Axle upgrade ideas

[adkrover]

I have a '65 IIa 109 truck with original axles. The previous owner installed new seals, front swivels, total brake overhaul and leather gators so they are very dry and operate perfectly. What I would like from them is to have ARB lockers front and rear, disk brakes, tighter turn radius and possibly a wider stance. Does anyone know of an axle set that would swap out relatively easily? I know I would have to add the lockers and change my brake master cylinder but that's ok. Just not sure if there is an easy swap out there that would get me all of that. Any ideas would be great. Thanks. Scott

[thixon]

You can do everything you mention with what you have already. However, if you have to do a swap, you could go with Toyota. Hope you have deep pockets. This would be expensive.

http://www.rovertracks.com/index.html

[Mercedesrover]

Risking shameless self promotion, my vote is a Toyota converison.

http://www.seriestrek.com/axles.html

http://www.seriestrek.com/toyotadiffs.html

As strong as you can build inside a Rover housing and you'll never have to touch them again.

jim

[leafsprung]

Nothing easy is cheap, nothing cheap is easy. . . if its cheap and easy, it will probably give you the clap.

[thixon]

Mercedesrover,

My intention was to shoot him toward your website, instead of the link I provided. I was in a hurry (4 year old breathing down my neck) and in my haste, I added the wrong link. Sorry, my intentions were to guard against shameless self promotion on your part, by shamelessly promoting you myself. Whoops!

[adkrover]

Thanks guys but with all of the welding and machining, it isn't what I would call an easy swap. Plus, it doesn't get me a tighter turning radius or disk brakes. I could do all that is involved but I was hoping for something a bit more complete. Does Seriestrek sell complete axle assemblies that are "bolt on". If I am understanding it correctly, I have to pay $2K + to get the axle shafts and then still source a front and rear locking diff? I am pretty familiar with Toyotas and I thought only the Land Cruisers came with locking diffs but the site says to get a diff from a T100 or Tundra. Has anyone tried to install a complete Toyota axle? That is more like what I am trying to do.

Thanks.

[leafsprung]

For complete assemblies the FJ60 axles are probably the way to go. Disc brakes (in the front), stronger shafts and decent aftermarket. They are wider too (about coil sprung rover width) They still dont address every one of your desires, but nothing does.

[BackInA88]

I have always thought about swapping in some J*^P axles from an early 70's CJ.
Dana 30 front and Dana 44 rear.
They would need to be from a J*^p that used a Model 18 T-case as it has both drive shaft outputs offset to the right side like the LR.
Maybe a J*^P that used a Quadratrac is offset the same?

The open knuckle Model 30 has a tighter turning radius than a Series closed knuckle design I believe?
Install greaseable half shaft u-joints fro easy service and no swivels to fill with water.
Maybe nothing more than relocating the spring perches?
And almost unlimited axle ratios and lockers to pick from.
And if it doesn't already have disc brakes it's easy to retrofit.

This is the set up I used on a 71 CJ I did years ago that my brother still drives.
They have held up well behind a 2000 ZR-2 fuel injected V-6 I installed in it.:thumb-up:

Steve

[leafsprung]

Dana 30 front and Dana 44 rear.


Not worth the effort. They dont have the strength potential of toyota, or even rover axles. Cheap tho, you can get em for about free because all the jeep guys dump them.

[yorker]

Go with FJ40,55,60,62 axles.

You should be able to get axles easy enough, I usually go to Gary's U Pullit and can get them for $180 for F+R complete disc to disc or drum to drum. Sometimes for less if it is one of those $100 all you can carry days.

They have passenger side diffs, 1.3" axles 30 spline, and any number of lockers available. Usually you'll get them with 4.10 diffs(fj40s, 55,62?), sometimes 3.73. (fj60s?)

They can be had with front disc brakes and a swap to rear disc brakes is simple and inexpensive.

The front CVs are called birfields and are probably strong enough for what most people do with them, they can be upgraded with bobby longs Longfield cvs.

The front swivels are filled with grease- id doesn't leak all over your driveway.

The front axles usually come with Aisn free wheeling hubs which actually work well and you don't need to worry about the splash lubrication issues you have with series axles. In other words you can opt out of that whole Series Land Rover FWH vs no FWH debate.

You will have to run different wheels- 6 lug on 5 1/2 I think is the pattern- it is shared with other vehicles, Isuzus and I believe Chevy trucks.

You might be able to convert them to LR pattern- I think Ike mentioned that once? Ike?

[leafsprung]

Go with FJ40,55,60,62 axles.

The early 40s/55s arent too worthwhile with the course spline pinion/drum brakes. The later ones are more worthwhile (post 77 I think)

-Ike

[yorker]

The early 40s/55s arent too worthwhile with the course spline pinion/drum brakes. The later ones are more worthwhile (post 77 I think)

-Ike

Yeah that is true, the 10 spline Toyota axles aren't worth dicking with although even they would be an improvement over the Land Rover standard axles. The post '77 are fine spline front ends, so you can use the bobby long birfs and I believe they all are disc brakes front ends too. $ for $ the FJ60-62 are probably the best to get, the additional width isn't huge- I don't think they are as wide as coiler axles.


Here is a basic overview:


Regular Land Cruiser axle housings are similar to a Ford (http://tlc.off-road.com/tlc/FAQs/Toyota-Land-Cruiser-AXLE-INFORMATION/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/264204#) 9" and differential carriers are similar in construction to a Chevy 12bolt. The front and rear differential housings are both offset to the right in all models except some '58-62's which were centred. They have an 9.25" ring gear. The axle shafts are 33mm in diameter (the same as a some Dana 60's) 1960-67 shafts had 10 coarse splines while 68 and later shafts have 30 fine splines. In 1968, the front axle CV joints changed from ball joints to Birfield. Full Floating Axles have smaller shafts because the entire weight of the truck is bourne by the wheel bearings and the shaft itself is not loaded in flexure.

Light Duty axle housings are the same as those used in Toyota (http://tlc.off-road.com/tlc/FAQs/Toyota-Land-Cruiser-AXLE-INFORMATION/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/264204#) Pickup trucks.[ed- I don't think we got any light dutu LCs here-mn] They feature a smaller housing constructed similarly to the heavy duty Land Cruiser. The ring gear is only 8" but the axle shafts are the same size and have the same number of splines as the regular Land Cruiser.
60/2 Series axles are 70mm wider than 40 series.
70 Series axles are 20mm wider than 40 series.
http://tlc.off-road.com/tlc/FAQs/Toyota-Land-Cruiser-AXLE-INFORMATION/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/264204


more info here:
http://www.ih8mud.com/cruisertech.php

[yorker]

http://ithaca.craigslist.org/pts/527585704.html


Reply to: sale-527585704@craigslist.org (sale-527585704@craigslist.org?subject=Toyota%20Landcrui ser%20Axles)
Date: 2008-01-03, 7:53PM EST


Axles from a 1984 Toyota Landcruiser. Front and rear hub to hub includes tires and rims 4.11 gears
Call evenings for more details 607-209-4044
Best offer



Location: Trumansburg a bit of a haul for you, but the $ might make up for your gas and time.

[adkrover]

How would the 4.11 gearing of the Toy axles compare to the current gearing in my truck?

[leafsprung]

you probably have 4.7s

[Mercedesrover]

You'd better have a pretty good plant to pull 4:10s in a 109.

[yorker]

Just to give you some idea. The Series High range is 1.15:1 not 1:1 like most US transfer cases so when you figure out the effective R&P ratios with a number of different combinations here is what you get:


Standard high range1.15*R&P 4.7= 5.4
"" " " 1.15*R&P 4.10= 4.7


High Ratio T Case .87*R&P 4.7=4.09
" " " " .87*R&P 4.1= 3.57

So while you'll have higher gearing it won't be as bad as running around with a Ashcroft high ratio transfer case and 4.7 Diffs.

A strong 2.25 should be able to deal with it just fine, otherwise you can get plenty of other gear combinations for the Toyota axles- no shortage there.

[CliftonRover]

I am putting 96 disco axles under my 109, I got the axles for free, so I figured the conversion to disc brakes was worth it. I wil run the 3.54's for a while, they work fine with my 200 tdi and hi ratio transfer case.

[yorker]

I am putting 96 disco axles under my 109, I got the axles for free, so I figured the conversion to disc brakes was worth it. I wil run the 3.54's for a while, they work fine with my 200 tdi and hi ratio transfer case.

what are you doing for the steering setup?

[daveb]

clifton.

good luck with that. your overall ratio with the ashcroft box and the 4.7 diffs should be about right. The 3.5 diffs will probably make it too high.




I am putting 96 disco axles under my 109, I got the axles for free, so I figured the conversion to disc brakes was worth it. I wil run the 3.54's for a while, they work fine with my 200 tdi and hi ratio transfer case.