- Thread starter
- #21
Thanks, everyone, for the excellent feedback. This is why I love ih8mud!!!
Front Axle Rebuild
- Thread starter 94lc80series
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- bearing birfield diff front axle price
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I am not considered cheap for labour and taking exchange rate into account, that is expensive.
First thoughts are they are not familiar with 80 axle builds, probably quoting a forget it price.......hoping you do!
Regards
Dave
First thoughts are they are not familiar with 80 axle builds, probably quoting a forget it price.......hoping you do!
Regards
Dave
- Thread starter
- #23
Asked for clarification from the shop. This is what I got:
"To just replace the knuclke wipers, backing rings, knuckle gaskets hub gaskets, inner wheel seals, inner axle seals, clean and pack the birfiedls, replace the wheel bearings, replace the knuckle bearings and set up the knuclke clearance your looking at right around 2000.00, there still is hardware that may be needed (we recommened to be replaced any time we do a knuckle service as preventative maintinace, if this hardware fails it can cause the steering arm to separate from the lower side of the knuckle and let the wheel fall so the vehicle is not drivable) spindle bushings / bearings that may be needed (most likely will need to replace these as they are usually the cause of the wheel seal leaks to start with), birfields that may be needed. All of which we will no know untill its pulled down."
So $500 of the original estimate seems to be the diff removal and thorough cleaning...
"To just replace the knuclke wipers, backing rings, knuckle gaskets hub gaskets, inner wheel seals, inner axle seals, clean and pack the birfiedls, replace the wheel bearings, replace the knuckle bearings and set up the knuclke clearance your looking at right around 2000.00, there still is hardware that may be needed (we recommened to be replaced any time we do a knuckle service as preventative maintinace, if this hardware fails it can cause the steering arm to separate from the lower side of the knuckle and let the wheel fall so the vehicle is not drivable) spindle bushings / bearings that may be needed (most likely will need to replace these as they are usually the cause of the wheel seal leaks to start with), birfields that may be needed. All of which we will no know untill its pulled down."
So $500 of the original estimate seems to be the diff removal and thorough cleaning...
Still too much...did you check your breathers? Have any photos of said problem?
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- #25
- Thread starter
- #26
Breather was COMPLETELY clogged. Took it off and forced it open with wd40.
Unless your knuckle is empty, I am not sure you need to rebuild it. There is usually a big mess of grease mixed with gear oil caking the exterior of the housing and bell when the seal blows.
Maybe try sticking a white zip tie in the grease fill point to see if anything is in there.
If the gear oil just had to get out, maybe it just leaked out without munging up the grease.
Getting the breather hose cleaned out was big.
Maybe try sticking a white zip tie in the grease fill point to see if anything is in there.
If the gear oil just had to get out, maybe it just leaked out without munging up the grease.
Getting the breather hose cleaned out was big.
- Thread starter
- #29
I just gotta........
TOLD YOU SO!!!!
You sure did! Quarter can of WD40 = 70 cent fix!!!!! I'm no math genius, but I'll take $0.70 over $2,500.00 every day of the week!
Now I can spend the remaining $2,499.30 on things like rockers and a proper roof rack!
IMHO this fix should be in the "sticky" for every truck.
I bought the rebuild kit from @cruiseroutfit and had a local guy do the work. Labour was $525 CAD (6 hours), which is roughly $430 USD at the moment. This kit included "seals, gaskets, felt/rubber wipers, backing plates, lock washers, Koyo trunnion/knuckle bearings, and wheel bearings."
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You can spend it on taking us all out to dinner!!! haha
Super happy for you...isn't that the best feeling in the world where you think you're down and out and BAM! it's all good so easily. Don't forget to use REDMERLE's advice and check to see if you have moly bearing lube in there.
Easiest way I've found to top off the moly lube is to pack a large syringe by hand, one push and its all in there. Use the clear zip tie to check the level first.
My breather was also clogged causing a similar issue. I used the opportunity to remove the stock breather check valve and extend the breather hose up into the engine compartment.
My breather was also clogged causing a similar issue. I used the opportunity to remove the stock breather check valve and extend the breather hose up into the engine compartment.
^^^ This. Most of the new acquisitions we see are low/empty, the knuckles need to be 1/2-3/4 full of moly grease.
We just look into the hole, the grease should be up on the birf, mostly under grease. We pump it in with a grease gun, takes a few cycles of fill, drive, recheck, to get the level right. Then it's a check/replenish deal, a couple of times a year, most consume some grease.
Bodean
Hot Damn
ppc
M Go Blue
You may have solved one of the root causes of the problem but you still need to address the symptoms. You still need to change fluid in the diff one or more times, check the condition of the grease in the knuckles. The contamination of the diff/knuckle is a two way street. Grease gets sucked into the diff but gear oil gets pushed into the knuckle producing soup which eventually will need to be corrected. Start budgeting!!
UPDATE: just got mine back, and it was 10 hours of shop time+parts to do my axle. One Birfeld was replaced.
Not to be a downer here.... but, if I were you I would take some of that cash you saved, and buy yourself the correct FSM for your Cruiser...... then READ IT.... cover to cover.....about 4-5 times. That way in the future you'll be able to call "bs" on a estimate. It has happened to all of us, none of us were born as certified mechanics, we had to read, and practice. My parents dreaded pulling into their driveway to see what I had torn apart while they were gone! lol
Good luck though, these MUD members aren't no joke.... they know their s***e!!
