Hi Everyone. New to the site. New to owning an FJ (1 Viewer)

[Caribou]

Just bought a 1979 FJ40 Landcruiser. 66k original miles. Decent shape for a barn find. All original. Trying to get the brake rotors off of the front but there is a bolt and washer behind the warn hub cap. When I turn it the axle spins so I cant get it loose. Do I not have the 4wh drive in the right position? I have both wheels on jack stands and the Warn hub was set to free.
Thanks and nice meeting you.
Dave

 

[steven4mc]

I'm too lazy to answer.
Try here:
https://forum.ih8mud.com/forums/40-55-series-tech.8/

 

[Caribou]

Been to that forum. Thanks for all the help.

 

[steven4mc]

Sorry, I just can't remember that situation it's been so long. Are you talking about the 2" (about) nut on the hub?

 

[RWBeringer4x4]

I think when I pulled my from drums and swapped them to discs, I was able to wedge a pry bar against something on the rotating assembly of the axle, and the other side onto the driveway. I think it was against one of the lug nuts that goes through the wheel. That provided enough resistance to hold the hub in place and break that nut loose. The BEST alternative, if you have one, is an impact gun. It should be able to zip the nut loose before the hub starts spinning. It should have spent its life bathed in grease so it shouldn't be seized on too tightly.

Also make sure that if it's the big 52mm, flat nut you are referring to, that you've bent back the tab on the star washer behind it.

 

[Caribou]

Thanks Rick. The hub is still on. The small cap on the front of the hub has been removed. Inside I see a gear no snap ring. Also, there is a 13 mm bolt with flat washer attached to the end of the gear. Is this a different setup from all the snap rings I've seen? Like I said when I try to remove the bolt the gear/ spline turns.

 

[DomSmith]

Wedge a big as screwdriver or pry tool between the hub housing and the lug bolts. Be sure not to F up the threads. If you have one that's long enough it can rest against the ground, otherwise you'll have to hold it while you remove the nut.

 

[DomSmith]

Thanks Rick. The hub is still on. The small cap on the front of the hub has been removed. Inside I see a gear no snap ring. Also, there is a 13 mm bolt with flat washer attached to the end of the gear. Is this a different setup from all the snap rings I've seen? Like I said when I try to remove the bolt the gear/ spline turns.

Wait that doesn't make sense.

If it's a small bolt at the end of the Birf I think that's just to help hold it outward to get the snap ring on (At least that's what I've used it for).

Hub should be similar to this...

 

[DomSmith]

Sorry for the seemingly stupid question...

Did you remove the 6 bolts that hold the hub housing on?

 

[Caribou]

No. Did not remove the 6 hub bolts.

 

[RWBeringer4x4]

Thanks Rick. The hub is still on. The small cap on the front of the hub has been removed. Inside I see a gear no snap ring. Also, there is a 13 mm bolt with flat washer attached to the end of the gear. Is this a different setup from all the snap rings I've seen? Like I said when I try to remove the bolt the gear/ spline turns.

If it's the bolt at the end of the birfield, inside the hubs, then what @DomSmith said is probably correct. I'm not sure what the actual purpose of that bolt is, but unless the flat washer is wider than the birfield end, you should be able to proceed without removing it.

There is a procedure known as "mar-tacking" the inner axle. essentially you put a small weld at a certain point on the splines of the inner axle where they interface with the differential gears. This prevents them from "falling in" to the axle further than they are supposed to. Folks do this to eliminate the need for a snap ring and make it easier to remove the birfield in the field. HOWEVER, I'm not too knowledgeable on this process, and I'm honestly not sure if it eliminates the OUTER snap ring you seem to be missing, or one of the snap rings on the inner birfield. Sorry I can't be of more help, but it's a theory . Another theory is that the snap ring is simply missing.

If the birfield is spinning inside the hub, you could always try putting the truck in 4-wheel drive, then putting the transmission in gear and engaging the e-brake. If all that is working, it should hold the axle in place pretty well. If it's just the bolt at the end of the birfield though, you may not need to remove it. I didn't think that bolt existed on anything before the early 80's mini trucks though - maybe the PO converted the knuckles or something?? That doesn't make much sense, because with a 79 you should already have the same large-pattern, fine spline birfs found in mini trucks and 60-series cruisers anyway...

Pictures would speak a thousand words in this case, if you can take them!

 

[Fast Eddy]

Lock the opposite hub and put it in 4wd and in 1st or reverse. You always need to block 2/3 differential points to keep the 3rd from spinning. That's why lockers.

 

[Caribou]

If it's the bolt at the end of the birfield, inside the hubs, then what @DomSmith said is probably correct. I'm not sure what the actual purpose of that bolt is, but unless the flat washer is wider than the birfield end, you should be able to proceed without removing it.

There is a procedure known as "mar-tacking" the inner axle. essentially you put a small weld at a certain point on the splines of the inner axle where they interface with the differential gears. This prevents them from "falling in" to the axle further than they are supposed to. Folks do this to eliminate the need for a snap ring and make it easier to remove the birfield in the field. HOWEVER, I'm not too knowledgeable on this process, and I'm honestly not sure if it eliminates the OUTER snap ring you seem to be missing, or one of the snap rings on the inner birfield. Sorry I can't be of more help, but it's a theory . Another theory is that the snap ring is simply missing.

If the birfield is spinning inside the hub, you could always try putting the truck in 4-wheel drive, then putting the transmission in gear and engaging the e-brake. If all that is working, it should hold the axle in place pretty well. If it's just the bolt at the end of the birfield though, you may not need to remove it. I didn't think that bolt existed on anything before the early 80's mini trucks though - maybe the PO converted the knuckles or something?? That doesn't make much sense, because with a 79 you should already have the same large-pattern, fine spline birfs found in mini trucks and 60-series cruisers anyway...

Pictures would speak a thousand words in this case, if you can take them!

 

[Caribou]

Yes. I agree. Here are the pictures.

 

[Caribou]

 

[Caribou]

 

[Caribou]

Any thoughts on disassembly?

 

[DomSmith]

That bolt doesn't hold anything and what looks like a washer is the end of the birf. You need to bang on the sides of the silver hub housing with a rubber mallet to break it loose if the bolts are removed. The cone washers hold it snug and you have to loosen them up with some jarring. Keep an eye out that they don't pop off into the dirt. That needs to come off next if there's no snap ring.

 

[DomSmith]

On closer inspection maybe that is a big ass washer?!

Doesn't matter. I think the snap ring is there. It's dropped into a slot just past the end of the birf tip where the nut is.

 

[FJ404345]

Anyway welcome to the madness !!