Look What Timmy Bought

[LittleCaesar]

That is quite the learning curve. As long as it isn’t putting a big hole in your wallet, enjoy.

I have done r/r of valve seals once on a Scion when the head was still on the block. Not fun. Remove the head(s) and get it done right when time permits.

 

[mtbtim]

That is quite the learning curve. As long as it isn’t putting a big hole in your wallet, enjoy.

I have done r/r of valve seals once on a Scion when the head was still on the block. Not fun. Remove the head(s) and get it done right when time permits.

I'm not planning on messing with the engine anytime soon. I'm just going to do the axle work. It's just quite a bit more involved than replacing a CV axle. This will be my first time messing with a solid front axle set-up.

 

[theesotericone]

I checked the PCV valve and blew threw it and it seems just fine. I have actually tried some Marvel Mystery Oil too. I switched to 20w-50 motor oil to see if the heavier weight would make a difference. I really think the oil consumption is the result of the valve stem seals drying out after the engine sat for a long time.

It's been sitting for a few weeks. I'm going to service the front axle and do an upgrade of the trunion bearings. Marlin Crawler has a 25mm bearing upgrade. I'm still waiting for everything I need to do it. I want to make sure the knuckles are aligned so I bought an SST from a guy on IH8MUD. He manufactures them through a machine shop near him and charges less than half the price it would cost to own the actual Toyota SST. Marlin Crawler sells the alignment tool for over $500. This guy sells it for $180. His alignment kit only works for rigs with the stock 17mm trunion bearings so I put in an order to a company to make me some custom size bushings so I can adapt the tool to work with the 25mm bearings. It's going to be a bit of a learning curve but hope the job goes fairly smooth.

Did you look at the trunnion bearing eliminator kit? If you plan on wheeling hard even Marlins 25mm bearing will break. 37's will help a lot in how fast that happens.

 

[mtbtim]

Did you look at the trunnion bearing eliminator kit? If you plan on wheeling hard even Marlins 25mm bearing will break. 37's will help a lot in how fast that happens.

I read about the eliminator kits but didn't know how necessary they were. It seems the Marlin 25mm kit gets good feedback from people but who knows. I've got the stuff now and I'm going to install it and see how it goes.

 

[theesotericone]

I read about the eliminator kits but didn't know how necessary they were. It seems the Marlin 25mm kit gets good feedback from people but who knows. I've got the stuff now and I'm going to install it and see how it goes.

I don't think it necessary but it is a very viable option if you have bearing issues in the future. Which you will if you wheel hard with that rig. Trunnion bearing problems for older Toyo's are like CV problems for modern Toyo's. If all you do is drive to work and hit the occasional Forest Service road you'll be fine for 300,000 miles. If you get in the big rocks often you'll be blowing them every few hard trails.

Get to know the truck and how hard you enjoy wheeling then go from there. Your already getting familiar with the birfs and trunnion which is super important. Having spares with you as also super important. No one wants to be that guy that breaks on Cadillac Hill and doesn't have spares.

 

[mtbtim]

I don't think it necessary but it is a very viable option if you have bearing issues in the future. Which you will if you wheel hard with that rig. Trunnion bearing problems for older Toyo's are like CV problems for modern Toyo's. If all you do is drive to work and hit the occasional Forest Service road you'll be fine for 300,000 miles. If you get in the big rocks often you'll be blowing them every few hard trails.

Get to know the truck and how hard you enjoy wheeling then go from there. Your already getting familiar with the birfs and trunnion which is super important. Having spares with you as also super important. No one wants to be that guy that breaks on Cadillac Hill and doesn't have spares.

Thanks for the advice. How hard I wheel this rig will remain to be seen. I definitely want to be comfortable tearing apart the front axle if I do break a Birf and that is one of the reasons I'm doing this work before I take it out on any hard trails. I'm also doing it because I discovered the former owner was kind of an idiot and I don't trust any of the work he did. He supposedly serviced the front axle but the axle seals are obviously leaking and the driver side wheel bearings have play. The previous owner did leave me a couple spare axles so he at least did something right.