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Troop Toter

Troop Toter

10 Year
Joined
Oct 11, 2014
Threads
10
Messages
68
This is the first day I've had a chance to work with the truck since I started the new job. (notice I said work with, cause she works on me as much as I work on her) I put a new heater valve on her and now I have HEAT. Boy do I have heat. The people that said a properly working heater will run you out have obviously been run out. While I was in there, I replaced all the heater hoses. I also changed the oil and serviced multiple grease fittings. I installed a new inside mirror and both outside rear-view mirrors. New rubber on the brake, clutch and gas pedal looks a lot better than the raw steel. New hood latches were also installed. I put in two new sun visors, too. There's more space between the two visors than the visors are long. I could easily put another one between the two with room to spare.

While I was under there, I was witnessing things I've never seen. The way the front wheels are held to the truck for one thing. That's the weirdest thing I've ever seen. Both sides of the front wheel pivot equipment are leaking. I took pictures of both wheel assemblies and the oil pan area. I've posted them here. Please tell me about the steering hubs (if that's what they're called) and the leaks. I have no experience with these.
What maintenance is there to do? Do I need to be concerned with the leaks? I'm getting new wheels and tires this week. I can't wait to see what kind of difference they will make. I'm also planning on replacing the drums with discs on all four corners in the next 60 days. I've done extensive research on disc conversions here and I'm going with JTOutfitters disc conversion kit. Yes I've read all the negative posts about JTO and I've also got my own experience with them and it's been all good. I plan to start a thread and show every step of the conversion when I do this. I did this with a sunroof installation I did on the FJCruiser forum.

So all that being said, tell me about the front wheels. You teach, I learn, forum grows. Thanks, rog
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The best way to learn what components are, even before searching the forum for the "how to's", is to get yourself a Factory Service Manual (FSM) and do some reading. It will help you understand not only what parts you need to refer to but how they actually function. You are going to find the general consensus will be to take your time and don't tackle repairs that can't be finished in a day or two, leaving you unable to enjoy the truck.

It looks like you might have an '81+ FJ4X which will not be that hard to find a manual for.

good luck, have fun
 
As fluid as your weeps look, I would hazard a guess that you will need a (more or less) full axle rebuild, not just the knuckles. The seal between the diff & axle will leak 90 weight into your axle grease when it goes, and that causes the leaks to be very, "wet" so to speak. That is just a guess from me though, and I'm sure smarter people than me will chime in to help.
 
David, Sean, Ryan and gr8ful: this is why we have forums. Good forums. David, your link led to some really good reading. I learned a lot. Sean, my Toyota 2F engine manual came today from SOR. My order for the chassis and body manual will go in tonight. Ryan, invaluable is an understatement. gr8ful, I hate you, you make too much sense. So when I was looking on SOR's website for the chassis and body manual, I saw they had a diff repair manual for only $20. Ordering that too. If anyone else has a say, I want to hear it, what ever it is.
Oh, BTW, I had sent an email to Cruiser Outfitters inquiring about their disc brake kits and I didn't make myself clear: he thought I wanted them to do the job. I replied tonight that, no, I was looking for parts but would take him up on his offer of knuckle rebuild kits. I have to wait till the middle of next month to order, I'm refinancing my house and don't want to jack up my credit cards right now. We're supposed to close next month and then it's "testicles to the bulkhead". And by then I'll have these manuals too. So thanks again and I'll keep you posted as to how it's coming. rog
 
I've found that the discount we get as employees of Toyota on parts and service work is a good bit more substantial than I had counted on. So today while it was slow (read; dead, we were having a blizzard) I wandered over to the parts department where I talked to a young gentleman about the parts he couldn't get for me. He did tell me though about two older gentlemen that worked in the service department that may know how to work on my truck. I meandered into the service department where I found one of the older guys doing paperwork. We were the only ones there as I introduced myself. I told him I was the owner of that old Land Cruiser sitting out back and he began to tell me all about old Land Cruisers. I mentioned how my rear brakes lock up so easily and again he told be all about old Land Cruisers and old Land Cruiser brakes. I alluded to how mine was going to get new discs on all fours after I got my front differential and knuckles rebuilt. He grew pale, backed away a little as if I had bad breath and hid his eyes behind the bill of his cap. I was chewing on a cat turd so I knew that wasn't it. I said, "You do that kind of work don't you?" A long hesitation ins-sued and I could tell I wanted to hug this guy. "That's the messiest shlt I've ever done. And yes, I've done hundreds." Now I knew I wanted to hug him. But I didn't. I did make an appointment with him for next Wednesday when he gets back to work. He started telling me all about how the seals work in the diff and that I might need new axle shafts and when I told him that this pig is all over the road, he told me to wait on ordering anything until he gets it in and has a good look at it. He's going to rebuild my entire front end. Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy. I told ya I'd keep you up to date and today is a date. rog

ps I got new wheels and tires. I'll post up a picture tomorrow.
 
What a cool old dude! Love that s***!
 
Here she is with new shoes. This is the raggedest, most worn out, piece of vehicle I've ever seen. I've never spent so much for so little. I've got a life time of work ahead of me if she's ever to be anything decent and is going to take every spare penny I'll ever earn or steal. But would I trade her for any of those sitting behind her? Absolutely not. I love this girl.
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I must share a good thing. That's what forums are for, right? I've been searching diligently for a way to put disc brakes on my Troopy. It's supposedly an '81 but turn-up parts from the early to mid 70's FJ's have made the fit. I have drum front brakes and FJ's from the states from '76 on had discs up front. So you can see how I could wonder what year I really had. Well, as it turns out, it really is an '81. A foreign '81. I was so close to pulling the trigger on JTOutfitters disc kit. I've searched this forum for weeks and read every thing I could find on disc brake conversions. I kept seeing advice to hook up with a forum vender going by the name of "Poser". So I did. Right off he said he couldn't help me. A short reply saying just that: I can't help you. Period. I wrote back explaining my dilemma, hoping I'd get lucky. Nope. BUT, he said to send him pictures of the back side of my wheels, front and rear. I did. BAM, he wrote back telling me...well...again, he couldn't help me, But, he told me exactly what I had: a rear end from 08/80 and a front that really, the only option I had was to find the parts for a FJ60 with disc brakes. Well, he still couldn't help me but I finally knew for sure that, yes, my truck really is an '81. So I came back here and for a few minutes looked for the parts. I looked in the FJ60 section and found nothing in short order. By chance I checked Ebay and low and blowhole, there was a guy listing what he said was FJ60 parts that he put together for use on a FJ40/45. I too sent him the same pictures and he replied immediately that yes, these parts were exactly what I needed. My ace in the pocket was the fact that I sent Poser an email first, asking him if these were the parts he had alluded to. I anxiously waited hoping that Poser would return my email confirming whether or not these indeed were the right parts. In the mean time, the guy on ebay and I were swapping emails back and forth talking about FJ's. He seemed knowledgeable about what I had and FJ's in general. In just a few minutes Poser returned my email. Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy. I couldn't get the email opened fast enough. YES, THESE ARE THE PARTS. One hand typed a thank you for Poser while the other hand bought the parts on ebay, or so it seemed. It all happened in a flash. I had new hope, new parts and two new friends. The guy on ebay has a lot of parts for FJ60's. He has a store, TLC Junction, and goes by the sellers name: northfloridafinds. Check him out.

So why this story? I had too goals: to share my joy, and two, to thank Poser, publicly and openly. He took his time to look into my world, to help a stranger with his FJ. As I told him, he saved me great disappointment, time, much money and grief. He educated me as to what I own, what I could not do, and what I needed to do. And then verified what I had found as proper. I can't thank him enough. It's people like him that make a forum worth belonging to. Thank you, Poser. rog
 
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