Are you sure she's not just squinting and giving you the hairy eyeball? Canines are excellent Supervisors, but their communication skills can be a little lacking....
1980 Toyota Pickup Short Bed - The Toyota of Theseus
- Thread starter SwissArmyScott
- Start date
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Great build! Lots of great things about this truck. well done.
Nice work.
Had to replace floor pan corners similar situation as to what you have.
Epoxy primed, then added a sound/heat deadener, then Raptor liner.
Had to replace floor pan corners similar situation as to what you have.
Epoxy primed, then added a sound/heat deadener, then Raptor liner.
- Thread starter
- #24
Wow Woods, that looks great. I'll have to start tracking down some donor pieces for when the time comes.
It's been over 100F for a few weeks now, so progress has been slow and sweaty. I painted the front and the front axle and I have it all bolted up now.
Now I'm in the process of cleaning and painting the steering knuckle parts. While tearing down the knuckles, I found a spindle that is NFG from bearing spin, the other one was better, but still bad. Wouldn't expect less from a 40 year old truck. Forced to replace them anyway, I decided on Trail Gears chromoly spindle and their spindle nut kit in an effort to keep bearing preload more consistent.
It's been over 100F for a few weeks now, so progress has been slow and sweaty. I painted the front and the front axle and I have it all bolted up now.
Now I'm in the process of cleaning and painting the steering knuckle parts. While tearing down the knuckles, I found a spindle that is NFG from bearing spin, the other one was better, but still bad. Wouldn't expect less from a 40 year old truck. Forced to replace them anyway, I decided on Trail Gears chromoly spindle and their spindle nut kit in an effort to keep bearing preload more consistent.
I'd keep those as spares. I ran worse in Patch with no problems. As a friend (who has owned a 4x4 shop for ~30 years) once told me "Those are BIG bearings, they can stand some pre-load!" I tighten the first nut with a ratchet while spinning the hub until I can't turn the hub, then back it off to almost loose. Then I tighten the first nut with my hand on just the socket (ratchet removed) again while turning the hub. Then install the washer and the second nut.
I use a premium grease to hand pack those and the steering bearings. Currently that is Redline's CV-2 grease and has been for the last 20+ years. I also used it in the Birfields. In a street car using that grease in their puny wheel bearings was a once in a lifetime of the car job. In a Toyota axle I seemed to Brinnell the lower steering bearings about every two to three years (likely from using the truck to chase desert racers - sometimes at race speeds), so the truck got a knuckle rebuild about every two to three years. Other than the Brinnelling all of those bearings came out looking brand new.
Do yourself a favor on the housing balls and polish them smooth. Fill any pits in the seal surface. Can use something like JB-Weld, I used POR-15 and then used strips of crocus cloth to sand the balls smooth. That and Marlin's inner seals meant that I had very little gunk build up from lube getting past the knuckle seals.
As an aside, not a fan of TG's founder so I don't buy anything of theirs. It is rare that an aftermarket part is as good as OEM Toyota.
I use a premium grease to hand pack those and the steering bearings. Currently that is Redline's CV-2 grease and has been for the last 20+ years. I also used it in the Birfields. In a street car using that grease in their puny wheel bearings was a once in a lifetime of the car job. In a Toyota axle I seemed to Brinnell the lower steering bearings about every two to three years (likely from using the truck to chase desert racers - sometimes at race speeds), so the truck got a knuckle rebuild about every two to three years. Other than the Brinnelling all of those bearings came out looking brand new.
Do yourself a favor on the housing balls and polish them smooth. Fill any pits in the seal surface. Can use something like JB-Weld, I used POR-15 and then used strips of crocus cloth to sand the balls smooth. That and Marlin's inner seals meant that I had very little gunk build up from lube getting past the knuckle seals.
As an aside, not a fan of TG's founder so I don't buy anything of theirs. It is rare that an aftermarket part is as good as OEM Toyota.
It's a big socket, I'll bet that I'm in the ~30ft-lbs range at the least.
Agree that's too easy to set the pre-load too loose. Not sure about it being really hard to set it too tight.
- Thread starter
- #30
Oh yea, I'm no stranger to big bearings! Here's a ski lift bullwheel bearing sitting on a large induction heater. Each roller is about the size of my palm.
I'm also not a huge fan of trail gear. I've had problems with their lack of quality control on many of the products I have ordered, but I still use them with discretion. There's definitely a home in my spares box for the old ones.
As for the knuckles, I've been going back and forth between the JB Weld method and leaving them be. I think I'll run them as is with the felts. I've been in the knuckle ball quite a few times over the last couple years and haven't found debris inside, so I'm pretty confident the felts are still doing their job with the pitted surface.
I've replaced wheel bearings once before when I had my FZJ80 and used the rolling force to set the preload. I think around 12 lbs on a fish scale was my end game there. The truck is a little smaller, so I'll probably shoot for 8 to 10lbs and check on them this winter.
Thanks for the tip on the Redline CV2, I'll give it a try. I hadn't bought my grease yet, and I like the idea of a one grease solution.
I'm also not a huge fan of trail gear. I've had problems with their lack of quality control on many of the products I have ordered, but I still use them with discretion. There's definitely a home in my spares box for the old ones.
As for the knuckles, I've been going back and forth between the JB Weld method and leaving them be. I think I'll run them as is with the felts. I've been in the knuckle ball quite a few times over the last couple years and haven't found debris inside, so I'm pretty confident the felts are still doing their job with the pitted surface.
I've replaced wheel bearings once before when I had my FZJ80 and used the rolling force to set the preload. I think around 12 lbs on a fish scale was my end game there. The truck is a little smaller, so I'll probably shoot for 8 to 10lbs and check on them this winter.
Thanks for the tip on the Redline CV2, I'll give it a try. I hadn't bought my grease yet, and I like the idea of a one grease solution.
OK, you win the big bearing comp! 
I didn't have a problem with stuff getting in, I had a small problem with stuff getting OUT. When those inner seals get even slightly worn or damaged is when the filth factor accelerates. Marlin's inner seals are obviously better when you have both in hand.
I didn't have a problem with stuff getting in, I had a small problem with stuff getting OUT. When those inner seals get even slightly worn or damaged is when the filth factor accelerates. Marlin's inner seals are obviously better when you have both in hand.
Nice thread! Any updates?
- Thread starter
- #33
Thanks! I appreciate the motivation, it's been a while since I updated. It was a busy end to the summer, but the truck is back on it's feet and I've been able to take it out to Death Valley for a few trips. Except for a few hiccups along the way the rebuild has made a huge improvement.
I was able to source some new from Japan spindles. The one's I got from TG had terrible machining. With the new spindles I was able to finish the front end rebuild. I installed an Aqualu Crossover arm and that gave me the clearance I needed to get max flex without a ton of lift. I cut down my old Marlink drag link and built a new tie rod with DOM and weld in threaded inserts. I also installed the Front Range Off Road Tacoma brake kit and IFS hubs to match the rear width. The kit went together very well, and I'm happy with the extra width and braking power. I modified the U Bolt flip kit plates with some flat stock and weld nuts so I could bolt on some bump stops.
No high steer??
I'm convinced from many, many miles that high steer is only a requirement for serious rock crawling, and I don't like the loss of decent Ackerman in the high steer arms. The std. don't even really have enough (because they would hit the wheels if they did) and the high steers are worse.
I don’t know... agree to disagree but I think high steer was the best on the road upgrade I did. straightened the truck up from wandering and greatly minimized bump steer from garbage California roads.
Too many variables in that change to say that moving the tie-rod up was the sole cause of those benefits. For instance, just going to cross-over radically improved my bump-steer too.
- Thread starter
- #38
I was running Marlin's high steer, but the tire rod sat too close to the oil pan and didn't allow for enough up travel. I just don't have enough lift to allow for high steer with the engine swap. Haven't really noticed a difference between the high steer and crossover either.
I should have realized this was a crossover steering setup. Disregard
- Thread starter
- #40
Well its been a while since I updated my thread, I'm not as good at updating as I thought I would be. For the most part I've been very happy with my setup, though I have thrown a few tweaks in here and there.
Since my last update I've gone up to 35's, added longer shackles, build a longer bed drawer and have been running my 4x4 labs rear bumper.
I upgraded to 35's after re-gearing to 529. I'm very happy with the combination. Before, with 33's and 456, I could barely climb hills in 3rd gear, now I can get up most hills in 3rd at about 3200rpm doing 60mph-ish with my highway speed around 65mph in 4th at 2600rpm. I'm getting about 14mpg.
I just recently added longer shackles because I was rubbing when turning under compression and I wanted more clearance for snow chains. I used the boomerang shackles from Sky's up front and 6" shackles from AllPro in the rear. The combination leveled my ride out and no more rubbing. The shackles did tilt my axles a bit so I added a 2* shim up front and changed my rear shims from 5* to 2*. That put my caster back to normal up front and fixed my driveline angles.
The only reoccurring problem I have had is my fuel pump wiggles out of its submersible fuel line causing a fuel pressure loss. The washboard roads of eureka and fish lake take it's toll. I ordered some submersible fuel line to lengthen the connection and reduce the strain on the little piece.
As it sits now;
Flex shot before shackles;
Snow wheeling;
Dropping the fuel tank;
And the problem;
Since my last update I've gone up to 35's, added longer shackles, build a longer bed drawer and have been running my 4x4 labs rear bumper.
I upgraded to 35's after re-gearing to 529. I'm very happy with the combination. Before, with 33's and 456, I could barely climb hills in 3rd gear, now I can get up most hills in 3rd at about 3200rpm doing 60mph-ish with my highway speed around 65mph in 4th at 2600rpm. I'm getting about 14mpg.
I just recently added longer shackles because I was rubbing when turning under compression and I wanted more clearance for snow chains. I used the boomerang shackles from Sky's up front and 6" shackles from AllPro in the rear. The combination leveled my ride out and no more rubbing. The shackles did tilt my axles a bit so I added a 2* shim up front and changed my rear shims from 5* to 2*. That put my caster back to normal up front and fixed my driveline angles.
The only reoccurring problem I have had is my fuel pump wiggles out of its submersible fuel line causing a fuel pressure loss. The washboard roads of eureka and fish lake take it's toll. I ordered some submersible fuel line to lengthen the connection and reduce the strain on the little piece.
As it sits now;
Flex shot before shackles;
Snow wheeling;
Dropping the fuel tank;
And the problem;