Leaking 3rd member, blown out bushings, ground birf... How Fun! (2 Viewers)

[BostonCruiser96]

First-timer alert!
Just finished up a trip to Maine, and noticed some oil on the housing. Inspected to find this mess. Looks like a seal failure to me. Also looks like the steering arm on passenger is incredibly loose. Looks like King pin has backed itself off and let some grease leak.
Edit~ a new whine from the front end was accompanied by this discovery.
The current plan is to get a re-seal kit for swivel hubs, and a new carrier gasket to install after axles are pulled.
Am I missing anything? Thanks, gents

I will be following this vid for tips and tricks.

 

[CharlieS]

Loose knuckle nuts are a common thing. Just tighten them up. Landtank has upgraded studs if you want to improve on the factory setup.

 

[ppc]

Loose knuckle nuts are a common thing. Just tighten them up. Landtank has upgraded studs if you want to improve on the factory setup.

If you look closely that is not the factory setup. There are regular bolts and lock washers securing (or not securing) the steering arm. Time to replace all that with the proper studs, cone washers, lock washers and nuts.

 

[baldilocks]

First buy a copy of the correct Factory Service Manual. Don’t drive your Land Cruiser until the knuckle hardware problem has been corrected unless you want very big life problems.

 

[LandLocked93]

Looks like the result of heat.
Guessing you were largely interstate from Boston to Maine?
Not knowing the maintenance history and beyond confirmed diff fluid overfill, check the axle breather for proper operation.
Could otherwise be third member gasket fatigue.

The knuckle wipers, relative to suspected heat generation over a road trip, looks normal.
Tho it might suggest delayed maintenance.
W/o history, who knows.

A full steer axle wheel-end refurb provides a fresh start.

 

[mudgudgeon]

Definitely not the factory hardware in that knuckle.
I'd tear into that with the expectation you'll be replacing the steering arm, and all hardware.
Also, verify the thread on the non standard hardware. Has it been redrilled/ re-tapped?
You might be up for a new knuckle too.

Check the other side too. If a previous mechanic thought they were upgrading, the other side might have the same random hardware.

 

[cruzinfj1]

I think theres more going on there also. Only time Ive ever seen a drop out leak like that is if its been apart and torque not rechecked...... Like @mudgudgeon said, bet the drivers side has issues. I have a set of knuckles that I just pulled off mine with nut huggers and newish (500ish miles) bearings listed in the classifieds.

 

[BostonCruiser96]

Thank you gentleman. This is going to be my first teardown, so I'm excited to see what all the well-wishes are about haha... After a bunch of input, looks like to me the breather s*** out. Heated grease/oil pushed out to draw attention to the fact I do not have a OEM steering knuckle. So all signs are leading to this this is a great time to get a new...

Breather
Carrier gasket
Reseal kit (please recommend a good one if able)
OEM knuckle (studs, cone washers, etc...) I am hoping CruiserSolutions will have whats needed.

Upon inspection, I am missing one of the 4 non-OEM bolts holding the arm to the knuckle. Are the OEM studs tapped all the way in? if not, seems fair to assume this knuckle assembly needs to be replaced entirely.

 

[BostonCruiser96]

Definitely not the factory hardware in that knuckle.
I'd tear into that with the expectation you'll be replacing the steering arm, and all hardware.
Also, verify the thread on the non standard hardware. Has it been redrilled/ re-tapped?
You might be up for a new knuckle too.

Check the other side too. If a previous mechanic thought they were upgrading, the other side might have the same random hardware.

There is driver, OEM studs/nuts

 

[BostonCruiser96]

I think theres more going on there also. Only time Ive ever seen a drop out leak like that is if its been apart and torque not rechecked...... Like @mudgudgeon said, bet the drivers side has issues. I have a set of knuckles that I just pulled off mine with nut huggers and newish (500ish miles) bearings listed in the classifieds.

Id be interested in buying them from you. I have reached out to vendors to see what is out there.

 

[BostonCruiser96]

Looks like the result of heat.
Guessing you were largely interstate from Boston to Maine?
Not knowing the maintenance history and beyond confirmed diff fluid overfill, check the axle breather for proper operation.
Could otherwise be third member gasket fatigue.

The knuckle wipers, relative to suspected heat generation over a road trip, looks normal.
Tho it might suggest delayed maintenance.
W/o history, who knows.

A full steer axle wheel-end refurb provides a fresh start.

Best way to check breather?

 

[Rusty Marlin]

I'll throw my 2 cents in as I didn't see some of this mentsioned directly.
Inside the green bracket is totaly normal. While there is a "seal" in this area with a wiper, its a total loss lubrication system. Its supposed to be wet and greasy here. That's a good thing. Just top it off every oil change with some Moly grease through the cap in the top of the knuckle. I typically use aournd 35CC per cycle.

the Red circled area is bad and has been addressed adnausium. You need to get this fixed.

Other side:

The area circled in red is dry; this is bad. You can see the level of grease in the knuckle by observing were the wet line is between the red circled area and the green circled area. You will need to add EP moly grease through the plug, circled in blue. Based on prior expirance, propably 140mL (cc) or (4.5 oz) to start. Drive it around for a few weeks and see where the grease line is on the ball. I use a meat marenade injector to add the grease, that's how I know how much I put in. On this side you could probably put half a tube (7oz) or half a tub in there to start.

As noted by others, this side has the proper hearware.

 

[BostonCruiser96]

I'll throw my 2 cents in as I didn't see some of this mentsioned directly.
Inside the green bracket is totaly normal. While there is a "seal" in this area with a wiper, its a total loss lubrication system. Its supposed to be wet and greasy here. That's a good thing. Just top it off every oil change with some Moly grease through the cap in the top of the knuckle. I typically use aournd 35CC per cycle.
View attachment 3567691

the Red circled area is bad and has been addressed adnausium. You need to get this fixed.

Other side:
View attachment 3567702
The area circled in red is dry; this is bad. You can see the level of grease in the knuckle by observing were the wet line is between the red circled area and the green circled area. You will need to add EP moly grease through the plug, circled in blue. Based on prior expirance, propably 140mL (cc) or (4.5 oz) to start. Drive it around for a few weeks and see where the grease line is on the ball. I use a meat marenade injector to add the grease, that's how I know how much I put in. On this side you could probably put half a tube (7oz) or half a tub in there to start.
View attachment 3567725
As noted by others, this side has the proper hearware.

thank you very much for the edited pictures! A close look will also show a small wet line at the top of the driver axle. I thought it was strange to see a small amount of grease at the top and bottom. But I will add some regardless.

I am going to button it back up in the meantime but order a new...
Breather (ARB kit)
Carrier gasket (cruiser corps if they have in stock, checking with staff)
Reseal kit (cruiser corps)
Knuckle assembly w/ arm (to get the proper studs back)
- If I can't find one with the arm, I will reuse the arm I have, but make sure the sourced knuckle has appropriate studs, then get the required cone washers and nuts.

All and all I am glad this showed up. She's our lucky charm, she got us home without a catastrophic failure. Now time to pay her back with the correct parts.

 

[AussieHJCruza]

I'd suggest ordering all new studs, cone and spring washers and nuts for both sides, arming yourself with an FSM and assuming that everything that has been touched previously has been 'repaired' incorrectly.

That's a serious safety issue, be glad you caught it when you did.

Lastly, this is being finicky, but your land cruiser has trunion bearings, not king pins.

Go to cruiser outfitters or valley hybrids for the knuckle kit and they probably have the studs etc too.

 

[ZackR]

In addition to the steering knuckle job I'd pull the 3rd member and reseal it while the axles are out. Also clean the diff breather and route a fresh breather hose up into the engine compartment.

 

[LandCruisinMy93]

Anyone Else notice those are bolts not studs and nuts? They may just be bottomed out bolts... I'm no urologist but those aren't nuts.

 

[BostonCruiser96]

Anyone Else notice those are bolts not studs and nuts? They may just be bottomed out bolts... I'm no urologist but those aren't nuts.

Oh yea, we are way past that haha. Ordering new studs to reset the knuckle.

 

[BostonCruiser96]

In addition to the steering knuckle job I'd pull the 3rd member and reseal it while the axles are out. Also clean the diff breather and route a fresh breather hose up into the engine compartment.

Thanks, that's the plan.

 

[Rusty Marlin]

Carrier gasket (cruiser corps if they have in stock, checking with staff)

I'll assume you mean the third member gasket, just use orange FPIG bought from your local stealership. The gasket is an added annoyance that is not needed.
I'm also going to assume you've never pulled one of these apart....They are heavy! like heart of a dead star heavy. If you're doing this in the drive, pull all the nuts but leave two on the studs loose. Thump around the third with a dead blow hammer till it pops free of the gasket surface and hangs on its studs. Then roll in a floor jack and with a helper take the weight on the jack, pull the last two nuts and using the jack roll it out and lower it down. Putting it back in is a simlar process. Please becareful, I'm not kidding about how dense and heavy the thirds are, the rear's a real beast.

 

[JoeCova]

I'll assume you mean the third member gasket, just use orange FPIG bought from your local stealership. The gasket is an added annoyance that is not needed.
I'm also going to assume you've never pulled one of these apart....They are heavy! like heart of a dead star heavy. If you're doing this in the drive, pull all the nuts but leave two on the studs loose. Thump around the third with a dead blow hammer till it pops free of the gasket surface and hangs on its studs. Then roll in a floor jack and with a helper take the weight on the jack, pull the last two nuts and using the jack roll it out and lower it down. Putting it back in is a simlar process. Please becareful, I'm not kidding about how dense and heavy the thirds are, the rear's a real beast.

Weird, I just pulled it off and laid it on my chest. Putting it back I just rolled it off my chest into my hand and basically rested my elbow on the ground while i put it back on.

You aren't wrong, its kinda heavy but I suppose I never really thought about it.

Lastly, this is being finicky, but your land cruiser has trunion bearings, not king pins.

Trunion bearings sit on the king pin...thats what makes it a king pin....just like the venerable Dana 60 King pins....