El Taco Diablo... Mall Crawlin, now with LT for tall curbs

Getting more stuff accumulated



Spoke to Front Range. The housing end flanges will be milled without caliper ears because the D-rotor kit already comes with caliper mounting brackets that bolt to the housing end flange.

Also confirmed the rear brakes will be 03-09 4 Runner brakes.

Also found 86-95 IFS hubs on FB Market. Really cool dude in Lake Havasu already got my tracking number, they are on the way.

 

So... Here's the next item that comes up to make my projects a pain in the ass.

I swear I cursed with this shit.



So... here's the problem. I honestly hadn't even given this part much thought until now. I set about sourcing mounting hardware, to mount the third member to the axle housing. I originally assumed it would be threaded for M10 x 1.25 bolts, like Land Cruiser housings are supposed to have. But I found the holes to not be threaded. So, I pulled out some measuring devices to see what I'm working with here. The holes are the same diameter as what is on the 3rd member (allowing an M10 x 1.25 bolt to pass through)



Well... this is a problem... Because if it is big enough for an M10 to pass through it, it's too big for an M10 stud to be threaded in to it. (was actually going to use grade 12.9 allen button head bolts from the inside, but either way these holes are too big for M10).

Ok... so I figure how bout M10 wheel studs. Well, the only M10 wheel studs I can find have a knurl of 10.2... which doesn't press in these holes either (still too small). The knurl needs to be a larger diameter. AND the holes, circled in red, need a minimum of 50mm length bolt due to the 3rd member... the only M10 wheel studs I am finding are about 29mm long. (you'd be surprised at what a pain in the ass it is to find actual dimensions for wheel studs).

So, I called Ruff Stuff. And of course they don't sell the hardware I need for this. Because of course they started taping these holes for M10 x 1.25.

Ruff Stuff pointed me to a website that sells the wheel studs in both the lengths I need, And they also happen to have the knurl diameter these holes were drilled for... I called them... And of course they are a Wholesaler and can't sell anything to me. They gave me a number for a vendor they sell to, hopefully they can help.

If they can't help me:
- I may need go down to the local Can Am dealer and see what they have for wheel studs (they should have M10, but everything I find for side by side wheel studs has shit for dimensions)

OR
- I'm considering M12 to M10 step studs and thread the axle housing to M12 stud. (not sure I'll be able to find the right lengths on these)

OR
- I may have to thread the housing to M12 and drill out the holes on the 3rd member to M12 diameter.

None of these options sound like what I really want to do here.

 

Grab the size bolt you want, and weld it in from the backside making a "stud" that will basically never rip out.

 

I thought about this. Not saying you're wrong, or it's a bad idea.

My thought process with that is what if one of them breaks? Then it'll be a pain in the ass to get it out.

Now, of course, how many times have I seen a 3rd member stud break? Never. And these are M10 instead of M8 that's on Tacoma axles.

 

Got the IFS hubs today.

Drotors and flanges should be here Thursday.

 

Studs pulling out the housing is actually pretty common even on the cruiser stuff.

 

So, I think my plan is to drill out the 3rd member mounting holes in the axle housing, to tap them and Helicoil them. Then run the bolt from the inside, to the outside, with a nut on the outside.

I got appropriate size Grade 10.9 button head Allen bolts, and serrated flanged lock nuts.

Taping 10 holes in 3/8 plate is going to f'n suck. But I think this is the cleanest, best, strongest, way to do it.

 

Studs pulling out... for sure. I've seen that.

If I weld bolts at the head, from the inside, I wouldn't be worried about it pulling out. I'd be worried about breaking the bolt and then having to remove the welded bolt to be able to replace it.

I've never seen a 3rd member bolt break (meaning shear) on one of my vehicles, or any vehicle I've been around. I'm sure it probably happens in high horsepower (ie drag racing) applications, and such.

I'm not high horsepower, obviously... but I will be able to produce a shit ton of torque at 12:1 double low.

But welding the heads inside the housing would be a pain in the ass... not sure tapping 10 holes in 3/8 plate will be less of a pain in the ass. But I'd be worried about not getting a good weld on one of those heads and then having it break loose. If that happened, getting the 3rd member off becomes a pain in the ass because the bolt will be turning with the nut.

 

I know a guy who broke all the 3rd member studs on a Toyota 8” rear housing. On an 84 or 85 Toyota pickup.

He was super low geared though and bound up really bad in the back. Did it on the rock pile at Niagara in fact, although way in the back nowhere near where the trail goes.

He also used to break Longfields axles and birfields (originals with life time warranty). He was really hard on things…

I think your idea of helicoil would work great. My brothers did that after shearing two bolts on the knuckle of his front axle and it’s been holding up fine. Just keep an eye on them and snug them down after wheeling.

 

Doing some more collecting. Man, the Nicole and dime stuff adds up! But I think this thing will be worth it in the end.

E-brake hardware and shoes are coming.


Rear calipers are coming. I ordered them uncoated because I'm going to paint them myself.




RockAuto didn't have the rotors and pads I'm wanting so, those will be ordered from elsewhere soon.

 

Now I'm trying to figure out the spindles. I know I need 86-95 IFS hubs to make this work. I have those, and I'm currently rehabbing those. I'll be cleaning them up for some paint, and also installing some extended lug studs (probably ARP). I want to get it so my studs extend all the way through my lug nuts.

But I'm having a bit of a time finding the right spindles. All the spindles I am finding are listed are 79-85 spindles. I read somewhere that the actual spindles (themselves) are the same from 79 all the way to 95 but I'm not sure if that info is correct. It'll make a difference on bearings and spindle nut/washers etc if I don't get the right ones... I think.

Anyone know any info on this?
@ToyRyd04 @theesotericone @nDub @81Trekker @02hilux @slander


I'm wondering if these will work. https://frontrangeoffroadfab.com/solid-axle-spindle/

I sent an email to FROR... but they are a bit hit/miss on answering emails.

 

All the same 79-95 toy pickup/4runner spindle. Land cruisers are odd some years so I would stay away from them.
Option 1 - Junkyard /ebay factory Toy spindles
Option 2 - FROR looks like an OEM supplier, idk its under "used parts" category thinking its OE.
Option 3 - Chromo TG. https://trail-gear.com/trail-gear-chromoly-spindle.html

I chose option 3 back in the day, but prices now are $180ish/ea which is not what I paid few years ago when I needed to buy for all four sides.

I also had some clearance issues with OEM wheel hubs hitting the internal parking brake springs/hardware. Needed to machine a bit to clearance not much, maybe 1/8-3/16th. there is plenty of material on them.

** Also bearings are the same 79-85 86-95, its just the seals that are different. You'll want the SA version.

*** Your also going to want some type of seal for that rear axle. Does RS housing come with seals near the 3rd? If not you'll need some of these from FROR to seal the housing from the gear oil washing out your hubs. https://frontrangeoffroadfab.com/full-float-seal-holder/

 

Right on man. Thank you. That clears up a lot. Ya, I saw the chromo spindles from TG too. I'll have to figure out how much I want to spend on these dang things lol.

How bout the bronze bushings? I'm pretty sure I don't need the one on the back for what I'm doing here because there is no CV or anything riding on that area. How bout the bronze bushing on the outside?

My plan is probably to cap the ends with these https://frontrangeoffroadfab.com/diamond-axle-drive-flanges-and-arp-hub-stud-set/
I really haven't seen anything else, that makes sense to me. There's probably a different alternative that I haven't seen. (I don't think I want to do manual hubs on the back axle though)

 

I think I have an extra set of OEM spindles if you need them

 

Bronze bushing is only needed for the front. You'll need some of these from FROR to seal the housing from the gear oil washing out your hubs. https://frontrangeoffroadfab.com/full-float-seal-holder/

I run the same diamond DF with ARPs no issues there.

 

Awesome. I am aware of the seal holders and seals. Was going to get them from Ruff Stuff because they built this housing. That way I know it works.

That seal is the one that is just outside the diff correct, Keeping the oil in the pumpkin (basically). There are allen set screws in my housing, just outside the pumpkin for oil seals.

 

If you have em and don't need them, I'd definitely be interested.

 

Havnt seen the RS axle seals, imagine with allens they are using something like the dana outer axle seals.

 

I'll try and remember to snap a pic.

Right now, I'm just trying to collect everything so I can mock everything up, to get to a point I know how much I have to cut to get to my desired wheel mounting surface length.

 

Just picked up a new to me front axle that was pretty built up - stealing some of those parts and throwing it under my 85.
I should have the extra set of spindles from that. I'll hopefully have both axles torn apart by next weekend so I'll keep you posted