Steve's 81 Toyota "angelo" build

[sixstringsteve]

I thought this was a good stopping point:

Driver's side shaft, birf, knuckle, and spindle on. Just need the hub and brake to complete that side. I can turn the birf inside by hand, so according to Bobby Long's procedure, that should be fine. I can feel it hit one or two little spots in the ball, but just barely, and I'm sure I"m just being anal retentive. It'll be fine after I drive 10 feet. I wish I had ground just a little more, but I really think I"m fine. I ground more than all the pictures I have seen of grinding.

I don't think my housing is bent, the birf went right in easily.

The passenger side will go on tomorrow night, then hopefully the brakes and wheels!

I hope I never have to get into my knuckles for another 10 years.

 

[sixstringsteve]

On a side note, a couple spring friction pads have come off. I don't know if the jb weld didn't stick to the spring or the plastic. I'll have to tweak that idea.

 

[sixstringsteve]

Got my pass side spindle on during my lunch break. Looks like it'll be off jackstands by tonight!

 

[sixstringsteve]

Josh, I just saw your Youtube video from Moab in April. You have a sweet truck. I can't wait to see that thing in person. It looks great.

 

[sixstringsteve]

Here are some good links I found for the front hub assembly/removal, as well as the front wheel bearings.

wheel bearing install:
http://www.toyotaoffroad.com/Articles/Projects/Axle_Rebuild/Axle_Rebuild.htm


Hub install:
http://forum.ih8mud.com/79-95-toyot...ng-aisin-locking-hub-locking-hub-rebuild.html

 

[sixstringsteve]

I'll be running Mary Ellen Gultch tonight up AF canyon if anyone wants to join me. Not related to my build, other than I can't leave till this thing is off jackstands!

 

[sixstringsteve]

Cleaned up and painted the hubs.

Before and after

Finally got the thing off of jackstands. I still need to put the felt protector rings on, and do the steering, but it's sitting under it's own weight now.

It's hard to tell from the pictures, but I'd say it sits about a half inch below where it was when I started. I would guess it's about 3" higher than stock. I may shorten that rear shackle if it doesn't settle down much more. I want it low and wide.

 

[Yota]

Gotta love those stock Aisins. Simple and they last!!
The underside is looking great, what else do you have on the check list before you wheel her again?

 

[sixstringsteve]

Man, the checklist is super long. Here's what I can think of off the top of my head.

steering - hi-steer with hydro assist (though I may wait a month or two to finish the hydro assist)
Rear suspension - I'm going to stretch it some and add a longbed
interior - make tranny tunnel, tub firewall, fix rust, add body mounts, put dash back together, figure out a solution for the heater, make seat mounts
driveshafts - need to get these made

I guess it's not too far out, but at least another 2 months. I'm sure I'll think of something I missed. Having that front end done is a huge milestone for me though.

 

[sixstringsteve]

Here are two shots from the front. It's starting to look like a truck. I'll be cleaning my garage tomorrow night.

 

[sixstringsteve]

One step forward and two steps back. When torquing my ARP knuckle studs to 110 (what FROR recommends), I stripped two of them. I thought ARPs weren't supposed to strip. What really sucks is they're in with red loctite, so I probably have to rebuild the front knuckle again.

But good news is that I got the bed off.

 

[Marsh99]

your truck stock color is the same as mine

 

[sixstringsteve]

yeah. I'm wanting to paint it a flat dark red, but I can't find any spray paint that's even close. I found a good claret wine from Rustoleum, but it's not as dark as I want it, and it's still got more sheen than I wanted.

 

[bryson]

Why would you have to rebuild the knuckles again just because you have to pull the 2 stripped studs out...? I understand that they are in there with red loctite, but I'm sure you can get them out without heating the knuckle to the point of baking its guts out.

Just thread (or hammer...) a nut on to the stud until the top of the nut is flush with the top of the stud, weld it on, and back it out. The heat from the welding should loosen up the loctite.

If you don't want to add any heat to it, just double-nut it, or vice-grip 'em out, and I'd bet they could be removed without any heat at all...

 

[sixstringsteve]

Thanks bryson. I got en out thankfully. It just took a big wrench. I was afraid the red loctite would hold on tighter.

 

[sixstringsteve]

discount tire just called and my wheels are in. I'll get the tires mounted this afternoon and throw them on the front to see where it sits with 37s

 

[sixstringsteve]

discount tire just called and my wheels are in. I'll get the tires mounted this afternoon and throw them on the front to see where it sits with 37s

 

[zukijames]

heck yeah man hurry up and post some pics with the wheels and tires

 

[sixstringsteve]

Just got 'em on. It's taller than I'd like. 26" to bottom of frame. And it's wider than I'd like. I ordered 17x8's, and they gave me 17x9's. I can live with it, but if I'm going to order custom wheels, I'm going to want them exactly how I asked for them. I'm going to have a HARD time keeping the cops away. Not fun.

I may ditch the front wheel spacers and go back to a narrow rear axle. We'll see how it works out.

Teaser: approach angle.

 

[sixstringsteve]

More.

Maybe I've just been looking at it for too long with the stock tires on it, but it looks HUGE in person.