Outer Limits 4x4 Board

Does anyone know the exact meaning to Landcruiser's Semi floating and full floating rear axle.
Is it semi floating being leaf suspension and full floating, coil suspension.
You find these descriptions in some parts catalogues - eg. bearing catalogues etc.

Semi floating means that the wheel bearings and axle carry the vehicle load, the axle also provides driving force. break an axle you cant drive anywhere.
Full floating means the vehicle load is carried by the wheel bearings and hub, the axle provides driving force only and carries no load, break an axle you can remove it and still drive the car home.

OK, That all makes sense but how do you know which vehicle has what. Can you tell by looking.

Maverick24 wrote:OK, That all makes sense but how do you know which vehicle has what. Can you tell by looking.

Yes, the full floating axle looks like this..



and this is the semi floater

The only cruiser that uses semi float axles was the very early 40 series, and late model IFS 100 series.

You then have all hilux models, prado, bundera surf, 4runner etc which also run semi float.

You can pick the fully floating by the hub assembly sticking out the centre of the wheel with 6 or so axle studs holding the axle in.

+dj_hansen+ wrote:The only cruiser that uses semi float axles was the very early 40 series, and late model IFS 100 series.

You then have all hilux models, prado, bundera surf, 4runner etc which also run semi float.

You can pick the fully floating by the hub assembly sticking out the centre of the wheel with 6 or so axle studs holding the axle in.

Unless you have an overseas model, in the US all Cruisers up to but not including the 80 series had semi floating axles.

Technically this is still a semi floating axle because if the bearings get sloppy the axle flange takes load and will snap studs off.