Excellent thread. Everything is correct here. Also your Land Cruiser disk setup is worlds worlds better than the MAF disk brake conversion. It uses noticeably stronger brifields versus the original coarse spline drum brake knuckles.
Anyway everything here is correct. There is also a distance difference between the old and new knuckle pattern, the older (76-79 I think?) is a smaller overall pattern. Either or but the best setup would be the larger pattern, which with your vented rotors makes your front axle the same as a FJ60, which is a great setup and as good as it gets until you get to FZJ80 stuff which about the best SFA Toyota stuff out there.
Anyway, if you do not use the clips again (they are really not required IMO) use a mild glue like elmers and literally glue the pads to the pistons in the caliber. The glue and the clips do the same thing -- they are supposed to stop brake squeaking, by always having the pad firmly against the brake calipers in a rust-free situation.
My speculation on why the bolt wasn't there was simply because the PO or a shop ruined it with the swap. No big deal. But the front axle rebuild is, IMO, one of the messyiest jobs out there. It is also really quick to do if you know how to do it (I've probably done over a dozen times, can get it done in an hour or maybe a hair longer with air tools) but it took me over a day per side the first time, reading the manual and looking at directions/photos online as I had questions. Again, if there is a local cruiserhead or a mini truck guy (the front axles are nearly identical) perhaps you can have one of them show you. It is less preferred but it works to have one bolt in there for now for a week or less IMO. It is a little dangerous but if its help up this long then it is great. You are getting the real organic experience of cruiser ownership.. Which honestly is priceless and goes a long way IMO, there is something very natural and powerful about it.
