Spindle Upgrade With Needle Bearing (11 Viewers)

[LandCruiserPhil]

LOL. I'll just tighten up that corner for now and measure everything in Feb when I overhaul it.

25lb for the bearing preload right?

Minumin 25, max 30 in my book

FYI - If set up properly set up, tightening up should not be needed for several 1000's of miles. Consider trail gear spindle nuts.

If you have zero play when you are done your spindle, wheel bearings, and trunions bearings should be fine.

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

Hmm...there is a poster somewhere around here that has all of these part numbers in it. Hmm. I hear there is a shirt with the part numbers too

Part number on the shirt/poster is for the full bushing not what comes with a new spindle. Time for an update

 

[Dissent]

I actually have one of those in the garage didn't think it had the spindle on it. Doh!

 

[Dissent]

Those Trail gear axle nuts are nice

 

[Tools R Us]

...
I'm considering upgrading to the new Needle Bearing style over the older OEM bushing style. Based on the old photo, how do my existing spindles look?

Anyone have any experience or recommendations about the newer style spindles with the needle bearings. Who carries these also? I checked Cruiser Outfitters and they don't list them on the site. May have to call them.

Cruiser Outfitters carries Joint Fuji spindles, good stuff, have to call.

I don't consider the needle bearing an upgrade, for me it's all about reliability/durability. The needle bearing likely has less play, makes the birf run truer, don't see any advantage, likely has slightly less drag, maybe? For me the big thing is the failure modes. The needle type bushing is very short, have seen a couple come loose from the spindle, on one the spacer face broke, parts floating around in the knuckle. If/when the needle bearing fails, is likely to seize, needles dig into the birf and spindle, rendering the rig immobile on the spot. The repair will need spindle, birf, ++, replaced. Even the with the abuse the one pictured took, the birf is good, likely could grease the bushing and drive for thousands of miles.

The application is slow speed, with tolerance for slop, so perfect for a bushing. The failure mode for the bushing is making noise, and will do that for a long time. Have seen many knuckles run low, the bushing lube starved, most survived, add lube and go. The one pictured ran completely dry, for over 300mi at sustained highway speed, then more around town and was still moving, no way a needle bearing would do this. Not advocating running dry, but things happen, bushings are much harder to kill, my priority is durability, least number of failure modes, so bushings win.

 

[Dissent]

Thanks for your perspective guys, I trust you guys when it comes to reliability. I'm sold on staying bushed. Based on what I know about a bad spindle now, I think I'm good and I'll know what to look for. I'll rebush if it doesn't spec out.

Does anyone have specs on when the bushing reads as worn?

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Cruiser Outfitters carries Joint Fuji spindles, good stuff, have to call.

Yeah, we stock that. A few dozen to be exact Joint Fuji is the OE supplier too!

Part# FA60080 - $165.00/each
Joint Fuji Japanese Replacement w/Upgraded Spindle Bushing/Bearing
Fits 1/1990-12/1997 8x Series/LX450. Spindle bushing/bearing combo is pre-installed so no additional parts are needed. One required per side, two per axle.
Cruiser Outfitters

Interesting note about the bearing/bushing longevity Kevin, that would make a good campfire discussion. And we stock all the replacement spindle bushings and bearings too, OE Toyota and aftermarket

 

[Dissent]

How do you lube that needle bearing and moly isn't supposed to be used on needle bearings because they tend to slide rather than roll from what I understand about U-joints.

 

[Kernal]

I would assume that the Toyota engineers who spec'd Moly grease for the knuckles/Birfields know that the new spindles have needle bearings?? FWIW I've been using Valvoline Palladium (3% Moly) grease with the spindle bearing/bushing set-up, closing in on 60,000 miles on them. Using the same Moly fortified grease in my U-joints, original rears now at 352,000 miles, no issues.

 

[Notch]

What is the advantage of the aftermarket spindles? I put OEM ones on mine. They might have cost $10 more for the pair.

 

[Dissent]

I've heard real good things about Valvoline Palladium for bearings and birfs, not sure about moly and U-joints. Growing up my dad used Moly on everything, never had any issues. I've no true idea either way.

 

[DARKNESS]

Yeah, we stock that. A few dozen to be exact Joint Fuji is the OE supplier too!

Part# FA60080 - $165.00/each
Joint Fuji Japanese Replacement w/Upgraded Spindle Bushing/Bearing
Fits 1/1990-12/1997 8x Series/LX450. Spindle bushing/bearing combo is pre-installed so no additional parts are needed. One required per side, two per axle.
Cruiser Outfitters

View attachment 1359768

Interesting note about the bearing/bushing longevity Kevin, that would make a good campfire discussion. And we stock all the replacement spindle bushings and bearings too, OE Toyota and aftermarket

I bought these spindles awhile ago. I couldn't see any difference between them and my OEM spindles.

 

[Cruiserdrew]

I bought new OEM ones and remember them as being pretty expensive. Nice to see @cruiseroutfit has an alternative!

 

[nukegoat]

And the dana 60 guys are trying to get rid of their needle bearings

 

[cruiseroutfit]

What is the advantage of the aftermarket spindles? I put OEM ones on mine. They might have cost $10 more for the pair.

Perhaps you have a far better discount than most but Retail on the OE spindle at Toyota is $337, wholesale is still $240. At $165 the advantage is big IMO. Joint Fuji is a high quality Japanese manufacturer.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

I would assume that the Toyota engineers who spec'd Moly grease for the knuckles/Birfields know that the new spindles have needle bearings?? FWIW I've been using Valvoline Palladium (3% Moly) grease with the spindle bearing/bushing set-up, closing in on 60,000 miles on them. Using the same Moly fortified grease in my U-joints, original rears now at 352,000 miles, no issues.

That is a great question and I think in the case of the 100 Series you'll find folks using a non-moly grease on the bearing but there are thousands of 80's out there running the bearing with the same #2 moly as usual, no record of issues.

To Kevin's point about the bushing being more robust than the bushing/bearing combo. I did have a local customer ditch the bearing after a failure out in the sticks. He had a Mud thread about it but I can readily find it.

 

[Tools R Us]

... I did have a local customer ditch the bearing after a failure out in the sticks. ...

The bearing can be pushed out and replaced with a bushing. To bad they cant be ordered with the bushing, or naked and the customer could decide.

 

[2fpower]

Hmm...there is a poster somewhere around here that has all of these part numbers in it. Hmm. I hear there is a shirt with the part numbers too

I could unwrap the present under the tree and figure out the torque...... thanks @NLXTACY

 

[cruiseroutfit]

The bearing can be pushed out and replaced with a bushing. To bad they cant be ordered with the bushing, or naked and the customer could decide.

I know a shop that can arrange just that

 

[Tools R Us]

I know a shop that can arrange just that

Nice! Know who we will call, not that it would be anything new!