Actually it wasn't bad. I liked the fact that Georg had several Red Head steering boxes on the shelf. A couple of days later the rig was back on the road. I shipped the old one out for a core deposit. No fuss, no muss, no cuss!
Build Woody
- Thread starter majdomo
- Start date
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@majdomo Don’t get too scared, it’s not that hard to do. Definitely sand down the sharp edge where the bores meet. It’s ok to get kind of aggressive with it - I think I started at 120 and worked my way to 400, which was unnecessary. Anyway, the sharp edge of the bores isn’t a feature and it’s not critical, it’s just a byproduct of the manufacturing process. As you slide the piston in you can come in through the other bore and guide the teflon seal with a finger or a dull flathead screwdriver. Just compress it a little bit as it starts to pass the sharp edge. Honestly I cut my first one because I wasn’t really paying attention. Got it right on the second try with minimal effort.
- Thread starter
- #183
Sounds good - thanks for the added detail. I read also a dull tool of some kind (trim puller was the example I saw) was what did it. As long as it squishes down some getting to that part of the housing it should be good to go. The shim / guard idea is just to stick something thin and flexible between the teflon seal and the sharp edge, that I can pull out once it's past the edge. I see a lot of ATF in my future!
This is a good option just in case it gets weird with the rebuild. I'm encouraged by what I've read and seen online to try this on my own, but we'll see how I feel about it after tomorrow..
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Just remember my sector shaft was worn/chewed, hence why I went with a rebuilt box. Reminds me of a country and western song, "She got the mine and I got a new sector shaft!"
- Thread starter
- #185
Well it's all done. It wasn't that bad, all in. The seal on the power piston wasn't that hard, I just used a small blunt screwdriver to push it down when it reached that point on the body. The harder part ended up being the sector shaft - I was stupid and didn't follow the FSM on this point, and instead of screwing the adjuster into the lid and then installing the whole assembly to the body, I pushed the lid and its bearing down onto the body and turned the adjuster to pull it in, which didn't really work. I had to bang on the end of the sector shaft a bit when it was installed to completely seat the top of the shaft into the bearing in the lid. So, don't do that. Some photos, it's possible someone was on this already at some point given the stake marks on some of the parts:
The other more difficult part was that teflon ring that sits inside the O-ring at the sector shaft output. I DID follow the FSM on this point, with a slight modification. I installed the teflon ring in a "heart" shape but then left it as it was sitting inside the O-ring, then installed the spacer and clip, and THEN straightened out the Teflon ring once the spacer and clip were installed:
Pushing the Teflon ring flat again was easy once it wasn't moving up and down, and the sector shaft acted as the SST to flatten it out once installed.
Parts waiting for O-rings and reinstall:
It's now all rebuilt and feels great, but the power steering "groan" is still there when turning left even though there are no bubbles in the fluid and the PS pump is a "new" Lares unit from Summit Racing. Summit will take it back on a warranty refund without a restock fee, but they don't have any more new or rebuilt in stock and I can't find any after a cursory look online.
So there are two options from here, as best I can tell. First is to get the OEM one I have on the shelf rebuilt at B-Z tomorrow, and then return the Lares unit to recoup that cost. Easy, fast, will be finished tomorrow if I go that route, but it will be just a matter of time before it starts leaking again.
The other option is to go Saginaw. But I have concerns about the higher pressure in the box and on the rest of the steering system, so doing more research there and will give Georg @orangefj45 a call on Monday. Fortunately it's all fine (groaning aside) so I don't have to make a decision right this minute.
The other more difficult part was that teflon ring that sits inside the O-ring at the sector shaft output. I DID follow the FSM on this point, with a slight modification. I installed the teflon ring in a "heart" shape but then left it as it was sitting inside the O-ring, then installed the spacer and clip, and THEN straightened out the Teflon ring once the spacer and clip were installed:
Pushing the Teflon ring flat again was easy once it wasn't moving up and down, and the sector shaft acted as the SST to flatten it out once installed.
Parts waiting for O-rings and reinstall:
It's now all rebuilt and feels great, but the power steering "groan" is still there when turning left even though there are no bubbles in the fluid and the PS pump is a "new" Lares unit from Summit Racing. Summit will take it back on a warranty refund without a restock fee, but they don't have any more new or rebuilt in stock and I can't find any after a cursory look online.
So there are two options from here, as best I can tell. First is to get the OEM one I have on the shelf rebuilt at B-Z tomorrow, and then return the Lares unit to recoup that cost. Easy, fast, will be finished tomorrow if I go that route, but it will be just a matter of time before it starts leaking again.
The other option is to go Saginaw. But I have concerns about the higher pressure in the box and on the rest of the steering system, so doing more research there and will give Georg @orangefj45 a call on Monday. Fortunately it's all fine (groaning aside) so I don't have to make a decision right this minute.
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I’ll send you a message …… leaving for OZ for a week ……. plane takes off at midnight tomorrow so please reach out tomorrow. I’ll be at the shop tying up loose ends.
Georg @ Valley Hybrids & Terrain Tamer
I’m running the Sag pump with a box I rebuilt. No leaks. It does grown a little as I approach full lock on either side with 33” Kenda Klever RTs. Seems to be part of the “60 experience”.
FYI, if you go Saginaw via Georg, I have a little adapter I sell so you can stick your “Toyoda” PS pump cap onto the Saginaw. Completely unnecessary, but a fun little detail to keep in the engine bay.
- Thread starter
- #188
I just loosened up the belt slightly after doing a bit more searching on Mud, based on a suggestion from @Spike Strip and that seemed to help but it's sorta there. Probably just a part of the 60 experience, lol. There's also apparently an Amsoil ATF that works to match Dexron III better than the multi-vehicle Valvoline stuff I have now, so may look into that. For today, though, am just going to run it.
- Thread starter
- #189
Swapped out fluid for the Amsoil multi-vehicle ATF, and it's notably better but not 100% gone. I also did the lazy man's swap, just exchanging what I could get from the reservoir using a gear oil pump x2. I'm guessing if I did it according to the FSM, it'd be better, but the Amsoil is like $25 a quart and had to make a special trip to the boondocks of Saugus to get it. I may do the lazy swap a couple more times to get a full quart into the system, but it's definitely better than it was.
This is the stuff I used:
This is the stuff I used:
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- Thread starter
- #190
And here's the finished product on the paint. This was Meguiar's waterless wash, then clay bar, two coats of Meguiar's Mirror Glaze #7 allowed to soak in overnight both times, then Stoner Synthetic Sealant. All coats were applied by hand (ugh) but prevented from burning the paint, think it was worth it and just in time before it starts to rain, lol.
Side
The Bickel Camp sticker lives @65swb45 @daveb, now the truck just needs to earn it! Maybe in the spring.
Big thanks to Mark for the seam sealer, I patched up a few cracks in the drip rail earlier.
Side
The Bickel Camp sticker lives @65swb45 @daveb, now the truck just needs to earn it! Maybe in the spring.
Big thanks to Mark for the seam sealer, I patched up a few cracks in the drip rail earlier.
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Gorgeous!
- Thread starter
- #192
Well... 3" of rain in 6 hours will show you stuff. New front door seals on the way after seeing water coming down the pinch welt trim and hitting the carpet. Pulled the driver's kick panel and that all looks good and dry, as does the windshield and under the dash. Same issue on the passenger side but not nearly as bad. Fortunately this rain is here and gone by the afternoon, and forecast looks dry later in the week.
I did these on the 62 as well as replace the pinch welt with a version that had a rubber bulb on it, which sealed things up good. Will start with door seals and go from there.
I did these on the 62 as well as replace the pinch welt with a version that had a rubber bulb on it, which sealed things up good. Will start with door seals and go from there.
Long ago, in a galaxy far away, I had a mustard 78 FJ40. @FJ45Dude was still in high school (he's 50 something now) and I asked him to wash my truck for me. I was pretty mad when I opened it up and saw a lot of water on the rear floormat. He stopped me cold by simply saying: Mark, your Landcruiser couldn't keep out a heavy fog! 
I had to laugh.
I had to laugh.
- Thread starter
- #194
That's pretty funny. It's a feature, not a bug! The 40 sheds water from fording creeks and doing outdoorsy stuff! I'm sure the Karma Cruiser is a bit drier this morning, we get all the rain up the hillLong ago, in a galaxy far away, I had a mustard 78 FJ40. @FJ45Dude was still in high school (he's 50 something now) and I asked him to wash my truck for me. I was pretty mad when I opened it up and saw a lot of water on the rear floormat. He stopped me cold by simply saying: Mark, your Landcruiser couldn't keep out a heavy fog!
I had to laugh.
It rained enough here to wash away the Trona mud that was on my street yesterday.That's pretty funny. It's a feature, not a bug! The 40 sheds water from fording creeks and doing outdoorsy stuff! I'm sure the Karma Cruiser is a bit drier this morning, we get all the rain up the hill
FWIW, it came down hard enough in GH to tear a downspout off one of our rain gutters. Tina just sent me a video.That's pretty funny. It's a feature, not a bug! The 40 sheds water from fording creeks and doing outdoorsy stuff! I'm sure the Karma Cruiser is a bit drier this morning, we get all the rain up the hill
Gonna have to have me a talk with that installer.
I have to do all you mention here. Mine leaks worse the Biden DOJ
Could you please post the part number/supplier of pinch weld cover you used. I got some normal stuff from Amazon but it doesn't seal very well.
Also, I used that Amzoil ATF on a recommendation from JimC for a brand new PS pump. Working great
Nice work!
- Thread starter
- #198
Sure thing - it was McMaster-Carr, ordered 20' for both front doors. I think they only had it in black and if I remember correctly, it's just a smidge too short (like the height of the pinch welt, not the width of the opening that pinches around the seam) compared to the OEM stuff. It works fine, though if I did it again I'd get one that was a tiny bit taller if they have it.I have to do all you mention here. Mine leaks worse the Biden DOJ
Could you please post the part number/supplier of pinch weld cover you used. I got some normal stuff from Amazon but it doesn't seal very well.
Also, I used that Amzoil ATF on a recommendation from JimC for a brand new PS pump. Working great
Nice work!
One note - it doesn't go around the upper rear corner particularly well, the bulb sort of bunches up as it tries to make the tight curve at the top rear of the door. It didn't really impact anything but it looked sort of funny.
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Drill holes in the floorboards!
It’s always a good idea to fish some baling wire through the drainholes for the doors after the first rain of the season as well. I have a video from a couple of years ago of a fountain coming out of the passenger door of the 45!
It’s always a good idea to fish some baling wire through the drainholes for the doors after the first rain of the season as well. I have a video from a couple of years ago of a fountain coming out of the passenger door of the 45!