Build Let's Baseline my new to me 1993 Land Cruiser

[PNWTreeOctopus]

Update:

I have made progress! I've been pulled away from Cruiser duties but I was able to make some progress before my lunch break here. I got my new 3/8 drive torque wrench in the mail. Its nothing fancy at all but its new and clicks at high and low torques. So I was able to move forward on the driver side knuckle. I even installed some fancy Wit's End bling:

Thanks to @NLXTACY for cool products. I'll bend the tabs after checking the nuts at 500 miles. That will be when I drain my diffs fro the first time post gear install. Easy peasy.

Next up I got to work installing the diffs front and rear. I decided that I would go the belt and suspenders route and use FIPG and the paper gaskets. I used the following method. First I began by cleaning up my work area (kinda, since I have to play Tetris to really clean up). I wiped down the drip tray I use on my work bench with some brake cleaner and shop towels to get as much grit and dust away form my gaskets as possible. I did some final cleaning and prep to the axle housings and differential shells so that everything was as clean as possible. I then laid out all my tools: sockets, extensions, torque wrench. I positioned the the thirds in places where I could roll/ lift them onto my chest when it was time to slot them onto the housing. Then finally I got out my FIPG, and gaskets and put on some clean gloves.

I happened to have some Toyota Seal packing (00295-01281) aka "Toyota red FIPG. Its different than the black FIPG. The red stuff is less common at your parts counter as far as I can tell or at least up here in the PNW.

Next I made a series of beads between the holes on the gasket. The FIPG from Toyota was very very thick and difficult to squirt through the smallest size aperture on the plastic tip. I cut the plastic at the second ridge (second smallest aparture) and it was easier. I suspect the ambient temp of about 50 degrees was also making this difficult. Toyota includes a key to help squeeze the FIPG out, and it was quite helpful.

So after the beads were laid on the gasket I used my fresh gloves to rub it around on both sides of the gasket. It seems to be just the right amount, and covered everything in a medium to light layer of stinky FIPG. Once I had the gasket all smeared up I carefully laid down and wormed my way to the front axle and put on the gasket. You have 15 minutes according to the Toyota instructions to install parts.

At this point I grabbed my respirator with organic volatile filter and was a lot more comfortable. Even with my garage door open and some breeze it was really uncomfortable to work around the fumes of this stuff. Next I slotted the front diff and torqued everything down. and wiped up a little glop of FIPG on the lower part of the third member housing. Front is done.

I repeated the same procedure for the rear and now I'm all done with the differential part of this project. FIPG covered Toyota gasket:

and one slotted and torqued rear diff:

So on to the knuckles, front bearings, spindles etc, and the rear bearings. Thanks for following along.

 

[Spdstr280Z]

Update:

I have made progress! I've been pulled away from Cruiser duties but I was able to make some progress before my lunch break here. I got my new 3/8 drive torque wrench in the mail. Its nothing fancy at all but its new and clicks at high and low torques. So I was able to move forward on the driver side knuckle. I even installed some fancy Wit's End bling:View attachment 3216509
Thanks to @NLXTACY for cool products. I'll bend the tabs after checking the nuts at 500 miles. That will be when I drain my diffs fro the first time post gear install. Easy peasy.

Isn't it a really nice feeling to have Joey snuggling your nuts ? Having just gone through my 500 mile torque and all this fresh on my mind.... Are you not running brake dust shields ? If you are, you'll want to spin that nut hugger the other way. Also, pre-bend the tabs as suggested in the instructions, it can be a pain to get them going if you don't. Ask me how I know.... And yes, I ordered another set because I screwed one up with an, um, screw driver instead of grabbing a brass punch.

Have fun !

Jason

 

[Spdstr280Z]

Maybe my psyche needs these shenanigans so badly I self sabotage my own productivity so that I can drag it all out and commune here with you lot…just a theory.

Driving it after all this is fun too, just saying... Because I finally can, and can come here to rub it in.

Now I'm going to throw a rod on the way home aren't I ?

Jason

 

[PNWTreeOctopus]

Isn't it a really nice feeling to have Joey snuggling your nuts ? Having just gone through my 500 mile torque and all this fresh on my mind.... Are you not running brake dust shields ? If you are, you'll want to spin that nut hugger the other way. Also, pre-bend the tabs as suggested in the instructions, it can be a pain to get them going if you don't. Ask me how I know.... And yes, I ordered another set because I screwed one up with an, um, screw driver instead of grabbing a brass punch.

Have fun !

Jason

Great tips…I’ll adjust the orientation. Thanks for catching this.

 

[PNWTreeOctopus]

I have one birfield and inner axle back together. The driver side one isn’t playing nice.

Compare to a Toyota shaft:

These are the inner axles from @cruiseroutfit
And they are very nice and packaged and protected well in shipping, but it looks like this one didn’t quite get the same relief as the short axle I bought. I’ve tried the snap ring from the birf, the snap ring included with the axle, and my old Toyota ring. All are just too tight. So I can’t compress the ring to get it started. I’ve even been “aggressive”.

Kinda stuck.

 

[PNWTreeOctopus]

I just got off the phone with Jason at cruiser outfitters and he instructed me to send some photos and measurements of my groove to the info@ email at cruiser outfitters and the folks on the tech side can try and advise. He was very helpful. I really like that business.

Most places I measured this inner axle shaft were 1.94-1.97mm. The Toyota inner shaft I have is measuring 2.03 - 2.09mm and the ring I have is measuring 2.01-2.02mm.

I'll let you know what I discover.

 

[PNWTreeOctopus]

Update:

I have made progress! I've been pulled away from Cruiser duties but I was able to make some progress before my lunch break here. I got my new 3/8 drive torque wrench in the mail. Its nothing fancy at all but its new and clicks at high and low torques. So I was able to move forward on the driver side knuckle. I even installed some fancy Wit's End bling:View attachment 3216509
Thanks to @NLXTACY for cool products. I'll bend the tabs after checking the nuts at 500 miles. That will be when I drain my diffs fro the first time post gear install. Easy peasy.

Next up I got to work installing the diffs front and rear. I decided that I would go the belt and suspenders route and use FIPG and the paper gaskets. I used the following method. First I began by cleaning up my work area (kinda, since I have to play Tetris to really clean up). I wiped down the drip tray I use on my work bench with some brake cleaner and shop towels to get as much grit and dust away form my gaskets as possible. I did some final cleaning and prep to the axle housings and differential shells so that everything was as clean as possible. I then laid out all my tools: sockets, extensions, torque wrench. I positioned the the thirds in places where I could roll/ lift them onto my chest when it was time to slot them onto the housing. Then finally I got out my FIPG, and gaskets and put on some clean gloves.
View attachment 3216514
I happened to have some Toyota Seal packing (00295-01281) aka "Toyota red FIPG. Its different than the black FIPG. The red stuff is less common at your parts counter as far as I can tell or at least up here in the PNW.

Next I made a series of beads between the holes on the gasket. The FIPG from Toyota was very very thick and difficult to squirt through the smallest size aperture on the plastic tip. I cut the plastic at the second ridge (second smallest aparture) and it was easier. I suspect the ambient temp of about 50 degrees was also making this difficult. Toyota includes a key to help squeeze the FIPG out, and it was quite helpful.View attachment 3216518
So after the beads were laid on the gasket I used my fresh gloves to rub it around on both sides of the gasket. It seems to be just the right amount, and covered everything in a medium to light layer of stinky FIPG. Once I had the gasket all smeared up I carefully laid down and wormed my way to the front axle and put on the gasket. You have 15 minutes according to the Toyota instructions to install parts. View attachment 3216519
At this point I grabbed my respirator with organic volatile filter and was a lot more comfortable. Even with my garage door open and some breeze it was really uncomfortable to work around the fumes of this stuff. Next I slotted the front diff and torqued everything down. and wiped up a little glop of FIPG on the lower part of the third member housing. Front is done. View attachment 3216520
I repeated the same procedure for the rear and now I'm all done with the differential part of this project. FIPG covered Toyota gasket:View attachment 3216526
and one slotted and torqued rear diff:View attachment 3216527
So on to the knuckles, front bearings, spindles etc, and the rear bearings. Thanks for following along.

Dont worry I fixed my Jack stand safety bar in the photo of the front differential completed. I'll be glad when I dont have to be under this rig as much. I have nice 6T jack stands, but still. It sucks being under the rig and knowing that if the jack stand fails you're gonna die.

 

[Spdstr280Z]

That sucks, I bet I have the same axles and didn't have that problem. And I know what you mean about hanging out under there. Imagine realizing the jack stands your life depends on are the recalled Harbor Freight versions while you are under there...

Jason

 

[PNWTreeOctopus]

That sucks, I bet I have the same axles and didn't have that problem. And I know what you mean about hanging out under there. Imagine realizing the jack stands your life depends on are the recalled Harbor Freight versions while you are under there...

Jason

I punted my recalled HF ones. I had already been under the rig with them a bunch. That was kind of my departure from HF...

 

[Feldrian]

I just got off the phone with Jason at cruiser outfitters and he instructed me to send some photos and measurements of my groove to the info@ email at cruiser outfitters and the folks on the tech side can try and advise. He was very helpful. I really like that business. View attachment 3216630
Most places I measured this inner axle shaft were 1.94-1.97mm. The Toyota inner shaft I have is measuring 2.03 - 2.09mm and the ring I have is measuring 2.01-2.02mm.
View attachment 3216639
I'll let you know what I discover.

Time to get the grinder out again

 

[PNWTreeOctopus]

I have had two follow up emails from Cruiser outfitters this afternoon. They are on top of the customer service game. They offered:
1. To ship a new inner axle shaft to me and a return ticket for my old one.
2. I could file my groove out and they would credit me for my time and effort.

I tried to file out the groove, but my only file that fits the slot is verrrrrrry small and has a very fine cut. It clogs on about the second pass and needs to be brushed out. So I'm going for option one and a new shaft. They said they would ship out as early as tomorrow morning. What a great crew. I'm 100% a cruiser outfitters fan boy.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Sorry about that I'm curious to get your old shaft back and see what the scoop is. I suspect it may be related to heat-treat but significant size difference would indicate improper machining. Olly (mech engineer) is working on inspecting all the shafts we have now to be safe. Sounds like he's done with the long side's and inspecting short sides.

 

[Spdstr280Z]

I need to find more things to buy from @cruiseroutfit Awesome job guys.

Jason

 

[PNWTreeOctopus]

I need to find more things to buy from @cruiseroutfit Awesome job guys.

Jason

You really do!

 

[PNWTreeOctopus]

That’s

Sorry about that I'm curious to get your old shaft back and see what the scoop is. I suspect it may be related to heat-treat but significant size difference would indicate improper machining. Olly (mech engineer) is working on inspecting all the shafts we have now to be safe. Sounds like he's done with the long side's and inspecting short sides.

Thanks for sorting this out so quickly! Hopefully it’s just a one off and your inventory is in good shape. My short side went in like a dream!

 

[cruiseroutfit]

That’s

Thanks for sorting this out so quickly! Hopefully it’s just a one off and your inventory is in good shape. My short side went in like a dream!

I've not heard the results yet but when I left Olly had found a couple of tight ones but all workable. Sounds like yours is too tight.

 

[PNWTreeOctopus]

More bling from Wits end...

I should be back at it again tomorrow. I'll get the rear hubs and bearing sorted while I wait for this new axle shaft to arrive. I'l probably get the short side all finished up as well.

 

[baldilocks]

Dude is up to his knee’s in parts !

 

[PNWTreeOctopus]

Dude is up to his knee’s in parts !

I now have a small parts habit. I think I will be crossing a large threshold when I order a new springs and shocks. Im just not clear on what direction to go.

The compiled suspension thread is amazing, but the threads about reviewing various coils are filled with lots of confusing noise and opinions. But I’m realizing some truths:

1. I want a complete suspension overhaul because I didn’t get to make the suspension choices. It’s currently ok, but I think it could be better.
2. I want DVS arms, so I need to settle on lift and tire size.
3. 35” tires are where I’m at for now. I’d like to wheel on them first, but I like the low lift big tire approach.
4. I don’t want to trailer my rig, and it needs to play nice on pavement loaded with camping gear for 4 and a 47lb Labrador. It can be less than perfect for the Starbucks run and crawling at the Mall of America.
5. Budget is capable of “buy once cry once” scale purchases. If I can keep the suspension budget at $3-4K for a well built system that would be ideal. especially if I’m not trying to change tires and wheel size today.

I am not taking the approach of “I want my rig to look like @_______’s,” but rather what I want my rig to be able to do, and how I want it to feel, and what compromises it can have to to them. I will be calling up my favorite vendor to discuss my choices. Hopefully my approach will be helpful to someone else with a glacially slow build.

 

[ICY80]

Not trying to interrupt anything here. Just reading some threads. Your maintenance is very impressive man. I am trying to educate myself as much as possible. My 80 is currently at 236k miles and all original. I have done a good bit of maintenance with ALL fluids flushed, valve cover gasket, fan clutch, trans pan oil strainer and reseal, Its on a 3 inch dobinsons ims lift. But before I take it long distance I wanted to check with a professional like you to see if I need to take it a step further. Axles, differentials etc. Mine is a 97 model. I am very new to all of this. Thanks dude.