Should this axle housing be replaced? (1 Viewer)

[Jalbao]

I've attached a picture of the driver side axle housing of my '72 FJ40.

Notice how chewed up it is. This was caused by broken bearings.

Is the condition of this in such bad shape that it is potentially dangerous to continue to use?

 

[Fast Eddy]

That's not the knuckle, that's the axle housing. Looks to me like it would clean up ok.

 

[Jalbao]

That's not the knuckle, that's the axle housing.

Fixed the typo. Thanks.

When you say "it would clean up ok" - What do you mean by that? How do I go about cleaning chewed-up steel?

 

[subzali]

File it down a bit, maybe some emery cloth, call it good.

 

[inkpot]

The only place that makes any contact with other parts is the axle seal and the trunion bearing races, all replacable. Just file/grind/sand downt the rest. Outside of ball housing needs to be smooth for the felt wipers that slide over them, but I don't see any damage there. John

 

[71FJ40]

Hit it with a grinding burr, clean it well and call it good.

As inkpot says, all other important parts are replaceable.

 

[Fast Eddy]

How do I go about cleaning chewed-up steel?

Hit it with a grinding burr

Yea, die grinder if you can or a dremel tool if that's all you have.

 

[Huroneymoose]

Stuff a rag in the axle tube so whatever filings and such are not introduced into the axle housing and ultimatley your carrier, ring and pinion etc.

 

[Jalbao]

Stuff a rag in the axle tube.

Will do. Thanks.

 

[terrx]

Have you seen these:
HD Inner Axle Seal, FJ40-FJ62 | Marlin Crawler, Inc.

While you're there, a little more grinding and you can fit longfields.... (you'd need fine spline axles)

 

[Huroneymoose]

[/QUOTE]While you're there, a little more grinding and you can fit longfields.... (you'd need fine spline axles)[/QUOTE]

Is this the infamous snowball effect?

 

[Fast Eddy]

Is this the infamous snowball effect?

Once you've got longfields, you might as well get some bigger tires, right?

 

[71FJ40]

and a lift and locker

 

[71FJ40]

but in all seriousness, you may want to consider swapping out those course spline axles for something stronger.

If you broke the course spline ones once, you will probably break them again. (my swapped out course splines only lasted another week with the LTB's)
You will also need to swap out the spider gears in the differential

 

[terrx]

Is this the infamous snowball effect?

Yup. Buying a 40 is where it starts.