Overland Park Member might need assistance

CaptainKirk · 10-18-09, 08:37 AM

Helo all. I am new to the group, but WOW!, what an incredible resource! I am the original owner of a 1994 Landcruiser and I am about to embark on a front axle rebuild. I have serviced the heck out of my truck via a Toyota Master mechanic who has bailed on me, so since he does not want to do the inner seal R&R, I am doing it myself. I've just learned of TAC yesterday and I am excited to learn more and to ultimately join and participate if I am allowed.

The point of this post is that it was suggested to me by others on the IH8MUD thread that someone local to me might be willing to provide moral support and if I get into a true pickle doing this job, that someone might act as a resource for trouble shooting with me. So, I am posting here to see if there are any takers?

What I have is apparently a left front inner seal leaking diff fluid through the knuckle. I've reached out to jreiss@jreiss.com to see about ordering the rebuild video and I have contacted CruiserDan and will be talking to him on Monday to order parts. I beleive I can handle this even though I haven't been in a diff for 35 years, but any local support would be aawesome.

Further, since I have found this incredible resource, I am more excited about keeping my LC forever. I was flurting with the idea of selling it due to concerns about finding affordable repair options. Now that I see what you guys are all about, I know I can access knowledge and keep the unit running as it was designed to.

I am 49 yeard old, I am a partner in Guardian Medical Logistics, www.guardianml.com , I am married with two wonderful kids, boy and girl, and I am an avid OHV enthusiasts with my KTM and Honda, and I have embedded myself in the fight currently underway with the Gov. on our right to use our public lands (and I won;t get started on my soapbox on this topic here) by writing letters to our representatives. I hope my family is a good fit with TAC.

My personal email is kwaldon@guardianml.com also.

Best regards,

Kirk

kc_chevota · 10-18-09, 06:59 PM

Welcome to the group, I haven't done a 94 axle not sure how different it is from a older one. Although Im in the middle of a family issue, But will try to help if I can.

Rob

66fj40x2 · 10-18-09, 07:45 PM

Kirk, You found a great group of people in TAC. I hated moving so far away from this group when we relocated to Texas this summer. I miss wheelin' and jut hangin' out with the TAC crew! You've got a wealth of knowledge up there in the KC area. While I've not seen Jim's video he's great guy too (guess most of the Cruiser folks I know are....), and Dan's very good to deal with also. TAC members also get a discount, 10% if I recall correctly, from Molle Toyota too, ie. no shipping and no delays if it's in stock. Don't worry about fittin' in..... they let me join and even made me VP for a while

.
Best of luck with the overhaul!

IBCRUSN · 10-18-09, 08:18 PM

Welcome to the area. There are a number of folks in the KCK and KCMO area that are more than willing to assist. Hell, if it wasn't three hours and two tanks of gas I'd drive up to lend a hand.

The 80 series axles although larger are no different than any other solid axle Toyota truck. The only item that you must be aware of is whether or not you have OEM lockers. Make certain you lock the front locker before pulling the birf/axle assembly or you'll end up with more work than planed for. Other than that it is pretty straight forward. If you don't have the Toyota service manual I may have the front axle section in pdf format that I can email.

Let us know we're happy to help.

osagecruiser · 10-18-09, 09:45 PM

welcome captin!...i am also a little south of you bout an hour or so...but i do have a shop and tools you are welcome to use should you need a place out of the weather to work on it...also our president is in emporia a mere 30 minutes south of me and he is pretty darn knowledgable in these toyotas

osagecruiser

shotgun · 10-19-09, 03:14 PM

sounds like we need to have a fall wrenching weekend. I also happen to need to rebuild a front axle

trainrech · 10-19-09, 03:47 PM

I'll see what I can do to get one arranged. It has been awhile, hasn't it.

osagecruiser · 10-19-09, 08:18 PM

axel party sounds good to me....i would love to have some knowledgable folks aroud so i can pick some brains on this lexus creature...no problems with it just still trying to get aquainted with it...
my shop would be available for a possible location

marc

IBCRUSN · 10-19-09, 09:37 PM

I've been into mine four or more times so I'd be happy to help.

Zane · 10-20-09, 11:48 AM

I have rebuilt 3 different 80 series front axles. Happy to help anyway I can. I have to hub socket if you need one.

Zane

climbhi · 10-23-09, 02:23 PM

I'd be up for a wrenching weekend as well.

Scott

CaptainKirk · 11-04-09, 10:11 AM

Gents:

I apologize for my tardiness in responsing to all you since you were kind enough to respond to me. For some reason, I had a mental block that I found this forum under the TCLA Forum and not under "Clubs". Okay, so anyway, I have as of 1:35 AM this morning completed the two week saga (working an hour or so at a time) of rebuilding the front axle on my '94 (w/o lockers) and I drove it to work today and so far, it hasn't locked up, fallen on the ground or otherwise made any funny noises or complaints.........so far. I could have used the offer of the shop had I figured out where I posted before now (thank you OsageCruiser!!!) and I could have used the offer on the socket (thank you Zane!!!), but I just bought a 3/4 drive 2 1/8" socket and it sufficed, but was barely deep enough to clear the splined end of the axle for the preload nut. Other than not having the fish scale for the bearing preload or the video (not received it yet!) to see how others have done the job, I believe I have a perfect job, but we'll see. Time will tell.

I would lilke to join TAC and I have not to my knowledge found any response to an inquiry I made of them somewhere (can't find that post yet - just found this post darn it), so if you guys can get me connected so I can join, that would be great. I went to their site and emailed a contact asking if I can join.

Further, if you guys could help me get some peace on my bearing preload, that would be great. This is what I ended up doing - I torqued the preload nut to 45 ft/lbs, rotated the disc many times, de-torqued and re-torqued to the same setting several times. Finally, I released the nut pressure and just ever so slightly tightened it to probably no more than 5 ft/lbs and called it good. The hub was not loose and it rotated like I would expect a freshly packed set of bearings and axle rotating assembly should. However, this is definitely not an engineering approach, so I don't have comfort.

I am going to Walmart today to buy a digital scale but I have to admit that I have doubts about the FSM procedure. Here is an example why - if you think about doing the driver side first, then using the scale to set preload, you aren't rotating the passenger side rotating assembly (opposite direction) because that axle is still out of the housing. Then when I go to the passenger side, the rotation of the hub drives counter-rotation on the opposite side thereby having much more mass to move, so while the meanurement can be adjusted to spec, the actual preload would be different since it now includes alot more moving parts. See what I mean?

Yes, I could do both after installation, and that is what I am going to do, but the FSM says nothing about this. Am I over thinkiing this like everything else in my perfectionist way? Thoughts? Further suggestions short of me having one of you check my work?

Thanks for everything guys.

FlatlandTRD · 11-04-09, 11:32 AM

Welcome back! Don't worry about your latency, due to an unfortunate turn of events everyone has been kind of preoccupied. But you're not forgotten, you might just need to give the email of becoming a member a little more time to reply, or check with our Pres, Chris aka "trainrech"

Our annual meeting should be coming up, either late Jan or in Feb, at which point you'll get to meet some more members, and get your physical and shots required for membership

Sorry, wrong forum.

In the meantime, let us know if you need more help, want to get together for a seasonal brew, and watch for a wrenching weekend to surface maybe around Dec 5th (Chris?). Good job on the solo knuckle rebuild!

Acadia · 11-05-09, 05:39 PM

Did someone mention getting together for a seasonal brew?? count me in :-)

DuManchu · 11-06-09, 04:06 PM

When I had my front end apart 3-4 times I followed this for the two nuts:

Tighten inner to 5 ft. lbs., tighten outer to FSM specs.

It never failed me, was always within spec per the fish scale.

Your results may vary, of course.