Advice please on what to do

[Dan W]

Hello I'm looking for a little advice please on what to do.
We're off on ourvfirst family holiday in agesv on Friday and will be driving to Scotland.
Unfortunately last week two of the UJs starting creaking after I put some grease in them so decided to change all of them. The rear most one was a pig to get out and it looks like I've bent the forks on the propshaft ever so slightly and the new UJ doesn't go in properly.
I've been spending a shed load of money on it recently and after last months axle rebuild and holiday costs including getting a trailer for our stuff I have no pennies left and frankly I'm sick of working on it because everything is a pain in the bum (still have the front prop to remove and I don't know how hard the UJs are going to be to remove on that.

So I haven't any money for a prop (genuinely not much to spare) and no transport or time to get hold of one.
My initially thought is to just sell it as it is as a breaker because it's broken me, mentally and financially. Just haul it off the yard and get rid despite all the work and money that's been thown at it. But what's the chances of someone buying it in the next day or two?

But I can't think of anything else to do, can they be driven in front wheel drive?
What would you guys recommend?
All replies greatly appreciated.

 

[stumog]

Oh dear Dan it seems like you are in a bad place with the cruiser.

Do you have Karls phone number? he is a great chap that i sure will help you with the props you require or would buy the cruiser from you.

How did you manage to bend the forks in the prob? could these not be straightened? may be take the probs to a garage to help if your not 100% on how to do it? it would not take them very long to do with them off the car.

stu

 

[Chris]

Dan, not to rub salt into those wounds of yours but I have offered you free help on more than one occasion and I am only the other side of the M1 from you. But let's see if we can rescue this for you. In order to have bent the yoke on the prop you really would have to have laid into it like f***. Do you know that you have bent it or just bruised it so that the bearing cap won't go in?

I have a press here that we could use to press the bearings in properly and maybe even straighten things up if they are truly bent. I even have a spare prop here somewhere I think but I'd have to go and look to see if it's front or rear. It needs bearing in one end I know that. Just how bad are your front UJ's? If they are sloppy then they have to be changed. They let go with no further warning. But if it's only just starting and they're greased it might not be so urgent. But with the right tools and techniques, changing them isn't so hard.

Chris

You can drive it in front wheel drive only if it's just to get out an about. I have done that in mine several times. Just lock the centre diff.

 

[Dan W]

Hi, thanks for the replies. Chris, your offers of help are very much appreciated. The reason I've not taken you up on them is that each job I do on it snowballs into much bigger jobs that require more expenditure and are a pain in the bum. Even garages that have looked at it have said it's one of the hardest vehicles they've had to work on. Because I don't earn a lot it then takes a while for me to accumulate more pennies to get the bits and I'd feel awful leaving it in bits on someone's driveway while I look for parts and I don't like inconveniencing people.
I can't be certain I've bent the forks but the spider certainly didn't want to go in. At that end it was very difficult to get the spider out. The other end took ten minutes to remove, this one took two hours and a can of plusgas.
I've ordered a replacement spider as that one got damaged trying to fit it hopefully should be here tomorrow (incidentally guess how much Toyota want for one?........£90!).
Then my options are either take it to local garage and use holiday money or find some way to get to Chris, but I'm at work and don't have an alternative means of transport.
I dunno, I'm a bit tired and a tad stressed so might not be making much sense. Sorry.

 

[Dan W]

Sorry forgot to mention, it's the front that's got the most play.

 

[Chris]

Milner ones are a tenner. And whilst the reports are not that good long term, they don't break up in an instant. Roughtrax ones are pretty good I hear.

The 80 is one of the easiest vehicle in the world to work on really but like anything you need to know your way around them. It's not that they are money pits, it's just that they are old and people onluy really sell them on because they develop problems, take them to the main dealer who isn't interested, sucks their teeth and says "going to be thick end of £6000 Sir." They take fright and flog the thing for peanuts. Unscrupulous dealers buys them and flog them on for a profit without doing any work. So by the time you get it, it needs heaps doing to it.

If you can sort the rear prop, then you can drive with no front prop for ever. OK don't boot it on roundabouts in the wet, but not having a front prop is no real problem. That's probably your best chance.

Even with a good runner (or two good runners!) life isn't ever going to be particularly cheap with a Landcruiser. Just because of fuel really. But once bottomed they will last forever. My GS went straight through its MOT today.

 

[karl webster]

As mentioned above Dan we all need some help every now and then . I'm stressed 24/7 with the cruisers and struggle to keep it together most of the time.
you have my number so I don't understand why a call isn't made before you spend hours writing a post on here.

We are a good bunch and here to help .

 

[Chris]

Just had a look for that spare prop. Pretty sure it was a front. Can't find it. I rather think I chucked it when tidying up thinking I'd never really need a spare prop.

 

[Dan W]

Hi. It's not the cruisers fault it's hard to work on its completely all my own doing for choosing low mileage and lpg over chassis condition. Everything you do involves sheared bolts, then lots of cleaning and scraping and treating and painting. I've only myself to blame.
I was going to ring you this afternoon Karl, but I'd got it into my head that a rear prop was around the £90 mark and I know it's a bit embarrassing but I don't even have that spare. Also I can't find transport to you as dad's away at the moment so I thought I'd not bother you.
The garage has agreed to look at it first to see if it's bent then they reckon they can do them all in half an hour so fingers crossed. Just got to put the kids to bed then I can have a go at getting the front prop off.

 

[Chris]

Ahh yes, that I am afraid is the voice of hindsight. Underbody condition is a big buying point for me. You know the bolts have to come out so don't start with a bad one. Having a bucket of genuine Toyota bolts is a massive help. I never have to put a crap one back in.

That's a shame. Good cleaning and prep with very good fitting tools is important on these. You only get one first chance as they say. Props aren't usually hard to get undone. Well they're tight, but get a good ring spanner on there and a thick leather glove. Clean the ends up first so that you don't drag crud into the threads of course.

 

[karl webster]

Hey Dan. Drop me a call !

 

[silvercruiser]

Sorry to hear this Dan and i hope you get sorted before the holiday. as Chris said Preparation is key to any job. i always spray bolts in the week leading up to the job and always clean any exposed threads before trying to undo.

plenty of experienced heads on here so im sure your cruiser will propel you to scotland

 

[Dan W]

Hi Karl, sorry been outside fighting the rear brake calipers. One wasn't going back into it's pot. Is it too late to ring? If not I'll try first thing in morning.
Yeah I start dousing everything with release fluid about a week or two in advance but I'm coming to the conclusion that it just makes the bolts easier to snap

 

[karl webster]

Go for it mate. I'm up

 

[Dan W]

Just an update. I had indeed bent the forks on the prop but the garage was able to straighten them on a mahoosive machine. Finally finished everything this morning and we're off in an hour. It's been a bit of a trial, everything I've touched has been a problem but hopefully it's done now.
Thanks to everyone, it's really appreciated.

 

[Chris]

Good result Dan.

Have a good holiday.

 

[chadr]

All's well, that ends well.

Have a good holiday

 

[moggy1968]

result, and nice to see all the offers of help

Sounds more like a tale of taking an old landrover apart! Everytime I worked on one of mine things broke and/or were seized on!

one of the things I love about my cruiser is how easily everything comes apart compared to the old landies I used to have, and thats on an old 60 series, and they love to rust!

 

[clivehorridge]

Well done Dan and all those that contributed.

I had a squeaky front prop front UJ this week which came on after a 600km round trip. It chattered to itself on the overrun, but it was silent on power.

Got the grease-gun out and pumped it through all four bearings when I got home, but I don't like the thought of it being so dry... for as long as it was. Noise is friction and that means wear. I don't want the bugger letting go on me when I least expect it.

I'll get it changed pretty soon I think. There was no feel-able play, but who knows.

 

[karl webster]

Glad you got sorted mate.

Like I said mate. If things don't go right just take a deep breath. If that doesn't work give us a buzz two heads are better than one