Brenjen

Well I got the last of my parts in today from Dirtoyboy & began tearing into my front end. Everything was rocking along pretty smoothly & I figured I might get one side done; Sdori bj spacers, new rotors, brake pads, upper & lower bj's & the shock installed.

LOL....well as most of you know this is my first Toyota of any kind. A lot of stuff discussed here on YotaTech is non vehicle specific & could apply to ANY vehicle or situation so I'm able to post a bit on those subjects or things that I'm sure about on my Toyota.

Well; I learned a few things this afternoon about my Toyota. I've only been working on it about four hours but this is what I've discovered so far: Toyota uses a two piece, clam shell type caliper. I did not know that & I broke loose the four bolts that hold the two halves together & it started to pour brake fluid...hhhmmm, I had read there were only two bolts...OH, there they are.

The bolts to adjust my torsion bars might as well be welded in. I've soaked them in PB blaster for two weeks & today when I tried to turn them the entire lobe moved with the head of the bolt.

I also learned that if you can't unload the torsion bars a little that upper A-frame is like a bear trap! I stuck a bottle jack between the upper & lower A-frames to wedge in a 2x4 so I'd have some room to work on cutting the A-frame for the SDORI spacers.....the block of 2x4 I had under the jack shattered like glass & flattened the shock mount on the lower A-frame & simultaneously crushed the block I had at the top & turned them both into mouse sized tooth picks. I'm usually pretty careful so I still have all my fingers

I also learned that if you put the washer under the bronze bushings in the idler arm like the seller of said bushings suggests, a downey idler arm brace will sit just a smidge to high for the last bolt to go through & it hits the arm which means I gotta tear it back apart as well.


I found that the seal that bolts to the dust shield behind the rotor was mangled by the last chisel wielding bozo that changed the wheel bearings on this rig. He didn't finesse it in & caught half the rubber lip & broke it backward, so I had to go to the dealership & order two more of those @ $35 each.....did I mention he was a chisel wielder? Yep, both spindle nuts are cut deeply & required some time with a file, & fine grit sandpaper. He also used white lithium grease on the wheel bearings apparently, the hub was full of white lithium grease....unless there is a white wheel bearing grease I am unfamiliar with.


So now I'm tired, I have a headache, I'm $70 further into this task & the parts I need to begin putting it all back together won't be in until Wednesday. But at least I did get my wiper/headlight switch installed & now I have my rear wiper working, front & rear washer fluid & my intermittent delay works. Thanks Dirtoyboy, that no delay wipers & no washer fluid crap was beginning to tick me off.

Now I need a beer; I sure wish I had some

fishon1213

I have a 85 project and am awaiting some parts from dirtyboy. I hear he's very good to deal with. Hang in there dude. You will have it all done soon and all your troubles will pay off.

Brenjen

Yeah, he's reliable. I've dealt with him twice & both times have been quick & painless.

aviator

Be careful amigo! You don't want to loose any body parts you might need later... ie fingers, mitten inserts and so forth...

When your working on these trucks a torch to heat up those reluctant bolts is a good friend to have...

Good luck Aviator

Brenjen

Yeah a torch could help, but with the O2 sensor wires & the fuel lines by the T-bar bolts on both sides would make me leary of applying heat. I will attempt again this morning as soon as I've had my coffee; I think i'll have better luck now that I've had a break from it....that's usually the way it happens for me. If I get get frustrated I might as well stop & go back to it later.

I'm about to send the wife to the parts store to pick up some anti-seize since I know I'll need that to adjust the T-bars after all this is done.

aviator

Well the O2 sensor wires can be tied back out of the way and the fuel lines should be fine [as long as there are no leaks that is lol], they could be cooled with a slow stream of water if it was a real concern... keep in mind the heat applied would be very localized and probably would'nt have to get all that hot anyways...

and lets be honest here you are'nt "sending" the wife to the parts store you're asking her very nicely "honey please could you while you are out" right? LOL
Anti- seize is good for somethings for others you might also try some thread locker...

dirtoyboy

Sounds like fun! Yes, there is a type of white grease for wheel bearings...dont see it often but it does exist!

Let me know if I can help at all...I appreciate the kinds words Brenjen!

Brenjen

LOL...I wouldn't want to apply threadlocker to the torsion bar bolts when I put them back in....that would be; well I just won't & I'll leave it at that. Like I said...new to Toyotas but I've turned a few wrenches in my life.

The nut at the top is free & turns easily but the bolt acts like it seized in the mechanism (not sure what the inside looks like so I'll call it a "mechanism"); so I took a break from them after another shot of PB Blaster was applied & started cutting the a-frame for the SDORI spacer. It's a p.i.t.a. without the t-bar unloaded completely but the little block of wood is helping. I'm too old to be kneeling on concrete out in the sun & wind.....I need an enclosed shop with a lift. "Dear Santa; could you contact Mr.Bill Gates & see if he would like to donate to the poor me fund?....."




There is? Wow; I learn something new every day. As far as the kind words, you deserve the props. You've been straight up with me on our dealings & it's only fair to let it be known with as much vigor as I would if someone screwed me....I'm a

Brenjen

Well I destroyed an e-Bay lower ball joint today

I installed the upper & lower joints & the SDORI spacer & the inner & outer tie rods & sleeve, came inside to check the torque specs, went back out to tighten everything down & all went well until I got to that lower ball joint. I've never had a ball joint that wouldn't press in with the castle nut but this one wouldn't.....& I mean it was no where close. So I bum a ride down the the ol' AutoZone to lease a ball joint press & come home. I hook it all up with hardly enough room & apparently I used the wrong arbor because I popped the top right off that joint!

That's the first time in my life I've destroyed one putting it IN....

I think that e-Bay lower joint was the wrong size so I SENT (yes sent, not begged & pleaded) my wife back to the cheap parts R' us superstore for two new ones. Maybe these will draw in the way they're supposed to. If not & I destroy another it'll be time to try the freeze the ball joint & heat the knuckle method....if that doesn't work I'll pull the whole damned lower A-frame off & take it to a shop & have them press the dang things in.

Brenjen

*update*

Dateline - Searcy Ar.

Well, the AutoZone lower ball joint fit no problem & was much beefier looking. The boot was nearly impossible to push in where the e-Bay joint was like tissue paper. The Duralast joint is also made in Turkey, not China (surprise-surprise-surprise). When my wife handed me the receipt I noticed they had only charged her for one instead of two, so we had a %50 off deal there. I mentioned it to them when I went back today & they just shrugged it off. (another surprise)

I also found out today when I replaced the CV axle(s) that the ones my local AutoZone has are new manufacture & not rebuilt; they're $79 after tax & there's NO core charge. (yet another surprise)

I got one side done after I had the wife pick up my dust seals from Toyota only to bend the c-clip on the axle shaft when re-installing it; now it won't spring back into the groove. But all in all I'm not too disappointed & if the weather holds out I should be finished up tomorrow except for maybe the torsion bar adjustment & rough alignment....those stupid t-bars are being a thorn in my side but I bet I win in the end.

dirtoyboy

Im renaming this thread "Brents Vent Thread"

Brenjen

LOL.....yeah that's sort of what it started out as. I put it in general vehicle related topics because if someone searched they might find a smidge of tech in my posts or the replies

Heading outside to see if I can finish up cutting the passenger side a-frame for the SDORI spacer; or maybe I'll have a cup of coffee first & dremmel off the splines from the last three CV shaft bolts.....I donno but I'm up & around so somethings going to happen & since I already took a whiz & let the dog out to do the same I'll probably just have some coffee.


On a side note, does anyone have an exploded view of the inside of the torsion bar adjustment mechanism? In my mind I'm envisioning a fine tread worm gear or a tube nut of some sort.....is there any rubber or anything in there?

On mine, the nut on the top will turn fairly easy, but the bolt wants to drag that eliptical/lobe shaped washer out of the socket with it, so I stop turning it....am I being too cautious? Should I just clamp that lobe shaped washer in place & muscle the bolt until it breaks free or just breaks? I didn't really want to have to replace those bolts because at some point in the future I intend to get a winch & bumper & armor up so I figured I'd determine what size t-bars to go with then; but if I have to take it all apart anyway to replace broken bolts I might as well get aftermarket bars now. I'm thinking OME or SAW.

dirtoyboy

http://personal.utulsa.edu/~nathan-b...29torsionb.pdf

Brenjen

Not really what I had in mine, it doesn't show the insides (I already have the FSM bookmarked too, thanks though)

I got it after I tried the passenger side...LOL, it moved like a hot knife through butter, the drivers side is still moving like it's half seized up, but I just said F*@& IT! & put the breakover bar onto it. It popped & screeched but it came along against it's will anyway like it or not. I took it for a test drive to bed the brakes & good lord it feels like it's been in a front end collision, I need to do the driveway alignment now I think

Brenjen

Well I'm done (pretty much). I got the final height adjusted to 14.75", the brakes bled & bedded in. All I have to do now is get the alignment done at a shop. The drivers side t-bar bolt is finally moving easy after a lot of PB blaster, anti-seize compound & enough elbow grease to have installed twenty of the damn things.

What I ended up with is - new rotors, new pads, all new wheel bearings, new upper & lower ball joints, SDORI 1.5" BJ spacers, new tie rod ends & sleeves, ONE new CV shaft (I'll explain), the CV bolt splines ground off for ease of future CV replacements, new bronze idler arm bushings, a used Downey idler arm truss & new front OME shocks.


My chi-com AutoZone CV shaft for the passenger side was crap right outta' the box so I had to put my old one back in until they can get another one today. It had chunks chipped out of the seal where the metal cup had been dropped against it & the inner tulip joints aren't seated either; if you pulled hard enough you could tear the boot in half. Since it's supposed to be rainy for a few days I'll have to drop it in next week when the Toyota place gets in the new C-clips for the ends of the axle shafts....I swear that place never has ANYTHING in stock & it's a geographical oddity....three days from everywhere! ("Oh brother where art thou" movie reference....it fits)

Brenjen

All done. I did the driveway alignment to get me close enough so I could drive it to Toyota today. It took 'em two tries & four hours but it feels right. The tech said he had it adjusted as far as it would go & was sort of shaking his head; personally I think the SDORI 1.5" ball joint spacers threw him for a loop since it's all stock aside from that (pretty much).

Now for some ARB's in the front & rear, some armor & my Sonoran Steel LCA truss & it'll be time to take it out & see how she does & find out what breaks the easiest. I have a feeling it'll be the tie rod sleeves but we'll see.

spdjnky

You sound like me when I did my axle and BJ spacers and messed with the torsin bars a couple of weeks ago. I think mine went a little smoother b/c my t-bars, with the help of an impact gun and pb blast, turned easy.

my alignment was the same way, as close as they could get it, but it feels good and tracks straight.

Brenjen

I have access to a compressor & impact wrenches but I just didn't feel like dragging it all out. In hind sight it might have made the t-bar cranking a little easier but really it turned easy enough with my 1/2" snap on break over bar; easy being subjective I suppose, my wife couldn't have turned it. I was just scared I was going to snap it off the way it was acting & because I've heard of T-bar bolts shooting through floorboards & stuff I didn't want to be right under it if I did snap it LOL