cps432
SILVER Star
Hardcore
Builds Rediscovering an '87 FJ60 (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter LazarusTaxa
- Start date
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.
Never let anybody tell you you're not dedicated.
fjc-man
SILVER Star
Did you pull the head yet, or are buying that 60 2F?
Check my Matilda thread (see signature line) for updates to those questions - I don't want to muck up @LazarusTaxa 's thread!
Quick answers:
No, haven't done the head yet.
Haven't heard back from the Denver guy with the 2F yet either, though I pinged him on the RS forum and FB.
4runner2FJ60
SILVER Star
Great job! My neck hurts just looking at that.
LazarusTaxa
SILVER Star
- Thread starter
- #106
Quick update... Parts back from plating:
I also went to pick up my parts from powder coating which were supposedly ready... Only to find that they clearly left everything out in the rain and snow before they blasted and coated them... Then for some very mind-blowing reason, they only blasted the surfaces to be coated. So, for example, my diff housings are perfectly black outside but newly rusty inside.. WTF man??? my front axle housing clearly had water sitting in it and there is pretty thick rust inside which they totally left as the blasted and coated the outside.
Why they left these parts to rust outside and then DIDNT address this it is way beyond me...
Needless to say, I didn't accept them and told them to fix it.
Timewise, it's fine... I've still got a bit more work to do stripping the underside and also need to coat the inside of my frame with paint and cavity wax...
Then I can start putting it all back together.
I also went to pick up my parts from powder coating which were supposedly ready... Only to find that they clearly left everything out in the rain and snow before they blasted and coated them... Then for some very mind-blowing reason, they only blasted the surfaces to be coated. So, for example, my diff housings are perfectly black outside but newly rusty inside.. WTF man??? my front axle housing clearly had water sitting in it and there is pretty thick rust inside which they totally left as the blasted and coated the outside.
Why they left these parts to rust outside and then DIDNT address this it is way beyond me...
Needless to say, I didn't accept them and told them to fix it.
Timewise, it's fine... I've still got a bit more work to do stripping the underside and also need to coat the inside of my frame with paint and cavity wax...
Then I can start putting it all back together.
cps432
SILVER Star
Plating looks nice! Bummer about the axles. I'd be upset about it too.
LazarusTaxa
SILVER Star
- Thread starter
- #108
I just got a call that everything was now ready and went to pick it all up... They had a guy rub everything down with some phosphoric acid and scotch brite. There are still patches of rust in the axle housings and diff housings. The knuckles (and bearing recesses) weren't touched. All the threads for the diff studs are very rusty (like they look like they've been sitting in salt water).
Very nicely, I said I wasn't totally pleased with the solution (my contact there has been a really nice guy).. He said things like "I'm not sure what else we can do", "we leave all of our car parts outside before coating", and "we do a lot of diff housings and they usually have some rust in them when we send them home".
Am I taking CRAZY PILLS HERES???? Am I wrong for being irritated that they left clean, perfectly good parts in the snow, they rusted, and now they aren't fixing it??? Who in the world would accept rusty diff and axle housings? I'm gonna be putting new bearings and gears in this and now have to deal with all that contamination??
He's gonna talk to the boss.. Was dragging his feet about redoing the work (it's really just the diff & axle housings). I get not wanting to destroy their bottom line, but what am I supposed to do here? Clean up their mess??? I don't have time for the work I already have on my plate.
Very frustrating and seems like more and more common place in the US that people you contract to do work don't do a 100% job.. Gone are the days of 110%, now 90% is lucky.
Very nicely, I said I wasn't totally pleased with the solution (my contact there has been a really nice guy).. He said things like "I'm not sure what else we can do", "we leave all of our car parts outside before coating", and "we do a lot of diff housings and they usually have some rust in them when we send them home".
Am I taking CRAZY PILLS HERES???? Am I wrong for being irritated that they left clean, perfectly good parts in the snow, they rusted, and now they aren't fixing it??? Who in the world would accept rusty diff and axle housings? I'm gonna be putting new bearings and gears in this and now have to deal with all that contamination??
He's gonna talk to the boss.. Was dragging his feet about redoing the work (it's really just the diff & axle housings). I get not wanting to destroy their bottom line, but what am I supposed to do here? Clean up their mess??? I don't have time for the work I already have on my plate.
Very frustrating and seems like more and more common place in the US that people you contract to do work don't do a 100% job.. Gone are the days of 110%, now 90% is lucky.
Dekeman
SILVER Star
The shop I use for powder in Ottawa is remarkably clean. The minute I arrive, the stuff goes on to a trolly cart, stays inside, gets blasted and cooked and comes out good as new 2-3 days later. You should expect no less. How frustrating. Surely there must be another shop around.
I have a 2F with a knock and haven’t had time to do the next diagnostic step which is dropping the pan and looking for blown bearings. In the mean time I picked up a rusty but low miles 62 with a good 3fe unmolested and all. Plan was just to swap in the 3fe which would suit me fine and save me investing in a sniper…but of course now I’m pondering the 2FE route because scope creep is a real disease
The hardware looks great…we’ve done that with other brand hardware and it really is a nice finish and often what the oem was before it corroded away in time.
cps432
SILVER Star
It the inside of the axle and diff housing are rusted how can you trust there isn’t a pile of rust under the powder coating???
LazarusTaxa
SILVER Star
- Thread starter
- #113
Yeah, I feel that too... But, I do think they did a good job with the actual powder coating part. They are a reputable business and have been great to deal with in the past.. Supposedly the owner will give me a call today to find a solution.
LazarusTaxa
SILVER Star
- Thread starter
- #114
I'm starting to get to work putting my diffs back together. Quick question for those who know: When I took them apart I neglected to put marks on the carrier bearing caps to differentiate them...
Does it actually matter which one goes on which side assuming the bearing adjusters rotate properly??? If not, anyone know which one goes on which side?
Does it actually matter which one goes on which side assuming the bearing adjusters rotate properly??? If not, anyone know which one goes on which side?
g-man
SILVER Star
I did this same thing to my Torino. wire brush on a grinder for hours. Then, sprayed the whole thing with easy off oven cleaner. Then with a poncho and respirator went at it with a pressure washer with hot water. Finally wiped down with wax/grease remover and painted. Here's some inspiration for you.
g-man
SILVER Star
Great attention to detail on this. I'd be scared to take that much apart without tons of documentaion. Otherwise I'd be struggling to figure out how to put it all back together. Are you going to be rebuilding the diffs or re-gear them while you have them out?
mongoose2231
Supporting Vendor
LazarusTaxa
SILVER Star
- Thread starter
- #118
That looks awesome, and yeah, hopefully soon I'll be at that point. I've gotten the bottom 85% stripped now, just need to go back and get all the small crevices and spots.
I see you didn't apply any kind of undercoating.. Just paint. I'm struggling with this decision as well. I like the idea of raptor liner or lizard skin down there to contribute to sound deadening and prevent rocks from chipping the paint... On the other hand, I know everyone says that rubber like coatings can trap water and promote rust...
It seems that starting with bare metal, painting a 2k primer, and then covering with raptor liner would be pretty solid though. Any thoughts?
Yeah, I'm replacing the bearings and re-gearing with 4.11s.. Starting that now so that I can get the axles back under the frame and wheels on it.
g-man
SILVER Star
I used oil based tractor primer and paint for the undersides. I mean if a tractor can sit out in the fields for years with it on, it's probably good enough. Pretty cheap too. If you want to paint something really tough like POR...I'd just use it on the axles. I mean they're lower and going to see more rocks and road debris.
LazarusTaxa
SILVER Star
- Thread starter
- #120
Ok I answered my own question about the diff's carrier bearing caps... Inspecting them and how they fit, it's pretty clear which one goes where.
I'm starting w/ my front diff because I've never done this before. I made super ghetto fab diff stand and got to work:
Reading a pattern is definitely something you have to learn.. This is one of those cases where I had someone who knows what they are doing to give advice.. So maybe someone here can help... According to the Nitro Gear booklet, the factory shim left the pinion gear too low in the housing. I messed around and got the following pattern with .001" added.
For those who know, how does this look?
As always, any (knowledgeable) advice is appreciated.
I'm starting w/ my front diff because I've never done this before. I made super ghetto fab diff stand and got to work:
Reading a pattern is definitely something you have to learn.. This is one of those cases where I had someone who knows what they are doing to give advice.. So maybe someone here can help... According to the Nitro Gear booklet, the factory shim left the pinion gear too low in the housing. I messed around and got the following pattern with .001" added.
For those who know, how does this look?
As always, any (knowledgeable) advice is appreciated.
