A.J.'s Runner - "Please Stand-by"...Product Review

[yotadork83]

just reard no longs in your truck so i will bring some extra birfs and rebuild kit just in case. any body you know need some toy parts i am trying to get rid of my surplus.

[CTENG in KS]

I don't know any other toy people round these parts really.

If you want to go you should prob look into the registration stuff and get yourself registered and a shirt.  Don't wanna get there and find out you aren't OK to go.

I have been budgeting and saving so I believe that the money issue shouldn't be a problem, even if repairs are required.

[Lady Di]

Sounds cool. We will be stopping at KOA's whenever available, or Good Sam's campgrounds. I have both KOA directories and Goodall's that has all other campgrounds.
We go for full hookup of course, but we can look for campgrounds that accept tent camping as well. But usually tent camping is allowed on the RV spots.
AJ I assume you will be sleeping in the beastmaster? Maybe depends on the weather.
Yota..registering would be wise if you want a t-shirt and dinner. The Marlin crew makes dinner for us on Sat. night. but you have to have a ticket.
Otherwise you can fend for yourself and I think have to pay $5 to camp at the springs. Or that might be per vehicle
And of course, we are with MrW so even if repairs are necessary, HOPEFULLY they won't be something we can't solve ourselves.

[Willy Mammoth]

Any 85 front drive shafts in your collection?

[Lady Di]

The more parts the betterer.

[CTENG in KS]

Haha!  Gas money and parts to pay your way to MCR!



So, I have to replace the front pinion bearing on my truck cause it is bad from long ago...decided this would be a good opportunity to practice the camo method of pulling axles cause I have stock birfs.

I used the first side to practice, then timed the second.  Just a tick over 20 min flat to get to the bare knuckle ball and that was only cause the cone washers on the steering arm gave me a little fight.  I think I should be perfectly capable of changing out a birf in about a half hour should the need arise.

[Willy Mammoth]

Only if you are chnging a good one

[CTENG in KS]

What, you think I need to estimate more time for broken parts?

[Lady Di]

What, you think I need to estimate more time for broken parts?

Don't sweat the small stuff, CT.. move on and make lists

[CTENG in KS]

Oh, of course...the lists are MUCH more important!

[FatAzzRunner]

What, you think I need to estimate more time for broken parts?

I can swear by the time changing dramatically if the parts inside the axle housing break OR if the birf swells badly when it breaks or the damage that can occur inside the knuckle housing from the birf breaking.
If you break an inner axle when you break the birf you can spend a great amount of time digging chunks of metal out of the reamaining gear oil.  If you break bad enough, you could tear up a 3rd or a locker..........the damage can be anything from a popped birf to catastrophic damage. 

I got to where I could do the camo method in about 15 minutes but I have also spent a couple hours fixing the front back up. 

[yotadork83]

i am sighning up for sure but my friend is trying to figure out how to get his truck there.  he will just rent a uhaul traile if needed. but we are trying to make it fit on the back of my dads work truck. so no matter what i will go just not sure if my friend can make it work.

[yotadork83]

on the drive shaft no 85's plenty of others.

[CTENG in KS]

Sounds good, so your gonna ride with him, or do you wanna ride in the Beast?  I missed that part.  Anyway, you can join the convoy...we'll ride into Fresno like we own that town!

[CTENG in KS]

Remember that ammo can project I did bout a year ago?  LLLLLLLLLike a glove!

[*** YELLER ***]

If the glove fits .....


How about a shot of it open 

[CTENG in KS]

If the glove fits .....


How about a shot of it open 

it empty...


On another note, lets talk pinion funk.  I have been having issues with the front pinion.  Everything goes together well, but once I tighten the pinion nut down there is a lot of resistance.  Now I am not even torquing it to spec, just snugging it down.  So I thought at first that either the pinion bearing was bad (doesn't seem to be the case) or that somehow I ended up witht he wrong race in the install kit and it was binding up the bearing (also doesn't seem to be the case).
I pulled it apart this evening to fiddle with it and noticed that when I pull off the pinion nut and flange, the pinion doesn't slide right out...it is wedged in pretty good, gotta hit it with rubber mallet to get it to pop out.  Can't remember from last time I touched the rear, is that normal...doesn't seem that is should be.  So anyway, I started looking at the solid spacer and it has odd wear marks on the sides.  I pulled it out and put everything back together with a spare crush sleeve I had for last time.  I haven't tightened it enough to crush it yet, but it is snugged on pretty good and seems to be spinning freely as it should.  Could the solid spacer be the problem, and why...seems odd.

Also, what size is that pinion nut?  29mm?
I have an SAE socket that doesn't quite fit right and I would like to grab the right size.

[Duffil]

30mm...and the pinion won't just slide out, the outer is pressed on at that pint, so you have to smack it or press it to get it out.

also, it shouldn't spin totally free, there needs to be preload on the bearings.  New bearings is 10-15 in lbs...I don't recall about used...Lemme check.

[Duffil]

used bearings 5-6 in lbs.

[CTENG in KS]

No, I mean it is hard to turn, not just preload resistance.  My rear is set up fine, you can feel the bearing against the race, but it still turns freely.

When I set up the rear it felt just like the stock gears I pulled out.  The front is not right.  Just can't fugure out why there is so much resistance.  The bearings are new, I haven't even wheeled them yet.

[Duffil]

with the carrier in or out? Maybe I missed it but is the axle together or apart on a bench?

[Willy Mammoth]

there are shimms for the spacer to get the preload right. You may need a thicker shim.

If using a crush sleve, tighen it till you get the proper preload.

[CTENG in KS]

I am going to reinstall with the crush sleeve because I do not have the shims for the spacer.  PO of the diffs didn't send them to me.  It has this problem installed in the axle or on the bench, carrier in or out.  It is def. the pinion that is the issue, not the carrier.  I will see later what I can do with the crush sleeve.

[Duffil]

I am going to reinstall with the crush sleeve because I do not have the shims for the spacer.  PO of the diffs didn't send them to me.  It has this problem installed in the axle or on the bench, carrier in or out.  It is def. the pinion that is the issue, not the carrier.  I will see later what I can do with the crush sleeve.

have you looked at the inner bearing? just to make sure it's OK?

[CTENG in KS]

Senor Willy Mammoth get the prize for answering "spacer shims!"

Duffil, I pulled the pinion and the seal, both bearing and races look to be in good shape, neither is out of round, they turn freely and don't feel gritty so I think they are OK to go.

I reinstalled the pinion with the crush sleeve and my new 30mm socket which I had to go to three different stores to find (wtf!).  Everything went together like butta.  I will go with this for now until I make a decision about 30 splines or 60's...

Then I decided to get the roll bar outta my way.
Take one stock roll bar and destructify!

[CTENG in KS]

Then we trim and cut and reconstructify a little different.  Perfect cradle for a big ole spare tire.

[DTB]

someone prolly coulda used that rollbar for something 

EDIT: nevermind

[CTENG in KS]

I offered the roll bar for free but no one in my area claimeded it.  If you have a roll bar, use it...it is actually better tube than I expected.

[CTENG in KS]

Turns out, reinstalling the camo method without a 2nd set of hands is NO picnic...

Getting that friggin knuckle over the ball with the trunnion bearings on there is a pain.

[Yota4life]

How well do those seats feel for long rides? Sense they dont recline do they sit back at a comfy angle or do you sit streight up? Its hard to tell in a picture. I like that style....