Another 78 Hilux build

Discussion in '1976-1983 Build-Up/Project Threads' started by nottoshabi, Feb 11, 2016.

  1. jetas

    jetas Grand Toyotaholic

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    Do the upper BJ first then the lower. Have a BFH handy along with a BJ removal tool.

    Swap the spring when youre doing the lower BJ.
     
  2. nottoshabi

    nottoshabi Enthusiast

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    Jetas lets do a play by play here. I'm going to try and tackle this job this weekend and want to know what I'm getting my self into.

    1 Remove cutter pin from top ball joint, crack or remove bolt, remove bolts holding the ball joint in and remove ball joint. Reinstall new ball joint tighten back up and place in cutter pin.
    2 Remove bottom ball joint in the same matter I removed the top one.
    3 I slowly unscrew the top of the shock, with ball joint removed the lower control arm should start lowering down releasing the shock. Correct?
    4 Remove shock from bottom after removing the 2 bolts holding it in place.
    5 Replace new shock and spring. Tighten shock from bottom to top.
    6 Replace new ball joint. Tighten and reapply cutter pin.

    At any point should I be worried of the spring recoiling when I release the shock or the ball joint?
    Have I missed anything?
     
  3. jetas

    jetas Grand Toyotaholic

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    Here is what i did (i had no idea what i was doing on the first side)

    Obviously put the front end on jackstands. Raise it up nice and high so you can maneuver.

    -Upper BJ-
    support LCA with jack try to compress the spring a bit. remove cotter pin and loosen the nut. Hit the spindle where the BJ goes in it should let loose, otherwise take whatever other approach you have. When the bj is loose just raise the upper or lower the LCA with the jack. (Keep an eye on the brake line to the spindle)replace BJ.
    -at this point i would just remove the spring and shock. Itl make the replacing the lower that much easier.

    -Lower BJ-
    Have the UCA bolted to the spindle. Raise LCA a bit with a jack. Undo the cotter pin and nut from bj and seperate BJ from spindle. Raise the jack A bit and pull the bottom of the spindle out away from the truck. Keep doing this little by little.

    Keep in mind the lower bj goes into the spindle from the top down so you need to raise the LCA and push/pull the spindle down and out.

    Also the leaving the shock in will keep the spring from unloading since it will work like a limiting strap. I still dont recommend leaving it all hanging loose.

    I hope this makes sense
     
  4. nottoshabi

    nottoshabi Enthusiast

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    I replaced my mirrors recently and the PO drilled a passenger door mirror in the the little piece of metal that is right at the top of the door where the window comes up, it looks like this.[​IMG]
    The whole goes straight throw and makes a whistle sound when I drive lol. None the less I need to patch it up, replace it if possible. Has any one dealt with this before what is the name of that piece? Can that be replaced? I could stuff it full of bando and then just respray. Given the location and the angle I would prefer to replace it if possible. Can it be replaced? What do you guys think?
     
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  5. jetas

    jetas Grand Toyotaholic

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    Do you have access to a welder? Have someone patch it up. You dont wana try plugging it with body filler. 1 it wont actually work, and if it does itl eventually break off.

    You can always cut some sheet metal to fit there and rivet it on
     
  6. nottoshabi

    nottoshabi Enthusiast

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    So another words that piece is part of the door?
     
  7. Perkolator

    Perkolator Toyotaholic

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    I'd say yes it's part of the door and needs to be either welded closed or plugged with some other method. I supposed you could try: bandaid, duct tape, rubber plug/grommet, bolt w/rubber washer, epoxy (like JB Weld), wad of chewed gum, etc
     
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  8. nottoshabi

    nottoshabi Enthusiast

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    A wad of chewed gum:rolleyes:? Any particular recommendations on the type of gum? Bubblicious:thinking:, big league chew, trident? LOL.... I will go talk to a welder I need to remove the rear bumper any way and that sucker is welded on there.
     
  9. Perkolator

    Perkolator Toyotaholic

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    Lmao. Who knows, I've done repairs with gum before. My first car was a 67 bug and one day I tried to leave school - found a random gaping hole in my carburetor - had a stick of gum and a dime, got me home so I could JB weld the dime in place as my permanent fix.
     
  10. nottoshabi

    nottoshabi Enthusiast

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    I have had some time to work on the truck over the past few weekends. I was able to get the rear suspensions changed out and lowered a bit, but not with out some hiccups. First I started out with not being able to get the U bolts out :brickknock:, I sprayed them with PB blaster waited for a bit and tried it again still wont budge:verdict_in:. Went and got a bigger wrench a (breaker bar), cause if one side was going to be this tuff so then would the other side as well. Then came the part of banging the bolts out of the leaf suspension:mad:. That took a couple of hours and a half case of beers:doah:. Eventually they came out, I ruined 3 out of the 4 bolts banging on them so much. Eventually I figured out that I need to place the jack under the leaf spring to release the tensiono_O. That was day one.

    Now time to install the new leaf springs. Unfortunately I can not cause the bolts don't match[​IMG][​IMG][​IMG] . In the rear of the leaf spring the bolts fit, but in the front they do not. Now I have to go hunt for bolts big and strong enough to handle this. Found some bolts at Orchards Hardware, right size and length. Got under the truck and the bushings of the leaf springs do not fit in the bracket of the car. Need to widen that out a hair its gripping the rubber bushing when forced in there:duh:. [​IMG] Went and bought a torch, heat and some hammering then wedge that sucker in there. Day 2 done.

    Then I finally installed the springs brackets and spacer[​IMG] . I did not pay attention to the bracket and installed them backwards cant fit the shock on now:duh::brickknock::mad:[​IMG] . Well undo the bolts switch the brackets from left to right and have the shock connector face the right way. Can't get the bolts out cause, well they were ruined when installed and uninstalled again. The thread on the bolts was destroyed by the bracket. Cant get them out, had to go get a cutter. Great:duh:. Bought a cutter, came back, cut the bolts out switch the bracket re install new bolts wrench them tight again:looney::brickknock:. Finally installed the shocks day 3 done, to dark to do anything else. But now I have this great cutter and new found anger for my lovable freaking truck. So I decide to cut off the bumper[​IMG] Bumper gone.[​IMG] Day 3 done.

    Next up the front ball joints and suspension removed driver side front top ball joint.[​IMG] Using my ball joint separator tool to pop the ball joint out, broke my breaker bar in the process.:(:mad:[​IMG] Installed the new ball joint in and moved on to the bottom. Look underneath to find a mangled bolt with cutter pin and road rash all into one. Get the cutter out slice that biishh out. [​IMG] Now im stuck, the ball joint extractor I have will not work here because: 1, its to small to fit around the ball joint shaft and 2, there is nothing at the bottom for it to use as leverage for force:brickknock:. Day 4 well not actually done but stuck. Any idea on how I can get that out of there?:thinking:
     
    Last edited: May 31, 2020
  11. jetas

    jetas Grand Toyotaholic

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    Take the caliper off the spindle. Undo the tie rod, and unbolt the ball joint. Hammer that bitch out in the bench and reinstall with the new parts
     
  12. nottoshabi

    nottoshabi Enthusiast

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    I was thinking I can use the fork and just hit with a hammer. If I release the pressure from the spring and shock it should just pop right out. There is nothing holding it on the bottom. Right?
     
  13. Perkolator

    Perkolator Toyotaholic

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    Sounds like you've had some fun with this project :)

    You can't use a BJ separator tool on that lower BJ? IIRC there are 3 sizes of those jaw-separator tools....Pitman separator, BJ separator, and I think tie-rod separator. Go check out Harbor Freight with a coupon or hit up Amazon Prime if you want to save some $. Otherwise, a pickle fork should do it too, since you're not trying to save the BJ.
     
  14. nottoshabi

    nottoshabi Enthusiast

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    @Perkolator Yeah I did :p the cutter stole the show. I cut throw those bolts and that bumper like butter. Thanks for telling me there are different sizes. I will definitely go with a bigger size then ball separator I got.
     
  15. nottoshabi

    nottoshabi Enthusiast

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    I have noticed my differential leaking. It leaks when it sits for 2 or more days, and since its been sitting for a few weeks it has made a nice little puddle under it. So I have a few questions:

    1) How can I refill the lost oil is there another whole besides the big bolt in the bottom back?
    2) How can I fix this? Since I drive the truck on a regular basis it does not have time to leak a lot of fluid, but eventually I do want to get this fixed.
     
  16. jetas

    jetas Grand Toyotaholic

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    1)Theres a drain plug on the bottom of the axle. The plug on the back of the housing is the fill hole.

    2) wipe down the axle, and see where it leaks. And replace the gasket or seal
     
  17. nottoshabi

    nottoshabi Enthusiast

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    Ohh sweet Jesus it finally came out. [​IMG]
    The fork is what did after banging on it for a while. Ohh and the red hew is from all the fires that were happening in LA over the weekend. It was hot and everything was red and ashy, it felt like I was living in hell.

    After fighting with the ball joints, I put everything back together and the tires back on. [​IMG]
    Its at the alignment shop right now. Also I'm going to have them look at the differential if its not to much I think I might just let them take care of it.

    I need to pull the fenders out a bit they don't rub when I turn the wheel but if the suspension compresses then it rubs. Do you guys have any recommendations on puling or rolling out the fenders?
     
  18. nottoshabi

    nottoshabi Enthusiast

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    Just found this little gem. Im so going to try this.
     
  19. jetas

    jetas Grand Toyotaholic

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    Dude you can find a fender roller on amazon for like $60.

    My coworker has an Eastwood roller and the ebay one looks identical.

    The Eastwood roller even has a made in china sticker...
     
  20. Perkolator

    Perkolator Toyotaholic

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    I'm diggin the whitewalls. My buddy suggested I do it to my truck once I finish sanding my alloy wheels -- I think you just convinced me.

    I would not do the baseball bat fender rolling. Just buy the tool on eBay or find a guy on CL with one.
     

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