Squeaky Penguin's (Trip Reports) Build Thread

14bolts are sweet, I disagree with @Snowy shaveing a 14bolt is pretty easy and doesn't leak any more than shaveing the drain plug off a toyota axle. You can find them dirt cheap (like 100bucks dirt cheap) and it would seriously be the LAST axle you have to buy. The way the shaft bolts to the hub is far superior than the 80 axle, the diff has a pinion support bearing that eliminates pinion deflection a 3 year old can set the gears up, and parts can be found at ANY junkyard or parts store in the country, you dont get that with a toyota axle. The drum to disc conversion saves like 200lbs or something crazy like that and kits to do the swap are dirt cheap. The one weak spot is the diff tubes can pull out of the center section if you dont weld them in better, but that's a non issue if you are doing an axle swap anyway. The hubs can be swapped form the narrow cab and chassis axles to the single rear width size axle. Meaning you can have a axle that is as narrow as an fj80 axle (cab and chassis model 14bolt) and then down the road add the full width hubs to it to go wide once you want to build a crawler

I have an 80 rear and I love it, but I also wanted to play with a toyota drivetrain. I built 14bolts in the past and they are pretty darn sweet and for $$ per strength you cant beat them.

TLDR: 14 bolt for strength, fj80 axle if you are in the toyota only drivetrain cult.

 

I'll play devil's advocate.

Presuming that IFS will stick around for a little bit:

You have to buy $400 6 lug hubs and a $200 driveshaft adapter for the 14b

Then you're restricted to C&C units to get the correct width and they all came with drums so add another $300-400 for disks that have to have the centers machined.

Now the $125 cheap axle just became $1125



-That being said, I'd opt for a 14 bolt if I was building ton's and 40's from the get go.

 

My 80 axle was 450, I had to buy brake parts another 200, plus a locker another 300, luckly the wheel bearings were still good if not that would be another $100 a side. So without gears I'm at 950, so for another roughly 200 bucks I could have an axle that you could beat on like crazy and parts that are dirt cheap, it's a no brainer.

Disclaimer - I have an all toyota driveline because I wanted to build one, but money wise it doesn't make any sense as its stuffed with expensive hard to find parts. I have to basically carry a scrap yard with me when I go wheeling because I highly doubt I could find land cruiser parts In a local junkyard in the hills of kentucky. 14 bolt parts, easily.

 

14b
-Junkyard axle $200 (car-part.com)
-Master install kit and solid spacer $240
-Gears $250
-Disk conversion $350
-14b to Toyota flange $200
-6 lug hubs $400
-Shave kit $260
-Locker of your choice

$1900 before locker

FZJ80
-Junkyard axe $250 (car-part.com)
-Triple drilled yoke $50
-Master install kit and solid spacer $260
-Gears $220
-Locker of your choice

$780 before locker

 

I don't think tons and 40s and full width are ever the direction I want to head.

Problem is the closest 80 series axle available is over 5 hours away and $650. Haven't seen any for $250.

You guys got me wondering again if I should just pick up a TG housing to use the next couple years, and then explore all my options when it's time to do a SAS. I'd hate to put all that money in an axle now, to want to do something different a few years down the road. Although I guess most of the money would be spent on the 3rd, which could be reused in a custom housing if need be.

If only I could decide what to do.

 

Well I have a stock housing I'd sell you for dirt cheap while you figure out your long term plan

 

Googled steamboat springs...you’re 3 hours away from anything!

I’d trade steamboat for Chicago in a heartbeat but one upside to Chicago apparently is proximity to rusty Toyota’s in the junkyard.

 

Look for axles that are an open diff and in lx470s (the lexus 80). Thats how I found mine, it took a while but I found it. I tossed a spartan locker in it and ran it with the factory gearing for a year or so. If you plan on jumping or truck or anything you WILL have to truss any toyota axle.

I still disagree with snowys math, he left off the STUPID expensive 80 brake parts liek calipers you will inevitably have to replace and you aren't finding one for 250 unless you know somebody. And you can build your own shave kit out of scrap metal. Even if the 14b was more expensive you are getting an infinitely better axle in evrey metric besides toyota fanboiism (snowy).

 

Thanks Jake, I'll keep that in mind. Would certainly make for the easiest swap.

Need to make a decision here soon in order to get ready for spring trips.

Yep, definite downside to living in a small, mountain town. Usually you can count on finding anything you need in Denver, but not this time.

I've only been looking an non-elockers, and have searched for lx450s as well. No dice.

I'm not stuck on Toyota, but I think the big interest is I could run one now with my current setup, and it would also work for 37s and a SAS. Not true with the 14b.

 

Yea it took me a while to find mine. I dont know what junk yards snowy is hanging around at around here, but you are more likely to find a Porsche 911 in a yard before a toyota truck in the Chicagoland area. One tip is to hang out in the parting out/for sale forum on ih8mud.com for cruiser parts. I have no idea what your fab skills are or in your circle of friends but a friend of mine shaved his 14b down to where it had more ground clearance under the diff than a d44 on 37s, so its doable if you have the skills.

If you do get an 80 axle, do not waste your time with an adjustable prop valve or a residual valve evreyone on the internet will say you need. The brakes integrate perfectly with the stock brake system. I used the stock LSPV as my adjustable prop valve, I cut the rod off and zip tied it where I wanted it, works great. The residual valve caused the brakes to drag so dont waste your time with that. You will have to make your own brake lines on the axle itself, but just canabalize what's on your current taco axle and make it work. Those metric brake fittings are damn near impossible to find at an auto parts store for some stupid reason no one has been able to give me a logical response on.

 

They’re out there around the Midwest.

 

Already have a manual proportioning valave.

I wish.

 

Depending on the timing, I may drive to visit my parents in Ohio this year... I could possibly bring two back after stopping at my uncles to cut all the extraneous stuff off and tossing them in my truck...

 

I appreciate the offer, but I need to get moving on this sooner than later.

Don't know how much I want to wheel on my current axle housing.

 

I would offer up my axle bud, but I don't want to make the same mistake I did with Ryan. Offer my fuel tank and can't cough it up because BS gets in the way of me chopping my truck. Sorry I can't help.

 

No worries, Ray. Plus, I would need an elocker housing anyways.

 

Throw a stock axle back under it. I personally wouldn't rush into this money pit without being 100% sure of what you want. It should last you long enough to find cheap parts and such. I think you could possibly truss the factory axle some to buy you more time.

 

I'd say fuck it and notch the axle and reweld it at this point. By the end if the year you'll know what you want and can spend the whole winter doing that.

 

Started tearing apart the front end-

Looks like I need to research front wheel bearing replacement.

High pressure power steering hose looks to be leaking.

Uniballs and lower spherical bearings need to be replaced.

3/4 CV boots are toast.

Found more cracks thanks to @Reh5108

I've certainly considered it. A truss kit isn't too pricey.

I already did that and it's still leaking. I'm sure the axle is all sorts of bent and cracked around the perches.

Would it be fine - probably, but I really don't know how comfortable I feel wheeling on it a bunch knowing it's cracked.

 

Tried all last week and this weekend to get the front hubs and wheel bearings out. No go with a 20t press and a jerry rigged press fixture. Even cannibalized an old hi lift beam and bent the shit out of that. Giving up and taking them to a shop. I did get the CVs rebooted and spherical bearings swapped. LCAs going in next.

Also, not too exciting, but I picked up a stock elocker housing thanks to @Tacofire98 Going to truss it and send it and take some more time deciding on a more stout replacement.