Rear Axle/ Hub rebuild

[Alex King]

Hi guys,

I’m new on the forum, I’ve just bought this beauty of a 60 series landcruiser, will post pics of it later. However, as I was driving home from a road trip the rear left axle hub bolts snapped off leaving the axle (I think, I’m not too mechanically educated) coming out of the wheel!

Has anyone had this before? There was a slight amount of oil leaking prior to it happening. What are my best options, is this something that can be done myself or would I need to take it to a garage?

Images attached

Thanks

 

[Chris]

Those are the drive flange bolts Alex. The drive comes from your diff, along the shaft that you can see then the end of the shaft is bolted to the hub that connects to the wheel. So all your drive goes to the road through those 6 studs and usually a couple of locating dowels too. Usually failure can be attributed to the nuts on the studs not being correctly tightened, allowing the flange to spin and rip the studs out. It is not catastrophic and can be fixed but it needs doing by someone who understands Cruisers, not simply any old garage. It's very hard to get the broken studs out and looking at the mating face it looks in poor condition. I'd put a new hub on there.

 

[Chris]

Also - can't be sure but I'm thinking that the gasket is also missing between the hub and the flange. It does quite an important job does that.

 

[Towpack]

Hi Alex and welcome to the forum.
I have an 80 series but the setup looks very similar if not the same. It’s possible the bolts has come loose or weren’t fully tightened or maybe even overtightened. Any of those 3 scenarios could lead to the bolts shearing. The bolts secure the half shaft to the hub via the flange, transferring drive. The hardest bit will be getting what’s left of the sheared bolts out. As there doesn’t seem to be any damage (hopefully the splines on the inner end of the shaft and in the diff will be ok) it should just be a case of fitting new bolts.


Edit.........Chris beat me to it

 

[Chris]

Great minds , eh TP?

The problem with re using the hub is that firstly you have to get the broken studs out. Well this can go one of two ways; successfully or a total disaster. If the stud isn't too far down you can use guile and wit to get them out. Drill and stud remover, drill and LH tap, weld a nut over them and so on. Sometimes they are distorted and simply won't come out. I made a special tool which sits in the middle of the hub and tales pilot drills over the centres of the studs. Without that, it's very hard to drill the end of an uneven stub. You could try strong bonding glue to attach something like a hex key to them and wind them out. But if the threads have taken a beating and it looks like they have then to be honest just how well are they going to hold up next time? Tough call really but in the land of the Cruiser, I'd say a replacement hub would be the simplest and most cost effective solution.

Oh and order some replacement rear shaft seals too. Don't do this without swapping those and also get the correct gaskets.

 

[SeaJay]

x2 for a new hub, if you haven't removed it already jack up the wheel and see if the wheel bearing is loose, that can cause the bolts to shear as well. When you replace it all recheck the wheel bearings at tight after 1000km or so, you have to remove the axle to check them

 

[Alex King]

Thanks for the advice guys that’s much appreciated. I reckon it’s probably too much of a job for me right now, just moved to Bondi from London and don’t have many tools to my disposal. If anyone here is based in Sydney and can recommend someone that would be awesome.

If anyone can link me to the correct parts I’ll need to buy that’ll be amazing as I may look into doing it myself

 

[SeaJay]

Ph Don Kyatt 9674 6911 and ask them for there best price on the parts, and quote to install. Here is an online shop to compare, with what you will need https://www.allfourx4.com.au/Rear-Hub-Kit-Landcruiser-40-60-75-Series-to-08/1992-HJ60-FJ45-HZJ75 not sure what bearings are supplied with that online kit but Koyo or Timken are what your after

 

[StarCruiser]

Looks like somebody’s been in there so the advice given on replacing seals and checking everything/replacing is good. Bearings need a preload and the drive flange is secured with cone washers over the studs to hold it on properly without movement (if it’s anything like the 80s). Hopefully these will be present on the other side. A replacement hub is easiest for sure if one is available. Otherwise once removed it could be taken to a friendly engineering works who could either remove the broken studs and clean up the face or drill new holes offset to the originals. If you’re lucky and get the studs out, the holes being damaged aren’t going to be able to support the studs like a new hole/hub. If I were you, whatever hub I used I’d be replacing all the studs on both sides as overtightening could well have caused this.

Not a good start to your cruiser ownership but not the end of the world.

Welcome to the forum BTW. If you love your cruiser you’ll put everything right and it will be back to being the tough truck it should be.

Good luck with it.
Rich

 

[IRLGW]

I'd be looking at the other side before I do anything-just in case its a x2 operation. You could remove the hub and take it to an engineering shop and get them to drill the studs out with a turret drill. They can set the flange on to check the pattern first

 

[Alex King]

Thanks for the advice again I think im going to give it a go and install a new hub myself using your advice. I’ll check Don Kyatts prices though to see if it’ll be worthwhile just going to them to install.

@IRLGW - when you say to check the other side, what should I be looking for? Bent axle, loss of oil, that kind of stuff?

@SeaJay - that kit looks great, if there’s nothing wrong with the axle would these be the only parts I need of the job?

@StarCruiser - thanks for advice in regards to preloading the bearings, this sounds complicated to me but I’m looking into it, I’m assuming this still needs to be done if I’m buying a new hub kit? Is this forum post explain what you mean? https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/wheel-bearing-preload-methods.127203/

Thanks guys

 

[Alex King]

By the way, this is the beauty in full colour

 

[StarCruiser]

Great photo she’s a beauty!!

The preload is straightforward. It’s simply tightening the bearing up a little more than finger tight. There’s a thread on here for the 80 front that describes a good way of doing it. I’ll have a look at the Mud thread and see. I can’t imagine there would be much difference to a 60 rear. Doubtless others know more than I do on this. What is crucial is to get the hub seated correctly and not pick up (fold over) any lip seals in the process. Ask me how I know. This should be self explanatory once you’re in there.

Good on you for deciding to do this yourself.

 

[Chris]

Rear is completely different. There is a locking ring and you effectively tighten the bearings but then you slacken the locking ring off to the nearest locking bolt hole. You do not tighten it forwards to the next hole. Sounds complicated but it isn't. But it's certainly not the same as the fronts. In essence the preload on the rears is nothing like the front ones. It's due to the fact that the rears don't steer. They just follow along wherever the front goes.

 

[IRLGW]

In the first instance try removing the opposite drive flange by removing the 6bolts and cone washers. Then double nut the studs and extraxt them. If the remove without shearing then thats a good sign but you may as well replace them at this point. If the bearing checks out and there is no axle oil dribbling out then just put it back together. Onviously a good idea to do a full strip down clean and rebuild but if you are on a budget then carry on with what you have

 

[Alex King]

Yeah I'll check the other side for sure, I've ordered the hub kit but I'll need to ring them up and add another stud kit for the other side.

So far i've ordered;

The rear hub kit - $230
The rear wheel bearing adjuster tool - $20
Puller tool for seals - $20

Is there anything else I'll need the this specific job. What oils and grease will be best for the job? Anything I need for the preloading?

 

[Chris]

I'd read up on the factory service manual. It's an easy procedure but better that you read it in original form rather than us type up the procedure. I seem to remember that there is a link in the 8o section to the downloads.

 

[StarCruiser]

I’m I correctly assuming Chris that the 80 series and 60 series axles are the same broadly speaking?

 

[Chris]

In relation to setting up the wheel bearings, yes. It's a stub axle.

 

[Alex King]

Haven’t had a chance to get started on the axle yet, missing a few tools and some bits haven’t come in the post yet.

I need axle stands, 2x 3 tonne stands should be okay right?