Has Anybody used "Low Range Off Road" front axle rebuild kits?

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Rifleman

Rifleman

10 Year
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I'm looking for a complete rebuild kit for the front axle on my truck. I found a kit at Low Range Off Road in Utah that comes with Toyota, Koyo front wheel bearings, and Toyota, Koyo king pin bearings. Plus it comes with factory Toyota inner axle seals. This is a complete kit with everything you need to do the job, cost for the kit is $219.00 plus shipping. I just wanted to know if anybody else has used this kit, and if you have, did you have any problems with the install? Here's a link to the kit, please take a look and tell me what you think.

Toyota FJ80 Land Cruiser Knuckle Rebuild Service Kit with Japanese Wheel Bearings
 
Rifleman said:
I'm looking for a complete rebuild kit for the front axle on my truck. I found a kit at Low Range Off Road in Utah that comes with Toyota, Koyo front wheel bearings, and Toyota, Koyo king pin bearings. Plus it comes with factory Toyota inner axle seals. This is a complete kit with everything you need to do the job, cost for the kit is $219.00 plus shipping. I just wanted to know if anybody else has used this kit, and if you have, did you have any problems with the install? Here's a link to the kit, please take a look and tell me what you think.

Toyota FJ80 Land Cruiser Knuckle Rebuild Service Kit with Japanese Wheel Bearings
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Exact kit I used. Good kit
 
Inkpot, i did compare the Low Range kit to the cruiser outfitters kit, with the outfitters kit you got the same factory Toyota Koyo wheel and king pin bearings, plus you got the heavy duty Marlin seals. The thing i did notice is the outfitters kit didn't come with any shims and their kit was missing a few other small parts that are in the Low Range kit. Not really sure how much of a difference those "extra" little parts in the Low Range kit makes, other than that, the prices between the two kits were very close. One thing outfitters did say in their ad, they said that shins were not needed, just to reuse your old ones.
 
i thought the consensus was the marlins were no bueno....
 
I have a Samurai and I buy almost everything for it from them and have never had an issue. I don't know anything about their Toyota stuff though.
 
aae42 said:
i thought the consensus was the marlins were no bueno....
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From the Cruiser Outfitters site:

FAQ: Upgraded heavy duty inner axle seals? All of our knuckle overhaul kits include the standard stock style seal (Part# FA33085 and FA35010 below). If your looking for a heavy duty option due to extreme turn angles, worn seal surfaces on your inner axles or slightly un-true axle housings, Cruiser Outfitters stocks the Marlin Crawler Heavy Duty Eco Seal for all 1969-1997 Land Cruiser axles. See Part# FA33085MA and FA35010MA below. Purchase two for your axle overhaul.
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In addition to extra upper shims, the Low Range kit comes with new thrust washers, preload nuts, and lock nuts which I don't think Cruiser Outfitters provides. Mine were mangled from previous mechanics using the screwdriver method to torque down the hub nuts so I was in need of new ones. I didn't use the shims though, just reused, which I think is usually prescribed. All Koyo bearings and OEM inner seal.
Only problem was it took a couple months for them to source the bearings and ship it out.
 
Just an observation of a recent set of TG wheel bearings I got that came as part of a kit for another part. They are made in China and have fewer bearings than the timken and Koyos and the cage looks thinner. Fortunately, I have a few sets of Koyos hanging around.
Be careful of any kit that doesn't specify the brand of bearings used.
 
I just used up my last kit from @cruiseroutfit to redo the wife's truck. Cost of kit, plus all fluids and grease needed to do the job probably set me back under $200. You do not need shims, you can reuse the ones in the truck. Unless your pre load nut has been seriously mangled just re use them also. Mine had several nicks from a previous mechanic using a screwdriver but i was still able to use my 54mm socket to loosen and tighten them. The low range kit may be very quality, the cruiser outfitters kit for sure is as many can attest to. Don't forget to get yourself a 54mm hub socket to help you do the job.
 
Shoredreamer said:
In addition to extra upper shims, the Low Range kit comes with new thrust washers, preload nuts, and lock nuts which I don't think Cruiser Outfitters provides. Mine were mangled from previous mechanics using the screwdriver method to torque down the hub nuts so I was in need of new ones. I didn't use the shims though, just reused, which I think is usually prescribed. All Koyo bearings and OEM inner seal.
Only problem was it took a couple months for them to source the bearings and ship it out.
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The devil is in the details. Shims should not be needed for an 80 Series knuckle overhaul. The manufacturing and tolerances of the 80 Series axle are much tighter than older axles and with exact spec Koyo bearings, you will always get your preload within spec with the stock shims. Shims don't go bad or fail fwiw.

We can add thrust washers and nuts and still land about the same price, and our kits are 100% Japanese from OE Toyota manufactures, not just Koyo bearings but Japanese seals, gaskets, nuts, etc. More details here:
Product Spotlight: Cruiser Outfitters Knuckle Rebuild Kits
 
The Cruiser Outfitters kits are the way to go. They have everything you need, that extra stuff isn't necessary. All 100% Japanese from Toyota OE suppliers. Plus they are a supporter of the community and mud vendor. Win, win, win.
 
cruiseroutfit said:
The devil is in the details. Shims should not be needed for an 80 Series knuckle overhaul. The manufacturing and tolerances of the 80 Series axle are much tighter than older axles and with exact spec Koyo bearings, you will always get your preload within spec with the stock shims. Shims don't go bad or fail fwiw.

We can add thrust washers and nuts and still land about the same price, and our kits are 100% Japanese from OE Toyota manufactures, not just Koyo bearings but Japanese seals, gaskets, nuts, etc. More details here:
Product Spotlight: Cruiser Outfitters Knuckle Rebuild Kits
Click to expand...

Hey Kurt,
That's good to know. I didn't use the new shims. Yeah looking back now, your kit does make alot of sense and covers the details well. They had a decent price but i ended up paying since they didnt have any bearings in stock and it got shipped out after our big Utah/Cruise Moab trip. I'm fairly new in the scene and am learning as I go.

It's been 6 months or so now and I'm getting some seepage onto the lower knuckle studs on the DS. No dripping or nothing but I can smell diff fluid when I touch it so I am probably just gonna go back in there and check it out. I think I dented the face of the inner axle seal and let it be. That, or I possibly pushed too much diff fluid in the axle and purged it past the seal. Either way, I'll have to hit you guys up for some bits and pieces like axle seals, etc.

Btw, If I take the knuckle apart again, do I need to replace the rubber and felt knuckle seals on back? Thanks for the info :)
 
Shoredreamer said:
Either way, I'll have to hit you guys up for some bits and pieces like axle seals, etc.
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Let us know when you're ready, we stock everything individually as well as in kit form.

Shoredreamer said:
Btw, If I take the knuckle apart again, do I need to replace the rubber and felt knuckle seals on back? Thanks for the info :)
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Nope, if you have gear oil at the knuckle studs, it's coming through your inner axle. A couple of spindle gaskets, a lock-washer and a new inner axle seal (we stock aftermarket Japanese, OE Toyota and Marlin fwiw) and you're golden. Check your inner shaft for wear at the inner axle seal surface. Often the cause of weeping.
 
Nice. Will do. Won't be too intimidated the second time around. It's a fun job. Slow, messy fun.
 
half k cruiser said:
I wish the kits came with 12 new cone washers, regular washers, and 12 new nuts for the outer cap. What a pain in the ass to track down locally. Even if I didn't use them they would go in the trail spares kit.
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or at least the option to add them to the kit for an extra fee... would be nice to have the right grease available too as an add-on... i've just been getting the stuff on amazon...
 
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