New-To-Me 1997 LX450 (2 Viewers)

[mcbs]

Well finally got the remaining bearing and race. Went to put the brake caliper back on and it was super stuck. Figured a little pump of the brakes would help jostle it and maybe help me push the piston back in, but instead it squirted some brake fluid out. The pistons on the caliper on the other side looked a bit rough too. Wondering if its time to rehab these. How hard is it to rehab the pistons? Haven't found the caliper yet but the 525 price tag on cruiser outfitters has me scared and looking to want to just rehab them.

Any recs on brake pads too?

 

[duece71]

The FSM would be worth looking at for a caliper rebuild/refurbish. There is also a way to install 100 series brake pads as an upgrade. YT has a few videos on caliper rebuilds.

 

[mcbs]

The FSM would be worth looking at for a caliper rebuild/refurbish. There is also a way to install 100 series brake pads as an upgrade. YT has a few videos on caliper rebuilds.

Totally - dove into youtube last night. Didn’t find anything in the FSM about the caliper rehab job. Maybe there’s another document I need to download. It Seems simple enough. Probably worth doing a brake fluid change anyway. Not very experienced at bleeding brakes so I guess this will be a good run through.

Seems like some folks are claiming there is a Toyota Refurb options that brings it to $30ish per caliper after core return. Are LX450 calipers the same part numbers as the Toyota LC from 97? He gave 47730-60060-84 and 47750-60660-84 for the two fronts. He said it will show up as the wrong number but that is likely due to a different manufacturer. Can anyone speak to this?

The 100 pad swap seemed smart. Didn’t seem like there was a lot too it. Can anyone speak from experience?

Read a bunch of people talking about swapping in the NAPA calipers - though not sure if the quality has dropped in recent years. Thoughts there? Also - any recs on the best place to source rebuild kits? Will try and inspect pistons to see if they need replacing as well.

 

[mcbs]

Went with the refurb'd route considering you can get OEM for $30 each, just hoping the parts are the same. I'm enjoying a couple days without grease all over me after the two knuckle rebuilds .

Went for the 80's pads - i'm sure the 100's work just figured i will simplify for not. Going to swap the brake hoses out as well.

@jonheld everything you've said has proven true. thanks for help set some expectations.

 

[77mustard40]

Do yourself a favor and get a Motive bleeder and a Power Probe BA10 cap for the master cylinder reservoir, makes brake bleeding a snap. Also search for bleeding the ABS, I never was successful and ended up deleting the ABS and LSPV and actually have great brakes now.

 

[mcbs]

Well -

The reman'ed brake calipers finally showed up 2 weeks later. Got em for 30 bucks a caliper. Almost wish I had done the reman myself...

Went to install the first caliper today. Brake pads had some OE Import anti- squeal pads on them. They wouldn't fit with the OEM pads so mounted them up without em, figuring I'd buy some and pop em in down the road.

Went to torque down the two bolts to 90 ft/lbs when the top bolt start to spin. oh s***. The thread came off the bolt like a spring

Man, this is such a huge bummer. First the caliper piston pops then this. Definitely did not get to 90 ft/lbs btw so its not like i overtorqued it. Maybe a mechanic previously overtorqued it and I am just finding it now? Crazy for the thread to go so cleanly.

Safe to say I really don't want to have to replace the whole knuckle after just doing the whole rehab job. Have never rethreaded anything this big before and definitely feel a bit intimidated about the whole thing.

Any advice out there?

 

[cartercd]

Helicoil insert.

 

[CharlieS]

Helicoil.

 

[mcbs]

Helicoil.

Helicoil insert.

Any chance you know the thread size of the top of your head for this 17mm bolt ?

 

[CharlieS]

Any chance you know the thread size of the top of your head for this 17mm bolt ?

M12x1.25

and the bolt is M12x1.25x38mm.

 

[mcbs]

Went with a timesert on this - got shamed for the helicoil on FB. Happy with how it turned out. Went to install the caliper, and wouldn't you know it... the bottom hole had the same issue. Thinking that whoever did this brake job must have used the wrong bolts - though they look like Toyota bolts, i figured they were m12x 1.25 but just a shorter length, but it looks like the thread size is just wrong - or they also overtorqued it too? Regardless, I am getting another new bolt and going to have to drill out the lower hole as well.

Figured I'd do the passenger side with the new hose and caliper and I come to find this flare nut has been rounded off too! Looks like I will be replacing this hard line! I think I found the part number -

Toyota 47319-60101 Tube, Front Brake​

Had the local dealer order it for $10. Sure beats making my own line! Hopefully its the right one!

Sent the oil into Blackstone. Still waiting to hear about the analysis!

More updates soon!

 

[mcbs]

Little update - turned out to be the correct part number for the hard line. Hopefully that helps someone in there search, tried way to hard to verify that !

Also - timeserts ended up going great. I think the issue is that the bolt the P.O. used had a split lock washer which probably applied torque incorrectly. Regardless, learned from that lesson! Got the OEM bolts and new threads.

Went ahead and bled the lines. Lots of crud in there! Feel better than be before, so happy I did it. Did have an issue where the the re-man'ed caliper had a rusted bleeder screw hole. Took me a while to realize something was wrong. Ended up just taking a punch and lightly tapping it while having my wife pump the brakes. Brake fluid splattered through there! Had to really clean the hole so as not to ruin the threads and then did a lot of flushing. Probably 96 fl oz all in all.

Brakes feel fine on the first test.

Still waiting for that Blackstone result. Put a new battery in as the old one was super corroded. Windows are working wayyy better than before! Pretty stoked about that.

Seems like I have tackled the biggest issues facing it. Still have some oil build up that I would like to de-grease and see if there is any slow leak. Will also take a closer look at the PHH and maybe do a replacement on that. Other than an alignment, looking forward to finally driving her! Will figure out a plan on the antennae soon too, and shoot, maybe a new radio - the tape deck is broken or I might even consider keeping it!

 

[stevenmichael]

If you are going to add a after market head unit read this post . 1997 LX450 Stereo /Power antenna /Amp bypass - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/1997-lx450-stereo-power-antenna-amp-bypass.838474/#post-13969955 . The wiring is not the same as the land cruisers . I tried using the factory white plug that used the factory amp with the BHA8112 wire harness and I could not get rid of the engine whining . After some reading and questions on this forum I found out its best to unplug all the connections that are plugged into the factory amp and use the 2 gray wires that is plugged into the factory amp and use the wiring harness they used in the link or the Raptor RAP-TY- 8100 . I added it on that post .

 

[stevenmichael]

For the front seats . There is a plastic gear in the mechanics of the movement of the seat forward and back . Here is a link that talks about it . Newer style seat gears? (1 piece plastic vs brass) - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/newer-style-seat-gears-1-piece-plastic-vs-brass.1273322/ . I need to replace mine . I'm going to give the metal ones a try . As long as the cap is screwed in and is held in place so it can't work its way out there should be no problems with the metal gear . What happens is the cap at the ends work they way out because the plastic gear wears out and allows the metal bar to push down on the cap and when the bar turns so does the cap . Once the cap is unscrewed the bar drops all the way down and eats up what gearing is left . Once the gearing is stripped the seat won't move forward or back . If you are not having any problems now make sure you screw the cap back in an add a lock screw like you see in the link to lock the cap in place . If I were you I would look under the seat today and make sure the caps are all in place on both front seats . If the cap is not unscrewed then that means the plastic gears are still tall enough to keep the rod in the center of the cap and its not putting pressure on it to make it turn out . If the cap is out don't move the seat at all .Screw the cap back in place then try moving the seat . Maybe no damage was done to the gear and if you don't move the seat much it may work for years . There are youtube video that show how to remove the seat and change the gears .

 

[stevenmichael]

steering knuckle inspection

Can you put a link to the steering knuckle inspection ? I have watched videos on how important it is to tighten them with a torque wrench so they are not over tightened or under tightened but what do you do to inspect them ? Can you tell that they are good while intact or do you have to take it apart ? Is there a sign while driving that they are getting lose ?

 

[mcbs]

Well -

I've been able to do some repairs - leaking sunroof and roof gutters not draining, antennae, new radio, new arb front bumper, cleaned off a ton of old caked on oil from previous leaking valve covers (currently leaking/burning some oil - about a half L every 5000 miles), full brake replacement and brake bleed on top of the new front calipers and rebuilt hubs + birfields. New tires.

I am having some strange issues related to braking and/or turning at high speeds lots of steering wheel chatter. Thought it was because of my brakes but i dont see calipers seizing at all. Starting to wonder if the pre-load on the front wheel bearings is off. Also - lost a hub cap today (hoping ill find it nearby) and noticed a ton of squeaking from the driver side wheel at slow speeds. Sounds like a shock being compressed but it is on flat ground and is from the front wheel and seems rotationally related in person. Video of the sound below

LX450 Weird Squeaks Driver's Front Wheel

Wondering if the shaking and sounds are at all correlated? Could it be Tie-rod related or Steering Shock?

Thanks for thoughts on this.

EDIT - did a pretty extensive engine de-grease yesterday. i was all over the front axle and tierods. hosed her down and then took her to the carwash this pm. Wondering if I removed too much grease from any bushings. Maybe thats the culprit?

 

[mcbs]

If you are going to add a after market head unit read this post . 1997 LX450 Stereo /Power antenna /Amp bypass - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/1997-lx450-stereo-power-antenna-amp-bypass.838474/#post-13969955 . The wiring is not the same as the land cruisers . I tried using the factory white plug that used the factory amp with the BHA8112 wire harness and I could not get rid of the engine whining . After some reading and questions on this forum I found out its best to unplug all the connections that are plugged into the factory amp and use the 2 gray wires that is plugged into the factory amp and use the wiring harness they used in the link or the Raptor RAP-TY- 8100 . I added it on that post .

man ! wish i had read this earlier!

 

[Rusty Marlin]

Wheel bearings are easy to check. Lift the wheel you are interested in, just enough to spin freely, and grab the tire at 12o'clock and shake it like it owes you money. If there is any play, you will feel it and hear it as a chonk chonk. Check all four corners.

I find TRE's are best checked with a second person.
With engine off, second person behind the sterring wheel. I wrap my hand around the TRE so I can feel any relative motion between the upper and lower joint while the person behind the steering wheel saws the wheel back and forth in short, quick movments. If there is a bad TRE you'll feel a "slip" between the halves of the joint.

 

[mcbs]

Wheel bearings are easy to check. Lift the wheel you are interested in, just enough to spin freely, and grab the tire at 12o'clock and shake it like it owes you money. If there is any play, you will feel it and hear it as a chonk chonk. Check all four corners.

I find TRE's are best checked with a second person.
With engine off, second person behind the sterring wheel. I wrap my hand around the TRE so I can feel any relative motion between the upper and lower joint while the person behind the steering wheel saws the wheel back and forth in short, quick movments. If there is a bad TRE you'll feel a "slip" between the halves of the joint.

Wheel bearings are new in both front wheels. less than 10k miles. guessing its a degreased tierod end or bushing.

 

[Rusty Marlin]

They can loosen in a lot less time than that.