Service: Wheel bearing, Steering Knuckle, Brake & Timing belt W/Surprises!

[2001LC]

Then final was checking run out of rotor disk, torquing in the caliper and installing new pads. The pins were nasty so I replace those also.

Rotor I find low point and rotate to fin highs.

Limit is .07mm. I use 0.05mm feeler gauge to check scaling of dial from zero.

 

[2001LC]

Up next; flushing the brake fluid.

Took 4 qts to get clear

The booster run time test to check for air in lines or leaks, was perfect first time.
Sweet!

I replace bleeder cap last time in shop. So only needed to clear out bleeders of brake fluid with WD40 and the blow out with HP air. Then I let set and dry, before putting on the rubber bleeder caps.

 

[2001LC]

Timing Belt tear down

 

[2001LC]

 

[2001LC]

 

[2001LC]

Installed #2 idler pulley, than pull the pin from tensioner

 

[2001LC]

Spin crank 720 and see all timing marks hit dead on. SWEET!

Torque in the crank bolt to 181ft-lbf

Factory recommends replacing Fan bracket if showing oil weep from seal of bearing.

 

[2001LC]

Tip before installing fan bracket. Make sure crank sensor and oil sending unit wire housing is tuck in.

 

[2001LC]

Water inlet is only place we need the very pricey 1282B FIPG. It must be applied and water inlet assembled within 5 minutes. It also must remain dry (no coolant) for 30 minutes. So I get everything ready, by first cleaning and de-greasing. Then inspecting. I use soapy water on O-rings. Dawn dish soap some say is best, others like to just use coolant as lubricant on O-rings.



Funny this Aisin Timing Belt kit was missing the small O-ring for water crossover pipe. Looks like it was and opened box shipped to me Fortunately I had two "kits" on hand, so I did not get slowed down.
After cleaning I inspect.

The purple power is just a bottle I recycled. That I use for soapy dish water. It's not a good idea to use anything like soap to clean surface that FIPG is going onto. It may leave a residue.

The trick here, is to fill the groove with 1282B FIPG without to much overflow. Once torque in you'll see it squeeze out around fitting. You just want to barley see it squeeze out.

 

[2001LC]

As I button up the timing belt job. I finished off with new idler pulley, tensioner bearing, thermostat, radiator cap and drive belt.

Unless drive belt tensioner spring-back is weak, I just press new bearing in pulley.

As usual I found this bracket on fan shroud cracked, so I glued it.

I was getting a squeal on warm up, that sound like a bearing going bad. But once new belt on it was gone.

Heater tees aren't to bad, but I R&R with all T-belt jobs if not done already. Did you notice how they look worst as they dry out. Low coolant level with leave this in air pocket and they'll go bad sooner!

I allow all 3 gear boxes (frt & rear diffs and transfer case) to drain as I work. I'll keep their drain & fill plugs and new washer (gaskets) very visible to me, just so I don't forget to fill the boxes with 75W-90. The 10mm alen-socket is perfect for the torque wrench.

 

[2001LC]

Engine major tune up next.

I had actually removed the spark plugs at point where I needed to turn crankshaft. It makes turning so much easier. Also, if there is any binding while turning crank, I'm not fooled thinking it just compression holding back and then I try to force my way through it. Binding can be interference or something like issue with timing belt.

The Denso plugs were supplied to me. They'd been purchased off Amazon. Like with all plugs, I inspect before install, for things like gap, alignment, damage and these days bootlegs are spotted and corrected.

Think I found the set to be bootlegs.
The very first two plugs where out-of-alignment and gap off. So I looked closer. I see a plastic protective sleeve, like I get from Japan Denso. But it's box states USA and plugs state Japan, odd. USA Denso have cardboard sleeve and state USA assembled..
Out-of-alignment

I see a number of difference. The one on your right as you face it, is from Advance Auto, which comes through world pac. I've every reason to believe Denso made those.
Interesting the one on left, that I suspect is a bootleg, has thinner tip. It is larger than the newer TT (twin tips), but same size I saw a few months ago with a set of bootleg TT's I purchased from ebay. Which were as this one, thicker than real Denso TTs. I'll bet the same factory in China are making both.

I see a number of differences in the spark plugs. Even lettering color and font is slightly different.

I just used a set from know source. Torque in to Denso spec of 18ft-lbf, rather than Toyoytas 13ft-lbf.
These probable bootlegs go back. One thing, these bootlegs never do, is argue a return.

Some COP (coil) boots are cracking . So I installed a Denso boot kit.

 

[2001LC]

While doing spark plugs and coils, I like too re- torque head cover bolts. It saves replacing the cover gasket and bolts due to oil leak, 80% of the time.

I was out of BGK or CRC throttle body cleaner, so I used my stand by. Sea Form lubricant, works great.

Oh and see how just a little 1282B FIPG squeezed from seal of water inlet. I'm getting better. I once had big chuck hanging/squeezing out. SWEET!

The three vacuum hoses I'm always replacing due to cracking, are both PVC's and the idle up control on vane pump duel lines. I check function of PCV valve as I install the new PVC hose. I also look over all vacuum hose too see if other need replacing, which they did not.

Now I install both upper and lower radiator hoses, torque in the block drain plugs and close the radiator drain. The fill with 4 gallons of Toyota SLL "pink".

Next I fired it up. Darn if didn't have a small coolant leak. My bad, I'm so careful to get each hose clamp back on in the same exact orientation as they came off. But yet I forget one lower heater tee clamp into position. Easy fix.

Topped washer fluid as I inspected for leaks or anything not seeming right. I filled with screen in place just took out to photograph.

 

[2001LC]

AHC was bleed 20 or 30K miles ago. But for two reason I bleed early and recommend AHC should be bleed again in 20K miles or less.

1. Chances are the AHC system had only been flushed the once before and the system still has organic solid in it.
2. With both right front and rear shocks weeping. It may get better by using AHC system frequently, cycling fluid (changing height and sport to comfort setting) and frequently flushing to remove solids. This also adds back additive package that is in the Toyota AHC fluid.

I did the RH side flush as opposed to LH, to get it's shocks cleared the best I could.

I also rechecked all bleeder caps to make sure they're on and in good condition. It's a big deal!

 

[2001LC]

Graduation on AHC reservoir, help detriment health of globes. But can be misleading!

It's been said that, a new AHC system will raise hydraulic fluid level 14 graduation marks, from "H" to "L" in the reservoir. That 7 or lower indicates the system accumulator globes are shot.

After flushing and minor torsion bar adjustments, to get just a small ~5/16 drop in front end (rake).
Optimal 3/4" rake. I see axle to fender measurements and mpa pressures in tech stream of:
---------LH--------RH --------mpa
Front 19 1/4,-----19 1/4-------8.1
Rear 19 11/16---19 11/16-----7.1
Optimal pressures are front 6.9 mpa and rear 5.6 mpa.

I noted only 8 graduation from "H" to "L" at this time. Not good, but subsequently improved with adjustments of height sensors!

So I had my work cut out for me. This would be more than tweaking torsion bar tension.

I decide to start by dropping rear as far as I could. To this end, I dropped the sensor arm to low point in control arm bracket slide. Moving the sensor down by ~16mm (lengthening arm). This gave me a rear pressure of ~5.9 mpa without driving to settle.
Front went up to 8.9 mpa. Note: I only had ~1/2 tank of gas. So I added ~50lb to very rear LH cargo area. This would help me simulate closer to full tank (under 2nd row LH seat) of gas.

Next I moved to the front to drop it. The adjusters nut in both sides slid brackets were at bottom, giving the longest length (lower vehicle front). So I extended the turnbuckles ~12mm from LH 34.5mm to 45.85mm (inner measurement) RH from 33.00mm to 46.33mm.

I measured axle to fenders again and pressures (without driving to settle).
--------LH---------RH-----------mpa
Front 18 3/8, 18 5/8
Rear 18 15/16 18 15/16

Than gave torsion bar
------1 CW----------1/2CW
-------LH--------- -RH--------mpa
Front 18 7/16,------18 1/2
Rear 18 15/16------18 15/16

Than raise rear by moving adjuster up the side by 3mm
----------LH--------RH-----------mpa
Front 18 3/8",------18 7/16"-------7.7
Rear 19 1/16",-----19" ------------6.4

The graduation from "H" to "L" now improved to 10. Now that is interesting.

So now I've ~5/8 rake to aid in reducing HWY wondering. I'd like a little more with the K02's, but good enough to take in to Toyota Dealership and have alignment job done.

The pressure are better but still high. I'll recheck and tweak soon. But will have to do, for now. .

Future recommendations:
I feel it needs new rear OEM coil springs and 30mm spacers. This would bring rear pressure down to perhaps 5.9 mpa or may be less and raise rear ~1".

The pressure are better but still to much weight on AHC system. By raise rear, the front could then be raised by tweaking AHC sensor adjusters and CW cranks on torsion bar. This would reduce front & rear AHC pressure and more rake could be added.

The result would be longer life of globes, more "feel" and affect when adjusting confront control and better ride feel.

 

[2001LC]

Handles well, track nicely, needs tires balanced.

 

[2001LC]

Propeller shaft lube.

I noticed a little clunk while test driving. So while looking over suspension bushings, I decided do a lube job. Typically I do these with oil change, which I'm not doing at this time.

Tip: Always wipe off the grease zerk before lubing. Otherwise dirt can be pushing into zerk. One sign this has not been done, is zerk weeps after lubing from ball at tip. Naturally we don't want dirt in spider bearings or slide yokes.

Best keeping suspension in a neutral stance (not raising vehicle). Otherwise slide yokes will build to much pressure as grease compresses in the cavity of yoke, as slide yoke compresses while vehicle lowered.

Sure enough the slide yokes were very dry. They took about 50 seconds of pumping at 110 psi (pneumatic grease gun) on rear, and 30 seconds on front, to get any extension.

The spiders barley yielded any old grease before new came out.

 

[vkfzj80]

thanks for posting pics and details, learned a few things by reading this post

 

[2001LC]

You're more than welcome!

 

[CasaDeChaos]

Paul,

I can't thank you enough for the expertise and work applied to my truck. Now I have to come up with a name for it.

 

[bentonrover]

Beyond awesome right up