IFS Spindle rebuild (1 Viewer)

[BMThiker]

I seem to be eating unit bearings faster than normal. I think I know why now. The seal seated inside the spindle that faces the CV axle was toast, as well as the mating seal on the end of the CV. The last time I changed out the unit bearing, I did not remove the entire spindle assembly, therefore I did not change the seal on the inside. I highly recommend that you change this seal as well as the seal on the end of the CV axle to preserve the integrity of the bearing. Water, dirt, mud had worked their way into the bearing and corroded the inside of the spindle in addition to causing the bearing to prematurely fail. These seals are high wear areas because the spindle seal is stationary while the CV seal rotates against it.

Probably killed my wheel sensor too (VSC/TRAC lights on) with all the contamination inside the spindle. Had no luck tracking down a replacement seal for the spindle from a local source. I ordered a couple from Lowe Toyota, but reused my old spindle seal in order to get it back on the road. I had a spare CV seal, so halfway there. Just smeared a tub-full of grease between the two seals for now. I cleaned up the spindle in the blast cabinet and gave it a new coat of paint. Cleaned up the dust shield too. I will have to tear it down again after getting the new seals (and will be rebuilding both sides...properly).

The unit bearing cracked as I was pressing it off the hub flange.

 

[1911]

Good advice I'm sure Rick. Have to admit that I've never changed-out either of those seals in the trucks I've worked on, just because they have all been field repairs (so far) and I was just trying to get someone back on the trail.

 

[Mtbcoach]

Thanks for sharing, saw your FB posts, crazy stuff Rick.

Sage advise for sure...

 

[lgrt]

Yup... We always carry an extra inner seal so that when doing field repair on a half shaft replacement I don't have to try to keep the old seal from getting torn or dirty.

Thanks for sharing!

 

[Hornsfan]

I go through those things like potato chips.

 

[BMThiker]

So timing worked out perfectly that ACC had an entire rear axle assembly that came off a customer's rig. It had a 13* bend in the pass side housing - Yikes! I dissected it piece by piece and tossed the axle housing into the scrap pile. Got lower control arms, ebrake, rotors, calipers, axles shafts, elocker and wheel sensor wiring harness, hard brake lines and entire third member with e-locker off of it.

Then went back into the front end and discovered that my lower ball joints have probably passed their duty cycle. Ordered Moog replacements from O'Reilly's and they were about $100/pair as opposed to ordering a whole new lower control arm assembly from Toyota (+$1000/pair). Toyota does not sell just the press-in ball joint.

The Moog joints also have a greasable zerk. Just make sure to orient it towards the engine but slightly forward or backward from perpendicular, so that you can get the grease gun on it without interference from the outer CV barrel.

 

[Mtbcoach]

Nicely done, crazy how bent that one is...

 

[BMThiker]

The hard part was pressing old one out and new one in. It's one thing when it's just a flat unit bearing assembly on the table...but wrangling an entire lower control arm while balancing your pipe "tools" above and below the joint and operating the press itself. It's one of those situations where you need three hands! (hence why there are no pictures of that part)

 

[BMThiker]

Moog Part #K500017, includes 24mm castle nut, cotter pin, C-clip, 8mm zerk.

 

[speedrye]

You got part numbers for the spindle seals? I'm getting ready to replace my spindles, CVs, brakes, etc and some new seals would be quite handy.

 

[BMThiker]

Sorry, speedrye, I don't have them on hand, but call Sam at Lowe Toyota knows what I ordered and he'll give you the best price + free shipping. See link at bottom of my sig.