Author Topic: troubles removing upper trunion bearing (Read 4280 times)

jslater2 · « **on:** Jul 28, 2010, 08:38:53 AM »

I am rebuilding my front axle for the first time. Anyone have a trick for getting the upper trunion bearing and stearing arm off? I have only been able to get one of the four tapered cone washers off, which may be the first issue I need to resolve. I see in my toyota manual they use some sort of a spreader tool, but I was hoping there was another way. If not, anyone know what this tool is called, and if Napa has it?

Also, when I pulled my axle out, the outer came out separate from the inner. The toyota book shows these needing to be saparated manually. Do you think this is an issue? Anything I should look for, or can test?

junya92toy · « **Reply #1 on:** Jul 28, 2010, 09:28:05 AM »

Loose the nuts but leave them on the stud. It keeps the washer from flying off and getting lost. Then get a brass hammer and hit it.

crazykooter · « **Reply #2 on:** Jul 28, 2010, 10:49:33 AM »

If its a stock push pull rod then I dont even bother with the brass hammer I just sledge them off. Never broke one just leaves a few dings in it. But the main trick I found that works for me is to hit the arm as close to the knuckle from the bottom a few times. Then I smack the arm back down into place. I do this several times until the cone washers break free enough for me to pry them out. stock steering arms are EXTREMELY tight. You might want to spray some wd40 or even some engine oil into the holes to help free it up.

jslater2 · « **Reply #3 on:** Jul 28, 2010, 11:27:57 AM »

It is a marlin high steer arm, and I have already beat the Sh#%$ out of it with a 4# sledge. That is how I got the first cone washer to come out. I am replacing the high steer arm with a new one because it has been drilled out for heim joints, and I am worried this is part of by death wobble problem. I would like to salvage the high steer arms I am pulling of, so I can sell them to someone that has a rig that does not drive on the street. I spayed some penetrating oil on it last night before I gave up, so I will give it another go when I get off work this evening.

Also, my front end does not have the stock dust cover for the break caliper, and it does not have the dust cover eliminator either. Is this a problem? Do I need to get the dust cover eliminator spacer?

Slolyfe · « **Reply #4 on:** Jul 28, 2010, 01:13:28 PM »

After soaking the

out of the cone washers and beating the living crap out of the high steer arm, whack straight down on the studs with a brass drift. Another thing that has worked for me is taking a very small flathead screw driver adn pounding it into the 'split' part of the cone washer which will open it up. You can usually keep the screw driver wedged in there and wiggle the cone washer and screwdriver up together. But keep screwing with them and they will come up.

Also try moving your steering wheel back and forth if it is all still connected.

Sparkplug · « **Reply #5 on:** Jul 28, 2010, 01:54:00 PM »

I put the nut on top of the bolts, and pound in each in a circular pattern, the cones usually pop up after 3-4 whacks a piece.

GONZO97 · « **Reply #6 on:** Jul 28, 2010, 02:27:59 PM »

I would reccomend the spacers so that way everything lines up properly when you are putting the knuckles back together.... (I got mine from Marlin)

jslater2 · « **Reply #7 on:** Jul 28, 2010, 07:54:44 PM »

just kept pounding, and got the arm and knuckle off. Now I am looking at the inside of the axle housing socket (Sorry not sure the correct name). There are some pretty good size gouges in the housing near where the lower trunion bearing sits. Is this bad? I will try to upload a picture for you all to see. looks like I need to add more posts, so I can have attachments. Any how does this sound normal?

jslater2 · « **Reply #8 on:** Jul 28, 2010, 08:03:14 PM »

here is the photo

Slolyfe · « **Reply #9 on:** Jul 28, 2010, 08:13:20 PM »

Are you running longfields? how long have you owned this axle?

If you have oversized Birfields you may need to do a little grinding if not I would not worry about it. At all.

jslater2 · « **Reply #10 on:** Jul 28, 2010, 09:14:08 PM »

I just bought this truck and I am new to Toyota's, so I'm not exactly sure what I'm looking at. I did just count the splines on the axle and there are 30, and I believe that a stock axle only has 27 splines. The writing on the birfield says 100AC birfield NTN JH2. Any idea if this is a stock axle?

Another question. I bought new wheel bearings, but the existing ones look in good shape. Do you think I should replace them anyways? The old ones are Koyo and the new ones are some china

.

crazykooter · « **Reply #11 on:** Jul 28, 2010, 09:15:26 PM »

The inside of the ball looks fine to me. A few gouges arent uncommon. As long as where the inner axle seal and the seats for the trunion bearing races are clean then its fine.
The best trick to stop this from happening again is coat the studs and cone washers with anti seize. They will still be tight but wont bind up on ya again. Just be sure to re-tighten your nuts after every wheeling run.

jslater2 · « **Reply #12 on:** Jul 28, 2010, 10:06:39 PM »

I forgot to mention that the inner seal was missing on the drivers side when I pulled the knuckle apart. All the grease was diluted with gear oil. The seat for the inner seal is a little banged up on the passenger side. Is there an easy way to clean this up? Any reason why someone would not install an inner seal? The Drivers side was missing the seal, and the passenger had one.

Also, On the passenger side the upper trunion bearing center cap was all chewed up. I mean real bad, like there was chuncks in the bottom of the knuckle. I am installing the trunion eliminator, so it is not that big of deal. I am just curious what might have caused this. Will this happen again?

Thanks for all the help.

Slolyfe · « **Reply #13 on:** Jul 28, 2010, 10:26:42 PM »

Quote from: jslater2 on Jul 28, 2010, 10:06:39 PM

I forgot to mention that the inner seal was missing on the drivers side when I pulled the knuckle apart. All the grease was diluted with gear oil. The seat for the inner seal is a little banged up on the passenger side. Is there an easy way to clean this up? Any reason why someone would not install an inner seal? The Drivers side was missing the seal, and the passenger had one.

Also, On the passenger side the upper trunion bearing center cap was all chewed up. I mean real bad, like there was chuncks in the bottom of the knuckle. I am installing the trunion eliminator, so it is not that big of deal. I am just curious what might have caused this. Will this happen again?

Thanks for all the help.

Old knuckle, been doing its job, getting beat on. you'll be fine.

crazykooter · « **Reply #14 on:** Jul 29, 2010, 06:41:11 AM »

If this axle came on the truck when you got I would start looking for other stuff they didnt do right. Imo not putting an inner axle seal in is pretty bad.

jslater2 · « **Reply #15 on:** Jul 29, 2010, 08:49:22 AM »

I knew when I got it, there were issues, but it was a good deal, so I am ok with all the issue I have found so far. Lots of missing bolts, broken bolts, bad welds, ext. I am in the process of taking apart everything apart and inspectinig.

On a good note, Looks like the axles are 30 spline made by Empi. Are these any good?

crazykooter · « **Reply #16 on:** Jul 29, 2010, 06:46:44 PM »

No idea who empi is.....Ill have to google it later. If they are 30 spline chromoly shaft then maybe thats trail gear ?

jslater2 · « **Reply #17 on:** Jul 29, 2010, 11:31:29 PM »

My new problems for the evening: I tried to install the inner axle oil seal and the chewed up seat ate my seal. I used a sanding disk on my drill to smooth out the burs, and tried it again. bent that one all to heck as well. I was using a large socket with an extension and a hammer to try to tap these in. I am sure there is a better way. What do you guys use? Any better Idea how to clean up the seal seat?

Second problem is with the shims and adjusting the preload. I am installing the TG trunion eliminator. I install with the recommended .060" shims, and then add more until it loosens up. This is the point I am having trouble. Using my fish scale puller I test the preload at 3 lbs, so I take out the smallest of all the shims I have, and tighten everything back up and now the preload is 40 lbs. I tried to swap the shims from the top to the bottom, and same results. I am using wheel bearing grease. Is this the right grease? No felt or seals installed. Am I missing something?

jslater2 · « **Reply #18 on:** Jul 31, 2010, 02:49:01 PM »

I got a good pair of calipers which helped me figure out the combinations of shims to get smaller changes. After adjusting the shims about 10 times my choices were .041" shims with 23# of preload, or .044" shims with 6# of preload. TG reccomends between 15-25#, so I am right in there. Dave from Davez off road who I bought them from reccomended closer to 10-12#'s. Anyone have any thoughts on this?

crazykooter · « **Reply #19 on:** Jul 31, 2010, 04:45:05 PM »

I set it to 18 if its used bearings and if they are new bearings then I set it to 15.

Sparkplug · « **Reply #20 on:** Jul 31, 2010, 06:28:21 PM »

Heard the tg truinion eleim is a pain to set preload on, but that onyl bad thing I hear. I wanna know how it turns out for u, cause I lookin at gettin one. All the front axles I have seen, have been at least a little chewed near the races for knuckle bearings. The birfs kinda self clearance, huh? To get axle seals in, I set it in, with one side a lil more in, and take a small socket, and tap lightly on outer metal ring till it starts to go in, then go around and around and around, hella slow, hella light taps, till it goes in, it will.

86rustbucket · « **Reply #21 on:** Jul 31, 2010, 06:37:39 PM »

Quote from: crazykooter on Jul 29, 2010, 06:46:44 PM

No idea who empi is.....Ill have to google it later. If they are 30 spline chromoly shaft then maybe thats trail gear ?

EMPI is the company that makes dirty 30's, but marlin also sells EMPI shafts

crazykooter · « **Reply #22 on:** Jul 31, 2010, 07:19:48 PM »

Ahhh good to know. Never really looked into either shafts since I always wanted bobby longs.

jslater2 · « **Reply #23 on:** Aug 03, 2010, 04:50:38 PM »

Just ordered a set of Longs

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