Real time help (stranded 80)-

[tucker74]

Hey,

One of our Austin Cruiserheads is having some front axle issues with his '97 FZJ80 in Taos NM, has a 750 mile drive home.

Background:

Had local shop replace the front wheel bearings before the trip, PS spindle was scarred on outside and had to be replaced.

On trip:

~500 miles in started hearing loud vibration sound from DS front, intermittent mainly on acceleration. Kept going since he was in the middle of nowhere in West Texas, made it with only the intermittent noise. Drove truck to ski area the next day, noise happened the whole (10 mile) drive back to town.

He called me, I immediately told him it was probably the spindle bushing. Only other possibilities I could think of where brake issue or wheel bearing issue (brand new).

He took it to local shop, spindle bushing grooves were caked with dried grease on one side, other side clean ... no scarring on outer edge of brass bushing. I told them to have them clean it out and re-assemble everything correctly (he gave them FSM section).

He's afriad this might not be the issue since there was no real scarring, and it might happen again in the middle of nowhere on the drive back. Wants to pull front DS, lock CDL, and drive home in 2WD.

**Question - do you have to pull drive plates as well? Also, doesn't have 7-pin mod but does have switch, can he even lock the CDL in 4-hi?**

I've currently got a '94 and had a '93 previously, so have no idea about the 7-pin mod (or the dry spindle bushing issue). IIRC the spindle bushing design changed on later trucks?

Help and ideas appreciated -

Tucker

 

[96r50]

If you don't want the stuff inside the front axle (birfs/axle shafts/diff) turning, then you have to pull the drive plates as well as the front driveshaft.

You don't need the Pin 7 mod to lock the centre diff in high. Just push the button.

 

[tucker74]

Here's the pic he sent me of the spindle bushing (crappy camera phone) -

Tucker

 

[OGBeno]

You have PM.

 

[casey]

Hello, stranded 80 guy here

Thanks for the suggestions and offers. I'm going to have the shop clean up that bushing as best as possible and have them slap it all back together as Tucker has been suggesting. If it's driving ok again I'll probably head to Albq. on my way home.

 

[96r50]

Hello, stranded 80 guy here

Thanks for the suggestions and offers. I'm going to have the shop clean up that bushing as best as possible and have them slap it all back together as Tucker has been suggesting. If it's driving ok again I'll probably head to Albq. on my way home.

Make sure they pack the bushing with fresh grease before they reinstall it! Good luck!

Aren't there a couple guys in Albuquerque who know some stuff about cruisers? Probably a good place to go!

 

[Ihasfip]

You can lock the CDL without the switch as well. Put it in Low range then pull the diff fuse. Put back in high range and the CDL will be locked. Then you can pull the shaft and see if the noise is still there. If it is then try pulling the drive flanges. If the noise is still there then you have a bearing issue. The tools you will need are 14mm wrench (x2), and a 12mm wrench, hammer, preferably a brass drift but you can be innovative there, flat tip screw driver, and possibly a chisel or something if the drive flange is being stubborn to come off once the nuts and little wedge things are out. Shouldn't take more than 30 mins tops to do all of the above. HTH

D

 

[KliersLC]

That bushing needs a metric crap-ton of grease in there. A dry spindle bushing is by far the most common problem after a front axle service.

 

[casey]

HUGE thanks to Tucker for being persistent and convincing me to have the shop clean up that little smudge of dry grease. Just drove the truck back to the cabin with no issues / no sounds. We're here til Saturday so I'll have a chance to put some miles on it around town before I have to make the trek back. The guys at the shop could not believe a little cleaning and some new grease was all it took.

 

[cruiserdan]

I am not surprised.

 

[casey]

Yeah, and this was the second time that had torn it down and put it back together. The first time they noise was still there... the 2nd time I just asked them to get it as clean as possible and repack with fresh grease. That's all it needed apparently.

Thanks Dan for listening to my sob story and being ready/willing to get me parts if it came down to that. Thanks to Beno for offering up your help as well. Time to get in vacation mode and enjoy the rest of our trip.

 

[badmuthatrucka]

Yeah, there is just no way to get around the fact that Dan absolutely ROCKS!!!