What are you working on? (5 Viewers)

[RWBeringer4x4]

Drilling to mount the new flares, I discovered bondo!

I’m beginning to think this truck took a light hit on this side at one point. There’s definitely still metal under the bondo which seems pretty solid looking at it from underneath, but the rear cross member was a bit tweaked when I bought it and the curved radius on this side always looked oversprayed and cracked - so I’m not surprised to find some filler. At the same time - I’m surprised to find some filler.

 

[YotaFun]

Drilling to mount the new flares, I discovered bondo!

View attachment 2450189

I’m beginning to think this truck took a light hit on this side at one point. There’s definitely still metal under the bondo which seems pretty solid looking at it from underneath, but the rear cross member was a bit tweaked when I bought it and the curved radius on this side always looked oversprayed and cracked - so I’m not surprised to find some filler. At the same time - I’m surprised to find some filler.

More of a reason to lift it and run 40s lol

 

[RWBeringer4x4]

More of a reason to lift it and run 40s lol

Hell might as well just cut the whole tub off and tube frame it.

 

[YotaFun]

Hell might as well just cut the whole tub off and tube frame it.

I mean if you insist, ha at it! Lol

 

[jamarquardt22]

Holy $hi+!

View attachment 2449848



Andy are you aware of anyone who makes armor for the 40-series? I was under there 40 the other night and noticed my diffs have been taking a beating. I've got tiny tires so armor might not be an awful idea at some point.

We used a 10"weld on pipe cap. It fits a 9.5"3rd well.

 

[Cass007]

I'm not sure if this is people at the factory causing drama or the parts people at McGeorge, but sick of getting any larger part like this:

Those stickers don't peel off well at all. Anyway, third attempt at fixing the parking brakes on the LX450 as I waited for the knock sensor to come in from McGeorge. Actually was probably better this way since once it's running I want to drive it, not spend another few days working on it. After seeing the @OTRAMM video I was able to see what the real issue was, the bell cranks were rusted solid. So much easier to understand things after Ryan explains them with pics.

Mine were hella bad. Ended up cutting them off to remove the pins where the arm pivots and then broke a bolt off each one removing the assembly.

In with the new:

Assembled:

Prepped to put the brakes back on:

Wishing I would have planned ahead and bought all new everything, but I did the best I could with what I had on hand.

 

[Cass007]

Wrapped up

Also got the new knock sensor. Wishing I could figure out how to unpin things and I could have just used the factory wiring with the new connector, but that didn't happen.

 

[RWBeringer4x4]

Replaced the OEM parking brake cable holder with a double- bracket holder of my own design made from 1/8 bar stock and a couple of cable brackets. It’s not beautiful but it should keep my speedometer cable off the exhaust and slightly higher up under the truck to avoid a snag on the trail. A skid plate (eventually) will keep it truly safe.

I got the flares lined up and holes drilled in the tub. Need to decide what I want to do with that extra 2” of fender inside, since the new flares kick out in the back. Cutting the fenders some more is probably the answer I’m just wondering how that’s going to look with dinky tires and (soon) more lift. When I put on the lift I may take the advice of @brian and drill the spring perches to move the axle back an inch. Might help... I also just hate cutting up an old land cruiser - but this one is already chopped so...

Put just the tiniest smidge of filler on the flares to fill in some low spots and cover up some pits in the metal. Nothing will hide my booty-fab welds but the goal is to have these looking good at 20/20 (20 feet away going by at 20mph). At that rate they’ll about match the vibe for the rest of the rig.

 

[plfj40]

Replaced the OEM parking brake cable holder with a double- bracket holder of my own design made from 1/8 bar stock and a couple of cable brackets. It’s not beautiful but it should keep my speedometer cable off the exhaust and slightly higher up under the truck to avoid a snag on the trail. A skid plate (eventually) will keep it truly safe.

View attachment 2451362

I got the flares lined up and holes drilled in the tub. Need to decide what I want to do with that extra 2” of fender inside, since the new flares kick out in the back. Cutting the fenders some more is probably the answer I’m just wondering how that’s going to look with dinky tires and (soon) more lift. When I put on the lift I may take the advice of @brian and drill the spring perches to move the axle back an inch. Might help... I also just hate cutting up an old land cruiser - but this one is already chopped so...

View attachment 2451370

Put just the tiniest smidge of filler on the flares to fill in some low spots and cover up some pits in the metal. Nothing will hide my booty-fab welds but the goal is to have these looking good at 20/20 (20 feet away going by at 20mph). At that rate they’ll about match the vibe for the rest of the rig.

View attachment 2451364

U can always flip the rear springs around, That would move axle back about 3”,

 

[RWBeringer4x4]

U can always flip the rear springs around, That would move axle back about 3”,

What else do I need to consider in doing that? Most likely a modified rear driveshaft. The wheels move backward under articulation - in flipping the springs do I need to chop the rest of the quarter panel? How does it affect the overall road handling/ride? This 40 isn’t a dedicated wheeler it has to get me to the trail and back too, so I don’t want to go too crazy if it’s going to dramatically alter the road manners.

 

[RWBeringer4x4]

Dropped the driveshafts in preparation to start getting the lift under it. Got met with a nice puddle of gear oil sitting in the recess at the rear pinion.

My concern is that this is a relatively new pinion seal - I’m surprised it would have failed so quickly. Possibly an indication of bigger issues afoot in the third? Is it normal to have some gear oil leak up the splines or should I be planning on replacing the pinion seal?

What’s confusing is there’s no evidence of a leak externally - nothing running down the differential housing from behind the dust shield on the flange... I’m guessing it’s pumping oil through the flange/pinion teeth, but I could have sworn I put some RTV in last time I was in there.

 

[jamarquardt22]

I dont see a major issue here. Unless there is play in the pinion flange beyond the normal backslash.

 

[shmukster]

I dont see a major issue here. Unless there is play in the pinion flange beyond the normal backslash.

Agreed

 

[RWBeringer4x4]

Yeah I’m not too worried I was just surprised to see it when it dumped on my forehead. The rear diff has always been a little “sloppy” on the ring gear but I think that’s because I have a lunchbox locker - when I installed it I was told that was normal. There has always (even before the locker) been an audible clunk at power transfers (gear shifts, etc.) but when I pulled the diff a few years ago everything measured and checked out to spec and I reinstalled it with the aproproate preload. I didn’t notice and wobble in the flange but I’ll check again to be safe.

 

[RWBeringer4x4]

The nightmare is almost over!

Just need a few (8) tons of gravel in the middle and I can get the damn shed.

If anyone stumbles upon this in the future, don’t be a hero. Rent an excavator.

 

[RWBeringer4x4]

Getting real now. Old springs are out. U-bolt flip kit arrived today (after USPS lost it for a week between AZ and MD).

Next up I need to drill the spring perch to push the axle backward an inch. Dave at 4 plus actually provisions his flip kits with 3 holes to position the axle in so my plan is to clamp the bottom of the flip kit to the spring perch, line up the “stock” holes - then use the flip kit as a guide to match drill the perches. Tried doing this tonight, in the dark, upside down under the truck and decided it was better left to daylight hours after the clamp slipped and I dropped the lower u bolt plate on my face.

Progress, nonetheless!

 

[JeepinPete]

I think your pinion angle is off

 

[brian]

I think your pinion angle is off

Doesnt want to starve the front pinion bearing

 

[RWBeringer4x4]

I think your pinion angle is off

Doesnt want to starve the front pinion bearing

Actually this was something of an experiment by happenstance - as mentioned a few posts up I had collected some gear oil behind the driveshaft (probably pumping oil up the flange splines). I was curious to see if, with the differential tilted down, it would keep dripping. It doesn't. Last night I freaked out, jumped out of bed and went and tilted it back up because I was afraid of all the oil sitting on the pinion seal for extended periods of time. This kind of stuff keeps me up at night.

 

[fireball]

Doesnt want to starve the front pinion bearing

Helpful crew here!!!