The Toyota Landcruiser Owners Club

[funkydung]

Hi . Trying to drop my rear axle on my 99 colorado as the top tower had rusted and detached AGAIN. last time it was welded in place, but needs a proper job this time i think. However, can anyone give any advice on disconecting abs sensors? is there a connector above the chassis tubular crossmember? tried to remove sensors from near wheel hubs but fear they will break if removed.
Any advice greatly appreciated
Thanks

[Google]

[BobMurphy]

I don't recall a connector close to the rear axle but when I removed my rear axle for re-furbishing I managed to get the ABS sensors out with a lot of patience.

First remove the 6mm set screws (10mm heads), warm the axle casing with a hot air gun and then VERY carefully try twisting the sensor by rotating the mounting flange. I used a pair of pipe grips for that.

Don't strain it, just keep an even pressure and eventually it should start to turn. Eventually it will gently pull out.

I then blocked the hole with a rubber bung with a washer on each side and a bolt through it. tightening the nut squeezed the rubber and locked it in the hole.

I grit-blasted my axle before removing broken bolts, helicoiling threads and painting.  

Bob.

[Bigoldbus]

Hi there are connectors for the abs as I recall but when I took my axle off a couple of months ago I did as suggested and worked the sensor loose.  It did take some patience to get them out though.  I did look at unclipping the connector but seem to recall they were tucked up and out of the way.

[funkydung]

Managed to unclip sensor wire as sensors were still very stiff to turn after LOTS of plus gas and teasing. The wire connectors are on top of the chassis tube above the axle. you can just about see it if you get your head right up to look on top.
anyway, now to tackle the rotten tower mount.

I have read about some axle cases rusting to the point of leaking oil. My axle seems to be leaking oil at the diff housing to propshaft seal, so oil was covering most of the area. is a perforated case likely? (the case (although scaly rust removed) still seems solid enough.)
Anybody know a place to supply this seal?
PS any other things i should do while the axle is off?
Dont really want to do a full rebuild, but is blast cleaning a bad idea if it is not going to be fully stripped down (grit in seals/bearings ect)

Thanks for any advice

[Bigoldbus]

Hi pinion seal you should be able to get from either roughtrax, milners or toyota (prob cost more from the latter). I cleaned mine up with a wire brush attachment on the angle grinder and to be honest if you have got it off it would seem a wasted opportunity not to try and delay the inevitable rust.  On mine the diff pan was weeping and so used an industrial chemical metal (belzona) to coat the entire surface...the product I used could tolerate some oil contamination just in case.  Then I painted mine with a few coats of hammerite.  I found out when I started the job that one of the towers were cracked so plate both towers and reinforced one of the spring mounts as that crumbled when I cleaned it up.

[diggerdave]

On mine the bottom of the diff housing began to weep. I'm not sure how much was due to rust perforation and how much was belting in on a rocky stretch of a Lake District green lane. Either way, I got a plate welded over the bottom of the diff housing, which is something you may like to consider if you do any off-roading or green laning.

Rust in the towers can be caused/made worse by the drain holes bunging up with crud. There are drain holes at the rear and the front of the towers. I opened mine up a bit (carefully) with a drill.
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1997 KZJ90 3.0d, 2" suspension lift, 235/85/16 Cooper STT Pros. 217k hard miles

[diggerdave]

*belting it
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1997 KZJ90 3.0d, 2" suspension lift, 235/85/16 Cooper STT Pros. 217k hard miles