Missing front axle drain plug. Whats all going to need to be replaced?

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basalt51

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Joined
Sep 7, 2004
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EDIT:
**** it. I'm so tired of these idiots.

YOTA1 Performance in Riverbank Ca are the idiots with ZERO quality control. I spent tens of thousands on this bs workmanship knowing I was paying 30% more for the "experts."
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TLDR: Shop forgot front oil drain plug, front axle is ****ed. What is going to need to be replaced?

So my LX450 was at a shop (supposed to be one of THE Landcruiser Shops in CA) for some other work (new engine), and they recommended replacing the passenger side knuckle seals as they had been leaking for awhile and they did need replacing. They did the work, replacing knuckle bearings and such as well. They cleaned and painted the parts. Looks great. So about the fourth hour driving after the repair while doing the shops recommended break-in procedure for the engine, I'm nearly home and start hearing something that sounded like a weird bearing wear issue. Immediately pulled over, couldn't hear anything from the engine. Get underneath and don't see anything obvious. The sound would happen when coasting, go away under any throttle. Was not engine RPM related, didn't change with brake application. So I feel I've ruled everything out engine wise, brake wise, and I'm, think my driveshaft CVs (or just U-joint? I dunno) are randomly going out. Sound was definitely more distinct in my neighborhood when there were cars next to me for the sound to bounce off.

Look underneath and see nothing, U-joint seem ok but hard to know. Inside rotor guard not rubbing anything, brakes look ok. I'm stumped so I leave it until this morning when I jack up the passenger side tire. I check for wheel play and it doesn't move at all. I feel there should be SOME play, but maybe rotor is holding it tight. I put trans in N, TC in N, and try to spin the tire. Its very difficult to turn. I crawl under and just stare at things for a bit wondering what could possible be wrong. I think, well, lets just put a finger where the drain plug is - ya know, just in case, no one could forget that. F ME. Nothin there. There's no oil on the underside of the axle housing or the vehicle. There has definitely been no puddles where I drove it. The only place it has been is Denny's on the way home, my home, and the smog shop, and it sat at every location for at least an hour to cool before I drove it for another hour. Not a drop of oil at any location from the axle. There is an oil line leak, that is enough to drip, but nothing else.

So what is likely to be toast after 4 hours with no oil? Axle bearing, carrier bearings? Differential (it is factory locked)? I had used the locker for about 50 feet on a dirt road while getting some engine time. Are ring and pinion likely toast? I'm dumb founded atm.
 
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The shop is doing the work I’m assuming? Under warranty?
 
basalt51 said:
TLDR: Shop forgot front oil drain plug, front axle is ****ed. What is going to need to be replaced?

So my LX450 was at a shop (supposed to be one of THE Landcruiser Shops in CA) for some other work (new engine), and they recommended replacing the passenger side knuckle seals as they had been leaking for awhile and they did need replacing. They did the work, replacing knuckle bearings and such as well. They cleaned and painted the parts. Looks great. So about the fourth hour driving after the repair while doing the shops recommended break-in procedure for the engine, I'm nearly home and start hearing something that sounded like a weird bearing wear issue. Immediately pulled over, couldn't hear anything from the engine. Get underneath and don't see anything obvious. The sound would happen when coasting, go away under any throttle. Was not engine RPM related, didn't change with brake application. So I feel I've ruled everything out engine wise, brake wise, and I'm, think my driveshaft CVs (or just U-joint? I dunno) are randomly going out. Sound was definitely more distinct in my neighborhood when there were cars next to me for the sound to bounce off.

Look underneath and see nothing, U-joint seem ok but hard to know. Inside rotor guard not rubbing anything, brakes look ok. I'm stumped so I leave it until this morning when I jack up the passenger side tire. I check for wheel play and it doesn't move at all. I feel there should be SOME play, but maybe rotor is holding it tight. I put trans in N, TC in N, and try to spin the tire. Its very difficult to turn. I crawl under and just stare at things for a bit wondering what could possible be wrong. I think, well, lets just put a finger where the drain plug is - ya know, just in case, no one could forget that. F ME. Nothin there. There's no oil on the underside of the axle housing or the vehicle. There has definitely been no puddles where I drove it. The only place it has been is Denny's on the way home, my home, and the smog shop, and it sat at every location for at least an hour to cool before I drove it for another hour. Not a drop of oil at any location from the axle. There is an oil line leak, that is enough to drip, but nothing else.

So what is likely to be toast after 4 hours with no oil? Axle bearing, carrier bearings? Differential (it is factory locked)? I had used the locker for about 50 feet on a dirt road while getting some engine time. Are ring and pinion likely toast? I'm dumb founded atm.
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It smoked your bearings in the differential.

Carrier bearings
Pinion bearings

Most likely everything outside the diff itself is finer, but it ALL need to come apart to be rebuilt.

Hopefully this shop will step up if that's the case.
Document
Document
Document
 
what @Fj80oregon said. Is it the bottom drain plug? or the fill plug? if it's the bottom plug...carrier bearings, pinion bearings, maybe the gears. so, new locking third. Just a swap out, not a huge ordeal. Biggest issue is finding a decent locking third.
 
LandCruisinMy93 said:
what @Fj80oregon said. Is it the bottom drain plug? or the fill plug? if it's the bottom plug...carrier bearings, pinion bearings, maybe the gears. so, new locking third. Just a swap out, not a huge ordeal. Biggest issue is finding a decent locking third.
Click to expand...
Ya its the DRAIN plug on the bottom.
 
even if the gears look OK i would ask for new ones, they probably look bad.
 
basalt51 said:
Ya its the DRAIN plug on the bottom.
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I'd tell them they need to hunt down a e-locker third, rebuild it and install it free of charge. They likely have insurance for mishaps like that. When I drove armored trucks we had a shop that did all of our oil changes. They did an in frame on my regular truck, replaced the turbo and radiator. When I went to pick it up and drove it off it sounded like a circular saw in the cab, turned it around and brought it back. They had filled the engine....but left the drain plug out of the pan. Shops big and small do this kind of stuff. They may try to fight you on it but whatever you do, don't back down.
 
I'd be awfully temped to pull the drive flanges and make sure they lubed the wheel bearings and set proper torque, then pull the plug on the knuckle and make sure they greased the birfeild.
If they forgot one thing, they may have missed others too.
 
basalt51 said:
So what is the advantage of a new (I assume used "new" it sounds like) 3rd vs rebuilding the existing one?
Click to expand...

Everything is new-- including all the surfaces in the case. Although that might not matter as much if the rebuilder is good. And it comes with a new locker actuator-- assuming you have lockers. And I think if you can get them on a sale the price difference is not as much as you might imagine.

But you can only get new ones with 4.11, so if you are ever going to consider re-gearing to different gear maybe do a rebuild with new gears now instead.
 
sjpitts said:
Everything is new-- including all the surfaces in the case. Although that might not matter as much if the rebuilder is good. And it comes with a new locker actuator-- assuming you have lockers. And I think if you can get them on a sale the price difference is not as much as you might imagine.

But you can only get new ones with 4.11, so if you are ever going to consider re-gearing to different gear maybe do a rebuild with new gears now instead.
Click to expand...
It won't need an entire housing and actuator. The bearings locked up and it won't turn. Take it apart, new bearings and put it back together.

Has nothing to do with the actuator or having to buy a new locking diff carrier. He didn't drive it far enough to munch teeth or have shyt fly apart.

Yes, it was wrong. Someone F'd up. They'll blow it all apart, install new bearings, new seals out the outside (at least they better do new seals again) then put it all back together.

They best take it for a test drive at highway speeds for 10 miles+.
 
Running without oil can be pretty catastrophic. I'm genuinely surprised it took 4 hours to start grumbling. Especially considering a proper engine break in is
running the snot out of it.
 
The actual cast iron carrier might not have incurred damage. But I would carefully inspect the surface of the bores where where the axle gears nest. The bearing caps should be fine. The bolts should all be fine since it did not get hot enough to seize. Again, if it did not get hot enough to seize, the axles shafts should not have been affected. Every bearing should be considered toast. Any surface that slides, rubs or presses against another should be suspect. Default assumption is that ring and pinon need to be replaced and that spyder gears, pinion shaft, thrust washers and axle gears will be damaged.

Mark...
 
After you assess the damage tack on another $1000 to the shop and really make them eat it. Just think if you drove your truck into there and smashed it into the wall. They would charge you extra as well.

I’m gunna rant a bit here. I have been spinning wrenches for 20+ years and have NEVER run anything dry. This was as simple as DOUBLE CHECKING. A shop that hires guys that don’t double check fluids or tightness of drain plugs is not a shop that should exist.

I know,I know mistakes happen. But let me tell you a little story. Before I worked for a local school bus depot some guys put new breaks on a big bus and forgot to adjust the slack adjusters to spec. ANY air brake work on the heavy duty side MUST BE checked by measurement after install AND pretrip break function test AND another set of eyes to sign off, which should cover emergency breaking in case of some sort of air supply failure. Well some knuckle-head slammed the job together and went for a drive and the first turn he came to he hit the breaks and surprise! SURPRISE! No breaks! School bus went through a fence! No one got hurt, but he pencil whipped his work order and suckered a coworker into signing off.. They fired everyone in the shop! So yeah, forget that shop as a “Land Cruiser specialty shop”

They are are just a bunch of price gouging hacks using “Land Cruiser” as a way to mark up everything.

Sorry this happened to you. Your cruiser deserved better.
 
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