85 FJ60 225,000 miles. Can someone give me a clue on what I should plan for here. (2 Viewers)

[mmhailey]

I just noticed this today. This is a seasonal driver summer time only, and less than 2000 miles a year. The other side has some crud and dried grease, but not anywhere near as much as the passenger side. I'd like to keep driving it till the fall when I have time to get it into the shop. I would appreciate opinions on what to do.

 

[HemiAlex]

Builds - The 60 known as Mamabear: a tale of rust and good times.

Trying to catalog the pending battle I've got coming along with this truck. Lots of overdue maintenance coming up, but overall a really good starting point for what I want out of a 4wd. Starting off with the 31.5" FTG on the rear suspension, we've got some serious work to do on getting it...

forum.ih8mud.com

Read this and you’ll be up to speed. This is what it took to make a really wornout truck turn key reliable.

 

[cps432]

Time for a knuckle job. You can buy the parts yourself and if you’re handy enough you can do the work yourself. Should cost around $250-300 for parts. It’s very messy and greasy, but it’s kinda fun in a masochistic way to get your entire arm covered in grease. I’ve done the knuckles three or four times on mine and I can get it done in a weekend.

 

[kevin in okinawa]

it appears that your inner axle seal is kaput, allowing gear oil from the front diff to make its way into the knuckle and is breaking down the grease contained within. Providing you're not doing long adventures in 4WD it should be okay until the fall when you can get it to a shop.

 

[Spike Strip]

Check your diff oil level and grease in the knuckle. Add if necessary. Plug on top of knuckle will allow you to add some grease without disassembly, so you can keep everything lubed, but axle will just continue to piss that soup past the seals and be messy.

It's soooooooo much fun scrapping 3 inches of schmutz off the knuckle and housing when the time comes.

Use Marlin seals for the rebuild.

 

[kirvesmies]

as has been said, keep grease n gear oil topped up, AND, stay out of the water. shouldn't be an issue to last till fall

 

[Sacto60]

Look up the torque spec for the upper 4 bolt “top cap” you have bearings under there. Maybe they’re loose and allowing seepage. But yeah. Time for a knuckle job.

 

[OSS]

As mentioned- if you’re not using 4WD, it doesn’t matter

 

[cps432]

As mentioned- if you’re not using 4WD, it doesn’t matter

This is very true, but if that thing sits for longer periods of time it’s gonna start a puddle eventually. If you can live with your truck marking it’s territory then it’s not the biggest issue, but having a reliable front axle that you know holds it’s fluid is nice. These trucks are 4x4 for a reason.

 

[mmhailey]

Thanks for are all good answers. This is the reason I hang in here. I've owned this same truck for the last 17 years, and have learned a lot. I checked the diff for oil and it was actually overfull. I must have had the last regular oil change done at the only service station here on the island. They have gone out of business, so I'm back to DIY mechanic. I'll order the parts for the Knuckle jobs, and that'll give me something to do when fishing season is over. Thanks again. Maybe when I start I'll take videos

 

[reaton]

Thanks for are all good answers. This is the reason I hang in here. I've owned this same truck for the last 17 years, and have learned a lot. I checked the diff for oil and it was actually overfull. I must have had the last regular oil change done at the only service station here on the island. They have gone out of business, so I'm back to DIY mechanic. I'll order the parts for the Knuckle jobs, and that'll give me something to do when fishing season is over. Thanks again. Maybe when I start I'll take videos

There is a great YouTube video here:



Watched it like four times before and during. Bought all my parts from Cruiser Outfitters. They have a kit with most everything you need if your other parts are in good order. I tried to buy new cone washers, but couldn't find them for a reasonable price, and I bought new 54mm nuts as some who worked on it previously looked like they used something other than a 54mm socket to remove them. They were all chewed up and dinged.

I had no real mechanical experience before. Took me awhile but was only working on it an hour or so at a time in the evenings. Also took me longer to disassemble and clean then to actually replace parts and reassemble.

 

[mmhailey]

There is a great YouTube video here:



Watched it like four times before and during. Bought all my parts from Cruiser Outfitters. They have a kit with most everything you need if your other parts are in good order. I tried to buy new cone washers, but couldn't find them for a reasonable price, and I bought new 54mm nuts as some who worked on it previously looked like they used something other than a 54mm socket to remove them. They were all chewed up and dinged.

I had no real mechanical experience before. Took me awhile but was only working on it an hour or so at a time in the evenings. Also took me longer to disassemble and clean then to actually replace parts and reassemble.

Great youtube. I will post here my experience once I get the job started.

 

[Devils Paw 80]

Great youtube. I will post here my experience once I get the job started.

What do you drive during winter on Prince of Wales? Your 60 seems to be holding up well.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Time for this

4x/5x/6x/7x Series Knuckle Rebuild Kit - Fits 9/1975-12/89 4x/5x/6x/7x Series & 1979-85 PU/4RNR Disc Axle

4x/5x/6x/7x Series Knuckle Rebuild Kit - Fits 9/1975-12/89 4x/5x/6x/7x Series & 1979-85 PU/4RNR Disc Axle (FA7590)

cruiserteq.com

Kits include full step by step instructions!

 

[jayp2]

+1 for Kurt/CruiserOutfitters kits and instructions complete with torque values/etc

OTRAMM has a series of great vids in this thread to go along with parts/kit above

Its not a difficult job.....just takes a little time, patience and about 12 rolls of paper towels, a box of gloves and a couple garbage bags for the preceeding

Knuckle Rebuild Video Series

Started shooting a knuckle rebuild video series today. Got the first video of the tear down done. As soon as @CRASHTH gets all the parts cleaned up I'll shoot the second video on using the knuckle centering tool. And then we'll do a third video on reassembly.

forum.ih8mud.com