Hilux Surf Front Solid Axle Questions

suzolla · Post by **suzolla** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 10:34 am

Hi,
Need some help with a couple of questions to help with the preparation of doing an SAS on my Surf. Plus will be doing other mods, engine transplant, longer rear springs, rear disc's etc, will start a thread once I actually start doing something.
1. Are all solid axles from the 80's and 90's Surfs and Hilux's the same width. If not what are the differences.
2. I think I have seen somewhere a mod to increase the width by fitting IFS hubs, is this a feasible mod and what is involved. Will be fitting my Surf discs and calipers to the solid axle.
Thanks for any help.
Tim

SupraSurf · Post by **SupraSurf** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 11:47 am

Surfs only has solid axles until early 86 but the NZ new single and double cabs went thru with solid axles until mid 1990's.

The only difference you'll have is the later axles have the vented rotors, although some real early axles had no truss on the housing.

For rear disk conversion - if you get an early solid rotor axle then you can use the front rotors with the Gallant rear calipers, or if you got vented then go Subaru.

The IFS front conversion is simple and will only cost you for some new bolts and the spacers.

Its all good

suzolla · Post by **suzolla** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 1:14 pm

Thanks for the quick reply SupraSurf.
With regard to the IFS conversion are you just referring just to the brake conversion or the hub conversion. If the brakes, I presume the spacers are to put the caliper in the right place.
Thanks
Tim

SupraLux · Post by **SupraLux** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 1:26 pm

RN46 and previous (up to 1984) had half-gusseted front axles (the gusset only goes from the pumpkin to the u-bolt on the long side

LN60 Surfs (1984-85) had solid axles the same as LN65 utes

LN65 onwards utes through till 1996 had fully gussetted housings (right out to the ball

LN106 onwards had vented rotors and larger calipers. (All had 4-pot calipers, just bigger pots on the 106-onwards ones).

You can bolt on the vented rotors onto the older axles, and bolt on the later calipers (found on LN61 IFS and 130-series IFS surfs as well)

The IFS hub adaption for more width requires some ifs hubs (obviously

), longer bolts, a new dust seal thats been trimmed down, and the spacer... pretty much a bolt-together mod for 3" more overall width.

WARNING: DON'T fit your surf rotors to the solid axle, they are a different offset and a smaller diameter. Buy new solid rotors for a 106 (also found on late 40-series cruisers and 60-series cruisers) and use the surf IFS calipers...

Hope that helps... take lots of pics

Steve

suzolla · Post by **suzolla** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 2:23 pm

Hey Steve,
Thanks very much for that, yes will start taking some pictures shortly.
Tim

hosehustler · Post by **hosehustler** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 3:32 pm

SupraLux wrote:[i]WARNING: DON'T fit your surf rotors to the solid axle, they are a different offset and a smaller diameter.

Steve

Where does this warning come from that it isn't safe to run the everso slightly smaller rotors off the IFS or is your own personal warning :?:

SupraLux · Post by **SupraLux** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 4:17 pm

Its my warning based on having researched the certification issue, and having had that setup in my truck some time back.

If the pads do not fully contact the surface of the rotors (and using the IFS rotors they can not possibly do so, you loose 5mm or so of pad contact off the outer edge) then they will not pass cert.

Why use the IFS ones when you can use the solid axle ones and have full contact?

Steve

SupraSurf · Post by **SupraSurf** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 4:23 pm

But the solid axle rotors need a huge spacer with bolts both ways

SupraLux · Post by **SupraLux** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 4:26 pm

Yep, but its certable... I guess it depends if you want a street legal truck or not.

Me, I need the WOF... so I'll do the big spacer and keep things all nice and legal...

De-Ranged · Post by **De-Ranged** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 5:37 pm

Another option for the IFS hub swop is to redrill your disks so they bolt up to the IFS hub disk mounts then get 1.5mm machined off the new contact side of the brake caliper posts this will then bolt the caliper up on the outside of the swivel housing brake posts and line up nice en neat
:wink:

and legal!!

IF your willing to wait a day or two I'll post a how to, I'm just about ready to put my front axle back together so I'll take some pics as I go

Cheers Reece

suzolla · Post by **suzolla** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 10:32 pm

Thanks for all the comments and ideas.
And yes Reece, that would be great if you could post some pictures.
Thanks Tim