OK, tranny’s out, time to swap the axles onto the new trans from Rancho. First, set it up where you can work on it, I use a cart and a block of wood to raise the hub. I used the Bentley as a guide to do this so it’s pretty straight forward but I don’t have the 5 grand worth of specialty tools that it calls for.
Zip the bolts out and use a soft hammer to break the seal and walk the outer housing off. The outer axle bearing is a mild press fit into this housing so it won’t slide off.
Once the housing is split, there’s a snap ring on the axle end that must be removed.
Then the outer axle bearing is press fit onto the axle, I set up a puller to get it off.
The gear is a slip fit so remove it with your fingers.
The inner bearing is a press fit onto the axle so start it by using a soft hammer on the back side of the housing to get the bearing moving. If it’s too tight it’s easy to set up a puller across the housing to push the axle stub through.
Once the axle housing is broken free of the bearing, slide if off the axle and set it aside. The axle is now retained in the diff by the side gears using a snap ring and variable dimension thrust washer
Remove the snap ring which allows the whole subassembly to be withdrawn from the trans. All of the extra thrust washers I had were 4.0mm but there are three sizes in the book.
Now pull the axle free of the side gear and examine the fulcrum plates and axles for wear. Mine were very nice and easily reusable, there were some smudges and discoloration that I couldn’t feel with my fingers. Some of the extra parts I had were trashed, like the axles from the small nut box that I/we bought at Ypsi last year. Some of these parts are the same as small nut, I think the axles, side gears, fulcrum plates and inner/outer axle bearings are all the same. The stub axle bearings and stuff are different from small nut to bug nut.
You’ll notice there is a stack of gaskets between the retainer plate and the side cover of the trans, this is for setting the end play/drag of the axle tube, more on this later.
This was the other side- the frigging plastic shim/thrust bearing was missing in the trans! It should have made a clunk on turns and maybe shimmied or wandered going down the road but I never noticed it. The thrust shim is a spare I ended up using.
So how do you decide you need 4 gaskets when the end play is 1/4"?
Set the axle tube in a vise and remove the freeze plug on the back of the stub axle. This requires welding a nut or bolt to the plug and extracting it with a puller. Tighten the nut and it pulls the freeze plug out. Use a whizzer wheel and grinder to seperate and clean up the freeze plug for reuse.
Once the freeze plug is out there will be a large retainer nut on the back side of the stub axle, use a center punch to uncrimp the retainer crimp that locks it in place.
Then you’ll either need a 1 5/8” socket or a special 4 tab socket, depending on what your axle has to remove the nut.
Use a hammer and soft punch (this is a bar of copper) to knock the stub axle from the bearing.
Flip it over and remove the snap ring from retaining the bearing, and remove the bearing.
It’s a slip fit.
The stub axle prevents you from removing the outer axle bearing. Once the stub axle is gone you will have access but it’s a press fit. I used a ¾” socket of the appropriate size, slid through the axle tube, with a long bolt slid through it, and a puller to extract the outer bearing.
Clean all parts and chase the 8mm threads in the housing.
I cleaned all of the bearings I had (3 sets) and picked the best ones to use. A whole bunch didn’t even make the “maybe” pile, the races were pitted quite bad.
Here’s a pitted one.
Knock the upper axle bearing into the RGB housing with a driver.
Push the stub axle inner bearing into the housing and insert the snap ring.
Knock the stub axle into the inner bearing with a mallet,
turn it over and put the retainer nut on,
And torque to 108. Notice I have the gear in the vise to hold it with soft copper jaw plates.
Use a dull chisel to bend the lock portion of the nut into the groove.
I cleaned and reused the freeze plugs and sealed them with Toyota FIPG (Form In Place Gasket).
Which is a heavy rubbery RTV type stuff that’s resistant to all coolants and oils. In the trade it’s well liked and known as a good general sealant.
Before I started putting the axles on the tranny I figured I better put the hockey stick and nose cone on and makes sure it goes through the gears. It would really suck to assemble it and find (after the axles were on) that the tranny didn't work. I dry fit everything but this gasket got spray tack when it went together.
A little grease on the hockey stick to lube the shaft and seal and together it goes. I put a coupler on the hockey stick and ran it through all of the gears. Tight!
Clean all of the paint off the surfaces in case the sealer doesn't like it.
Get your shit in one pile.
Check the side gears for cracks and the fulcrum plates for wear, the spec is .012" max, I could barely get a .006" feeler gauge between mine.
Put the axle/side gear/fulcrum plates into the tranny.
and lock ring.
I lubed the fulrums with Tef Gel becuase they're in a place where the gear oil won't get to right away.
Don't forget the plastic thrust shim that the last moron forgot.
Slide the tube in place which already has the inner axle bearing pressed into the tube and start knocking the bearing onto the axle shaft. It's a slight press fit.
When it stops with a hammer use a piece of 1" electrical conduit, fender washers, a long 10mm bolt and nut to pull it into place.
The gear is a slip fit.
Pull the outer axle bearing onto the axle using a piece of conduit, bolt, nut, and washers.
Then the snap ring.
Then the snap ring.
OK, ready for the housing, everything's spotless and wiped down with brakeclean or lacquer thinner so the sealer will stick.
Goop up the housing with a thin coat of FIPG.
Bump it together.
Clean the bolts.
Torque to 18.
Put the outer bearing race into place.
Seal the gaskets with FIPG.
Here I've cleaned the parts thoroughly with a wire wheel, solvent, and brake clean. I ended up using 3 gaskets to get the tension set right. Here I'm dry fitting everything before slopping the sealer on.
Torque to 18.
There should be some drag on the axle tube when it pivots.
The tool kit I used the most was a HF 93980.
WTF? I drove this for 2000 miles with no first gear, slipping the shit out of the clutch the whole time, and my old disc measures .010" thicker than a new disc? I'm going to slip my clutch more, it'll never wear out.
Put the mounts and TOB on.
I'm going to reset my torsion bars a bit because I have about 3-4 degrees positive camber on each rear wheel.
Pull the cap to find the torsion bar walked out and was rubbing the cover.
That might be my weird squeak.
Pop the bar over the bump stop.
I used to use one of these....
But recently stepped up to a digital version for $20 from Fleabay.
Look at the handy dandy chart that Tom at ECC linked me.
Let's lower it about 2.9*, which should change my camber about 2.5* if my calculations are correct.
Repaint the parts and put it together, repeat for the other side.
Drag the cart over with the tranny.
Stick the cart underneath and slide the tranny into place.
I've learned the Bowden tube goes in much easier at this point.
It went in like a dream! Go underneath and line up the front mount.
Pull it into place with a pair of channelocks.
Lift the rear with a prybar and put the trans mount bracket in place and start the big left bolt.
Ditto on the right.
Burp the bolts, I'll torque them later.
Go underneath and see how the shifter coupler looks, it's perfect.
Put it on and put the bolt in.
6PM last night, trans is in, mounts are snug, shifter is connected, and all gears work. TRL and Mike Noble stopped by in the afternoon and left after 5, and the tranny was still in the other room. It took under 10 minutes to stick it in and start the bolts, probably the easiest trans I ever installed.
Everything is lined up ready for bolts.
Next- bolt stuff up and stick the engine in. Still waiting for one outer axle bearing.
I didn't take any clutch pics yet but it wasn't as worn as I thought it would be after 2k of second gear starts. The engine bay and under chassis are very dusty from road dirt like I drove on dirt roads or something.