My front diff is on the way out and I need a plan.

[Paul_Driver]

Long time since I last visited, hi everyone.

My front diff is giving me cause for concern. Matt Savage took a look at it last year and noticed that there was a lot of play in the front drive shaft. He was quite sure that one set of bearings were knackered and the other set were beyond (economic) repair. That said it has done 60,000 motorway miles like this, but in addition to the constant whine, I am today noticing increased vibration at all speeds and worry it is about to pack up.

My plan to is to source an axle from a breaker, but by the time I have paid for new CV joints, seals, bearings and labour I will be looking at £1,000 which I don't really have at the moment.

So what I'd like to know, is if (for the short term) I'll be able to get away with removing the front drive shaft and fitting some AVM free wheeling hubs. Something I'd be able to do myself for less than £100.

So would this work? Road miles only. Some heavy towing, but only for 2-3 miles at a time.

 

[Towpack]

It would work, to a degree. With the front drive(prop) shaft removed and FW hubs fitted the front diff would not be turning. Obviously you would have to leave the CD permanently locked. My only concern would be putting all the drive through the rear diff for extended periods on a vehicle designed as permanent 4wd. Heavy towing would put even more strain on the rear diff even though you only tow for short periods. With permanent 4wd the drive is obviously split between front and rear, to what degree I'm not sure, 60/40 springs to mind but I could be wrong, so the load is spread.
Some countries got part time 4wd as standard but, again, I'm not sure if they had the same running gear.

 

[karl webster]

Pm sent Paul

 

[Chris]

I am sure that Karl has posted something helpful to you, but this really isn't difficult work. You certainly don't need a whole axle, just a diff. About 4 spanners and some assorted parts. I wouldn't waste the money on the FWH. If you get a whole axle you should still strip it to make sure it's OK. Oil seals and such will probably need doing anyway. If you put your location in your sidebar as we ask people to, there maybe someone local to you who can help.

 

[Paul_Driver]

Thank you Towpack and Chris for the suggestions. A diff is on its way from Karl.

 

[Chris]

Thought it might be. It's a dirty job but not one that hasn't been covered over and over again. Start amassing lots of decent rags. I mean lots. A 54mm box spanner, some decent degreaser in a pump bottle plus a plastic tray. Two tubs of CV Moly grease, a tube of silicone squeezy gasket, two genuine Toyota inner axle oil seals plus 3 litres of diff oil.

Now there are a load more parts you might need like wheel bearings, gaskets and CV's but that's what you'd need to get it apart, put the new diff in and reassemble. You'd need 12mm, 14mm sockets, pliers, hammer etc etc. if you were going to do it right.

If you haven't read this then there are lots of good pics in there to show you what's going on in there.

http://www.landcruiserclub.net/foru...roach-to-80-series-front-axle-rebuilds-Really

 

[Paul_Driver]

Thanks for the tips Chris, but on this occasion it will going to a garage. I've only got one day to get it fixed before it has to be working again and I can't afford any downtime. Next time maybe

 

[Chris]

Well, all I can say is that I hope they know what they are doing and have all the parts lined up. I've done a few of these and I would like to think I knew what I was doing. You've only to hit one snag and you can lose hours. One day is entirely do-able but also very easy to run into extra time. Very easy to bodge it together and say WTF. So I hope you trust these guys to do it right. You really do need to insist on certain things if it's out of your hands. Replacing inner axle seals with new genuines for eg. Or you'll be back in there in no time doing it all again.

There is incredible potential to batter the hubs trying to get the cone washers out as another example. Landies don't have these and unless you have met them before and know how to remove them, you can end up with a real mess. I'd supply them with some of the top tips and all of the torque settings.

Maybe you know them well and they do a great job. Forgive me it's just that I have seen too many butchered front ends on these machines.

 

[Paul_Driver]

The mechanic runs a modified 80 Series himself and I have full confidence in him and yes Toyota seals have been ordered. What I do know for sure is that he'll do a better job than I would I do take your points though.

 

[Chris]

Excellent, then that is the expertise you require.