Best 77 knuckle rebuild kit

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sggoat

sggoat

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In the middle of replacing the oil cooler/fuel pump on my 77 and noticed the classic "knuckle leak" of oil dripping onto the inner tire surface. could folks out there give me an opinion on the best knuckle rebuild kit they have used?-Not looking for the cheapest, but the best quality kit.
Any help is appreciated,
Gary
 
Koyo bearings are the top of the line for trunion bearings (top and bottom.) Marlin crawlers has the best seal for the axles. I think that someone said that Cruiser outfitters had marlin seals.
 
^x2 Go to Kurt at Cruiser Outfitters. Specify the Marlin inner axle seal as an "upgrade". Done.
 
X4, that's where I bought my kit!

Haven't installed it yet, but his support and customer service has always been top notch.
Replacement seals and bearings.webp
 
Thank you all. looks like this is the kit to buy
 
Rocky_LC said:
Ball park, how much is one of those?

Thanks

Rocky
Click to expand...

It depends on the options and what you're replacing - seals and bearings (timken vs Koyo bearings) or just seals? Trunnion bearings or just wheel bearings, Toyota axle seals or marlins?

I just bought a lot from Kurt and I'm pretty sure my kit with all the gaskets, marlin seals, timken bearings, c-clips (basically, everything) ran under or around $200. I'm out of town or I could check the receipt - but the website will get you your answer more quickly.
 
No need to - I'll check on the interwebs.... It's a longer term project right now anyway...

Thank You -

Rocky
 
I just found the leaking knuckle, thinking its the inner axle seal and while researching found this thread.

has anyone used this kit from marlin
http://www.marlincrawler.com/axle/f...ts/service-front-hilux/front-axle-service-kit

its onsale for the next two days so i figured it might be worth a look with their reputation. Im like the original poster i want to get this fixed with the best parts so i wont have to worry about it. Also im just guessing but is it wise to go ahead and replace the wheel bearings while working on the inner seal.

I saw the cruiser outfitters and man that does look like a good kit as well. Im wondering which would be the best to order quality wise and if this is a job that someone whos only done fluid changes might could knock out without a big tool box just buying the specialty tools i need... I have some researching to do i guess:)

edit o wow the cruiser outfitters really is the place to go for everything from their site:

2. Knuckle Bearings - We recommend you replace the knuckle bearings when rebuilding your front axle. The top and bottom knuckle bearings generally wear evenly and thus all four bearings should be replaced at the same time. Exceptions to this for example would be swapping a birf joint on an axle you just rebuilt last year, the bearings won't likely need replacing unless they were damaged by a broken birf, etc. We offer the knuckle bearings individually (Part# FA17001 andFA20003 however all four (4) needed knuckle bearings are included in any of our complete knuckle rebuild kits. All of our knuckle bearings come complete with the new bearing and race. All of our front axle components and rebuild kits are shown here: Front Axle Rebuild Component Offerings

3. Wheel Bearings - It is recommended to replace or at a minimum closely inspect your wheel bearings during the knuckle overhaul process. Like many other aspects of the knuckle overhaul, we simply have no way to know if your vehicle will need new bearings and thus our standard recommendation is simply order them to have on hand and replace as needed or tear the knuckle apart and inspect before ordering parts. We offer wheel bearings as part of 'Front Wheel Bearing Kit' (Part#FAWB6975KWB, FAWB7590TWB/KWB and FAWB9097TWB/KWB). These kits include the inner and outer wheel bearing and race, the wheel seal, the start washer as well as the needed gasket for the wheel bearings replacement only. If your planning to do wheel bearings at the same time as your knuckle overhaul, we offer our standard knuckle rebuild kits with wheel bearings and races, Part# FA6975KWB,FA7590TWB/KWB and FA9097TWB/KWB. Timken vs. Koyo wheel bearings? Which is better? Both are a fantastic bearing and due to customer demand for both options we stock them both. Timken bearings are made in the USA, Koyo bearings are made in Japan. Both are used OEM by Toyota in older Land Cruisers and various new models as well. We are 100% confident in either option for new and old Land Cruisers alike. All of our front axle components and rebuild kits are shown here:


did any of you do the service yourself? Im feeling brave and think i want to give it a try myself. I bought the landcruiser to get myself out of my comfort zone and this would diffenatly be a challenge for me​
 
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Go for it. If you're detail oriented and do your research, it's not that bad and it's a great way to become one with your truck. It's really messy but there aren't too many ways to get in trouble with it. A couple of tools make the job a lot easier. Seal puller is not essential but it makes the job of pulling the seals really easy and I found that this set of drivers below helped a lot getting the inner seal and the bearing races set. KEEP TRACK of your shims when you take it apart and put them back together the same way. And go with the marlin inner axle seal.
http://www.harborfreight.com/seal-puller-35556.html
http://www.harborfreight.com/10-piece-bearing-race-and-seal-driver-set-95853.html

And when you're done, watch pinhead's videos on rebuilding your carb. When you're done with both of those, you'll be an official cruiser-head.
 
edwjmcgrath said:
Go for it. If you're detail oriented and do your research, it's not that bad and it's a great way to become one with your truck. It's really messy but there aren't too many ways to get in trouble with it. A couple of tools make the job a lot easier. Seal puller is not essential but it makes the job of pulling the seals really easy and I found that this set of drivers below helped a lot getting the inner seal and the bearing races set. KEEP TRACK of your shims when you take it apart and put them back together the same way. And go with the marlin inner axle seal.
http://www.harborfreight.com/seal-puller-35556.html
http://www.harborfreight.com/10-piece-bearing-race-and-seal-driver-set-95853.html

And when you're done, watch pinhead's videos on rebuilding your carb. When you're done with both of those, you'll be an official cruiser-head.
Click to expand...

I need to start making a tool list of specialty tools that are required. I dont have access to my regular tools (im 4 hours away from my storage garage for the next few years)
so i figured i could assemble a list of tools that are must haves for this job and give it a go once i get it back from the body welder:clap: in about 2 months, that will give me plenty of time to read up, watch videos, read up again and collect all the tools, needed.


54 mm socket,
snap ring plyers (good quality makes difference)
good torque wrench
hammer
channel locks
cv axle grease(moly based for knuckle)
harbor freight able items:
brass drift
bearing/seal driver
seal puller
rubber mallet

misc pry bar

punch
loctite?
new cotter pins?
toyota form in place gasket


is that bearing seal driver similar to this one
https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/inner-axle-seal-install-tool.803326/


I have some time to figure out which kit to get unless i want a malrin one....then i have 48 hours until the end of their sale haha. but with the fj at the body welder for the next 6-8 weeks i can for sure learn how to do this :hmm:

rebuild vid 1
 
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The seal driver that you refer to is for the inner seal only. The one I listed worked for the inner seal as well as the wheel and trunion bearing races. You can always turn an old race upside down and carefully hammer the race in around the perimeter, but the harbor freight one presses down uniformly and you won't get the race cocked and jammed (which I've done more than once). And you can really feel when the race is seated. Speaking of which, you're going to want a set of brass drifts for driving out the old races, and a good torque wrench. And find a set of clothes that you can throw away, cuz the wife isn't going to let you throw them in the washer. FWIW, I did my wheel bearings because I had the whole thing apart, but when I took them out they were fine and didn't need to be replaced. It probably added a half hour to a weekend long project.
 
Subscribed, just because I need to do mine too :)
 
RWBeringer4x4 said:
It depends on the options and what you're replacing - seals and bearings (timken vs Koyo bearings) or just seals? Trunnion bearings or just wheel bearings, Toyota axle seals or marlins?

I just bought a lot from Kurt and I'm pretty sure my kit with all the gaskets, marlin seals, timken bearings, c-clips (basically, everything) ran under or around $200. I'm out of town or I could check the receipt - but the website will get you your answer more quickly.
Click to expand...

If I remember right, my '77 kit was around $100, got the Koyo bearings, but I didn't get the Koyo races--that adds another $80 or so. I figured if the races were bad, I'd order them separate-still ~ $80 for them if I need them-just more shipping. Hoping I'm taking a small risk here.
 
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sggoat said:
If I remember right, my '77 kit was around $100, got the Koyo bearings, but I didn't get the Koyo races--that adds another $80 or so. I figured if the races were bad, I'd order them separate-still ~ $80 for them if I need them-just more shipping. Hoping I'm taking a small risk here.
Click to expand...
Wha? Bearings come as a pair-bearings and races. You can't buy one without the other. You must be thinking of something else.
 
I probably am. I gotta go look again at the order sheet and the parts list---musta walked through another portal before I posted this--I'll get the parts list up as soon as I find it--
 
Maybe you got the steering bearings and races but didn't get the wheel bearings and races. That would make sense.
 
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