$) to get the axles to my expectations
Take the path that works best for you!!
Title: Re: landcruiser axles
Post by: MadMaxZuki on March 09, 2011, 06:01:40 AM
if they are FJ80 axles dont bother we found a deal on some to put under my Sammy. Until we realized the two axles sacked out a 08' Taco. When we tried picking u each axle, my jetski felt a shit load lighter two guys can pick that up to your waist and that weights 351lbs dry. it took all we could to get the axles barely off the ground. my guess at minimum was 425-450lbs for the rear and 450-475 if not more for the front axle.
Title: Re: landcruiser axles
Post by: airmanwilliams on March 09, 2011, 06:07:58 AM
I guess being early 70's and both equipped with drum brakes im told they are 40 series.
Title: Re: landcruiser axles
Post by: Jluck on March 09, 2011, 06:16:41 AM
You will sink allot of coin into them if there drum braked(disc conv) and rebuild. If your not going over a 35 inch tire you might
Just want to do the pickup axle route.I had 5 fj-60's at one time and beat the hell out of them with 33" boggers without a single failure.I loved 'em. My .02
Title: Re: landcruiser axles
Post by: airmanwilliams on March 09, 2011, 06:35:17 AM
well maybe I will just buy them and clean them up with some grinding and fresh paint and see if I can trade for some nice pickup axles then.
Title: Re: landcruiser axles
Post by: Jluck on March 09, 2011, 07:01:57 AM
I would. ;D besides it would be a good set to learn from with out having your DD down. ;)
Title: Re: landcruiser axles
Post by: BRD HNTR on March 09, 2011, 07:05:46 AM
Bigger and heavier is not always better.  It takes more power to turn the heavier axles, and even more power to turn Larger tires.  One of the reasons Sami's go so many places is they are light rigs and can crawl over terrain that the larger heavier rigs sink on and have more power to pull through.  If an increase in power is not planned as well (or in the budget) I would say just buy heavy duty axles, and keep it light.
Learn to use finesse, not brute strength, cause in the end that is going to get you further.
Title: Re: landcruiser axles
Post by: kreator on March 09, 2011, 09:57:48 AM
If you have some fab skills its not hard but the axles are a lot heavier , I have put a couple sets in and it just takes some custom fab work with the one spring perch fabbed wright on  the side of the diff housing .both work well and some times money is an issue, I'll try and get you pics of one .
Title: Re: landcruiser axles
Post by: jaysonbarn on March 09, 2011, 10:52:02 PM
I think that you should be going with it. I am sure that you will like it and there will no change in the performance of the vehicle with this modification.
Title: Re: landcruiser axles
Post by: hcgalvin on March 28, 2011, 12:09:55 PM
if they are FJ80 axles dont bother we found a deal on some to put under my Sammy. Until we realized the two axles sacked out a 08' Taco. When we tried picking u each axle, my jetski felt a shit load lighter two guys can pick that up to your waist and that weights 351lbs dry. it took all we could to get the axles barely off the ground. my guess at minimum was 425-450lbs for the rear and 450-475 if not more for the front axle.


 ??? They weren't THAT heavy... I LOVED mine under my Sidekick... FJ80's with full floating and factory elockers... not to mention 4 wheel disc... hard to beat.

Plus... we brought them home in a cheap little red harbor freight/fred meyer 4x8 trailer.

(http://img827.imageshack.us/img827/9742/dcp6510.jpg)

Sure you're talking about FJ80's?

I'd do it again in a heartbeat to my GV I just picked up. Gotta wait a while though. Not sure I'm going to go that extreme with this one.