Builds Welcome home Matilda - faded like your favorite pair of jeans

[CruiserTrash]

About a week on the 4.11 rear diff. Man, what a difference for city driving. I’m hitting a trail next weekend, so I’ll report back on the 4.11s and tires in that situation. Planning to put the front diff in tomorrow as well as check the rear diff magnetic plugs and the pinion nut - just in case something goofy is going on, I can catch it early.

In other news, I got a box in the mail today:

Cleaned, serviced, and non-EGR curved dizzy from Mr. Chenoweth. To say the process took a while is an understatement … but it’s here. I’ll probably drop it in tomorrow after the diff is done.

I marked it so it doesn’t get mixed up with some of the other dizzies I have laying around.

 

[CruiserTrash]

This is a lot for a front diff swap. Forgot my lunch at home too. Gonna be a long day, but I’ll knock this out I swear.

 

[CruiserTrash]

15 solid hours today. Drove it home, too.

Diff is in and leak free
Knuckles are back together
Brakes are bled and working great

On early 60s the brake line junction block on the back of the brake dust shield is welded on. You can’t just remove the brake caliper and lines and tie them out of the way - you have to remove both the connection where the hose meets the axle housing hard line, and the hardline coming into the caliper. It adds so much extra time to a knuckle job. I should probably source some later dust shields…

Anyway, no photos yet. Didn’t put the driveshaft back in yet either. Got some buttoning up to do tomorrow.

Hell of a job for different gearing, I’ll say that.

 

[DrRock]

15 solid hours today. Drove it home, too.

Diff is in and leak free
Knuckles are back together
Brakes are led and working great

On early 60s the brake line junction block on the back of the brake dust shield is welded on. You can’t just remove the brake caliper and lines and tie them out of the way - you have to remove both the connection where the hose meets the axle housing hard line, and the hardline coming into the caliper. It adds so much extra time to a knuckle job. I should probably source some later dust shields…

Anyway, no photos yet. Didn’t put the driveshaft back in yet either. Got some buttoning up to do tomorrow.

Hell of a job for different gearing, I’ll say that.

On my next adventure with the front axle, I’m going to delete that dust shield and run brake lines directly to the caliper. Maybe not appropriate for a bone stock concours truck but for practicality it eliminates a point of failure. Also makes axle maintenance less of a faff.

Cheers, James

 

[CruiserTrash]

On my next adventure with the front axle, I’m going to delete that dust shield and run brake lines directly to the caliper. Maybe not appropriate for a bone stock concours truck but for practicality it eliminates a point of failure. Also makes axle maintenance less of a faff.

Cheers, James

I’ve heard of folks doing that, but running the rotors with no protection gives me anxiety haha. It must be fine if other folks do it, but I don’t think that idea is for me!

 

[DrRock]

I’ve heard of folks doing that, but running the rotors with no protection gives me anxiety haha. It must be fine if other folks do it, but I don’t think that idea is for me!

Here in New England, they make stones that wedge in perfectly between the dust shield and rotor. Couple that with mud of the perfect viscosity to hold said stones in to ensure maximum panic inducing noise drives desire to remove the shields

 

[CruiserTrash]

Here in New England, they make stones that wedge in perfectly between the dust shield and rotor. Couple that with mud of the perfect viscosity to hold said stones in to ensure maximum panic inducing noise drives desire to remove the shields

Never heard of Stone’s getting in there like that. What do you do when the rotor gets caked in mud though?

 

[DrRock]

Never heard of Stone’s getting in there like that. What do you do when the rotor gets caked in mud though?

Yes, stones get caught a lot and at least out here the dust covers just act like mud containment devices so I’ve had to bend them away on the trail. YMMV based on terrain.

 

[CruiserTrash]

She’s in. Got the pinion nut where I want it, which is mostly a wild guess. Pulled the rear driveshaft and tightened up that pinion nut too. Rear preload was spot on. Front was alternating between too high (with hubs engaged) or too low (hubs unlocked). Trial by fire it is. Pulled the fill plug on both front and rear and the magnets looked good.

Front driveshaft still has a ton of play in the double cardan center ball. I picked up another driveshaft from Classic Cruisers, but I forgot I had my existing driveshaft lengthened- stock is too short. Back to the driveshaft shop for another rebuild I guess, until I have them make a “regular” two u-joint driveshaft and notch my crossmember.

 

[yotadude520]

15 solid hours today. Drove it home, too.

Diff is in and leak free
Knuckles are back together
Brakes are bled and working great

On early 60s the brake line junction block on the back of the brake dust shield is welded on. You can’t just remove the brake caliper and lines and tie them out of the way - you have to remove both the connection where the hose meets the axle housing hard line, and the hardline coming into the caliper. It adds so much extra time to a knuckle job. I should probably source some later dust shields…

Anyway, no photos yet. Didn’t put the driveshaft back in yet either. Got some buttoning up to do tomorrow.

Hell of a job for different gearing, I’ll say that.

I too am a believer in having dust shields and kept mine when I rebuilt my knuckles.

There are still brackets for the tee on the later models (my axles were from a 62) and I just cut them off and ran brake lines from an 80 series (part # 96940-33005)

 

[Godwin]

I’ve heard of folks doing that, but running the rotors with no protection gives me anxiety haha. It must be fine if other folks do it, but I don’t think that idea is for me!

When I did the Tundra brake mod I lost the dust shields. I would have preferred to keep them, but I've not had any issues in mud, dust, sand, etc. Still, IMO, keep them if you can, and if you're running stock brakes you can. A longer soft brake line can be used to circumvent the brake junction on the dust shield.

 

[CruiserTrash]

When I did the Tundra brake mod I lost the dust shields. I would have preferred to keep them, but I've not had any issues in mud, dust, sand, etc. Still, IMO, keep them if you can, and if you're running stock brakes you can. A longer soft brake line can be used to circumvent the brake junction on the dust shield.

I know where the junction is at the axle where the existing hose starts (the one that goes to the backing plate). If I run a hose straight from there to the caliper, there's no risk that it'll droop into the rotor or any other moving parts and get chewed up? That would be a bad day ... maybe my last bad day depending on how fast I was going.

Alternatively I wonder if there's a way to cut the junction block off the backing plate and create a way to bolt it on. Maybe weld on a tab with a hole in it, drill a matching hold in the backing plate, weld a nut to the inside of the backing plate in a way where it won't contact the rotor, and then bolt that sucker on.

 

[yotadude520]

I know where the junction is at the axle where the existing hose starts (the one that goes to the backing plate). If I run a hose straight from there to the caliper, there's no risk that it'll droop into the rotor or any other moving parts and get chewed up? That would be a bad day ... maybe my last bad day depending on how fast I was going.

Alternatively I wonder if there's a way to cut the junction block off the backing plate and create a way to bolt it on. Maybe weld on a tab with a hole in it, drill a matching hold in the backing plate, weld a nut to the inside of the backing plate in a way where it won't contact the rotor, and then bolt that sucker on.

Here's a pic of when I did my axle swap (excuse the post knuckle rebuilding mess) but you can see that there's no way the line could get chewed up in any way.

I can get better pictures of it on the truck if you want later today. Also - they did send me two DS calipers so with the right caliper the hose will be higher up.

 

[CruiserTrash]

Here's a pic of when I did my axle swap (excuse the post knuckle rebuilding mess) but you can see that there's no way the line could get chewed up in any way.

View attachment 3713094

I can get better pictures of it on the truck if you want later today. Also - they did send me two DS calipers so with the right caliper the hose will be higher up.

This is good. I still like to be cautious, so ... what advantages are there to keeping the junction block arrangement?

Also, if your bleeder is now down low, you won't be able to bleed that caliper. Air rises... I know you're not a dummy, just sayin'

 

[yotadude520]

This is good. I still like to be cautious, so ... what advantages are there to keeping the junction block arrangement?

Also, if your bleeder is now down low, you won't be able to bleed that caliper. Air rises... I know you're not a dummy, just sayin'

I can definitely have my moments - it took me a second after installing the caliper to realize I ordered two driver side ones!

IMO there are absolutely no advantages to keeping the stock junction setup, just an extra hard line to round off lol

 

[CruiserTrash]

I can definitely have my moments - it took me a second after installing the caliper to realize I ordered two driver side ones!

IMO there are absolutely no advantages to keeping the stock junction setup, just an extra hard line to round off lol

Seriously, the less brake connections the better!

 

[Godwin]

I know where the junction is at the axle where the existing hose starts (the one that goes to the backing plate). If I run a hose straight from there to the caliper, there's no risk that it'll droop into the rotor or any other moving parts and get chewed up? That would be a bad day ... maybe my last bad day depending on how fast I was going.

Alternatively I wonder if there's a way to cut the junction block off the backing plate and create a way to bolt it on. Maybe weld on a tab with a hole in it, drill a matching hold in the backing plate, weld a nut to the inside of the backing plate in a way where it won't contact the rotor, and then bolt that sucker on.

I think I have ground off the rivet to run a backing plate without the junction block, I know not what you asked. At the time I was thinking as you are, how to mount the junction so that it is removable. If you weld a nut inside you'd have to make sure that any bolt used will not hit the rotor. Maybe run a bolt from the outside to the inside of the backing plate and weld that on. The bolt would then serve as a mounting stud for the junction block. For any junction-block-removable methods you'll need to be able to mount the block very securely so that you can properly torque the brake lines that connect to it.

 

[CruiserTrash]

I think I have ground off the rivet to run a backing plate without the junction block, I know not what you asked. At the time I was thinking as you are, how to mount the junction so that it is removable. If you weld a nut inside you'd have to make sure that any bolt used will not hit the rotor. Maybe run a bolt from the outside to the inside of the backing plate and weld that on. The bolt would then serve as a mounting stud for the junction block. For any junction-block-removable methods you'll need to be able to mount the block very securely so that you can properly torque the brake lines that connect to it.

Sounds like I’m creating more problems than I’m solving. Just cut it off and chuck a longer hose in there…

 

[toy_tek]

Here's a pic of when I did my axle swap (excuse the post knuckle rebuilding mess) but you can see that there's no way the line could get chewed up in any way. I can get better pictures of it on the truck if you want later today. Also - they did send me two DS calipers so with the right caliper the hose will be higher up.

Sounds like I’m creating more problems than I’m solving. Just cut it off and chuck a longer hose in there…

Im Doing this next time I have the knuckles off (prob to install an ARB locker). I didn’t realize it was that easy, thx for that. Kinda mad I spent the money on SOR braided lines now that will end up in my spares pile.

 

[CruiserTrash]

Im Doing this next time I have the knuckles off (prob to install an ARB locker). I didn’t realize it was that easy, thx for that. Kinda mad I spent the money on SOR braided lines now that will end up in my spares pile.

Same. This is on the agenda next time I have to tear the front end down.

@Godwin @yotadude520 Did either of you find an OEM brake line of the proper length? Perhaps the front line from a 60 (that drops down from the coiled hardline by the dizzy to the front axle)? My axle lines aren’t stock anymore - front is the part number for the rear, and rear is a T100 line, but both of those seem to long for the knuckle. Maybe there’s something off an old 4Runner or Tacoma or something … I’ll have to measure and dig when the time comes.