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Ooze @ steering knuckle

G

Guest

Guest
Greetings all.

Looks like summer has arrived early this year - in Ireland at least! Bring it on!


Down to business...

Have a kind of grayish oily ooze coming out at the steering knuckle - not much just looks like the grease has changed consistency. I reckon the inner axel oil seal on the Cruiser is knackered.

I'm working up the courage to go at re-packing the birfields and replacing the seals.

Question is - Does my diagnosis seem right & can you keep driving for a while when there is evidence of inner axel oil seal failure?

Thanks

Niall
300K HDJ80 '95
 
Hi Niall,
I've just checked the oil level in my front diff, and taking out the level
plug I had greyish oily ooze pouring out, so the level was overfull but I
think it's part water, the oil is leaking where the prop shaft enters so the
seal is probably stuffed. A new one has been ordered from Milners, but
could water enter from a worn seal, I would have thought the oil would stop
it entering.
TTFN
Chas
----- Original Message -----
From: "Niall Sommers" <[Email address removed]>
To: <[Email address removed]>
Sent: Thursday, April 05, 2007 2:38 PM
Subject: [ELCO] Ooze @ steering knuckle
Greetings all.
Looks like summer has arrived early this year - in Ireland at least! Bring
it on!
Down to business...
Have a kind of grayish oily ooze coming out at the steering knuckle - not
much just looks like the grease has changed consistency. I reckon the inner
axel oil seal on the Cruiser is knackered.
I'm working up the courage to go at re-packing the birfields and replacing
the seals.
Question is - Does my diagnosis seem right & can you keep driving for a
while when there is evidence of inner axel oil seal failure?
Thanks
Niall
300K HDJ80 '95
 
Alright Chas

Re: Grey ooze & water getting past the seae/oil

It's a good question. I don't think the water would get past the seal / oil.

Possible scenario: is the oil from the diff is getting past the seal into the grease. Mixing up and forming the grey ooze that's then some how getting back into the diff. If this is the case the seal must be totaled...

It also answers the question of whether or not to keep trucking for a while when you notice this problem - definitely not if the grey sludge has made it's way into the diff..

Cheers

Niall
 
Hi
To avoid water getting in behind axel seals, one might consider replacing
the metal valves at the end of the air ventilation hoses on top of the
axels... as they rust (they do) they block, letting no air pass by, so when
you go swimming and the water cools off the axels abruptly water has to
enter, through seals, even if they are OK at that point in time, and if oil
is behind there - as stuff's cooling it gets less volume actually sucking
anything in to compensate - if no air can get in through valves then
whatever is present at the axel height will enter instead...
I cut off my valves and extended the hoses to the engine bay - that's 4
years ago, and I have never had contaminated diff oil since... 260KKm's on
the clock...
But of course worn bearings might destroy the seals too, as suggested a
while ago..
Regards..
4x4hec
 
Hi Niall
There is some mixing going on somewhere that should not be happening, thats for sure.
It could be water got into your diff or it could be grease and diff oil mixing which is also not good.
It does not matter what is mixing with what, the only thing that matters is the lack of protection that happens when things mix that should not.
I think you will need to repack the CVs and replace the seals.
Maybe you could also extend the breathers aswell.
john 92HDJ 80 1HDT
 
Re: Ooze @ steering knuckle

Thanks for all the input there lads!

Going to do a DIY on the CV overhaul. I just hope I don't have too many bits left over when finished....

Niall
 
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Hi Niall,
I'm afraid it's too late for that now, I had been hearing this whirring sort
of sound, a bit like knobbly tyre tread on tarmac, coming from the front of
the Cruiser for a while. It wasn't loud and I ignored it, but recently it
has got louder which prompted me to check the oil level and found the grey
sludgy stuff. So I think the front diff will have to be replaced, do Milner
do them? I can't find one on their site, or is there any other supplier
that can supply them at less than our friendly Toyota dealers would ask?
TTFN
Chas
----- Original Message -----
From: "Niall Sommers" <[Email address removed]>
To: <[Email address removed]>
Sent: Thursday, April 05, 2007 5:08 PM
Subject: Re: [ELCO] Ooze @ steering knuckle
It also answers the question of whether or not to keep trucking for a while
when you notice this problem - definitely not if the grey sludge has made
it's way into the diff..
Cheers
Niall
 
Hi guys
maybe that will help.
http://www.hvd-japanparts.com/
cheers
Lubo
----- Original Message -----
From: "Chas" <[Email address removed]>
To: <[Email address removed]>
Sent: Sunday, April 08, 2007 12:48 PM
Subject: Re: [ELCO] Ooze @ steering knuckle
 
Hi Lubo,
I'm sure it would, but unfortunately I only speak English and rubbish.
TTFN
Chas
----- Original Message -----
From: "Lubo" <[Email address removed]>
To: <[Email address removed]>
Sent: Sunday, April 08, 2007 12:05 PM
Subject: Re: [ELCO] Ooze @ steering knuckle
 
Hi Chas
the guy speaks English and you can request the part you need via email and
you'll get answer ASAP
cheers
Lubo
----- Original Message -----
From: "Chas" <[Email address removed]>
To: <[Email address removed]>
Sent: Sunday, April 08, 2007 1:12 PM
Subject: Re: [ELCO] Ooze @ steering knuckle
 
Thanks Lubo, I'll get in touch with him tomorrow.
Chas
----- Original Message -----
From: "Lubo" <[Email address removed]>
To: <[Email address removed]>
Sent: Sunday, April 08, 2007 9:43 PM
Subject: Re: [ELCO] Ooze @ steering knuckle
 
Chas

Re: So I think the front diff will have to be replaced,

Hope not!

Draining down my diff tonight..... no whirring sounds but will be interesting to see the sludge situation.....

Thanks

Niall
 
Chas

Re New diff

Managed to navigate my way through that site Lubo sent on.

Looks like you can get a new diff for about 850 euro....

Niall
 
Hec

Re: cut off my valves and extended the hoses to the engine bay

Good idea.

Went to look at doing something similar. Luckily there is extended hoses on my machine already. I think because its a HDJ81 model with the factory winch which is snow spec.

Cheers

Niall
 
Jon

Re: If the bearing is still in good nick (just
worn down a bit) you can turn the pinion nut in further to take up the
slack but it takes a lot of torque and you need a way of holding the
flange still while you do it.

Thanks - will give you a shout if I need a picture of that tool

Niall
 
I've managed to source an 87K mile front axle from a '95 cruiser, the
question is, will it fit OK in a '94 cruiser?
TTFN
Chas
----- Original Message -----
From: "Niall Sommers" <[Email address removed]>
To: <[Email address removed]>
Sent: Tuesday, April 10, 2007 9:30 AM
Subject: Re: [ELCO] Ooze @ steering knuckle
Chas
Re New diff
Managed to navigate my way through that site Lubo sent on.
Looks like you can get a new diff for about 850 euro....
Niall
 
Chas

Re - will a 95 axel fit the 94

Have a look at this website: http://www.cruiseroutfitters.com/tech_front_axle.html dosen't have the answer but has some tech data that might be useful

Next port of call might be to check part numbers from mr toyota against the chassis number from the vehicle the new axel is off and your own chassis number.

Good luck

Niall
 
Chas,
'I've managed to source an 87K mile front axle from a '95 cruiser, the
question is, will it fit OK in a '94 cruiser?'
The answer is likely to be yes, but check the diff ratio. Many, if not all,
european market manual 80s came with 3.7 ratio diffs, whereas most
automatics came with 4.1 ratio diffs. Your transfer box won't last long with
different ratios on each axle!
All the best,
Toby
1990 HDJ80 UK
 
Hi Toby
Can you explain what the difference in the Ratios makes in the driving of
the cruiser.
thanks
john 92HDJ 80 1HDT
SNIP
The answer is likely to be yes, but check the diff ratio. Many, if not all,
european market manual 80s came with 3.7 ratio diffs, whereas most
automatics came with 4.1 ratio diffs. Your transfer box won't last long with
different ratios on each axle!
All the best,
Toby
1990 HDJ80 UK
 
John,
'Can you explain what the difference in the Ratios makes in the driving of
the cruiser.'
I'm not quite sure what you're asking here, so at least half of this will be
irrelevant:
Different ratios on each axle of the same 80 will cause the centre
differential to work overtime trying to cope with the different speeds of
the front and rear propshafts. If you have a viscous coupling it will
probably overheat, lock up solid and break something. If you don't you'd
just see greatly increased wear on the centre diff. The centre diff and
viscous coupling are designed to cope with the small differences in speed
caused by cornering and the odd bit of off-road wheel spin, not the
continual difference you'll see with different diff ratios. It would be like
putting 31" tyres on one axle and 35" tyres on the other.
If you're asking what difference the axle ratios make to the driving
experience then the tyre analogy stands - taller tyres will make the car
travel further for each revolution of the engine, this takes more effort so
will make the vehicle feel less responsive under acceleration (and braking -
but that's another story).
The different stock ratios that came on the European 80s can be quite useful
if you have, for instance, replaced the 31" tyres on your '90 to '92 manual
80 (3.7 ratio diffs) with 35"s. Just fit a pair of 4.1 ratio diffs from an
automatic model and you're roughly back to stock gearing. Of course finding
them is another matter. Ring and pinion sets (the ring and pinion define the
ratio) are available separately, but they aren't exactly cheap (often
similar price to second hand diffs) and then you need to find someone who
knows what they are doing to fit them - this is not a job for your Yaris
man.
If you have put taller tyres on your 80 this might explain why the Colorado
seemed more responsive. That or your iffy fuel pump ;-)
Sorry for another long message.
All the best,
Toby
1990 HDJ80 UK
 
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