ZUKIWORLD Online | Suzuki 4x4 Editorial and Forum
ZUKIWORLD Discussion Forum => Technical Discussion - Beginner / Repair => Topic started by: FinishTheGame on September 21, 2011, 06:25:50 PM
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Howdy,
I just bought my first Samurai, it is an 1987 JX soft top.
When i bought it the guy who sold it to me told me that the front pinion bearing needed to be replaced, after talking to a few knowledgeable people i have come to realize that this guy was driving it like this for a while, it is very sloppy in the front. Anyways after hours and hours of research and pricing i figured that it would be better to just buy a used diff from a good salvage yard. I was going to buy one from Suzuki Lightning Conversions in Tampa, Fl (cause i live in Florida) for $150 plus shipping, and then i came across HWY 83 Suzuki Salvage near Milwaukee, Wisconsin and they have them for $75 including shipping WOW. Im planning on ordering the front third member Friday.
Im also ordering a lock rite locker from Rocky Road. In the mean time i will be pulling wheels out and check outer gears and also axles. Just wanted to know if anyone has any advice or tips to make this easy or easier. Also is Hwy 83 Suzuki Salvage a reputable company.
Also just wanted to let everyone know that this is my hunting vehicle and i live in Florida so no rock crawler just mud and sand and also there is an area over here that has alot of washouts that i used to run my truck at.
1987 Samurai jx, 3" SPOA lift (not sure what manufacturer) 31x10.5x15 Definety mud terrains, bed liner spray everywhere.
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I will be doing just the front diff and locker for now. The rear diff and driveshaft will be later.
Btw is it easier to work on and replace u-joints while the diff is disconnected.
Thanks everyone.
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Did the previous owner mention anything about what the gear ratios were in the differentials?
Hopefully they are 3.73. This is the stock ratio. Any other ratio is an indication that the differentials have been modified. That is not a bad thening except if the differential that you purchase does not match the other diferential, you will have problems! a SPOA lift with 31s fairly screams for regearing by the owner. Hopefully the transfer case has been regeared...
Also, it is important to point out that early model front differentials (like the one that was originally installed in your truck) had four spider gears instead of two. A two-spider-gear differential will work but will not be as strong.
There is good news though: A $75 differential is, if nothing else, handy to have should you want to rebuild difs at your leisure.
I hope that this helps!
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Man i don't know a whole lot and you just gave a good amount of info thanks.
I don't believe the previous owner changed the gears at all, after i replace front and rear diffs i was gonna save up and do the transfer case gears, nothing serious just 4.16.
And i will definetly find out how many spider gears the diff being sent to me has, i have not ordered it yet and the guy says that they have 6 total so i will make sure to get one that has 4 spider gears so it is the stronger one.
Thanks a bunch.
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I just checked and my diff gears are 3.73, i lifted one tire off the ground and marked the tire and driveshaft and rotated tire 2 times (cause its an open diff) and the driveshaft went 3 3/4 around or 3.73 times.
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Stock then, so your in luck. At least for finding replacements. :)
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I have a set of 4.16 i just took out to go deeper; pm w/offer if interested...
best of luck w/your rig.
on edit:
transfer case gears
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Stock then, so your in luck. At least for finding replacements. :)
Yes, im happy about that, because i can't even find anyone that sells different ratio ring and pinion gears, hell i can't even find the stock ones.
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Stock then, so your in luck. At least for finding replacements. :)
Yes, im happy about that, because i can't even find anyone that sells different ratio ring and pinion gears.....
I guess you haven't looked in the classified section on here then. :P
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"I guess you haven't looked in the classified section on here then."
I did not know there was a classified section, thanks. I will check it out now.
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I ordered the front third member this morning 09-23-2011, expecting it sometime around Thursday.
I will keep ya'll posted.
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Update:
Everything is ready for the diff (except locker) old diff is pulled out and stocked on my shelf, was not a hard job at all to remove everything, i followed Ack's Factory Service Manual, had to buy some new tools and away i went, just so everyone reading this knows, the nut that fits on the pinion that hold the flange in place is a 27 mm.
I want to know why one side of the axle housing has green fresh looking grease and the other side has real dark smelly grease in it, i noticed that the seal on the drivers side wasn't in good condition and the there was alot of visible grease before i pulled the knuckle off.....?
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I want to know why one side of the axle housing has green fresh looking grease and the other side has real dark smelly grease in it, i noticed that the seal on the drivers side wasn't in good condition and the there was alot of visible grease before i pulled the knuckle off.....?
Probably because either the axle seal or knuckle seal is leaking. Since you are there, I would replace both seals on both sides.
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I want to know why one side of the axle housing has green fresh looking grease and the other side has real dark smelly grease in it, i noticed that the seal on the drivers side wasn't in good condition and the there was alot of visible grease before i pulled the knuckle off.....?
Probably because either the axle seal or knuckle seal is leaking. Since you are there, I would replace both seals on both sides.
Yeah, i believe the oil seal wasn't installed correctly, can i pick up the seals from most auto parts stores?
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I want to know why one side of the axle housing has green fresh looking grease and the other side has real dark smelly grease in it, i noticed that the seal on the drivers side wasn't in good condition and the there was alot of visible grease before i pulled the knuckle off.....?
Probably because either the axle seal or knuckle seal is leaking. Since you are there, I would replace both seals on both sides.
Yeah, i believe the oil seal wasn't installed correctly, can i pick up the seals from most auto parts stores?
The axle seal should be pretty easy to find at most any auto parts store.
The large knuckle seal seems to be harder to find. I have found them at Advance Auto Parts stores though. They were about $10 each a few years ago.
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Yeah, that's all we really have around here is Advanced Auto, i just called and they had them, they just said to bring them in to make sure i match them up, should i just replace the felt pad or should i replace the oil seal and the retainer???
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Yeah, that's all we really have around here is Advanced Auto, i just called and they had them, they just said to bring them in to make sure i match them up, should i just replace the felt pad or should i replace the oil seal and the retainer???
The metal retainers can usually be cleaned up and reused (auto parts store won't have them anyway).
The felt pads probably need to be replaced, but you will have to order them from a vendor or suzuki. Or if you can find some heavy weight felt, you could cut your own. The felt I have found isn't as thick as the factory stuff, but it has worked ok for me.
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I'm so excited i ordered a locker from TT, it was $209 plus shipping, cheaper than anywhere else.
I also have to inspect my driver side axle houseing something is loose near the hub, could be a bearing, because of the seal being bad i believe it may have cause some damage from water mixing into grease.
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Yeah, that's all we really have around here is Advanced Auto, i just called and they had them, they just said to bring them in to make sure i match them up, should i just replace the felt pad or should i replace the oil seal and the retainer???
The metal retainers can usually be cleaned up and reused (auto parts store won't have them anyway).
The felt pads probably need to be replaced, but you will have to order them from a vendor or suzuki. Or if you can find some heavy weight felt, you could cut your own. The felt I have found isn't as thick as the factory stuff, but it has worked ok for me.
Yeah, i think the oil seal is the only thing that i can get from the auto parts store.
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Ok, i took the both axles out of the axle housing and the passenger side (short) seemed fine, the driver side (long) seemed like it had a little more play in it than the other one, it is where the axle gets bigger and has ball bearings, not sure what that's called, im able to twist it a little more than the passenger side and it moved in and out a little more..... should i be worried about it? It doesn't seem like alot more.
Also can i use mineral spirits to clean parts that are dirty? And what kind of grease should i use to put back in and on parts once i clean them up???
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The birfields normally have a little in and out play in them. As long as you don't see any broken pieces, or they make noises, or bind up when you rotate them around, then they are more than likely fine.
You can use whatever will cut through the grease to clean them up. I use wheel bearing grease to repack them and put in the inner knuckle areas.
You need to work the grease into the inside of the birfields (where all the balls are). What I do is flex the birfields to one side and use my hand and fingers to pack grease into the inside of the birfield. Then flex the birfield in another direction and work it into another area. I do this in 4 different areas or so.
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Cool, will be working on that soon.
My locker should be here tuesday, im hoping i can have evything ready so installing the locker and reasembling everthing will be all thats left. I have to get new seals for knuckle and clean up all dirty parts and repack grease.
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Update:
I spent most of the afternoon up until midnight working yesterday.
Got the locker from TT in the mail, installed it (this was my first time) it was not difficult, you just have to read directions carefully.
Put the diff back in, put the passenger side axle and housing, hub back in, ran into some trouble with the disc brake calipers, for some reason they are binding the wheel, they bind for about 6 inches and then free up and then bind again.......? I noticed that the spring/ wire that holds the pad in place is missing and i can't remember if it was there when i disasembled it, but i ordered another one from dealer. One other thing i noticed is that even when i was turning the wheel the top of the caliper moved up and down alittle and i don't think that's supposed to happen. Im confused why it would move and i believe that mite be the cause of the binding......?
Any idea
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The birfields normally have a little in and out play in them. As long as you don't see any broken pieces, or they make noises, or bind up when you rotate them around, then they are more than likely fine.
You can use whatever will cut through the grease to clean them up. I use wheel bearing grease to repack them and put in the inner knuckle areas.
You need to work the grease into the inside of the birfields (where all the balls are). What I do is flex the birfields to one side and use my hand and fingers to pack grease into the inside of the birfield. Then flex the birfield in another direction and work it into another area. I do this in 4 different areas or so.
Curiosity question - a birfield is basically a CV joint enclosed in the axle - CV Joints require a molybdenum based grease, shouldn't the same grease be used in a birfield?
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Not sure but i used "Green grease" its waterproof.
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Update:
Front differential is all done, everything has been re-installed and WOW what a difference the locker makes in traction, its awesome.
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I have had a bad leak in the knuckle rite above the lower king pin since i took everything apart. I ordered the oil seal (which wasn't installed before or was removed, not by me) and i put that in and it still leaks, so i ordered the felt pad from suzuki and am planning on installing that soon too, my question is can an old felt pad cause a leak?
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Update; after installing a new felt pad and oil seal on the driver side knuckle it still leaks, after doing much research and questioning i figured out that the kingpin bearings were bad and it was allowing the knuckle to move back and forth (which it is not supposed to do) and it was allowing the oil from the differential and axle to flow into the knuckle housing and then out on my garage floor, lol, i was told that the oil seals and retainers and such are designed to keep water and debris OUT but not to keep oil in which should not be in the knuckle in the first place.
So i order a complete rebuild kit for both sides from TT, it was a little pricey but once im done they will be like new again and no more leaking (fingers crossed).
The rebuild kit arrived today and i will be posting with questions if necessary or with the completion update of the install.
Does anyone know of any special tools i will need to do this job? I know the kingpin bearings just come rite out but will i need a bearing puller for the wheel bearings?
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It should be a pretty simple affair. The only issue you might run into is replacing the race for your wheel bearings, it's a lot easier if you have access to a press. But I have used a hammer and chisel without a problem in the past to get the race out.
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yeah, i had fun getting the race out where the lower kingpin goes, but at least what everything was solid in place, its gonna be fun doing that to the knuckle housing while it is out of the truck. Is it possible that i could installed it back in the truck and then work on it (the hub and knuckle housing)????