Can I do it in 48hrs? (1 Viewer)

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Joined
Jan 1, 2011
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49
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342
Location
Durango Co
Amateur Cruiser junky. Resume includes Rodney flush, fuel filter change, some other various hoses, and a whole lot of MUD research. I'm buying a torque wrench and a few other tools I don't have this weekend. I have gathered new rotors which need to be replaced and new calipers and pads. But....since I'm gonna be knuckle deep in my axels this far, I am about to place my knuckle rebuild kit from Mr. Kurt. My driver side knuckle has a light coating of grease on it that looks like that inner seal has begun to leak. It doesn't smell of gear oil but it is significantly more oily than pass side. Where do I check the grease in the knuckle and do ya'll think I can pull this rebuild off in 48 hrs? It is my DD. I don't have a FSM yet either where can I get one? I'm decent with my 180 piece Craftsman set and not totally screwed if something delays me my job is 2 miles away. What special tools are a must? Thanks again guys. Sorry for the 2 page write up.
 
Someone who has done this job before could do it no problem, if you aren't a fairly skilled mechanic and have never done it before it might be dicey.

If there is a TLCA chapter nearby you might want to get in touch with them. They are usually a great support group and you can usually find one or two sets of experienced helping hands if you ask.

Oh yeah, you check the knuckle grease by pulling the knuckle out of the ball. There is a fill plug located on the top, it looks like a plumbing fitting.
 
With the FSM, the correct tools and a couple rolls of paper towel, yes you can (assuming rust isn't an issue). A helper would be good to.

Tools you will need..... jack stands, a fishing scale, a hub nut socket (Kurt can sell you one), torque wrench, a snap ring pliers (I think you need both a big spreading one and a small compressing one), a flare nut wrench for the brake lines (10mm I think)...... Moly grease, wheel bearing grease..... get a pair of Marlin Crawler's inner axle seals (Kurt can supply these too) they are better than the OEM ones.
 
48 hrs.... you can do it twice! Get some brass drifts, and external snap ring pliers,and a s*** load of shop rags, paper towels, toilet paper what ever you want or need to clean the mess up with. There are only about 1,000 posts +/- on this subject and plenty of good info. Give yourself 8hrs (since you are a 1st timer) and you will be fine. The rotors are the biggest bitch and you really need a press to take out and put in the studs. You CAN do it without a press but the press makes it a MUCH easier job.

Dynosoar:zilla:
 
Thats what I'm talking about. No rust, she's in pretty good shape. I've bookmarked all the posts that will help I just needed a kick in the ***. Now time to go tool shopping and explain to the misses that you guys made me do it! Thanks, anyone else feel free to chime in with your input. I'll start next friday.
 
Make sure you know how to remove cone washers (hint: brass drift and hammer)
 
it takes me 8 working hours to do a complete knuckle rebuild. that includes tear-down, clean up, blasting all the parts, painting them and the re-assembly with all new bearings. i've done a few sets......

i see no reason why you could'nt do it over the course of a weekend.

hth

georg @ valley hybrids
 
Buy a box of surgical type gloves(they will have them at the auto parts store) and lots and lots of rags.............this is one of the messiest jobs in all of motor sports. Keep a small garbage can handy so your nasty greasy rags can go right in. Oh yea.......get a case of "brake clean" in the spray cans. and depending on where you are doing the work, some oil dry to soak up the gear oil/grease/brake clean/etc. Not a complicated job. Just very messy. Let us know how it goes.
 
I did one side a few weeks ago, it's messy as fxxx. Once you get one side done, the other will go much faster. Just get at it and ask questions here and you'll be fine. Be careful with the shims on the knuckle.
 
This was the first job i did on my 60 when i got it. I had very very little experience. It went smoothly-ish. start about a couple of days before by soaking everything with a penetrating oil. Follow your FSM, it has everything you need. The cone washers were my biggest nemesis. Make sure you have all your tools and you should be fine. It should take you a long day to do it. i did mine in a total of about 12 hours spread out over a few days.
 
You'll have to find a service manual used. According to Al at man-a-fre, when he tried to order factory
manuals for stock, Toyota informed him all factory manuals are discontinued on vehicles prior to either
2002 or 2004 ( i don't recall which ). Either way 80, 60 and 40 owners are out of luck.
Hopefully the California dealer he buys from is misinformed.
 
I think I'm at about the same level of experience as you, and if I've learned anything from that, is that things never go as planned, some steps go nice and quick, others really slow. And then doing it under time pressure makes it extra difficult.

As has been said, get a buddy to help you out. Even if he doesn't know anything about it, two heads are better than one.

And I'd start friday evening if I were you. Just to be on the safe side.
 
Oven cleaner on the outside and a trip to the quarter wash before you start.
Then use toilet paper to clean out the oil grease slurry, seriously TP work better than anything else.
 
I work slow and steady. My first axle rebuild was on my 80, over a cold and rainy november weekend. (No garage, driveway only.) It was a very long weekend. Very little daylight, stress of needing to drive it first thing monday am...and I was cold the entire time. I did get it done in 48 hours.

Second time was in the summer on my 60. Lots of light, warm, dry. Confidence from having done it before. Still work slow and steady. Spent 6 hours on Saturday, similar on Sunday.

If there's any way you can have somebody help you who's done it before, make it happen.

There's a DVD available on here somewhere...it'll give you some exposure that will be helpful.

Read all the posts, buy all the tools, have all the right parts on hand, start very early on Saturday, and you'll git 'er done for sure.
 
My resume prior to my first knuckle/axle seal job was a bit more extensive; HG's, auto->manual trans swap, motor swaps (same for same, no SBC conversions), suspension stuff, mostly in mini trucks/4runners.

It took me 12 hours of taking my time, by myself, cleaning everything pretty thoroughly. The brake stuff you're doing mostly overlaps with the knuckle job, so I wouldn't add much time for that. Pulling the axle seals was one of the hangups for me; I didn't have a proper seal puller that fit in the knuckle ball of the axle well. Do you have good light and work space? It would not have gone nearly as smoothly for me if I had been working on a gravel driveway with a drop light or two for light after sunset.

Short answer is yes, you can do this with two days to work on it. Second side goes MUCH faster. Do a search on here for FSM download, and print the relevant sections. Dig in, get dirty, and learn about your Cruiser. You can do it! Buy lots of nitrile gloves and be ready to throw away a pair of jeans when you're done.
 
I am happy to see everyone saying it can be done in a weekend and its not that bad. I too need to do mine. I have actually had the kit and bearings for several months and just havent been able to bring myself to do it yet. Partly because I had to replace my motor first. I dont know why I am comfortable with doing a complete motor swap but not a front end rebuild. Crazy I know. Anyways, good luck on yours. I hope to do mine within the next couple of weeks. That will hopefully be my last major thing to do to my truck for a while. It will then have a new motor, rebuilt t-case all new u joints, all new tre's, rebuilt front end, and new brakes. I will feel like I have a new truck.
 
i just finished front brakes, but the 60 is still parked, simply because the a**hole before me over torqued the caliper mounting bolts, now i'm waiting on a M12 x 1.25 helicoil tap kit to get the cruiser back on the ground. i did bust one of the hubs while removing (one was stuck good) so i'm gonna replace those, and probably order the knuckle kit at the same time. good luck i'm gonna watch and learn.
 
A post that I saw on the topic somewhere suggested putting down a garbage bag under each knuckle. Then all of the mess that ends up on the ground doesn't stain the driveway. I'd duct tape it down. Painter's Visculene (SP?) would also work well for this.

And since no one has said it, do one side at a time. You might want a reference for how it all goes back together.
 
A post that I saw on the topic somewhere suggested putting down a garbage bag under each knuckle. Then all of the mess that ends up on the ground doesn't stain the driveway. I'd duct tape it down. Painter's Visculene (SP?) would also work well for this.

And since no one has said it, do one side at a time. You might want a reference for how it all goes back together.

For sure do one side at a time... it does keep things simpler and there's no reason to drag your butt and your tools from one side to the other and back dozens of times doing both sides at once!
 

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