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Who is doing what maintenance today?

Nice one Chas - I saw Julian V's pic of your truck on FB, though he didn't mention what "toys" you were having fitted....:thumbup:

I did place a comment there to that effect.
 
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Fired up the mud muncher today. Jeez, a sound like torture from under the bonnet. Had to be the alternator. OK it was completely covered in mud under there but I did find the alternator after a while. Whipped it off no prob, but it looked like a mud pie. It would only turn about 5 degrees, physically. It was jammed. So no wonder it sounded bad when running. Got it to bits and found a nightmare inside. It's pretty new really and is the 120 amp model. The copper rings on the shaft where in a real state and I had to skim those up in the lathe. No problem as the brushes would take up the slack. The nose bearing though wouldn't actually turn. It's a sealed bearing and of course particular to Toyota. I levered the covers off and it was completely packed inside. There was no grease at all just compacted dirt. All cleaned out and packed with grease. Well, it turns but it's going to need replacing. It's not going to explode or anything, but it's got more slack in it than our Gert's knicker elastic. End bearing felt reasonable. All reconnected and after a wiggle of the plug, all the lights went out.

Right back to some real work...
 
As a footnote to this, been trying to track down replacement bearings for the alternator for several years now. They are 15 x 35 x 15. Closest commercial match seems to be 15 x 35 x 13. Had a good look at the set up today and the end float is controlled by the pulley end so actually this bearing isn't really critical. There is a wave washer in there anyway so 2mm ain't going to make a difference. I can always machine something up by way of a thrust washer anyway. UK prices for even this simple bearing are a bit daft. So just ordered 5 from the States in postage for $26! They're disposable at that money. Have to say they are a very cheap bearing, single row ball. There are some clever upgrade double row off set compact versions but they're like £30 each at least.

If it's nice tomorrow then operation "Pull front axle, clean, refirb, assess, prepare and remove front differential' begins. Actually, that's not really a very snappy title is it?
 
replacing front lower ball joints, front left arb drop link, inner and outer track rods both sides...... The damn lower ball joint has defeated one of my ball joint splitters so I'm still cursing, drinking coffee and taking a break :D


edit - after a new ball joint spliter.....POP!
 
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Used Delphi parts for the ball joints except the drop link as they did not have them in stock and got firstline instead for them, I've always liked the Delphi OEM stuff and never had problems with and is pretty good quality with no differences in sizes in any of the parts, my only gripe if I had known is; I would not have ordered the outer track rods if I knew they had grease nipples inside them :D as I would rather fit and forget and replace when worn with track rods as they are really quick to fit...even if the grease nipple ones do last longer!

one of my Steering Gators had a hole in the rubber and water had seeped into the inner track rod ball joint, causing it to rust the other side had a worn outer track rod so I replaced the lot, both inner and outer track rods, drop links and lower ball joints. The lower ball joints were in good shape especially as they were most likely originals on 108k with the only wear being one of the ball joints rubber covers had started to become brittle. I cut open the boots to look at the ball joints when I finished by the way :D
 
New windscreen in the 120 today, all for a 15mm stone chip. Fitter seems to have done a good job, will wait until the next downpour to be sure.
 
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O/S front wheel bearing and lower ball joint plus 2 track rod ends on Lil' Blue. All ready for playing on Sunday.
 
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I finally got fed up with the drawers at the back shunting back and forth on braking and acceleration and fitted some over centre latches. Only one pic, but one latch on each drawer. The metal plate is for reinforcement as the drawer front is wood.

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New windscreen in the 120 today, all for a 15mm stone chip. Fitter seems to have done a good job, will wait until the next downpour to be sure.

Just a note Trevor, and it may be irrelevant in the UK and for your 120, but I went to a screen replacement company here for a replacement screen for the 80. My screen wasn't broken or chipped, but at 19 yrs old it has a sort of finish that maybe would polish out, but far from blemish free like a new screen would be. They told me they could replace it, but it wouldn't last like an OEM screen, no way would it survive 19 years like the old one... their words. So I opted not to change it.

I'm interested whether anyone else has heard of this scenario...
 
Interesting find Rob. That is exactly who I use for bearings and that size has never come up. I wonder if they are a new line. Hmm, extra .9mm might mean that the case won't close, but has to be worth a look for that money. Ordered some from the US but still no sign of them.
 
I am not sure if angular contact bearings is the corrct application in a alternator. as the thrust is round and round in the same place but a angular contact is made to accept side thrust so the inside is machined so the race is off to one side. it might be worth bearing in mind. sorry couldnt help it
stu
 
Exactly the reason that I have not pressed 'order' on those yet Stu. I have to confess that I didn't really know what angular bearings were. I was going to look that up today, but you may have sorted that for me. However, this bearing is the one that seems to take all the hammer, maybe these would be an upgrade? I have had lots of alternators (and starters too) for some reason and I am only on my 3rd 80. Almost every time on the alternators it's been this bearing. The nose bearings are fine. It's this rear one (in the middle really) that fails. They use a really nasty cheap little thing. Even in the genuine unit. It's just a cheap looking ball race. It doesn't have to do a lot of work but the key thing is being well sealed. OK I off road mine, you can't expect miracles, but I get through more alternators than tyres.
 
Did not realise the ones on Simply Bearings are angular contact. I just typed in the dimensions and copied and pasted the link.
 
I will speak to a contact i have and see what he comes up with.
stu
 
Just a note Trevor, and it may be irrelevant in the UK and for your 120, but I went to a screen replacement company here for a replacement screen for the 80. My screen wasn't broken or chipped, but at 19 yrs old it has a sort of finish that maybe would polish out, but far from blemish free like a new screen would be. They told me they could replace it, but it wouldn't last like an OEM screen, no way would it survive 19 years like the old one... their words. So I opted not to change it.

I'm interested whether anyone else has heard of this scenario...

Never heard that before Clive, but I have a friend who has a mobile windscreen replacement business here in Ireland so the next time I'm talking to him I'll ask him about it!
 
Rob, I don't feel the depth of the bearing is critical. OK it can't be too big, but actually when you look at how it fits, anywhere really between 15 and 13 mm would probably be fine. That's what I have ordered already. 1mm out isn't going to be an issue. I'd use a spring wave washer in there anyway. Odd thing is that I have run these searches before and not come up with any of the bearings that you have listed today! What I really want is the closest fit in a reasonably priced, high quality bearing. That is well sealed and won't ever wear out.

What?
 
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