What have you done to your Land Cruiser this week?

[Jackson Hanes]

Getting baptized into proper cruiser ownership.

View attachment 2902623

I see a lot of people rebuilding there knuckles.
Why? What goes bad, or rather what upgrades do people do?

 

[DangerNoodle]

I see a lot of people rebuilding there knuckles.
Why? What goes bad, or rather what upgrades do people do?

Axle seals leak, and you get birfield soup.

 

[firefighterjed]

I see a lot of people rebuilding there knuckles.
Why? What goes bad, or rather what upgrades do people do?

I suppose that the reason you see a lot of people doing it is because when we do it, it’s miserable, and misery loves company. So we all post when we do it so others can feel the pain and send cosmic good vibes of support and understanding. Lol.

My motivation to undertake this project is threefold.

First is economy. I’m getting terrible mileage and when it snowed the other day I had the sensation that there was more rolling resistance in the front end than there used to be and the back was trying to pass up the front. Squirrley driving. Replacing front wheel bearings will eliminate that as a cause.

Second is steering. The steering knuckle bearings tend to wear in a depression in the race with the wheels oriented in a straight forward position. This can give the feeling of a detent or return to center. I wanted to smooth up the steering.

Third is the giant mess of grease and gear oil that has begun to accumulate, mostly on my drivers knuckle and flings onto my beautifully powder coated wheel. Not to mention the escape of critical front axle lubrication. I want things to be clean and new again. This is one big step in that process.

These rigs are old! The steering knuckle is a wear and maintenance item that needs to be done periodically. Now is my time.

 

[Jackson Hanes]

I suppose that the reason you see a lot of people doing it is because when we do it, it’s miserable, and misery loves company. So we all post when we do it so others can feel the pain and send cosmic good vibes of support and understanding. Lol.

My motivation to undertake this project is threefold.

First is economy. I’m getting terrible mileage and when it snowed the other day I had the sensation that there was more rolling resistance in the front end than there used to be and the back was trying to pass up the front. Squirrley driving. Replacing front wheel bearings will eliminate that as a cause.

Second is steering. The steering knuckle bearings tend to wear in a depression in the race with the wheels oriented in a straight forward position. This can give the feeling of a detent or return to center. I wanted to smooth up the steering.

Third is the giant mess of grease and gear oil that has begun to accumulate, mostly on my drivers knuckle and flings onto my beautifully powder coated wheel. Not to mention the escape of critical front axle lubrication. I want things to be clean and new again. This is one big step in that process.

These rigs are old! The steering knuckle is a wear and maintenance item that needs to be done periodically. Now is my time.

So is this something that you will do once in a lifetime kind of thing?

Edit: I know this will vary person to person, but how long does it take to rebuild them? Will I be dedicating a weekend to it, or will it be a few?

 

[Skreddy]

“I suppose that the reason you see a lot of people doing it is because when we do it, it’s miserable, and misery loves company. So we all post when we do it so others can feel the pain and send cosmic good vibes of support and understanding. Lol.”

So am I the only one that kind of enjoys a good knuckle rebuild?

 

[DangerNoodle]

So is this something that you will do once in a lifetime kind of thing?

Edit: I know this will vary person to person, but how long does it take to rebuild them? Will I be dedicating a weekend to it, or will it be a few?

I can do a knuckle rebuild in about 5-6 hours, depending on how stuck things end up being.

 

[firefighterjed]

So is this something that you will do once in a lifetime kind of thing?

Edit: I know this will vary person to person, but how long does it take to rebuild them? Will I be dedicating a weekend to it, or will it be a few?

I’m no pro, but I have most of the right tools for the job. Took me about 4 hours to tear down the first one and get it cleaned up enough that I could reassemble if looks didn’t matter. Second one took just a little more than an hour to tear down.

Now, I’m in the deep cleaning phase, because I’m going to paint everything and make it look new before I reassemble it.

Here’s my timeline.
Day 1: An evening of learning and wallowing in grease as I tear down the first one.
Day 2: go to the store for more rubber cloves, paper towels and a gallon size tub of grease…. Tear down the second side with remarkable ease, now that I know how it’s done. Clean, clean, clean. Mask and paint.
Day 3: assembly and celebration (hopefully. Ask me tomorrow)

 

[Alex Waddell]

Getting baptized into proper cruiser ownership.

View attachment 2902623

If you plan on changing out the trunnion bearings you will need a centering tool which are pricey. I have one that I could loan out with a $300 refundable deposit.

 

[firefighterjed]

If you plan on changing out the trunnion bearings you will need a centering tool which are pricey. I have one that I could loan out with a $300 refundable deposit.

Thanks for reaching out. A local cruiserhead has already lent me the centering tool

Most of my parts are clean. Paint is next.

 

[DangerNoodle]

If you plan on changing out the trunnion bearings you will need a centering tool which are pricey. I have one that I could loan out with a $300 refundable deposit.

You don't really have to (even though it probably is best), as long as you keep the shims in place and don't confuse them. I've never had a problem with it.

 

[mt72]

2 inch chassis lift

 

[SergP]

First is economy. I’m getting terrible mileage and when it snowed the other day I had the sensation that there was more rolling resistance in the front end than there used to be and the back was trying to pass up the front. Squirrley driving. Replacing front wheel bearings will eliminate that as a cause.

Second is steering. The steering knuckle bearings tend to wear in a depression in the race with the wheels oriented in a straight forward position. This can give the feeling of a detent or return to center. I wanted to smooth up the steering.

I see a lot of people rebuilding there knuckles.
Why? What goes bad, or rather what upgrades do people do?

This one more reason... knuckle bearing races..

 

[Skreddy]

No pics of the cruiser, but put about 100 more miles on it round trip to go visit my dad; loaded full of car seats and all. Freeway around 70mph and no issues; 1 hand on the wheel and all. Even hit 80 passing a truck with gravel.

 

[Clubtroy]

Finally got it down to frame and powertrain. Hit it with many gallons of degreaser and then a once over with the power washer. Now to get the T-case off and replace all gaskets and seals. Paint the engine and frame off to blast and paint...I'm $14k in and still at this phase. OEM parts are outta sight!

 

[Varty Yo]

I can do a knuckle rebuild in about 5-6 hours, depending on how stuck things end up being.

Please come do mine! Haha. I have all the parts but I can't find the time part yet....

 

[-MaTTi-]

2 inch chassis lift

View attachment 2904238

What for that red block is also 2”?

 

[letterman52]

Decorated its cave with unused pieces from its donors.

 

[mt72]

What for that red block is also 2”?

Red Block in a harder version of the OEM "pucks" same size Only the chassis upper black pucks are 2 inch^^

 

[YODA 88 62]

So is this something that you will do once in a lifetime kind of thing?

I’m no pro, but I have most of the right tools for the job. Took me about 4 hours to tear down the first one and get it cleaned up enough that I could reassemble if looks didn’t matter. Second one took just a little more than an hour to tear down.

Now, I’m in the deep cleaning phase, because I’m going to paint everything and make it look new before I reassemble it.

Here’s my timeline.
Day 1: An evening of learning and wallowing in grease as I tear down the first one.
Day 2: go to the store for more rubber cloves, paper towels and a gallon size tub of grease…. Tear down the second side with remarkable ease, now that I know how it’s done. Clean, clean, clean. Mask and paint.
Day 3: assembly and celebration (hopefully. Ask me tomorrow)

I’ve done two or three rebuilds. The last one was much quicker. It started with a good soak of engine degreaser l. Then hit it hard with a pressure washer. Did my best to get the majority of the grease off using the water. Then scraped and picked the as much grease as I could off before disassembly.

I also painted the knuckles with several coats of rustoleum to make life easier for the wipers.

It’s a full filing process. Especially when you get good at the birfield snap ring and knocking the cone washers out.

 

[GreaseMonkey]

This week I finally got to use the LandCruiser for its intended purpose: I went on a 6 day hog hunting/camping trip with my Dad and Brother. We did some spectacular missing, but practice makes perfect I suppose. The 40 got to traverse plowed fields in a river bottom, a sandy coastal field, and some gnarly overgrown trails up the side of a small mountain/rock. We left with empty coolers but some great memories, and some new Tennessee Pin-Stripes down the side of the 40 . I didn't have the foresight to get enough pictures, I was having too much fun! But here are a few of the campsite: