97 FZJ80, unsettling noise

[ghostofamerica]

Doubt it was "used" sounds more like not properly filled when the joints were serviced.
In the future if you continuously have to add grease then you have a failed inner axle seal, plugged up breather and diff full of gear oil/grease mixture. It's either that or grease is being slung out of the felt seals.

I hate to think that about the guy who did the work, but there is no evidence of grease leaving the knuckles. So, you must be right on that. Eh, difficult conversations ahead. Thanks @ppc

 

[Comet]

If you don’t already have a service manual, download from the resources tab on MUD. I take copies of mine when I drop off at my mechanics. Plus, you are educating your mechanic with book, chapter, and verse from the FSM. zerk questions are in your future-chassis grease vs others and where they go. Good times!

 

[duece71]

IMO…..probably worth while to inspect to see if there is any damage. However, if inspecting…..might as well do a rebuild with a kit from cruiser outfitters.

 

[ghostofamerica]

If you don’t already have a service manual, download from the resources tab on MUD. I take copies of mine when I drop off at my mechanics. Plus, you are educating your mechanic with book, chapter, and verse from the FSM. zerk questions are in your future-chassis grease vs others and where they go. Good times!

Thanks @Comet good thing it's summer break at the end of the week! More like summer unbreak an 80 series

 

[ghostofamerica]

IMO…..probably worth while to inspect to see if there is any damage. However, if inspecting…..might as well do a rebuild with a kit from cruiser outfitters.

@duece71 I agree. I had a guy do the seal because I am full time in college. I've got the summer off though. I bought new bearings and asked him to put them in while he was in there, regardless of condition of existing. He didn't do that. Said the bearings were fine. I was disappointed. I don't care how fine the bearings are bro, I got new ones, lol. Anyway. I'll be working on the 80 this summer, among other projects. Will get the kit for sure. When I open something up, everything gets replaced unless I know for sure how old it is.

 

[duece71]

@duece71 I agree. I had a guy do the seal because I am full time in college. I've got the summer off though. I bought new bearings and asked him to put them in while he was in there, regardless of condition of existing. He didn't do that. Said the bearings were fine. I was disappointed. I don't care how fine the bearings are bro, I got new ones, lol. Anyway. I'll be working on the 80 this summer, among other projects. Will get the kit for sure. When I open something up, everything gets replaced unless I know for sure how old it is.

A baseline maintenance schedule for these trucks is absolutely paramount to reliability and longevity. As someone else said, the Factory Service Manuals are on here for download for free. If you are not very mechanically inclined, that’s ok. Just do more research. I have tackled some pretty big jobs on my truck and I have very little experience with any vehicle maintenance. If you do some of the jobs yourself, you learn about the truck and know the job is done correct. I just did the knuckle refurbish myself and while it was a full effort with lots of steps, it wasn’t impossible.

 

[ppc]

@duece71 I agree. I had a guy do the seal because I am full time in college. I've got the summer off though. I bought new bearings and asked him to put them in while he was in there, regardless of condition of existing. He didn't do that. Said the bearings were fine. I was disappointed. I don't care how fine the bearings are bro, I got new ones, lol. Anyway. I'll be working on the 80 this summer, among other projects. Will get the kit for sure. When I open something up, everything gets replaced unless I know for sure how old it is.

Normally wheel bearings would be ok to reuse provided that there was not major problems but as long as they had grease. Just clean and repack the grease. When doing a birfield service the knuckle (kingpin) bearings should always be replaced. These are the bearings that allow the front wheels to steer. They are smaller than wheel bearings, have the entire weight of each corner of the vehicle and therefore more prone to wear. Considering the entire cost of the job they are relatively cheap.

 

[ghostofamerica]

Normally wheel bearings would be ok to reuse provided that there was not major problems but as long as they had grease. Just clean and repack the grease. When doing a birfield service the knuckle (kingpin) bearings should always be replaced. These are the bearings that allow the front wheels to steer. They are smaller than wheel bearings, have the entire weight of each corner of the vehicle and therefore more prone to wear. Considering the entire cost of the job they are relatively cheap.

Good info @ppc I'm going to rebuild. will order kit this week. Hope she makes it until the parts come in. I put another half tube in the left today. The right appears to have had more grease. I hear it coming from the right. Will do both of course.

 

[ghostofamerica]

Well, as it turns out, I was wrong about everything. Got underneath again today, changed the oil and rechecked, wouldn't ya know it, the drive shaft to the front diff. I think that was the first thing suggested, and I did check it. Grabbed a hold of it and shook it. It was solid. I did not LOOK with my eyes, though. Because today, when I did look with my eyes, I noticed there were only two bolts left and they were loose. I guess that ol' drivetrain has more muscle than I do. It had no problem shaking that DS.

I'm shaking my head. Hoping my friend who did the work doesn't come on to this thread and recognize me. In fairness, we just met. But this is exactly why I don't use names when I'm groaning and griping, cause just as often as not, I'm wrong.

Sound fixed. I'm going to go through and check every nut and bolt at the end of the week. Thanks for everyone helping me out. Like I may have put in the signature block, I'm very new at this.