80 Series swivel hubs

[Dave_S]

Hi guys

Quick one... and apologies, I tried the search facility and found a gzillion entries....

The o/s hub is looking very wet - looks like the hub seal has gone or is going. So presume a rebuild is in the near future. In the meantime should I simply top up the grease in the hub to minimise damage or is this a waste of time? And whilst I'm at it, can someone confirm the proper spec grease to use?

Thanks guys

Dave S

 

[karl webster]

You could do with getting the inner axle oil deal done dave. Fairly quick and simple job. Only fit genuine seal or you will prob do the job twice.
drop oil out of the diff soon as poss as it will prob be contaminated with the grease and will damage the diff. No point putting oil in until you have done the seal.

 

[frank rabbets]

The seal between the hub and axle tube can fail causing dif oil to migrate into the hub. THE most urgent thing to do is to change the dif oil as contamination with grease/low oil level can ruin the dif. Refurbing the front axle is really the only thing to do. Chris did a good write up somewhere on here. Toyota recommend changing front dif oil every 32000 miles or so as it quickly goes cloudy with grease from the hubs. Even on a new 80.

 

[Towpack]

You could top up the (Moly) grease through the filler plugs on the swivel housings, I guess that's what they're there for but if the grease has been 'washed' out of the CV's it's unlikely to get where it's really needed. As said an axle seal replacement is on the cards.

 

[Dave_S]

Ah - okay - thought that might be the case, will have a prod about underneath today and see what's going on.

I also need to look at the tracking too - got the local tyre place to do it when we changed the tyres, but they seem to have made an ar$e of it as it feels unsettled now - need to measure it manually and see what the XXXX they did. Hate it when "professionals" make things worse.

 

[frank rabbets]

Pays to use genuine Toyota seals as well.

 

[Dave_S]

Cheers.

On the tracking point - I've done this before on a Landrover many times - anything I need to look at differently for an 80 series? Any advice appreciated before I start rolling about the floor LOL!

 

[frank rabbets]

It should be tracking in 2mm. IE the reading is taken from the widest point of the tyre wall. The walls should also be marked at the point of measurements with the car being pushed so that the wheels rotate 180 degrees so that you measure the same points on the tyres to eliminate unequalness in the tyre profile.

 

[Dave_S]

Cheers Frank - looks pretty conventional, so no issues with the tracking.

Checked the axle:

Diff oil - a little sludgy, but not desperate - slight green tinge to it.

O/S - wet - see below - checked the level with a cable tie - came out with grease on it, although low down.

N/S - pretty much dry, can see wipe marks from the seal - checked the level and again came out with grease, but low down.

So... figure on a strip down and replace the relevant seals etc.

Any advice on what we should do whilst we're in there? There's a good one-man-band garage nearby that works on 4x4s generally that can likely help me if needed!








Also, whilst I was out prodding about I took a couple of snaps of the longer term project - "Bane" - Jan's 440 Charger (just for Karl)

 

[karl webster]

Dave. I NEED IT

 

[Towpack]

Dodge Charger 440! An iconic muscle car if ever there was one. Whenever I see one I think of the car chase in Bullitt. Is in the RT version? I'm sure Top Gear's Richard Hammond has or had one and they can fetch big money in good nick.

 

[Chris5-7chev]

Dave your swivels do leak a bit but after those pics, you've probably got the whole membership dribbling... that is one serious piece of hardware there and in the right colour..

Love it..

 

[Shayne]

Charger and classic Mustang get all the attention but for me a 69 Camaro ticks all the same boxes plus an additional one

 

[Dave_S]

Sorry, took the thread off course there.

No, its not an RT, its an ex drag racer that we started to restore and get back on the road - the 440 is running a 4 barrel and is around 400 bhp, give or take. Its pretty solid, though its got some bubbling on the arches etc - floor is solid and we've already done the suspension, brakes, etc. Lots of fettling still to do, plus window winders, interior, put in a demister system - that kid of thing.

Now, back to my swivels!!!

 

[Dave2000]

NO NOT THE SWIVELS!! Talk more about the charger, what a great car, nearest I had was a 71 Camaro, usual mods but just not a charger!

OK back to the swivels, looking at your balls (calm yourself), they are similar to mine in that they appear to have a speckled surface rust appearance? On the Land Rovers the swivels can be changed with a spanner but on the LC if they cannot be tidied up they have to be cut off and new ones welded back...correctly aligned. Anyone done this? Is there an alignment 'notch' so you do not screw up the fitment?

In the states it seems they clean and paint them with something like POR15? Leaves the surface smooth and the outer seal does not scuff and leak later on.

regards

Dave

 

[frank rabbets]

You will most likely have to replace the taper roller king pin bearings, similar to LR. Get bearing number off the old ones. They wear badly as they are preloaded which is set by shims. The workshop manual is good, also Chris's write up.

Might not be worth doing if you check the state of the new dif oil regularly. Adding grease will help save the cvj's, other than those not much to damage.