fj40 front bearings (1 Viewer)

[Firecopter]

I just bought my first fj40, a 74, and its been being driven by the previous owner, who was the original owner, every so often to go fishing, but maintenance has not been kept up that well. The left front brake was the only one working and it would lock up the wheel when barely touched.

As soon as I got my new Toy home, I bought a disc brake conversion kit and pulled off my old front drum set-up. When I pulled the hubs off, there was no grease in them. One side appeared to have some differential oil lubing it and the other side was pretty gummy, but still no grease like I was expecting. Looking at all 4 bearings, they look fine and everything cleaned up ok and I'm waiting for the hub seals to come in before putting it back together, hopefully tomorrow.

Does the 1974 fj40 use a wet front axle? Are the front wheel bearings lubricated from the front differential? It looks as if differential oil is seeping from the hole in the end of the axles, but when I try to clean them out with a piece of wire, it seems like they are blocked. When I put the hub back together, do I just bath everything in 90 wt or do I pack with grease like most front wheel bearings?

Thanks for any advise.

Charlie

 

[Poser]

When I pulled the hubs off, there was no grease in them.

Welcome.


Hubs have wheel bearings.


Lockouts isolate the hub from the axle shaft.



Are you talking about wheel bearings not being greased or the lock out?

Does the 1974 fj40 use a wet front axle? Are the front wheel bearings lubricated from the front differential? It looks as if differential oil is seeping from the hole in the end of the axles, but when I try to clean them out with a piece of wire, it seems like they are blocked. When I put the hub back together, do I just bath everything in 90 wt or do I pack with grease like most front wheel bearings?

Thanks for any advise.

Charlie

The front wheel bearings operate in grease, unless the inner axle seal is bad, in which case, gear oil will get past the seal and travel down the axle shaft to the knuckle and then the lockouts and wheel bearings, creating a very oily/greasy mess. If the back side of the knuckle is oily wet, this is a good indication that the inner axle seals are leaking, and that it is time for a frontendectomy.


The hole in the end of the axle should be threaded, 8x1.25.



Front axle wheel bearings get packed with grease.


The lockout should only have a very light application of grease.


Good luck!


-Steve

 

[lemon]

No.

The front wheel bearings should have been packed with grease. When the birfield seal starts leaking it’s common for the gear oil to wash the grease out of the bearings.

Check for pits, black lines, or dull gray coloring of the races. The bearings and races may look OK, but I’d replace them since they’ve been run without lubrication for who knows how long.

Replace the inner axle (birfield) seals as well.

There’s lots of information in the FAQ area about doing front-end-ectomies.

Good Luck!

 

[Firecopter]

Thanks, Guys

Thanks guys, for the advise. Being new to the fj40, I wasn't sure if the front wheel bearings were as with other 4 wd. Sounds like good advise to change the bearings and races since they were washed dry with the diff oil.

I'll look for the section in here on front-end-ectomies and might as well get started on it too while I'm converting the front brakes.

Thanks again,

Charlie

 

[Poser]

Just because the bearings were operated in gear oil does not make them 'bad'...

If the rollers and races do not show any bad markings, I would run 'em.


What disc brake conversion are you doing?

 

[Firecopter]

disc brake conversion

I purchased both the front and rear brake conversions on bids at ebay. They provide backing plates to mount the chevy calipers and then use 89 chevy 4 wd rotors. One reason that I went with them is because all of the parts are new, calipers and rotors, and they claim to have sold hundreds of the conversions.

The brakes needed major maintenance when I bought the 40 and I plan on using it here in the Rockies in CO where the hills are pretty steep. Figured that 4 wheel disc brakes would help in those steep situations and the pads would be alot easier, and cheaper, to replace.

Been looking for information on this site for the inner axle seals. I have the ball type of steering knuckle. Is the axle seal in the steering knuckle or the front differential?

Charlie

 

[Mark W]

I've installed a couple of those front axle GM brake conversions. Against my advise, but the owners bought them anyway. I had toi grind the hubs, the calipers and the brackets to get it all to fit. YUCK!

If your axle tube seal is leaking then there is a better than even chance that you have worn out knuckle bearings too.


Mark...

 

[Mark W]

I've installed a couple of those front axle GM brake conversions. Against my advise, but the owners bought them anyway. I had to grind the hubs, the calipers and the brackets to get it all to fit. YUCK!

If your axle tube seal is leaking then there is a better than even chance that you have worn out knuckle bearings too.


Mark...

 

[jackbrad]

I've installed a couple of those front axle GM brake conversions. Against my advise, but the owners bought them anyway. I had to grind the hubs, the calipers and the brackets to get it all to fit. YUCK!

......
Mark...

Are you specifically talking about the Jt outiffters conversion (aka Joe TLC?)

 

[Firecopter]

The JTO conversion kits is what I purchased. I had to grind the hubs to fit the rotors, but it wasn't too bad. Hav'nt gotten to the calipers yet or the rear conversion. They did say to torque the spindle bolts to 25 ft pounds and I snapped one off at 21 pounds and had to tap it out. I'm not going to torque them that tight with the other side because they're safety wired anyway.

Sounds like I need to rebuild my spindles. Any advise on where the best place is to purchase the rebuild kits?

Charlie

 

[jackbrad]

I use man-a-fre and they are pretty awesome for bearings etc.

Cool cruisers of Texas is good as well. My experience at JToutfitters was good as well.

I talked with the owner at JT outfitters and he did mention (at purchase) the hubs needed to be gound a little bit... I wonder if it would make more sense to have the rotor hole enlarged a little.

How much grinding did you have to do?

Jack

 

[Firecopter]

Only had to grind about 1/8 inch or so all the way around the hub where it is tapered. Wasn't bad at all on the bench grinder took maybe fifteen minutes to do both of them and then I cleaned up the rest of each of them on the wire wheel to prep them for paint.

I have the rear brake conversion also. I wonder how if there are any problems installing them?

 

[cuencanolenny]

Front Hub Bearing Number Request

Finally received 180 pounds of parts for my 1970 Cruiser here in Cuenca, Ecuador. I have a problem, the bearings in the front hubs (#43511-60010) have spun. The hubs are not available new and it is "illegal" to ship used parts into Ecuador. My question to the forum is this; "Does anyone know of a service bearing and have the part number?" My years as a tooling engineer in aircraft have provided me with experience in saving expensive/unique machining assemblies where the existing bore is enlarged to accept a service bearing which is typically available in .010, .020 oversizes. Crossing my fingers that someone has had this experience and found a resolution. There is insufficient wall thickness to allow for sleeving.

 

[bikersmurf]

Cuencanolenny, are the races welded on?

You can use a center punch to create some divits around the circumference of the bearing surface to tighten up the bearing... & or locktight. Your hubs should be ok... I've even known people who've had to cut the races off with a cutting torch (after they spun and welded on), who were able to save the hubs and spindles.

 

[cuencanolenny]

FJ40 Front Hub Bearings

No, the right side the outer race will just fall in and out, however, there isn't any galling. Not so lucky on the left side where the race has spun and seriously marked up the I.D. of the hub. I know the trick of center punching and applying "rust up" to hold the bearing but would certainly prefer to obtain a service bearing and have the bores cleaned up. I see that my clutch kit has cleared customs (the last of twelve packages which in the past, maybe 24 shipments of other stuff has averaged 18-21 days and today makes day 67) and I will pick it up and drop it off with the mechanic this afternoon. At that time I will see if I can find a number on the bearing as well as record O.D., I.D. and width for comparison to the SKF website and cross my fingers that a service bearing is available. Either way I will post what we end up doing. Thanks for your input, I do appreciate it.

 

[cuencanolenny]

Fast forward to mid-October. Just returned from a trip to St. Louis to attend my youngest daughter's wedding and brought home some parts among them a good pair of used hubs, transfer case output shaft housing (mine has been broken at mounting holes and welded and it leaks). I also have the CCOT made in Australia bearing kits for transmission and transfer case. A new American Wire Hwy 15 harness, AutoMeter gauges and MetalTech gauge cluster. I was able to obtain all new seals, washers, nuts and retaining rings along with synchronizers from Toyotaoverstock.com. So fingers crossed we can finally cure the leaks and get this rig through inspection. I will install the wiring harness after the other work is done.