Service: Wheel bearing, Steering Knuckle, Rack OE rubber mounting bushings, Ball joints, Transmission flush W/Surprises! (1 Viewer)

[2001LC]

Small bearing (outer)
Dang from "China" Well that not a factory bearing.

Noting remarkable about bearing other than a little heat discolor and minor scoring. The small race was looking about like the large.

 

[2001LC]

Out with old races. Using a brass dowel and 5LB sledge work from side to side, walking out.

What do you know, a TIMKEN.

A USA made TIMKEN Hummm..Replacement if USA made. So it will now have it's third set of bearings on PS possible more. Why, improper wheel bearing service! They could have lasted a life time!

Nice, someone replace this before using air tool with steel chisels bit from the looks of it, and just pound one side. WRONG!

 

[2001LC]

Pound out the small race with brass dowel and then did a little reconditioning, before install new races.

Did need anything hanging up my new race make install difficult.

Deburred & polished, flip over and then Polish the small bearing side (front). Wiped down and blew of with HP air. Then add a touch of grease and installed the small race.

I started with a plastic mallet (need to pick up a brass hammer) tapping in, working from side to side. Once so deep I could not tap on directly, I use old race wide side down to pound on with 2lb steel hammer.

Once so deep I could pound on with hammer. I flipped wide side up and used a flat punch to seated. As it seat the the tone changed to a solid thud.

One down one too go!

 

[2001LC]

Large race

I wiped wall with thin layer of grease. I also dabbed the race stops with grease to give visual aid when race seats.

Again tap tap tap side to side top to bottom, until flush.

Then grab old race to drive home the new, large side down. The old being used as a tool will get stuck. Having large side down is helpful when removing.

Now I just flip over and tap out my old race/tool.

 

[JunkCrzr89]

@2001LC Great work! Similar to others, I thank you for generously providing such detail for us.

Note about that Prado losing the LBJ: that’s a similar garbage design that Toyota used on 1st gen Tacoma, 3rd gen 4Runner, and T100, all of which are plagued by rampant LBJ failures without any warning. As someone else noted above, the design results in the knuckle exerting a constant force that pulls away from LBJ. Fortunately, 100s have a much better setup.

 

[CanadianRockyCruiser]

I'm inspired to tackle my front hubs and bearings before winter sets in. My winter tire change will be a bit longer than usual this year. Think I'll do the brake calipers at the same time. Thanks for all of the great write ups: These are always so helpful when planning maintenance and repairs.

 

[suprarx7nut]

Love it. Great stuff @2001LC .

 

[Porter]

Good stuff. I'm OCD, but still a shade tree mechanic always wanting to be better. You are an OCD Master Mechanic! I imagine you to be like the mechanic on Seinfeld that decided Jerry wasn't worthy to get his SAAB back! But you are kind and educate the owners of the rigs you service. Thanks!

 

[2001LC]

@2001LC Great work! Similar to others, I thank you for generously providing such detail for us.

Note about that Prado losing the LBJ: that’s a similar garbage design that Toyota used on 1st gen Tacoma, 3rd gen 4Runner, and T100, all of which are plagued by rampant LBJ failures without any warning. As someone else noted above, the design results in the knuckle exerting a constant force that pulls away from LBJ. Fortunately, 100s have a much better setup.

You're welcome and my pleasure.

Thanks for the better understanding on other Toyota's. I've been hearing the 4 Runners are having knuckles fall off due to ball joint failure. I really did not know the difference, as I only work on 100 and 200 series.

I inspected 20 or 30 rigs a year. One a 00LX w/299K miles this summer. I found Power Steering rack leaking everywhere with reservoir so low and dirty I don't know if anything in it, along with vane pump and all PS hoses leaking, mounting bushing shot, inner and outer TRE shot, upper and lower ball joints shot, wheel bearing loose. Brake fluid black. Heater tees looked real bad. The list was long. I checked the service history and found Lexus dealer had recommend and CS declined repairs, of many I listed, over past 2 years.

I said to him, he should get this stuff repaired. That his wheels aren't going to fall off nor his ball joint going to let go, but still.

I plan to call and suggest I was wrong! He'll still not repair, but I needed to at least say "I've concerns" his wheels may fall off!

I'm seeing more and more bad ball joint. Some I get 1/2 to 3/4"" movement up and down. As I saw this mud member wheel hub fall off. I got to thinking A ball joint could come out of it's socket if allowed to go to far. Some people just will not maintain or don't have anyone looking out for them. It may just be a matter of time.

I'm inspired to tackle my front hubs and bearings before winter sets in. My winter tire change will be a bit longer than usual this year. Think I'll do the brake calipers at the same time. Thanks for all of the great write ups: These are always so helpful when planning maintenance and repairs.

Good plan. Even with a heated shop, I go outside to power wash or hose off parts. If to cold it's just cant be done.

If I'm replacing pads with caliper rebuild, I always like to have rotors machine turning to bed new pads on. No better time than when servicing wheel bearings for DIY.

Let me know if you have any questions.

Love it. Great stuff @2001LC .

Thanks, coming from you that's is a lot. BTW: I had opportunity to assemble one of your YotaMD key shells. Very well made, nice job!

Good stuff. I'm OCD, but still a shade tree mechanic always wanting to be better. You are an OCD Master Mechanic! I imagine you to be like the mechanic on Seinfeld that decided Jerry wasn't worthy to get his SAAB back! But you are kind and educate the owners of the rigs you service. Thanks!

I'll take that as a compliment. So thank you!

But OCD is a term used to lightly these days IMHO.
What I do is Restoration quality or I try to. I'm not near to the level I'd like to be, but I'm learning.

All that said. Yes I guess I am that guy..... LOL. I don't just let anyone have my restore projects.

 

[2001LC]

Claw washer, lock washer, lock & adjusting nut.

Claw washer scoring is sure sign wheel bearings were running to loose. Wheel bearings start chattering eating into claw washer, and the end of spindle that large bearing butts too. Either preload was not properly set leaving wheel bearings to loose or servicing them needed to be done sooner than the factory 30k mile PM interval.

A build rig with such things as: wheel spacer, larger then spec tires, lift, sifter suspension, etc. Consideration should be given to shorting wheel bearing servicing schedule. Say if you do a perfect wheel bearing service job, and 30K miles later you find scoring on claw washer. It's likely you should reduce interval to 25K or 20K miles between wheel bearing service.

Why do we care. Well from what I'm seeing. Scoring reduce pressure on wheel bearings from adjusting nut as claw washer becomes thinner. It's a gap, where none should be, between claw washer and small bearing. So bearings are loosening, even though lock & adjusting nut haven't moved (loosened). Chatter increases due loose wheel bearing and than more scoring ensues and the cycle gets worst and worst as scoring increases. Also the large bearing chattering where it butts to back of spindle, also loosen bearings This chatter from large wheel bearing on back of spindle, wear the spindle at point it butts to bearing. This is a second point the wear increases snap ring gap and it is not cheap to replace a spindle (steering knuckle). Now axle starts getting damaged due to the wide gap. It gets to be and expensive proposition. It does not happen overnight, but over thousands of miles, but it just get worst and does damage faster and faster. This chatter combine with wide snap ring gap, will saw away at hub flange teeth and those of front drive shaft axle.

Let's take a peak at this passage side (PS) claw washer.
It does have Scoring from loose wheel bearing chatter. It has a good keep, so can be flipped, to good side in butting against wheel bearing. This one did have some minor scoring on other side, so I just replaced it.

Lock washer. Is not consider reusable by factory!

Lock washer can only be reused if it has two unbend taps in usable spots. Once a tab is bent, it can not be safely bent again. It also needs a good keep. "Keep" It's the tab on inside that fits in key slot of spindle to keep in one position, same as claw washers has.

This one has 3 unused tabs and one still in bent position locking tab. So I'll give it a try. The one nearest the keep has been bent and straighten, so it's can not be reused. The bent one, if happens to fit sung on adjusting nut can be reused. Not best practice, but okay in if one must.

Adjusting & locking nuts. They're identical. The newer style has a flat side that easy to spot. It looks like a smaller nut molded into back side. Factory puts flat side in. Whenever I see chisel marks on lock nut, I know the bearing were run loose after that service. Why, they did not have a 54mm socket, so they used a chisel to remove the nut. Than still not having a 54mm during assembly, they can't really set preload. They likely don't even know setting preload with spring scale is proper procedure, for setting wheel bearings tightness.

 

[abuck99]

IDK- locking tab washer is a $dollar or two, to me downsides far outweigh any reason to reuse unless its a trail repair and you dont have a spare. These are stamped metal, get fatigued and the tabs can chip or break off- not worth it.

There is a locating spur these to hold in place on the spindle and tabs are always same position, I generally find orientation of adjusting and outer locking nut are often close to the same position after torque procedure. So to reuse, you would have to turn the adjusting nut more and the outer locking more than the torque you just set to use a different tab.

 

[nitteo]

LOVE your threads man! Please keep it up.

 

[2001LC]

LOVE your threads man! Please keep it up.

Thanks, I will!

IDK- locking tab washer is a $dollar or two, to me downsides far outweigh any reason to reuse unless its a trail repair and you dont have a spare. These are stamped metal, get fatigued and the tabs can chip or break off- not worth it.

There is a locating spur these to hold in place on the spindle and tabs are always same position, I generally find orientation of adjusting and outer locking nut are often close to the same position after torque procedure. So to reuse, you would have to turn the adjusting nut more and the outer locking more than the torque you just set to use a different tab.

Good points and absolutely best practice to just replace. Thanks for pointing that out, I should have stated that. I'll edited to make that clear. I actually have a bag of them on the shelve in my wheel bearing box. They're inexpensive and easier to just replace.

I'm just showing that if reused, it needs to pass certain inspection test. Kind of what I'm doing throughout the thread.

The one you see pictured above, is a new one I install a few months ago, when I was just resetting wheel bearing preload until we could get to full wheel bearing service. The lock washer that came out at that time, looked like it been reused a few time and spur was nearly gone.

There is a video on YouTube, where the guy has very large following. He is pounds the bent tabs flat and reuses them, without any warning not to reuse previously bent tab. So I wanted to make clear do not re-bent.

I know you know this AB. But to be clear to anyone reading this, never turn either nut to fit the lock wash new or used, NEVER under any circumstances. That is what I meant they must be in "usable spot" Lock washer must be fitted to where adjusting and locking nut ends up based on preload setting and torque, not the other way around.

As far as fatigue, yes any bent tab is unusable for that reason. I'm not really concerned with metal fatigue of unbent tabs, as I just don't see sings of that.

The spur (keep) must also be in; like new condition.

FSM list this part as non reusable if removed. Other parts are also listed as non reusable (if removed). That most everyone reuses anyway, best practice no! But if done those too must at least pass inspect. I'll be pointing out what I look for with them also. I like when all non reusable are replaced, but that's rarely done by anyone.

@cruiseroutfit has a kit that comes with new lock washer, and carries most any part you'd need or will get.

In a wheel hub that was recently posted in mud, where wheel hub broke loose of rotor disk and walk off. It appeared and I suspect, the lock washer was put in wrong location. But I don't think we'll ever know this. As it was half gone and up against the wall of hub, so hard to say where it was. I suspect it was installed between small bearing and claw washer, which makes no sense. But would explain why nuts walked off in short time. I suppose, it's possible they reused a bent tab or spur gone. But I've seen many were they did not bend any tab, and near nothing left of spur, those didn't walk off but could have!

I've never actually seen a busted tab during disassembly. You can tell when a tab has been bend once or bent a second time. They're smooth in the bend first time. Second time bent they have a ripple.

My 01LC which had Toyota Dealership wheel bearing service done before I bough it at 59K miles in 2003. I found DS lock washer had not been locked by the lock washer (not bend over any nut), they forgot just that side, PS was bent. I found this on my first wheel bearing job, which was shamefully more than 30K miles later. Bearings were loose, claw washer very scored, spindle dis-color from heat, and lock washer had previously bent tabs (a re-used one). In-fact I've find most lock washers are used. Not a good practice, but very common.

Here something else I've seen done by " indy shops" that is wrong. They'll bend all 5 tabs over adjusting nut and not one over the locking nut. They seem to think the spur is the lock, it is not. It's the locking of the two nut together after torquing, that is lock.

WRONG install; all tab were bent inward. I see this all to often.

 

[2001LC]

Hub flange.

New OEM hub flanges are nice. The teeth have zero wear, back of flange perfectly flat which mates to wheel hub squarely making a good seal, cone washer holes are round, face where snap ring rides is in perfect condition (third spot the wear increases snap ring gap). Match with new front drive shaft (FDS) and cone washers is a beautiful thing. There will be zero play between hub flange splines/teeth and that of axle splines/teeth of FDS. Which play from wear here, is the leading cause of D-N-R clunk. With this cluck it makes it difficult to tell if front differential bushings are worn an causing a cluck or other areas for that mater.

Here's two inspection I do, to get indication of how much play between hub flange and axle of FDS.
You'll hear the clunk. I use this in a running condition inspection. You can just reach in and twist FDS by hand with tires on ground, an see the play, if any.


Below is a 06LC w/200K miles (Snowy) I restored.

For comparison. No clunk with new front drive shaft, hub flange and cone washers. So sweet!


I've seen some hub flanges, so worn out, it teeth were ready to fail. The FDS axle teeth were no better, which are pricey to replace.
Here examples of very bad teeth in a hub flange.

New Hub flange

Face. Can't see but face is worn down and no longer flat.

New

This was axle matched with above very bad hub flange. You can see the axle teeth are near gone, in addition too excessive snap ring retaining groove wear.

The above example was from a LC w 210K miles. You may wonder if this is normal wear. No it is not IMHO. In a properly service 100 series. I don't see any reason why we can't get many many more miles out of these components even a million miles. If wheel bearing properly serviced ever 30K miles or sooner in built rigs.

What is properly service. Well, 1st within PM scheduled of 30K miles, 2nd assembled by the book (FSM). Some feel a DD mall crawler can go 60k or 90K, and that only built rigs used off road need Toyoya recommended PM. Wrong!

Doing proper PM helps to protect all these components. They will wear, but not to point un-serviceable.

 

[JunkCrzr89]

I know you know this AB. But to be clear to anyone reading this, never turn either nut to fit the lock wash new or used, NEVER under any circumstances. That is what I meant they must be in "usable spot" Lock washer must be fitted to where adjusting and locking nut ends up based on preload setting and torque, not the other way around.

This bears repeating!!!

 

[JunkCrzr89]

There will be zero play between hub flange splines/teeth and that of axle splines/teeth of FDS.

This also bears repeating (perhaps everything you write does)! You had commented on a separate thread a week or so ago about spline wear, which prompted me to go back and check mine. Even with new hub flange, I still had some play because the splines on the outboard shaft of FDS were worn. Got new FDS in yesterday, put new hub flange on, and there is now ZERO play. In fact, the factory tolerance here is so tight that I had to get a rubber mallet out to lightly tap flange and fully seat it against hub.

 

[2001LC]

Yeah I must have hundreds of post on wheel bearings. I see 99% of every rig I inspect or work on, done wrong or not serviced. I get many PM on this stuff. This is going to be one of my most detailed on wheel bearings. It will be where I'll send many!

I'll get into assembly in just a few more post, if my eyes sight holds out.. You will see it all again..

 

[suprarx7nut]

This also bears repeating (perhaps everything you write does)! You had commented on a separate thread a week or so ago about spline wear, which prompted me to go back and check mine. Even with new hub flange, I still had some play because the splines on the outboard shaft of FDS were worn. Got new FDS in yesterday, put new hub flange on, and there is now ZERO play. In fact, the factory tolerance here is so tight that I had to get a rubber mallet out to lightly tap flange and fully seat it against hub.

FWIW, My brand new Toyota CV and hubs had a tiny amount of play. About as much as the CVs and hubs I took off. I should grab my dial indicator and try to measure it. It was very small, but definitely there. I wonder what common play amounts are. Maybe @2001LC and I can compare some notes and come up with a generally expected value for new/worn.

 

[bentonrover]

Just wow. Another awesome thread.

 

[2001LC]

FWIW, My brand new Toyota CV and hubs had a tiny amount of play. About as much as the CVs and hubs I took off. I should grab my dial indicator and try to measure it. It was very small, but definitely there. I wonder what common play amounts are. Maybe @2001LC and I can compare some notes and come up with a generally expected value for new/worn.

So I take it you replaced FDS, for some other reason than play in hub flange.

I don't have any new setups (FDS, with hub flange) lying around right now. A new setup will have, and develop very minor rotational play just by way of the new part breaking in together. But those will not have any clunk whatsoever. A used setup that is what I'd call serviceable, will have some rotational play and very mild D-N-R clunk. It's a judgment call.

New Hub flange on used axle has some backlash (rotational play), but was and improvement.

When I have, just placed a new hub flange on a new axle. It does feel if just a tiny bit of rotation CW & CCW play.

Another way to get a feel of movement is while tire on the ground to eliminate any moment in hub flange, but can be done with tire off ground. I garb outer CV tulip of front drive shaft and twist/rotate CW & CCW. With brand OEM new setup you'll not really feel or see any remarkable rotation. With to much play, it will be obvious. Kind of like this:


Sometimes I'll just replacing hub flange to get a small incremental improvement, when axle looks good, and hub flange marginal. I'll put a new hub flange on axle, and compare to old by hand. If I see some improvement, I'll replace. If improvement is very very little, I'll weight other points I inspect to make final call if it's worth the cost.

Those other points are:

1) Face where snap ring butts.
2) Flat surface of back of flange that mates to wheel hub.
3) Condition of cone washer holes.

Those three point get damage for only a few reason (other than road hazard like accident) that I've seen:

1) Snap ring gap to wide from old snap being reused and gap not set. Gap to wide and hub flange face and axle groove both take a beating as axle moves in & out past design limits. Also snap ring expands each time expanded to install & remove, then fit loosely. Now it set up a condition where snap ring does not have as much of axle groove to secure it. As snap ring pound on axle, it's held by less surface area (groove) so damage is faster. This is leading reason a snap ring pops off. This damages the axle and snap ring, making it impossible to keep a snap ring on axle.

Side note: This along with loose wheel bearing chatter cause axle moment in and out like a saw. Chatter (vibration) becomes a power saw. This eats the splines of both hub flange and axle. That is without a doubt, what happen to the very bad hub flange and axle above in post #54 and here.

The axle snap ring groove shows one effect of allowing a wide gap. The axle takes beating widening the groove. The Hub face & axle groove are addition places for wear that increase snap ring gap.
Here reusing a snap ring that fit to loosen around axle. You can see how the groove step-up as it eats away axle excessive in and out movement.

Damages snap ring as well. With less surface area holding snap ring on axle, both get eaten faster. This is ready to pop off.

This may have been someones answer to an axle that could no longer retain a snap ring or splines total gone both. I really think a bad idea. Get it down the road for awhile I suppose!

The pounding hub flange takes, form widening snap ring gap, will eat into face of flange widening gap.
Cycle then accelerates, causing damage that need never happen.

New OEM is so sweet, we can keep in near new condition by proper servicing.