FJ 40 disc brake conversions

I direct this to Watrob---and any one with knowledge of drum to disc brake conversion in Queensland. I am talking about a complete rebuilt FJ40 ute / fixed camper that is constantly fully loaded, for long road travel, and medium bush use.
This has been finished six years ago and never been out of the shed. (Read that as working 12/7 weeks).

1) I have done the research on using 60 front hubs, OR manufacturing my own caliper brackets. Rear caliper mounts would be same as watrob has done. Hopper stoppers make similar, that is easy for me to make.

2) Seeking answers to certification, registration acceptance, and any/all difficulties encountered before I begin. This ute is not currently registered. Should I register it as a standard braking system, then make changes later.

3) Information on re-sleeving / undersizing rear calipers from standard front calipers to allow proportioning.

4) Does any one have knowledge of a certification engineer in Hervey Bay / Wide Bay area.

5) I have read the Queensland Transport, vehicle standards instruction, re. Land cruiser conversions, but that only deals with rear conversion on 80&100 series, where rear drum failure was prevalent in mining situations. The department has given authority to Hopper stoppers in this regard only.

6) I am sure I am not the first to need this information. So some one out there has been there and done it.

7) The change over is not so difficult. It is more of a question of remaining legal and insurable in this modern age.

I am not looking at spending a lot of money on this. All assistance welcomed. Chick

Hi, the rear disc brake bracket kit I use is from Eureka Off Road in Victoria, not cheap but it is engineered & tested and has been fitted to I would say hundreds of 40 in Australia. I also use solid rear rotors from the Hilux 1983 - 1986 which use the same Toyota Calipers (4 pot) as the front's on a 40 does, except the gap in the caliper is smaller to accept the solid rotor which is narrower. Use a proportioning valve if needed, I have not had to use one but I am using the late 40 series model brake booster. Also you have the handbrake on the back of the gearbox

60 series front hubs will work, certification for the front is probably not required unless you are going to use a 60 series power steering box and not use the 40 series one. If you are that will need to be signed off on, word of advice no welding of steering arms & linkages or steering rods, if you do you will need to reharden the steel and get it certified, Transport Dept don't like welding in the steering components.

If it were me I would just do the front disc's and get the 40 registered as standard, then get the rear disc's done and engineered. Also have you done a engine change?

Thank you Watrob for your quick reply. This ute comprises of a mix of two vehicles. 1) 1978 FJ45 (petrol) ute from a property at Quilpie that was fairly bush bashed, but was in the shed at time of property sale, and had been one owner, but it was loaded with genuine Toyota, new parts, probably done in the wet season for the following year. The fact that it was in the shed indicated to me it was of some value. When I cleaned the shed out for the new purchaser, there was literally boxes of new parts.( All Sorts). 2) 1984 FJ45 Troopy (petrol), That I found garaged on property in Hervey Bay, (deceased), in immaculate order. with factory power steer, air cond, cruise control(not working), sunvisor etc., new tyres and windscreen etc Even the digital clock was working It was registered and I drove it home. Shedded the lot for 3 years. Too much work.
I broke every thing down and racked. Rebuilt over a two year period, right from the bare chassis upwards, with the best of every thing. The troopy motor was almost perfect with 180,000k. Gave it to a renowned engine machinist, to do the necessary. Strip, bath,hone,slight shave head(unleaded) and new exhaust valves. There was very little to do to it. Reface flywheel, replace all the new clutch/pressure plate, that came with the ute.
The whole thing is very standard. Painted in 2 pack, to Toyota drab green. Perhaps you've seen and heard all this before from many others. Bear with me.
I never had any intention of similar to your project. This was always intended to be used as a outback tourer, but with respect.
The panels that came of the troopy were perfect except for stone impacts on the front gaurds, which I filed off. The window winder mechanismes and catches were as new, unblemished cadnium finish. It was one owner. He was a road engineer at Katherine NT, stored under cover and never went off the tar.
I have been restoring, resto, and street machine building most of my life to put my kids through school and university with it, and I know that finds like these seldom arise, despite some of the campfire claims we hear.
To be frank, since finishing, it has sat in the shed, covered, for six years, and never gone out the gate. The result is a leaking front oil seal and a rear brake cylinder leaking. Lack of use.
I was always aware that these had poor brakes, but at the time I rebuilt them all. Today when every one in front of you stops, you have to be able to stop too!!!!!!!!!!!!
I admire what you have done with your car, and envisage the lots of research, trial and error, sleepless nights and a wife waiting for you to come home. I did that for years.
Lot'sa fun, but many years later I look back and wonder why I did all that. Would like to keep in touch with you and compare notes as I get it going and get on with the discs in the next few months. I only recently found this club by accident. Mainly because you don't get any work done while your playing with a computer. Regards , Chick

If you want to do a quick disc brake using 60 series, use the 40 series top knuckle steering arms on the 60 series knuckles that way your 40 series steering rod armswill bolt straight on?

Hi Chick have a look on http://nfcruiserheads.org/forum good look with it Tony

watrob said:

If you want to do a quick disc brake using 60 series, use the 40 series top knuckle steering arms on the 60 series knuckles that way your 40 series steering rod armswill bolt straight on?

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To Watrob; I have resolved that at present, the brake booster I fitted at rebuild stage is not working. As you are aware, I have never had it on the road, and it was untried, so I have abandoned testing it and will fit another. You made reference to you using a late 40 brake booster. I presume that would be from a disc-ed model??? Is there a significant difference to the drummed model???? As I cant find similar to yours, 1) Will a drummed unit work with 60 discs? 2) Will a 60 series booster fit and do the job??? I haven't had the opportunity yet to see and compare physical sizes. At the moment I am chasing up 60 hub ends and bits. I have found a couple of rusted/bush bashed 45's, which I'll pick up as soon as my truck is free. (winch them on) I'll strip them, soak the panels in oil and diesel and store them away for any future use.
I intended posting a heap of photo's taken progressively through the full rebuild, but while searching for them,I found the computer I had stored on had collapsed. I thought, no problem, I've got a backup in the cupboard. But it had also lost everything. So there goes 16,000 irreplaceable photos of the last 20 years, including 12 years of travel in remote areas of the Kimberlies and northern Ahnem land, that are now no longer access able with locked gates and aboriginal lands.
So much for modern technology.
One of your photos in early chassis stage is in a factory. Are you in industry, a tradie, or a collar worker? Regards Chick

Thank you Tony for that web on 40's. Would welcome any other info from any one in the know. I did'nt know about these forums. Have been at it in the workshop for too long, and just surfacing. Chick

Hi Chick let's have pics of the 40 I love them from Tony.

chick said:

I intended posting a heap of photo's taken progressively through the full rebuild, but while searching for them,I found the computer I had stored on had collapsed. I thought, no problem, I've got a backup in the cupboard. But it had also lost everything. So there goes 16,000 irreplaceable photos of the last 20 years, including 12 years of travel in remote areas of the Kimberlies and northern Ahnem land, that are now no longer access able with locked gates and aboriginal lands.
So much for modern technology.
One of your photos in early chassis stage is in a factory. Are you in industry, a tradie, or a collar worker? Regards Chick

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There are data recovery companies that can recover most failed HDD's. Will cost mind, but for that number of pictures and memories it's probably worth investigating

Hi, I had professional welder with a ticket welder the 80 series suspension components on so I would not have an Blue Plate registration problem with the Motor Transport Dept. I am not a certified welder and would have had trouble getting the engineering past on the suspension.

As for all the other work I did myself.

In regards to the brake booster you will need the later model version if your running disc brakes, also the trick is, get the complete peddle box from the later model as the booster will bolt straight up.



If you use a 60 series one you have to turn the booster part upside down to fit.

I will PM you chaps mobile number who has about 20 FJ40's he is wrecking and is in Ascot Brisbane every second week, give him a call, he will have a late model booster.

Also my 2 full build thread is here:- http://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/reb...-40-series-axles-with-80-series-coils.173333/

Also be carefully about getting a company to get the data off your broken HDD, its expensive and there is no guarantee they can fix it. I have done it by getting an identical harddrive and swapping the platters out of the damaged one and putting them in the other drive because the drive motor had failed. Always run a minimum of 2 dives in a computer and Mirror them, that way when one fails you can swap it out and re-mirror, HDD are very cheap now. I run a 12 terabyte Raid 5 cluster and loose about one drive a year, which is in a hot swap system, I just pull the hdrive out and slide the new one in and it rebuilds automatically, its the only way to keep all your records, emails and photos secure.

The other way is the "Cloud" for backup, upload everything to there and you can download it when required, its fine for small amounts for a domestic user as there is little cost.

Back onto 40's, 40's can become an expensive hobby as you know, at my age I enjoy it and can afford to rebuild at a fairly high spec, you had the right approach in getting hold of a couple old 40's for sourcing parts and is probably the most cost effective way to build up your 40, the expensive part comes when you then want to bring those parts back up to looking like brand new? that's where you have to make your decision in regards to cost & the time involved. You have spent a few years already on your build now, whereas I sort of do it a little different.

If you check that thread out of mine you will see I did the first rebuild in Aug 2007 and finished in Jan 2008, around 5 months. The second rebuild although I did the blank chassis back in 2008 I did not start the rebuild until Mar 2014 and completed in mid Oct 2014, some 8 months. The 5 years I use to just source parts and map out the build, no rush, maybe one day a month. The engine is the longest with over 200 hours but I can do a couple hours after work 3 or 4 nights a week down in the garage, then one day a week to build up to a rolling chassis and then from there one day a fortnight on the tub fitment wiring etc, so this build is achieved during the winter months.

In between this I always source two of everything, now the build in finished I have 5 years before I have to do another build, for which I have all the main parts as well as the small items. Below is the next chassis & 12ht engines,







And items such all fibreglass body parts, diff e-locker centre's, wheels & tyres, seats, steering, long range fuel tank, exhaust etc etc, are all already racked and in storage.

So in around 5 years time I will get the urge to do another build but I won't have to go looking for parts, its all just waiting there for me, so you can see my idea for rebuilds is a little different, having done several its more of a repetition using the same formula. Converting 40 series steering columns to use with 60 or 75 series power steering boxes is just a bolt on affair as I know what parts to use from other Landcruisers.

At the end of the day you have to decide what type build you are doing, is it Resto with a highend finish, a simply rebuild to get back on the road, upgrade to more modern suspension & motor, or all of the above. Either way you need to map it out, cost it and allocate the time a resources to finish it, otherwise you will spend thousands of dollars only to never finish the project and for someone to walk in and pay you a few thousand dollars for all your hard work because you lost interest or you feel you have wasted to much money.

Thank you Rob, I have downloaded your thread history and read about 7 of the lead pages so far. It gives me much more insight for further expansion on my project, more so on your experiences with Queensland requirements. I imagine we are about the same age, but in different financial ability, due to past circumstances. You are right in your definition of selling up your dream car, in unfinished state, so close to the finish ( 1946 Ford Mercury).
My 45 build was over a two year period, but in a different method to yours. My two vehicles just surfaced by chance and it went from there. It was always intended to be for extended touring all over Australia, with a home made aluminium, but very efficient fixed to chassis, camper, very much along the lines of modern camper trailers, with a low fibre glass roof line, with a winch to top load a 4 metre tinny and towed on my bobcat trailer behind my 8 metre motor home mounted on a current model Hino. Lots of work went into this, and expense of multiple alternative 240v power source. eg Fuel cell, Solar etc. A good long term travel with comfort. I did this for twelve years, living full time in a 40 foot, 3 axle coach, only it was with late modern Land cruisers in tow.
As a matter of interest, in your threads, you mention Frazer Island. You drive right past my place on the outskirts of Maryborough to get there.
Back to the 40, I go tomorrow to get S/H 60 Axle ends, with all attached, in whatever condition, and probably the 60 booster to try. Repco are having a sale on all this older stuff, and I bought solid rotors, full gasket and bearing sets, and pads. Good buys. Regarding the pedal box, I will pursue that if the 60 booster is not a goer.
It takes so much longer to do a full rebuild yourself, when you rebuild, remake and manufacture, but it gives as much satisfaction as you have experienced with yours.
Until I viewed your thread I had been recently thinking of a steel 40 rebuild on a later model chassis, but still in standard configuration. I will be going back to the Kimberlies and Ahnem in April, as soon as the wet is finished, for at least two years, while I still have the last bit of my youth. Enroute I will be casting an eye around some of the remote cattle stations for all-any parts I will be needing for this project with more attention to detail, and modernistics.
On return I would like to have discussions with you on the best attributes of this. Despite my custom and retro panel beating life, I have not lent myself to modifications. I am just a beginner at this. You have by your own admitions, become quite learned to it. I have a substantially equipt workshop, in which I have built all of the above , and much more.
What model is the chassis of your next build? Is that what you would advise me to look out for given, what I have just explained? or even later?
I had enquired about a multi stack hard drive for storage. Your assertion has confirmed my thoughts. I don't know enough about adapting/changing the drive in the disabled unit. Will enquire locally. Thank you, Chick

Long term coil suspension is cheaper to maintain, and a smoother ride. Coils don't rust like leafs do and can be swapped out in minutes and not hours like leafs take and coils are one tenth the cost of leafs. The chassis I showed you is a RJ70 1986 to 1991 (Bundera) which has coils all round, wheel base is 92" whereas the 40 is 89" so the 40 series tub will bolt straight on. You can also use 80 series springs on this chassis.

The RJ70 chassis above costs around $900 to buy, the 40 chassis I did with the 80 series suspension parts and 60 series power steering box costs around $5,500 which includes the original 40 series chassis, then like any chassis there's galvanising, wheels bearings, disc rotors & brakes rebuilds, new alloy shocks, bushes, drive shafts, diff rebuilds, knuckle rebuilds, brake lines, etch prime & paint, 3" 316 SS exhaust and alloy wheels & tyres, etc, to get to a rolling finished chassis, costs around another $8,500. So you can see the RJ70 will work out half the price of my last chassis.

I tend to galvanise just about every part I can on my builds, and the engines gets fully rebuilt, a 12HT as is a 2H are nearly 30 years old and a lot are still running, considering that for the last 20 years they have not been looked after very well. So a rebuilt one should last me at least 20 years. I use fibreglass bodies because the steel in the 40 series is not very good and fibreglass will last me a life time. I use SS bolts everywhere and 316 SS for exhaust systems, and alloy housing shocks.

I like to do the builds, although I only start a build every 5-6 years, I do complete them within a 6-8 month period once I start. I will build a sister 40 to the current one I just finished and that will most likely be my last, it will then be just maintenance on the vehicles. I am contemplating getting 316 SS rotors made at a cost of $800 each, as the steel disc rotors do not hold up very well on the beach, also 316 SS each time it gets high heat temps the harder the SS gets?

The builds if you go for the high end new look finish I do run out at about $10k for rolling chassis, $10k rebuilt motor and gearbox, $10k full fibreglass body, and $10k to finish which is full roll cage, wiring, gauges, new seats, paint body, canvas top, SS bolts, seat belts, etc, that's around $40k (and that's conservative) and does not include your own labour.

So I see quite a few 40 series rebuilds starting off that say there going coil springs, diesel, 5 speed, only to find some 2 years down the track the build has come to a stand still, only to be sold off for a few thousand dollars because of the realisation its an expensive exercise to do correctly and it's labour intensive as well.

Good-aye Winrob; I have taken a search of all available web sites and can only find reference to the short wheel base hard tops. You gave the wheelbase measurements, with the Bundera, giving a 3" advantage. So there must have been a single cab edition available???????? If this description does apply to long wheel base/single cab, have you investigated the GVM with the standard coil springs. I suspect the GVM would remain the same whatever heavier springs were fitted. ( ie. carrying a payload of about one tonne ,similar to all land cruiser utes) Is the RJ70 chassis more robust? Did you buy the whole of chassis with, running gear complete, ie. chassis, running gear and motor complete for the mentioned $900? Did you have to look afar, over a period to find it? These questions are important to me, as like you, I will be setting a long term of gathering the materials for storage over a 4-5 year period. Then when I am ready devote time to build it on a constant time frame. This will be rebuilt to very original/standard concourse condition, and will keep the a-for mentioned 45 ute/camper, for daily use. I have begun bringing into storage a mix of very good steel frame body parts already. You can understand that there are only small wreckers in this regional area , so your proven knowledge is of value to me
A very sensible question,? I suspect that Fitting a 45 cabin onto a RJ70 chassis OR any similar, would require certification? Even if it bolted straight on without alterations? could you comment. Rgards CHICK

Hello Rob; In my past life as a panel beater I have restored a huge variety of cars from all over the the world, but as I have said already, I have never had the reason or opportunity to venture into modifications. Your wealth of knowledge in particular Land cruiser is a real asset. I am hoping that you will be patient in answering some of my ideas.
I like you, take my time in ascertaining the full complexity of the project, the costing, and the eventual outcome. Our only differences is that I economize, and use what I have to best advantage, hence I repair,remake, re establish and paint myself.
I would like to begin, by asking you for your opinions, suggestions, and proven accrued knowledge, of Land cruiser mix and match assembling.
1) Have you ever found a web site or book with all the Toyota 4x4 relevant spec's with wheelbase and track widths?
2) Have you ever considered putting a 40 cabin on a late model chassis,running gear, engine and auto, that is, complete with all the modern braking and fuel economy in its standard production form? That would include all the electrics that came with that production. eg,80 series or Prado.
3) Have you ever investigated using manufactured "bolt onto chassis" body mounts?
4) You mentioned that you had found an outlet for swapping/ barter, of your none needed parts. Would that person/company be accessible by me.

I am in the process of obtaining a all steel 45, single cab body in absolutely perfect condition. It is in broken down state, blasted and in primer ready for storing.
In my years at the trade I have seen many dreamers with the best of intentions fall to the wayside. I am not one of those.

Your frank reply of interest would be appreciated. Regards Chick