Dry Knuckles?

[SpillmanCruiser]

I have about 115K miles on the 97. No records of axle maintenance so I know what most of your answers will be. Do these knuckles look like they need some love or can I put off a full front axle job with some less time consuming maintenance?




If not, anyone near want to help sometime next month?

[Ebag333]

Pull the fill plug, then stick something in there (IE: long screw driver, etc) to see how full they are.

They don't look bad to me.

If it's been a while though, you'll want to do it anyway as preventive maintenance.

[Beowulf]

The good news is that it looks like the inner axle tube seal on both sides is OK. Check to be sure your diffs are full, then check the grease level in the knuckles as eBag33 described. If you need grease in the knuckle then add a tube of moly in each side via the square plug on top of the knuckle housing.

The front axles should be serviced every 60k miles, including a wheel bearing repack and replacement of the knuckle bearings.

-B-

[Melovesha]

I just did my axle this weekend, and I learned an important lesson:

was not happy.

[SpillmanCruiser]

Originally Posted by Melovesha

was not happy.

LOL

My # 1 hesitation about the axle job is me being a 1

My # 2 hesitation is that when the is not happy, no one is happy.

Besides the contagious unhappiness, how did it go?

[Brentbba]

BTW - if you ask a stealership about the knuckles maintenance every 60K as BeowUlf (notice the emphasis on the U in Beowulf!) suggests, you'll get a dumb stupid stare. Yota considers this job a repair/replace job only and NOT a maintenance item. That being said, many on this board, if you've done your searching on this topic, will do this every 60K as preventative maintenance.

[SpillmanCruiser]

Originally Posted by Brentbba

you'll get a dumb stupid stare.

My indy mechanic gave me that same stare adding "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."

Fully aware of the 60K maintenance interval and thanks for the help guys, especially BeowUlf with a "U". (I see that he gets testy about spelling especially when its written just over that fox on the upper left corner.)

[Cruiserdrew]

Originally Posted by CJF

Maybe, but I'll bet plenty of us don't.

Curtis' lazyman's plan :

1) Top off knuckles with grease.

2) Change out the diff fluid, noting the condition of the old stuff compared to the new stuff.

3) Listen for birf's clicking or whining from the front diff (and of course diff fluid leaking from the hubs, as you've done).

If everything checks out, roll on...

Curtis

The job is worth doing and you do occasionally find some surprises. On my "new" FJ62 I did a knuckle job even though there was no evidence of seal leakage. What I found was a trashed inner front wheelbearing on one side. Pretty cool, as it would have let me down somewhere less convienient than my driveway.

Despite the hype on this site, this is a pretty easy job for a major service, and should not be omitted.

Outside the USA, I think the wheel bearing service interval is 30,000 miles and the Knuckle bearings have a 100,000Km(60,000 mi) interval. Virtually every Land Cruiser bought used in the USA has never had this service, so I see it as part of the baselining proceedure.

[Beowulf]

Originally Posted by Cruiserdrew

Despite the hype on this site, this is a pretty easy job for a major service, and should not be omitted.

Agreed.

The 80-Series was the first full-time 4wd Land Cruiser in the US market. All the guys that came from mini trucks, SFA 4Runners, 40s, and 60s think the "every 60k" is BS. They are driving part-time drive trains and they don't need the same service interval as our 80-Series. The 100-Series guys are IFS so they don't need the same service interval either.

We have seen the results of non-maintenance dozens, maybe hundreds of times over the years. The knuckles go without lubrication, the birfs start clicking from excessive wear, and guys start handing out big $$$ to their Toyota parts guys. All of this can be prevented with $200 in gaskets, seals, and bearings, a bunch of fresh grease, a bucket of shop towels, and a weekend with your truck. The added benefit is that your wheel bearings get checked and repacked and you now have the experience to do a major repair on a relatively common trail failure (40s and 60s bust birfs all the time. )

My 2c.

-B-

[beno]

Originally Posted by Cruiserdrew

Despite the hype on this site, this is a pretty easy job for a major service, and should not be omitted.

x2.14

Originally Posted by Cruiserdrew

Outside the USA, I think the wheel bearing service interval is 30,000 miles and the Knuckle bearings have a 100,000Km(60,000 mi) interval. Virtually every Land Cruiser bought used in the USA has never had this service, so I see it as part of the baselining proceedure.

Yes, the intervals between service are much more compacted due to the general usage of these vehicles abroad--especially in places like Oz/South America/Africa/Asia.

Also, when most people find out how much a front axle job is going to cost them from a dealership, most people just go ahead and trade the truck in--the prices are slightly mind-boggling when you think that basically about $250 in parts and some of your time and energy is all that it takes.

-o-

[beno]

Originally Posted by Beowulf

My 2c.

-B-

And it helps to have good help.

[Beowulf]

Originally Posted by beno

And it helps to have good help.

Sure makes the day go by quicker. Good times Onur, good times.

-B-

[Melovesha]

Originally Posted by SpillmanCruiser

LOL

My # 1 hesitation about the axle job is me being a 1

My # 2 hesitation is that when the is not happy, no one is happy.

Besides the contagious unhappiness, how did it go?

I too am likely a ...

Overall, if you can follow directions and have read enough here to understand the parts, you should be fine. I do not have air tools, and am not a professional mechanic.

After collecting all the parts and tools i thought I'd need on saturday (the hardest was finding a 54MM hub socket) i actually got down to lifting the truck and starting my job around 12ish... wheels off around 1p.

a buddy came by around 4, and worked thru ~8-ish. got thru complete teardown on driver side, and hub flange removed on pass side. Sunday, I started again after noon and got stuff cleaned and ready for re-install by 5. I did not take apart the birfs, as to me, they looked ok, and I could not figure out how to pop them out without breaking them . sprayed everything down with brake cleaner and moved on.

My drivers' side was brown and gross, but not goopy. My pass side was a friggin mess- once the hub flange was out, everything oozed out. My diff oil was brown and thick, like chocolate syrup.

worked thru sun night at 9p-ish, but got the axles in, hub flange on, and seals done.

monday (took the day off) worked from 9 til 1p, finished up brakes on, quick ride around town and cleaned up the friggin mess I made in the garage. I think I stripped 2 hub flange bolts (one on each side) by over-tightening, but I guess I'll find that out next time someone has to remove them.


--- OH and what also pissed off the wife was the fact that on saturday, a squirrel decided to walk into the garage and make himself comfortable behind everything in the back corner. he didn't leave until monday around 10a.

All in ~18 hours of working. wife will get over it.

I saved at least 9 hours of work for my mechanic (some money for myself) and I have the satisfaction of becoming personal with my "new to me" vehicle.


lessons learned:

i can do somewhat major work to my car on my own

wife has on any further major work to the truck on my own

haynes book does help for added photos and stuff.

have a buddy to read directions as well, and teardown.

[CJF]

Dangit!

I just knew one of you would quote it before I killed it!

[Brentbba]

Originally Posted by beno

And it helps to have good help.

You've got that right. 1/2 mechanic in me even did this with help and hand holding from Boydmick and Bubba. Forever grateful for that mechanic's lesson.