Front Air Locker Install unveils nasty stuff

Well after a successful rear air locker install, today's task was the front locker install on my new ute. Firstly I must thank all who gave advice re the spines. Much appreciated.
Well, the dramas started after trying to take the hubs off. They didn't come off real easy. They were actually rusted on. Pretty much everything else from the hubs to the inside of the diff was rusted. I'm not talking surface rust, I'm talking big globs of rust which had to get chiseled off. What a drama I say. My ute is only 90,000km old. Anyway, after nearly a day of wire brushing, it now looks ok but all the bearings are rusted on aswell :-( quetsion 1 is what's the most effective way to split the king pin bearings off? I have a small press to get them on but nothing to get them off. Question 2 is can someone lend me a match for this thing? It's severely peeved me off..lol I'll post a photo when my laptop decides to turn on

Sorry to hear mate that would have been very daunting to say the least,if its that bad what might the diff housing
be holding?

cheers mate, yes, i was a little irate as i saw it. we'll soon see in the morning i guess, ill rip the diff out then, but i guess all can be fixed, after all its just money right? :-(

You can get a little bearing puller from Trade Tools that will remove the king pin bearings - I posted a picture or two with details on here in Jan or Feb.

I don't know that they would cope with rusted on bearings - might be time for the safety glasses, angle grinder and cold chisel?

When you remove the cups for those bearings from the housing, with a bit of care and luck you can preserve the sheet metal and rubber caps that keep the king pin bearing space seperate from the CV space. Otherwise they are $30+ each from Nissan :-)

these are the passenger side, but they are also taken after a good wipe down with parts cleaner

here is my earlier post on those caps

Hi,

On my GQ's trunnion swivel, the hole in which the trunnion or king pin bearing cups reside, also contains a sheet metal disc with a seal called a king pin cap. These are available from Mr Nissan (only?) and are a bit over $30 each. I suppose an enterprising type might be able to do something with a sheet metal disc and silicone, but the originals are not flat.

If I had thought more about why the opening had two little half moons on either side, I would not know how much they cost

While the manual says to remove them with a brass drift, after my first attempt, I found a suitable punch that looked remarkably like a straight blade screw driver shank did the job, because it could be fitted down neatly into that half moon slot, carefully alongside the edge seal on the king pin plug. I make no guarantees that you'll get all of yours out ok, but having learned my lesson on #1, I got the other three out ok.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Silver

here is my earlier post on those caps

Hi,

On my GQ's trunnion swivel, the hole in which the trunnion or king pin bearing cups reside, also contains a sheet metal disc with a seal called a king pin cap. These are available from Mr Nissan (only?) and are a bit over $30 each. I suppose an enterprising type might be able to do something with a sheet metal disc and silicone, but the originals are not flat.

If I had thought more about why the opening had two little half moons on either side, I would not know how much they cost

While the manual says to remove them with a brass drift, after my first attempt, I found a suitable punch that looked remarkably like a straight blade screw driver shank did the job, because it could be fitted down neatly into that half moon slot, carefully alongside the edge seal on the king pin plug. I make no guarantees that you'll get all of yours out ok, but having learned my lesson on #1, I got the other three out ok.

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Funnily enough, yours was the first post I read in my fit of rage trying to find a viable solution..I'm thinking it's just going to take time to fix this properly. Thank god I still have my wagon to run around in

I got a swivel hub kit online that included name brand bearings etc for a lot less than Nissan. Partsonline at Geebung from memory - found them searching flea bay.

The only thing it doesn't contain are those $30 caps. The lock washer for the wheel bearing lock nut was also a bit thinner than the original, and not really up to the job if you torque the outer lock nut up to specification per the manual. The tab stripped off. Just noticed you have a GU so you'll have the better lock nut system anyway for the wheel bearings.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Silver

Just noticed you have a GU so you'll have the better lock nut system anyway for the wheel bearings.

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I guess I'm really fortunate that I have two GUs. I have a pot load of going to the Simpson desert spares for the wagon that will fit straight in the ute, which will save me a heap.. As for the cups, 3 of mine are toast, but I'm not paying the 30 bucks, I'm thinking of doing a mould from the one good cup I have and make my own. See how that goes.. As for the little bearing puller, yeah... 115 dollars From mans toyshop. Just hope they have one in stock..

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bakes

....... As for the little bearing puller, yeah... 115 dollars From mans toyshop. Just hope they have one in stock..

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you must be going to buy a quality one. Mine was $39-50. I had a look on Trade Tools site, and they don't seem to have them listed at the moment. See how you go searching for an AB-2 Bearing Puller 24-55mm. Trade Tools' sticker calls it an Armature Bearing Puller TOG-AB-2.

Not wishing to 'teach Granny to suck eggs' and apologies in advance if you know this, but I found it worked best putting some tension onto the bearing, and then giving the shaft of the puller a tap with a hammer, more tension, more taps etc.

I am sure someone on here posted that they removed these with a grinder too - there was something about safety googles having been required but not used. Traditionally, grind a bit of a weak spot into the race, having first removed the cage and the rollers, and then a judicious tap with cold chisel and hammer to crack the race off.

Once again, noting that you are installing lockers yourself, apologies if you know all this. Oh yeah, did you find the excellent thread with photos that are on here somewhere?

Yeah, I DID have a puller but someone obviously wanted it more than me. Pretty standard really. Work on someone's car and they steal your tools. I guess I'll pay the cash just to get the ute rolling again. I did consider the grinder option but to save any unforeseen mishaps, I think I'll just wait for the puller.. Yeah, I do know the bearing pulling tips and no advance apologies needed :-) but thanks for the advice, it's good to know there are people ready and willing to get it out there for everyone. I didn't find your post though with the photos and stuff, but I'll keep trolling around and have a look

Growlers put up a thread that covers this under General Mechanical Discussions withthe title 'Renewing Swivel Hub Seals' I dunno how to grab a link from here, but this is the short cut from Google

http://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&so...Nc7IMFeVOx83sw

Ynot did the photo illustrated thread, I'll see if I can find where it is - aha, it is linked from page 4 of Growler's thread.

If you have a press maybe those paired half round separators could sneak in under the race, and then sit on the press table, and....well, you can work out the rest :-)

Yeah cheers for that link mate, I must of missed growlers thread this arv. Hopefully I can post better news here tomorow after the diff comes out.. But for now I'm off to bed

http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forum...change-a-gu-cv heres the link that Ynot posted a brilliant how to

Well the diff got removed this morning and fortunately, it only seems like surface rust inside. Quite puzzling noting there was a full compliment of oil sloshing around inside. Diff was discolored but cleaned up well. Oh well, I guess time will be spent cleaning rust now.

On a side note, has anyone heard of treating rust with diesel and molasses? An ols school mechanic told me to try it as it dissolves rust. Never heard of the molasses bit personally..

yes, bloke I know who did up old Chev's used it, but that's all I know - he didn't mention Diesel. Maybe see what Google turns up?

hmmm i wonder what interesting chemical reaction causes molasses to get rid of the rust ?

Finally.....after a mammoth effort in de rusting, chiseling, wire brushing, Both air lockers are in, everything is clean, no leaks, wheels actually turn. Now it's time to go and get real dirty. Sorta wishing wet season would hurry up :-) now one big question I have is.... Does anyone have the GU workshop manual? I have the GQ one from this forum, thank to growlers71gq, but having a copy of the GU one would be nice

Good effort Bakes!

Oh and tip for young players..go easy on the rattle gun..my hired help got a little keen. Only snapped 2 bolts , but now as I've found out, have to take the RHS disc off and easy out them. Don't think he was to game in telling me till I actually had it back together :-(

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Originally Posted by Silver

Good effort Bakes!

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Thanks mate. Glad it's done. Now time to play :-)

yeah it sucks when that happens, though normally its not the helper its the bolt, sometimes ive tried to get off and realise its f'ed then get out the hand ratchet to easy it off and it still snaps.there is no real easy way to get them out, some its just a pair of vice grips, others need a drill and they all suck. Good luck, it could be worse the could be in the gearbox XD