failed safety inspection (1 Viewer)

[chuglife]

took my truck in for government safety inspection today and failed... i need new front wheel cylinders (the front of the front) an idler arm? (don't even know what that is, steering part?) i need new ujoints front and rear and a new rear driveshaft.

you guys think i can take on this stuff in my garage? i'm not worried about the wheel cylinders but what about the ujoints and driveshaft? the truck is a 73 fj40, 4 inches of lift. also i can't find any driveshafts for sale (checked ccot, and on man-a-fre its one of the only parts that doesn't have a section )

anyways guys let me know what you think i should do here, i'm willing to put the time and effort in if you guys think i can do it myself. i hate it when i start working on an area of the cruiser that i'm newb in

 

[toddslater]

My 02 you need to put some SPF 50 around your sphincter...call me skeptical but whomever is doing your inspection may be less than honest...I know hard to believe. I live in PA and I am sure we are as anal (and have just as many less than honest inspectors) as any place when it comes to inspections. A ujoint and/or a drive shaft would pretty much have to fail (ie drop on the floor) to fail inspection here. That said...did you see your front wheel cylinders ? Are they leaking ? Do they operate when you depress the pedal...easy to check with a buddy pressing the pedal. Just don't get to carried away or you'll push the little pistons right out.

If you do need all the above drop your drive shaft out and take it to a driveline shop. They can whip up one in no time and put the new UJ's in.

If it were me I'd get a second opinion.

 

[cruiser_guy]

Easy to do stuff. Go for it! What reason do they give for all that stuff, I can see wheel cylinders but "U" joints, drive shafts ???? Is it shaking like crazy or what? I'm curious 'cause I'm also in B.C. (Surrey) and will need to get an inspection on the FJ55 when we're done the restoration. I've already had a run in with the "Safety Nazis" on another car and I was not impressed with their "modus operandi" (wail on the unibody till a hole is found and then force the car off the road based on the hole they made).

 

[chuglife]

thanks for the quick reply

i haven't been out there yet because the lighting in my garage is poor and i dont' have a buddy around at the moment. i'll definitely be out there tomorrow checking it out.

this is the only shop around that everybody had good things to say about. the shop knew i would be doing all my own work (or at least that they wouldn't be doing it) so i don't think they really have a reason to rip me off, but for sure i'll get a second opinion. what they told me was that my slip joint is worn out so the driveshaft has some play. i'll definitely try to get someone else over to look at it

 

[chuglife]

yes cruiser_guy the truck does shake like crazy. i actually haven't had it on the road except up and down my own street and up to the shop (illegally ) just from that alone i trusted them when they said it was worn out.

i'm in maple ridge, and the place i took it to was bowers automotive, everybody i've talked to has told me its the best place to go, so i sure hope they're not screwing me. anyways, thanks for your replies, keep em coming guys!

 

[toddslater]

Well if your shakin like crazy maybe these boys are giving it to you straight. Easy enough to check. Grab that shaft push it up and down give it a twist and see if you get some movement at the UJ's and the yolks. When your buddy arrives, put it in gear, one of ya crawl underneath and check for non-linear movement (slop/play) while the other rocks the truck back and forth....engine off of course. Play and/or slop in your uj's and yolks will cause ugly nasty vibrations on the road.

 

[cruiser_guy]

I'd take the drive shaft to Bert's Automotive. Don't know if they have a shop in Maple Ridge or not but they have been decent for me out in Surrey, not to mention that they specialize in driveline stuff.

 

[dinkleberry]

I failed for U joints in VT. Did mine myself, but any driveshaft shop can handle it.

 

[chuglife]

i'd like to do it myself too, never can have too much knowledge about whats goin on in your own truck... do you think any driveline shop will have the ujoints i need or do i need to get some off CCOT?

 

[Sorry Dog]

Move to Alabama.

If it rolls you're good to go.

 

[chuglife]

hehe, thats cool. and scary at the same time

 

[moT1]

"And that's what I like about the South!"

Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen