LJ70 Build Thread!

[Red Oktober]

looks like a brill bit of laning would loove to take my truck along those routes, also where did ya get your snorkel from? i guessing westcoast?

Don't forget Carl (Red Oktober) recently sourced a schnork for his 70 too...

Cheers

I got mine from here http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Ultimate-JDM

turned out to be a genuinly honest seller.

 

[hairyguy4]

im thinking of fitting aluminium tree sliders like what Mitch has got on his landy down the sides.

looks like a brill bit of laning would loove to take my truck along those routes, also where did ya get your snorkel from? i guessing westcoast?

yep west coast mate. when i bought it there was 2 options from westcoast. the ironman one which is designed to fit the real 70 series, so to fit an LJ oir KZJ requires making a new hole in the inner wing and bodging it onto the airbox.
or they sell a BIT snorkel made in the netherlands i think it was, that fits perfectly. it also has the side repeater built into, but IIRC it was £450 compared to about £150 for the ironman one. hence why i chose the ironman.

nice one cheers i phoned them up they said the ones for the kzj were 60 series snorkels?, im also thinking of fitting some of the defender body sliders to mine, i think the 50mm ones should be ok, not sure how much cutting they'll need though

 

[Ben]

whilst on my laning trip to the lakes a few weeks ago, the front wheel bearing went very loose on me. so we stopped and tightened it up, which meant i was able to carry on and do all the lanes.

so i ordered new outer wheel bearings.

i then discovered that the landrover box spanner was too small by a few mm.

so i made one out of a piece of box section.

when i removed the free wheel hub on the passenger side i couldnt believe how much water came out.

i put it all back together but it still felt loose on the driver side, so i bought a new inner bearing aswel.

so hub off.

and tapped the old bearing race out.

old and new.

packed it full of plenty of grease.

refitted it.

the free wheel hubs were a bit dirty and corroded so i soaked them in de-greaser and scrubbed them with an old tooth brush.

they came up nice and clean.

i put it all back together and its a lot better but theres still some movement on the driver side. it looks and feels like the hub is loose on the swivel ball. is there away of tightening this up, or is the ball badly worn?

i decided that my little scaffold straight through exhaust must be restricting it as its felt very slow lately. i will be having a complete new system built soon in 2.5 or 3" stainless after the new engine goes in.

but for now i decided to knock something together.

so my scaffold straight through, compare to the original size bore.

so i cut the flange off the scaffold one, and welded it to an old exhaust section that i cut to size.

fitted.

after the last 2 trips ive been on, both times ive ended up winching where other trucks have driven, due to the other trucks having rear lockers, and me only having the original LSD. so with that i decided to bite the bullet and buy an ARB. i did want a KAM electric locker, but i could be waiting a long time for them to finish developing there toyota locker, so i chose an ARB.

so half shafts out.

and diff out.

hung it up to drain over night.

thats now been sent off to devon 4x4 who will be fitting the new locker and sending it back to me. hopefully in time for lincomb. they should be sending me the compressor, switch, solenoid, hose etc. today so i can get that all fitted over the weekend.

i will get a front one soon. i could have bought one now quite easily, but i just couldnt justify spending all that money in one go.

engine swap next, then X-ENG hand brake, stainless exhaust, then front locker then new wheels. and some where in the middle of that i want to finsh my rock sliders and make my new rear bumper.

 

[Gav Peter]

You need to stop poncing around on all these laning trips & spend some time in the workshop dude...

 

[sae70]

You need to stop poncing around on all these laning trips & spend some time in the workshop dude...

Ditto

 

[Chris]

Ben fitting rear locker will be like adding a whole different gear. I think you will be amazed. Front lockers really only add a small percentage in truth and most get by without them. OK there are occasions where it's just what you need, but they are no substitute for a winch when you are really bogged. Good move on getting that fitted, for sure.

You say that the front hubs still have play in them - isn't that just the swivel bearings? The ball on the end isn't actually a part that touches anything. It's not a bearing surface.

Chris

 

[Roger Fairclough]

Ben, I suggest you do the following.

Jack up the front axle. Grasp each wheel at top and bottom and check for movement in and out. If present, get someone to apply footbrake. If movement stops, your problem is swivel bearings. To replace, you will need to strip the axle completely, so you may want to wait until you fit an ARB up front. As a quicky remedy, you can try the following. Remove each front wheel and disconnect steering linkage. Move each wheel from lock to lock. In a brand new set-up, you would have a smooth, notch free movement. After 5,000 miles you could expect a slight hesitance in the straight ahead position. This is perfectly normal and is caused by "brinelling" of the bearing surface. As the miles build up and the grease becomes contaminated with water etc, the bearings suffer. On the n/side on my motor the hub had partially seized, and it was only due to power assistance that I could steer. The swivel bearings rely on shims to control the pre-load. The shims are fitted under the blocks held down by the studs/nuts top and bottom. Removal of shim/s increases the load and will reduce/remove slack. This is a temporary fix only, and you must decide if the fix is safe.

If the hub bearings are set-up in accordance with the Toyota manual, they will remain correct for the life of the bearings. If not, then you will be doing it again at frequent intervals. I bought a cheap box socket and adapted it for use with a torque wrench.

Roger

 

[Birder]

There used to be a thread on one of the aussie forums but all the pictures have been deleted

http://www.hilux4x4.co.za/front-axle-rebuild-hilux/index.php may be helpful

 

[Rob]

Jack up the front axle. Grasp each wheel at top and bottom and check for movement in and out. If present, get someone to apply footbrake. If movement stops, your problem is swivel bearings.

Roger, the calliper is bolted to the swivel housing so applying the foot brake will only remove play in the wheel bearings, not swivel bearings. If you check the wheel for play look at the calliper, if it moves as well then its the swivel bearings, if not then its the wheel bearings. But it could be both so pressing the brakes will help diagnose this.

 

[Roger Fairclough]

Jack up the front axle. Grasp each wheel at top and bottom and check for movement in and out. If present, get someone to apply footbrake. If movement stops, your problem is swivel bearings.

Roger, the calliper is bolted to the swivel housing so applying the foot brake will only remove play in the wheel bearings, not swivel bearings. If you check the wheel for play look at the calliper, if it moves as well then its the swivel bearings, if not then its the wheel bearings. But it could be both so pressing the brakes will help diagnose this.

Rob,

That's what I said. The object, if there are two possibilities, is to remove one thus leaving the other as the culprit. Whilst I am on, Koyo bearings are O.E. fittings, but Timken (my own preference) are at least as good, and if purchased via. a commercial bearing stockist, dramatically cheaper than a Toyota dealer.

Roger

 

[Rob]

Sorry Roger, somehow I misread it twice

 

[Birder]

Jack up the front axle. Grasp each wheel at top and bottom and check for movement in and out. If present, get someone to apply footbrake. If movement stops, your problem is swivel bearings.

I have read this several times and I see what Rob was saying, when i read it, it seems to be the wrong way round.

IMO

Jack up the front axle. Grasp each wheel at top and bottom and check for movement in and out. if there is movement it could be the Wheel Bearings, swivels or both.

Get someone to apply foot brake, This locks the caliper (bolted to the swivel) to the disc stopping all movement in the wheel bearings

If movement is the same with the brake on, your problem is swivel bearings.

If the movement stops completely with the brake on your problem is the wheel bearings.

If the movement is less with the brake on, there is a problem with both.

 

[Rob]

Roger, you just confused me again Anyway we all know what we are trying to say: Ben you probably need to change the swivel bearings.

 

[Birder]

I think the problem is Rob that Ben wants to keep the front swivels as it the only part of the truck that's not been reconditioned, modified, renewed or replaced

 

[Chris]

Whoooa. Isn't that what I said? I was there when I said it. Swivel bearings I said.

Now I'm confused. Clearly Mr Cock Up is alive and well.

You gotta laugh. Of course I have never misread a post in my life

Ahem.


Chris

 

[Landcruiser Power]

Ben you will love the ARBs ive got them in my KZJ71, front and back, mind didn't even come with LSD in the back.The switches fit in perfect in the coin holders, it will one of the best mods you will do to your truck

 

[Ben]

thanks guys.

i will go and have a look and report back with my findings.

 

[Ben]

my compressor arrived today.

im hoping to get it all fitted tomorrow if this evil hangover has gone by then.

 

[Ben]

[quote="Roger Fairclough":yth7vt4p]Jack up the front axle. Grasp each wheel at top and bottom and check for movement in and out. If present, get someone to apply footbrake. If movement stops, your problem is swivel bearings.

Roger, the calliper is bolted to the swivel housing so applying the foot brake will only remove play in the wheel bearings, not swivel bearings. If you check the wheel for play look at the calliper, if it moves as well then its the swivel bearings, if not then its the wheel bearings. But it could be both so pressing the brakes will help diagnose this.

Rob,

That's what I said. The object, if there are two possibilities, is to remove one thus leaving the other as the culprit. Whilst I am on, Koyo bearings are O.E. fittings, but Timken (my own preference) are at least as good, and if purchased via. a commercial bearing stockist, dramatically cheaper than a Toyota dealer.

Roger[/quote:yth7vt4p]

i did wonder if koyo bearings were originally fitted as the old ones i removed were also koyo. the new ones were from milner.

Ben you will love the ARBs ive got them in my KZJ71, front and back, mind didn't even come with LSD in the back.The switches fit in perfect in the coin holders, it will one of the best mods you will do to your truck

thanks thats where i was thinking of fitting the switches, should get them fitted tomorrow.

 

[ModelMakerMan]

Id keep an eye on those new bearings as from what Ive heard bearings from Milner have not had glowing reviews.

If it turns out your swivel bearings are knackered Ive been looking at the Trunnion Bearing Eliminator Kit from Trail Gear which looks interesting, it replaces the bearings with greasable kingpin style bearing surfaces and comes with a lifetime warranty. It would make them mega tough and youd never have to replace them again plus it comes with a complete swivel re-build kit too. I also like the look of their uprated inner axle and knuckle wiper seals too. Id be very tempted to place and order with then when I get round to doing a knuckle re-build.

I dont work for Trail Gear honest! Ive just been dribbling over some of their products recently