It starts tomorrow!!!

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JackZilla

JackZilla

10 Year 15 Year
Joined
Apr 21, 2010
Threads
76
Messages
935
Location
Orting, Wa
Going to start replacing my axles tomorrow morning around 9 ish. Aiming to get the passenger side completely done tomorrow and the the driver side on Sunday. If the first side goes fast and smoothly enough, might try to knock both of them out tomorrow. Everyone is welcome to stop by and drink some beers and catch a glimpse of my maiden voyage into axle replacement. Hope everyone enjoys the weather this weekend.
 
Kyle, come get some. I think Mike has already bailed but you know how that goes. Should be a pretty straight up job. The beers will help.
 
Just now readin this but lemme know if you need a hand any time. Know you are welcome to use my shop wen needed as well
 
Got the passenger side completely broken down yesterday. The plan was to have it put back together also, but ran into a snag. Inside the inner oil seal is another seal looking machined piece of metal. Instead of being positioned where it was supposed to be, mine was laying flat on the bottom of my axle housing. It's too large to be pulled out of the knuckle opening so with a pair of needle nose and a small pry bar, I was able to persuade it to come on out. Called around and did some research on the forums here and learned that its only real purpose is to guide the axle back into the diff without putting any undue pressure on your oil seal. Luckily mine is on the short side and shouldn't be much of an issue. However, on the long side, I've read that it's near impossible to get the axle back into the diff without it. So, my fingers are crossed that it is still in place when I take the long side apart. I think the official name is an oil baffle. It's other purpose is to minimize sloshing of gear oil against the oil seal. The other name I found for it is axle tube indexing ring. Either way, it brought my job to an immediate halt until I was able to figure out what it was and how important it is. Today's goal is to get the passenger side reassembled and the driver side completely done. We'll see how smoothly this goes. Hopefully I don't run out or beer. The first two pics are what it looked like inside of my axle after I was able to maneuver it around enough to stand up. The second two pictures are after I removed it from the axle housing. The last pic is what it should look like in it's proper position. Also, thanks to Kyle and Aaron for their help. It's nice to know that people still answer their phones and are willing to help a friend in need.

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Hit another snag during reassembly. The stud holes on my steering coupler are worn out from where the studs came loose. I was going to put in a helicoil set to fix this problem but it seems that no parts store carries them for our 12mmx1.5mm studs. They have every other size but this one. Very strange. Debating on whether or not to just use thread lock and go for it.
 
Decided that there is way too much pressure on these studs to leave it to chance. So, I got online and ordered a Helicoil kit. The axle job will be put on hold until these come in. I have nothing but time right now and want to make sure that the job is done right. Hopefully I receive the kit in the mail within the next two days or so. Will use this time to clean and inspect all of the other parts in hopes of clearing up any more snags that may cause a longer delay in this rebuild.
 
So, with nothing to do to my knuckle rebuild until parts come in, I decided to focus on my Drive Shafts. I ordered new U-Joints for my rear DS and needed to figure out what kind of U-Joints are in my front DS since it is one of Slee's after market double cardon DS's. Decided to go to Fleet Pride on S. Tacoma Way to have them looked at. Bad news!!! The entire DS was bad. Instead of paying what I assumed would of been several hundred dollars having it rebuilt, I decided to run to Budget Auto and pull a stock DS. Ended up being a very good trip to Budget Auto for myself and Mike. Got my DS, a few switches and some other odds and ends. Mike found his battery tray for his dual battery setup and a few other goodies. Ordered new U-joints for the new DS from Kurt at Cruiser Outfitters that shipped out this afternoon. Not a very productive day as far as actual progress on my LC, but all in all a pretty good day. Once my parts are in, everything should go back in pretty smoothly. It's all costing me a good chunk of change that I really don't have to spare but when it's all said and done, all of the maintenance and little jobs that I've been putting off, will all be done and taken care of.
 
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Yeah. I ordered the new studs when I got the rebuild kit. Took for granted that I would be able to find the coil kits here locally at one of the parts stores. Oh well. You live and you learn.
 
Well, no new parts in the mail today, so I was reduced to trying to mow my lawn. Guess what? My lawn mower isn't working right. LOL!!! It starts and then dies like it's running out of gas. I figure it's one of two things. Either the gas in it is old or there's something in the gas lines. When it rains it pours. Oh well. Sounds like a good excuse to not mow the lawn. Tomorrow should bring the parts I need to get back on track with my rebuild.
 
That's what I was thinking. Helping Mike with a few things today. I'll get around to it. My parts for my rebuild are scheduled to come in today, but of course my mail doesn't run until later in the afternoon.
 
I got the helicoil kit today pretty early, so after Mike and I were done running around trying to put together some parts to complete his dual battery set up, I decided to try my hand at putting the coil inserts in. Man, I suck at it. Fooled around with the first hole for over an hour. Finally got it done but it was half assed to say the least. The stud went in crooked and it just didn't look good. I grabbed one of the other new studs, which have the star torque on the end of them so they are nice and easy to get torqued down, and just for s***s and giggles I tightened it all the way down to specs and the stud held the torque. So I retapped the holes just to clean up the threads a bit. Then I coated the studs with red thread lock and torqued them all down. They all held very nicely. The one that I helicoiled was crooked so the steering arm wouldn't go on. After a little bit of heat and some hammer manipulation, I was able to get it all lined up. After that, everything went very smoothly. It was a very productive day for myself and Mike. I got the passenger side hub all put back together an will start on the driver side tomorrow. Mike finished his battery set up, got the batteries strapped down nice and tight with some custom brackets and got his winch hooked up. Here are a few pics of the progress today.

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I almost forgot. I also gave Noah a haircut this morning. LOL!!!

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A question for everyone. When I was watching the video on the rebuild, I noticed that the axle they pulled had a gear looking thing on the outside of the birf. I'm assuming it has something to do with the speed sensor, but all I really know is that the axle I pulled had it also and the Longfields that I put back in did not. Anyone have any insight on this?

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yohavos said:
ABS Speed Sensor Rotor... also referred to as tone ring?


Looks like it can be pressed off your old one and onto the long...

This thread mentions brass drift and hammer. Sounds about our speed: https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/562452-how-swap-fzj80-abs-tone-ring-birfeid.html
Click to expand...

Yup, thats the tone ring I was referring to in my PM. The Longs may or may not require a bit of machining to get the stock ones to fit. Hope they fit! I wish I knew about this when mine were done. I'll get my butt in gear eventually and transfer the tone ring so that I don't have to stare at an ABS light for eternity.
 
Yup! Figured that out last night. Looks like I'll be tearing that side down again in order to get the ABS ring switched over. I'm hoping I don't need to pull the axle, but I'd almost guarantee that I will. By the end of all this, I'll be very proficient at tearing down and putting back together our hub assemblies. LOL!!!
 
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