Saltwater gets aerosolized into a fine mist and gets EVERYWHERE.
KDSS valve rust- WARNING
- Thread starter arich
- Start date
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.
So if the outside body getts rusted does it affect the internals in any way?
bloc
SILVER Star
I understand that but I can’t see aerosolized salt water taking a thick layer of marine grease off of there is a protective shield in place preventing direct spray.
Outside of the valve body? There are a couple cases of people with severely rusted valves having a sudden lean without any leaks. Even having cut a valve in half I’m not quite sure what the mechanism would be when that happened. Plus the obvious balance screw issue.
Are you driving *in* the water? Lake Michigan is fresh water, not salt, btw.
Seriously though, I've lived in Chicago since 2007. We've had our 2013 since Jan 2016. Ours came from Houston and the KDSS was pristine. When I got the truck I put marine grease on the KDSS valves, and after 1.5 winters here they were still mint when I wiped it off to open them and add my lift. Since then I slather new marine grease all over the bottom of my valves once a year in November just for insurance, but when I do it the old grease is still covering the screws from the prior year. Granted we probably only put 4000-5000 miles per year on the truck here in the winter, but it's a mix of salty downtown city roads and slush with one trip a month out I294/I55 past Joliet. Yes the KDSS isn't hermetically sealed, but the cover seems to block most of the road spray from the unit which seems to prevent the grease from coming off.
I redid the concrete on the back patio 10 years ago where the drip line exhausts on the side of the house.
In that time there is a 3" wide depression where the drip drip drip has eroded the concrete.
Never underestimate water, especially water filled with salts.
OT - Is that a drip from your heating system? If so, keep in mind the air and water vapor coming out of there is acidic.
I searched 'Western NY' and found this.. I'm in a pickle, looking for someone to check out my electrical system on an 82 Toyota Land Cruiser, BJ44.. It's a 2 battery system, 12v and 24v.. I've been posting all week trying to find wiring diagrams, this particular model, there's nothing. Any insights? I know the 24V headlights have a short, the lighter and radio have no power, no idea what else. I'd like to stay within 50 miles of Hamburg NY. Anything comes to mind, shoot me an email, we'll swap numbers.
Well I'm kinda hosed here. There's probably a solution out there but at this point I'm pretty dejected. Was going to work on my suspension over the weekend and the KDSS valve and nuts are seized up pretty tight. I was able to knock one of them loose and the other one was so stuck that my 5mm allen key broke and is stuck inside. I was applying steady pressure with it on a pretty bar but not too forceful. Could have been that it was seized in tight or perhaps a s***ty 5mm allen socket. Either way this sucks. The vehicle apparently was from TX, moved to Canada for two years, and then to Tennessee. Pretty horrible what 2 winters in Canada will do to a car. Before really working on the two KDSS nuts I sprayed it with rust penetrant overnight and wire brushed it as much as I could.
May have to take it to a shop this week and see what solutions they can come up with. With how tight and seized those KDSS valve nuts are I'm a little worried what the rest of the bolts will behave like. Truck mostly has surface rust but I'm not excited to find out what else is seized up and have to fight with every bolt in the future if I'm going to work on it.
May have to take it to a shop this week and see what solutions they can come up with. With how tight and seized those KDSS valve nuts are I'm a little worried what the rest of the bolts will behave like. Truck mostly has surface rust but I'm not excited to find out what else is seized up and have to fight with every bolt in the future if I'm going to work on it.
I had to replace mine a few years back: somewhere in this thread there is a picture of mine. I've talked with a number of people, and I should have tried welding the allen wrench into or onto the bolt. I had nothing to lose because mine were worse. The heat from welding may be enough to break it loose. 3.5 years ago it was a $2600.00 repair at Toyota. I could not find any shop other than Toyota for the repair. My Toyota (Lithia)dealer stuck it too me. quoted 1.5 hours and ended up charging for ten. I don't use Lithia for anything any longer.
bloc
SILVER Star
Not sure how much reading you've done on this but people have managed to get very stuck screws loose, don't give up yet. Patience and persistence pays.
Mechanical options: different qualities of bit, hammering them in, small-scale impact guns like a 1/4" hex battery impact.. all of these can disturb things well enough to knock them loose in some cases.
Beyond that, heat is an option, welding seems to be the last straw but has a very good track record
Either way there is a bunch of discussion and documentation of people's progress on this issue. I'd personally avoid bringing it to a shop just yet. They don't care about this thing like you will.
It's not so much that the KDSS valve screw is stuck. Bigger issue at this point is that the 5mm allen socket snapped and broke and is stuck in the hex screw. Now I gotta figure how to get the broken socket out which is lodged in there pretty tight and there isn't much to grab on to.
See if you can find a 6 point socket that will fit the remains of the Allen wrench and turn it clockwise (tighten) with enough force to break the broken tool free. Then take the @bloc advice.
bloc
SILVER Star
There is enough sticking out that hammering on it side to side should loosen things. Just try to avoid any really big hits on the corner of the valve.
Yes a 5mm combo wrench could help but is probably tough to find. I’d work on that as described above.
YellowJacket
SILVER Star
Where’s that trophy?
Last year I installed my lift without opening up the valves. It was a nightmare and not recommended. I then drove it from SLC to Slee severely tilting to one side. I was scheduled to have the rear bumper installed. Even though the local shop had worked on lots of 200s including these KDSS valves, they couldn’t get it loose. They even tried to weld and couldn’t get the welds to stick.
I frantically found a used, but super clean replacement which I am now in possession of. Even used ones are still pricey. I had Slee try and weld to get them loose. After a couple tries, it worked and I got to drive a level truck back to SLC with a killer bumper.
Thanks @sleeoffroad and all the hardworking employees! I was planning on saving this like-new KDSS contraption for later, but now I’m thinking I might risk it and put it up for sale.
Last year I installed my lift without opening up the valves. It was a nightmare and not recommended. I then drove it from SLC to Slee severely tilting to one side. I was scheduled to have the rear bumper installed. Even though the local shop had worked on lots of 200s including these KDSS valves, they couldn’t get it loose. They even tried to weld and couldn’t get the welds to stick.
I frantically found a used, but super clean replacement which I am now in possession of. Even used ones are still pricey. I had Slee try and weld to get them loose. After a couple tries, it worked and I got to drive a level truck back to SLC with a killer bumper.
Thanks @sleeoffroad and all the hardworking employees! I was planning on saving this like-new KDSS contraption for later, but now I’m thinking I might risk it and put it up for sale.
sleepycruiser
I will get by….I will survive -Touch of Grey LC200
Peekaboo. I’ll be brushing this, PB blasting and trying to turn soon. 
Also will order some LPS3
Also will order some LPS3
That doesn’t look bad at all. If it opens (likely) put a dab of anti-seize on the threads when you close it, then slather the whole area with marine grease. 6 winters in Chicago and mine still looks and works like nearly new just recoating with marine grease once per yearPeekaboo. I’ll be brushing this, PB blasting and trying to turn soon.
Also will order some LPS3
View attachment 3137434
This is KDSS valve on my newly aquired Californai LC. I think the owner lived in Tahoe or something.
bloc
SILVER Star
Makes you wonder why Toyota did not use stainless steel bolts in areas like this. I replace the mild steel bolts with stainless every chance I get.
bloc
SILVER Star
Stainless is much worse about galling than mild steel. Probably a big consideration at the tip of these screws where they press against a seat to isolate different hydraulic circuits in the system.
Plus, if everything corroded around the stainless, they could get stuck too. Then you’d have a softer metal that would be worse about deforming with lots of torque from the hex bit.
