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A beginner services the 80 series front axle

Chris said:
Looks like you're doing just fine.
One more tip. When you come to slide the drive shafts back in, do the short one first. It's generally easier and gives you a practice run. The long side can sometimes be a bit of a pig. You need to get the end of the shaft to levitate in the axle so that it goes into the diff. All without stuffing up the new oil seal.
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Thanks Chris. Hmm that sounds like that bit in Yoga when they tell you to raise both knees off the floor :wtf:. As I cleaned up the bits this evening I wondered at how little there was to support the shafts until everyting is bolted together. Left me worrying about the seals. i shall do the short shaft first, as you suggest, and think about finding a way to support the long shaft, such that it does not crush the seal, while I get the rest of the bits in place.

Byron
 
Byron, it doesn't crush the seal as there is a steel oil retainer ring inside the axle casing just behind the inner oil seal. But you have to take care not to whack it with the shaft as you push it in. They can dislodge. I put my fingers against the seal and rest the shaft on them like sliding a round up into a howitzer if you get me. You can pivot the shaft on your fingers almost up to the point where the splines go into the diff.
 
ByronJ said:
Oh goodness! I am a sucker for tools. Just about to place an order:oops:!

Cheers Dave

Byron
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They have just opened up a Screwfix store 5 mins from my house. Will be like an alcoholic trying to avoid a wine shop.

Anyhow, Dont forget to shove a good heavy rag/towel up the end of the scaffold pipe to save those expensive shafts when they break lose. *Note* don't use the better half's best display towel for this purpose. Life becomes difficult after that mistake.:angry-boxing:
 
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You are doing fine Byron. If you had all that grease in the dif it would be best to check the shafts for wear where the oil seal runs and use Toyota seals. Also run the dif with new oil for 100 miles, then drain and refill. This is just to clean the dif up.

Remember, remember the 5th of November..........oh no. Remember, remember to change the dif oil every 24,000 miles as Toyota says.

Steering knuckles springing to centre just means that the tapered races have grooves worn in them as most of the mileage is done in a fairly straight line. That's why I don't use as much preload as the Toyota manual on the bearings when I reassemble.
 
I can send you some genuine inner axle seals if you need them Byron, pm me where you want them sending to.
 
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Just thought of another hassle I had though you may already be past this stage.

The large grease seal that is in the inner wheel hub (backside of inner wheel bearing) is a real tight fit.
I ended up re-attaching the hub to the back of a spare wheel using a couple of wheel nuts.

The wheel gives a good bit of weight to hold the hub steady and then I used the bent end of a crow bar to lever out the seal.
Take note how the seal is positioned in the hub. IIRC the two sides of the seal are different.

Cheers,
Dave.
 
Dave it really shouldn't take that much fetching out. Wonder if someone had applied some bearing seal or something. I've pulled dozens of those just with a normal seal puller. No drama. Handy trick in the field though
 
Yeah Chris, going by the other PO DIY I've had to deal with they could well have been chemical metal'd in!
 
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People talk about the front axle being a weak point on the 80. It's not
It's simply a place where competency goes to of the window with some owners and by the time it's ready for a proper rebuild, main dealers are a distant memory. Wonder if a main dealer has ever actually done total front axle rebuild. I'd like to see the invoice
Fact is that it really isn't very hard and needs only basic tools. Plus of course some know how and a desire to do it properly

Shame the knuckles don't unbolt we'd have worked out how to Teflon coat them by now

If you open one and there are no chisel marks in the nuts, it must be like Carter opening Tut's tomb!
 
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Chris said:
If you open one and there are no chisel marks in the nuts, it must be like Carter opening Tut's tomb!
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:lol: That's so true. when I opened mine up for the first time and noticed the chiseled nuts I knew it was not a good sign, didn't get any better the deeper I went. Was wishing I had stuck to bikes by the end of the rebuild!

Hoping Byron is going OK.
 
I had to use up today removing fallen trees from my Dad's house with a chain saw so little progress on the car :icon-cry:.

Chris, Thanks for pointing out the steel oil retainer ring, mine appear to be in place and I shall ensure thay stay there.

Jon, Thanks that's great I have sent you a pm.

Frank, I will take your advice with the diff oil - thanks.

Dave, Thanks for all the hints and tips. I hope you don't go bankrupt once that Screwfix opens up:lol:.

Yep! I have chisel marks on my nuts as well. Good grief that sounds bad :laughing-rolling:. With luck I should get a full day on the car tomorrow. Thanks again guys I really appreciate your support.

Byron
 
Chisel marks? And you said this was rebuilt but OC in 2012. That doesn't sound right.
 
They replaced the thrust and lock washers but re-used the nuts.
 
That was my point Byron. Exactly. A professional rebuild using the same nuts? Even I buy new nuts. Lots of parts I reuse but chiselled nuts isn't one.
 
There is something just not stacking up right here.
Knowing the reputation OC have for doing top work I was already surprised the seals had failed after only 20K and now the butchered nuts.

Im wondering if somebody has been back in there since the re-build.

Anyhow, my advice is to get OEM nuts as the ones I got from Milner were larger than standard and I ended up filing out the large socket I bought to fit them.
Bit of a pain when nearing the end of the re-build.
 
Just to be clear guys. I am very happy with the work done by OC on the car.

Can we please ignore the chiseled nuts debate in relation to this particular build. I had conversations with OC and agreed at the time that only essential items would be replaced and that didn't include the nuts. Please accept my apologies for not making this clear when I posted :oops:.

What is known is that for some reason the seals failed and grease has migrated into the diff. As has been pointed out earlier there could be a number of reasons for this occuring. All Toyota seals and koyo bearings were used on the rebuild.

Byron
 
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Chiseled nuts are not a problem, I reuse them if they are still fully functional even though I have spares, it's usually just a bit of cosmetic damage so unless your truck is pristine I wouldn't worry about it, they are just nuts :icon-wink:
 
I wasn't suggesting they weren't safe just that they were an indicator that the job wasn't done properly. For the money I'd stick new ones on to make sure the box spanner fits really. If its been bridged there is a chance they're Milner nuts which are crap as they're stamped
 
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