BJ60 steering / suspension / brakes overhaul this weekend (1 Viewer)

[unfortunately]

Hey all,

I finally got around to adding my BJ60 to the registry ( 60 Series Registry ).

Unfortunately, shortly after bringing the cruiser down to Portland from BC, it got side-swiped. It was a hit and run, the night of 4th of July, presumably some drunk idiot. The guys at Willamette blvd service center are helping me out with some body pieces to fix the cosmetic damage, but the steering was messed up pretty badly. That part insurance doesn't want to pay for.

As a result of the messed up steering, and the already sagging leaf springs, I'm doing (or attempting, rather) a big install this weekend: OME heavy/medium lift kit, tie rod, tie rod ends, drag link, knuckle rebuild including wheel bearings, rear wheel bearings too, slotted rotors and new pads in the front.

I'm not particularly mechanically inclined and I'm probably in way over my head, but I've got friends from out of the country coming to visit for a month and I won't have much time to work on it otherwise until summer is almost over. I'd really love to be able to drive the cruiser around this summer instead of having it sit busted on the street until late August.

I've done quite a bit of searching around the board for threads about how to do all this stuff, I have the FSM, and I feel alright about it, but if anyone wants to chime in with any advice (that ONE tool that you didn't know you'd need, for example) or if anyone lives in or near St John's/North Portland and wants to come wrench or just shoot the s*** while I wrench anytime this Fri-Sun, please reply here or send me a PM! (I believe I may be due some type of award for longest run-on sentence )




-- Zac

 

[Mace]

With springs it's easiest to do both sides at once, (due to getting things aligned) however, I really like doing it one side at a time. That way, you still have a reference on how things go back together. Also, when doing TRE's. If you leave the vehicle on the ground, and don't move the steering wheel/tires, it makes it fairly easy yo get everything really close to the previous spec.

Alignment afterwards will get the steering wheel in perfect alignment and let you know if you need caster shims after the lift.

 

[Jon Vander Ark]

I upgraded my 60 to the 4 runner brakes.. It was a huge improvement. Just imported a BJ60 from Victoria last weekend and I can't believe the difference in braking. I'll be upgrading the new BJ60 before I drive it around at all. If you're interested, it's a fairly easy upgrade while you are in there and the part numbers are easy to find searching on this site. If you want, I can find them when I get home and post what they are here..

 

[unfortunately]

@Mace Thanks, I'm taking your advice on doing the TR's & TRE's with the wheels on, though I did have to take the passenger wheel off for a second to get a cotter pin out. Previous spec is still "pretty F'd up" since the driver's front wheel was struck in the hit & run and now the tie rod is bent.

Everything came in the mail today, so I got started with the tie rods & ends after work. Needing to go to the auto parts store a few times ate into my available time and I didn't even get everything off. One bolt rounded off and one of the ends REALLY doesn't want to come off of the pitman arm. Hopefully can finish up tomorrow so that I've got Friday-Sun to do the lift/knuckle/bearings. Looks like the brakes might not show up until next week, so they might just have to wait for another day.

@Jon Vander Ark Definitely let me know what the part numbers are on those calipers! If I don't end up doing the brakes this weekend, then I very well may spring for those calipers. Might as well if I'm taking it all apart anyway…

 

[Jon Vander Ark]

Good Morning Zac,

Hope the install is going well, didn't see your message until I got to work, but here are the threads I used for upgrading my brakes:

https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/4r...-and-backing-plate-eliminator-install.281660/

https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/4runner-brake-install-pics.84730/


Here's some info while you are doing your steering upgrades too:

https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/do-your-own-alignment.76961/

 

[Mace]

If the TR is bent, then just count the threads that are left exposed on the TRE's, then put the next tre's in the same depth..

 

[Slow Left]

One bolt rounded off and one of the ends REALLY doesn't want to come off of the pitman arm.

There are 'extractor' sockets you can purchase that will grab on to the head of stripped bolts. The link below shows metric 3/8 drive set at HF...but Home Depot also sells a set of standard (I have this set) from which I can usually find one that will fit onto a metric head.

http://www.harborfreight.com/9-pc-38-in-drive-metric-bolt-extractor-socket-set-67894.html

 

[gregnash]

There are 'extractor' sockets you can purchase that will grab on to the head of stripped bolts. The link below shows metric 3/8 drive set at HF...but Home Depot also sells a set of standard (I have this set) from which I can usually find one that will fit onto a metric head.

http://www.harborfreight.com/9-pc-38-in-drive-metric-bolt-extractor-socket-set-67894.html

Yes definitely have these handy for any of those bolts that are stubborn and round off. The other things I recommend is a seal puller that you can pick up from HF for cheap. It will make your life so much easier when doing the knuckles. Make sure you have plenty of grease and if you can, use a grease gun to fill the knuckle AFTER you have put it all together. There is a square bolt on top of the knuckle that allows access to it for checking on the grease. I was able to use a cheap grease gun (worked once) to fill in there as needed.

 

[unfortunately]

Thanks everyone for the advice!

I ended up getting the rounded bolt off with a pipe wrench. As a pipe wrench has force applied to it, it latches on tighter and tighter, worked great. Last night I didn't have much time to work, but I got all the tie rods and ends off (finally).

I'm having trouble getting the sleeves (or whatever they're called?) off of the tie rods, and have only been able to get one of the ends off of the rods. I'm picking up a set of sleeves from Toyota tomorrow morning. After that, put it all back together, do my best to align it, and take her for a test drive. Then on to the suspension…

Tonight I'll replace the Driver's side rear door, which took the brunt of the body damage.

 

[unfortunately]

Due to Toyota not getting those clamps to me when they said they would, a weekend of 100 degree weather, and generally not knowing what I'm doing, all i've gotten done so far is replacing the tie rods & tie rod ends. Truck still steers like crap, it's all over the road. I'm leaking at the knuckle on both sides, driver's side worst than passenger side. Knuckle rebuild & wheel bearing replacement will be next, since I'm pretty sure that the wheel bearings being super loose is what's causing the truck to sway all over the place.

 

[MoNkEE]

Sorry to hear Buster(the name I called the truck) got hit. Hope everything is going alright in your world. Super stoked to see what you do with that truck.

 

[MoNkEE]

Oh hey did you figure out what was going on with the truck BTW was it something small or did you just replace the harness?

 

[unfortunately]

@MoNkEE Yeah! It ended up being the voltage regulator on the alternator. Took 2 weeks to diagnose, and in the end got fixed with a 20 dollar part in 20 minutes.

 

[MoNkEE]

damn it that was a freshly rebuilt alternator sorry about that

 

[unfortunately]

damn it that was a freshly rebuilt alternator sorry about that

Hah no worries! It runs now, that's what's important.


Finally getting around d to digging into the front axle rebuild today and I can't seem to get the caliper bolts to budge not the hub lock ring. Kinda stuck at this point. I've already used a fair amount of PB Blaster to try to get them loose but no dice. Any suggestions?? If anyone in the Portland area can lend a hand today or tomorrow pizza (or whatever) is on me!

 

[unfortunately]

Spoke too soon. Got the hub lock ring off, but still haven't gotten the caliper mounting bolts to move at all.

 

[unfortunately]

Progress though, feels good.

 

[unfortunately]

The breaker bar got The caliper off! Moving forward again...

 

[hj 60]

Breaker bar is a must sometimes

My 60 previous owner stripped the caliper bolts (special bolts, order at dealer or some vender from mud)

The pictures are here: hj60.freeforums.org • View topic - Brake bleeding: LSPV= FIFTH BLEEDER SCREW

And the knuckels here: hj60.freeforums.org • View topic - Knuckles-birfield-axle shaft zirc-diff breather

Just to many pictures to copy/paste, but good luck, very nice todo outside, I did that to: the world is our workshop, the moon our light

 

[dkyuss]

Tools are so important! Big breaker bar, big snipe (piece of long pipe to extend the breaker bar if required), gear pullers of multiple sizes, impact driver and complete impact socket set, set of metric box wrenches, torque wrench... some of the more important tools you will need. I am always looking for an excuse justify purchase of more tools. Can make life so simple! You will need a 54mm/2.125" socket to get the hubs off.

Also for a sheared bolt, or one that truly strips and can not even be removed by an 'extractor', just drill out the offending bolt and re-tap with a helicoil insert. The key is drilling out the bolt on center and tapping square a true. The repair is potentially stronger than it was from factory. I have had great success with these.

You are starting what I am almost finishing on my beastie. Good luck with the weekend project! I think I'm about 3-4 months in (only working part time).

Any more pics??? I love those things.