Tapage
Club 4X4 Panamá
I know a shop that can arrange just that
If there anything you can fix .? not only all the right parts .. but the right service too ..
Spindle Upgrade With Needle Bearing
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If there anything you can fix .? not only all the right parts .. but the right service too ..
1973Guppie
Supporting Vendor
Yeah, we stock that. A few dozen to be exact
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
Curt, is one symptom of a worn out spindle, axle leaking just a bit through the axle seal? I have had a small leak on the knuckles that I can't get rid of. I have rebuilt the front end 2x and still it leaks. I am thinking the worn spindles are allowing enough movement on the inner seal that it allows gear oil to pass. I am using the original spindles, 210k on them.
Cruiserdrew
On the way there
Wear on the spindle is easy to detect. Look at the bearing lands on the spindle. If there's a significant ridge, or a groove that catches your fingernail, they are done. It's especially obvious on the outer wheel bearing, particularly the lower side. If It's badly worn, there is no way to fully seat the wheel bearings, and so they quickly loosen up and wear even more. If it's bad enough, the inner bearing will contact the inside "shelf" of the spindle. Then, you'll never get any pre-load on the bearings. Eventually, it will self destruct. If you fit new spindles, fit new bearings at the same time. Then you buy yourself another 100K of peace in the front end.
orangefj45
Supporting Vendor
Joint Fuji is NOT an OE supplier for Toyota. Not sure where that idea came from but it's just not true.
Yes, they offer a large selection of Japanese aftermarket items including plenty of parts for cruisers. But so does Terrain Tamer and other companies around the world ........
Georg @ Valley Hybrids & Cruiser Brothers
Yes, they offer a large selection of Japanese aftermarket items including plenty of parts for cruisers. But so does Terrain Tamer and other companies around the world ........
Georg @ Valley Hybrids & Cruiser Brothers
- Thread starter
- #45
Great advice, there were some wear marks on one spindle but I didn't check for grooves with my nail, too new to cruisers at the time. The loose bearing now could be due to that process from prior wear though. I'll plan to replace them.
orangefj45
Supporting Vendor
80s tend to suffer from loose front wheel bearings. It's a common issue since they're AWD which tends to wear a groove into the thrust washer that sets the pre-load on the outer wheel bearing.
I tell all my customers who own 80s to check the front wheel bearings and grease BOTH drive shafts every time they change the engine oil.
One of the rules at our shop is that every solid axle cruiser that enters the shop, no matter what it's there for, gets a complete fluid inspection and solid once-over, including checking the wheel bearings.
Keeping the front wheel bearings properly pre-loaded helps prevent spindle wear and damage.
Georg @ Valley Hybrids & Cruiser Brothers
I tell all my customers who own 80s to check the front wheel bearings and grease BOTH drive shafts every time they change the engine oil.
One of the rules at our shop is that every solid axle cruiser that enters the shop, no matter what it's there for, gets a complete fluid inspection and solid once-over, including checking the wheel bearings.
Keeping the front wheel bearings properly pre-loaded helps prevent spindle wear and damage.
Georg @ Valley Hybrids & Cruiser Brothers
Great PM check list
I would add the (4) lower knuckle trunion studs to the check list. Personally I check prior to every outting.
orangefj45
Supporting Vendor
Absolutely!
Always check your drive shaft bolts as well.
You just have to get into a routine of what all should be looked st before and after every trip.
Georg @ Valley Hybrids & Cruiser Brothers
Always check your drive shaft bolts as well.
You just have to get into a routine of what all should be looked st before and after every trip.
Georg @ Valley Hybrids & Cruiser Brothers
- Thread starter
- #49
Does Mud have a stickie about the pre/post trip PM details? Would be a great thing to start by those in the know...wink wink nudge nudge...
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Agree, but would guess it's from being ignored and/or incorrectly setting them up. Have seen many that were recently serviced, by shops and users, that were sloppy loose, if run this way long term will beat up the hardware. Moving to torquing the nut preload method has solved this problem, makes them consistently preloaded. That said, the spindle thing is largely overplayed here, most of the rigs we work on still have the original spindles, and are often wheeled, 37" tires, etc.
The bearings need to be preloaded, and tighter than most would think. Tight = strong, floppy = weak, mine are set at 35ft/lb, have seen them run at 47ft/lb without issue.
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Have run lots of parts from Joint Fuji and don't recall anything but solid, reliable stuff. Personally don't really see any reason to support the Toyota mother ship, they now produce nothing for the off road market. With their race to become GM, how many corners are they cutting, have little faith that replacement parts quality isn't effected. I look for solid parts, don't care what color the box is, less likely than ever to pay a premium for the red box. A buddy just got a 2017 Rubicon, soft top, half doors, lockers, auto sway disconnect, simple, no nav silliness, etc. We instilled, 2" lift, 315 tires, F & R bumpers and it is very effective on the trail. There are now two of these in our group and nothing that will roll off of a US Toyota lot will keep up with them. The sad truth is Toyota has abandoned the off road market, likely permanently, so see no reason to support them.
Hmmm, I stand corrected. I was under the impression from Joint Fuji that their parent company does in fact OE to Toyota. I'll have to do some research on that before I make that claim. Either way I'm 100% confident with their components.
George, do you know where does TT sources their spindles? Could very well be a reboxed JF but I know they do a large volume of reboxed Karsons too. Just curious.
George, do you know where does TT sources their spindles? Could very well be a reboxed JF but I know they do a large volume of reboxed Karsons too. Just curious.
The demand isn't there for the US market. We are the minority when it comes to functionality > comfort.
Would you sell meat in a vegetarian store?
Chances are, no.
Not saying they wont come back at some point but looking at it from a business standpoint, its a wise decision.
Would you sell meat in a vegetarian store?
Chances are, no.
Not saying they wont come back at some point but looking at it from a business standpoint, its a wise decision.
- Thread starter
- #54
FWIW both of my neighbors just bought new 2016 & 2017 Rubicons. Very nice and very capable rigs but one spent $25K and the other was around $30K. Mine was $8K. All said and done, I have about $20K in mine, they will be $30K-$40K by the time they get done and I'm not afraid to scratch mine. 
I personally don't care what Toyota or Jeep are producing for 2017. I've never bought a new car in my life and never will. I bought my LX, the wife's 2001 RX300 and my boy's 2004 Dakota Quad Cab for under $25K which is still far less than every one of my co-workers spent for one of their cars. As long as somebody is producing quality products, I don't care what brand it is. I just hate being the R&D Dept for that post-OEM to pre-Quality Aftermarket period. Went through that with my old Chevy products and it sucked.
I personally don't care what Toyota or Jeep are producing for 2017. I've never bought a new car in my life and never will. I bought my LX, the wife's 2001 RX300 and my boy's 2004 Dakota Quad Cab for under $25K which is still far less than every one of my co-workers spent for one of their cars. As long as somebody is producing quality products, I don't care what brand it is. I just hate being the R&D Dept for that post-OEM to pre-Quality Aftermarket period. Went through that with my old Chevy products and it sucked.
orangefj45
Supporting Vendor
Georg @ Valley Hybrids & Cruiser Brothers
The Joint Fuji stuff is good aftermarket stuff. As is the Terrain Tamer parts. I'd run both with no questions asked.
Oh here is the response I received from the folks at Joint Fuji:
Oh here is the response I received from the folks at Joint Fuji:
Spindles are relatively cheap; the needle bearing and thrust bushing is cheaper to buy from 100 series (they are the same).
I got that email too!
Fujiwara-San was later confused because I wanted to buy some CV Joints and they should still be in service in North America. I don't think he understood how expensive dealer parts are and I dropped it.
Fujiwara-San was later confused because I wanted to buy some CV Joints and they should still be in service in North America. I don't think he understood how expensive dealer parts are and I dropped it.
They are half the price from a Japanese Toyota dealer if you wanted to go that route. But there are good aftermarket options here in the States already.
By check the wheel bearings do you mean to rock the wheel feeling for play, or do you dive in and re torque the nut?
