Shackles & bushings

[arutgers]

This week I replaced the rear shackles & bushings with greasable ones, hoping to smoothen the ride. While removing the old shackles I noted the nuts were very tight, causing a lot of friction between the shackle and the bushings (the bushings were damaged).
I installed the new shackles/bushings and tightened the nuts loosely, and put on another nut to secure the first one. So the shackle can move without friction.
Then the test-drive ... great; much better (though it will  never be a modern PKW).
Because I'm not a mechanical wizard, I do have a question: is it safe with the nuts tightened loosely? Will there be more wear? Other disadvantages?

Thanks in advance,

Ton

[Laplander]

Hi Ton,

I did change my springs last summer and did the same operation.  Normally the bolts should not be too tight, but certainly tight enough. If you tighten the bolt hard the plate should go on the shoulder of the bolt. By letting the plates loose you might have some metal stress and erosion. If the bushings are too tight, they can be shaved a bit. Or maybe they are not in there properly. Remember they will take some time to settle in, too. I would wait and check them after some 2000 km, if the bolts show weird wear...  Anyway, then it will be time to tighten the bolts once again, since everything will be settled in and too loose bolts will become apparent.

I just checked on my HJ-61, they are just loose enough not to squeeze the rubber.  If you give me your e-mail address (or write to me, see my webpages for the address), I will send you a picture...

By the way, the Repair Manual Chassis & Body of the HJ-60 states that when installing the springs one should first only hand tighten the nuts of the shackle and of the bracket (front), then install the U-bolts, then the shocks, and then finally tighten the bracket and shackle nuts with a torque of 925 kg-cm (67 ft-lb, 91 N-m).  Does that help?  How tight does it then get? (I'm not sure whether the torque recommended for the BJ-40 is the same, but maybe someone around here has the respective repair manual?)  Anyway, it gives you some hint...

Safe driving,

Laplander

(Edited by Laplander at 19:34 am 4. July 2003)

[arutgers]

Thanks Thomas. I would appreciate a picture. You could post it here, or mail it (my address is in my profile). I tightened the nuts until there was no more play between plate and bushing, but it can still move without (much) friction. I cannot tell the torque-rating ... because I haven't got a torque-wrench.
A good tip to check it after  2000 km; I will do that!
Next step is to replace the front shackles & bushings with greasable ones, and then the spring-pins.

Do you know whether the rear springs are interchangeable? I ask this because I noticed that my left rear spring is sagged a little more than the right. Probably because there is usually more weight at the driver side. I am thinking about swapping the rear springs.

Ton

[Laplander]

Hi Ton,

you got an e-mail from me.  Below I post the most important bits of it for the readers of the forum to have the complete record...

If you plan on working more on your Land Cruiser, a torque wrench is worth buying.  For high torque ratings they aren't expensive at all.  A basic one should do the trick pretty much for occasional use.  The ones for low torques can be really expensive, the rest is quite affordable.

The rear springs are interchangable, yes, but I do not recommend to interchange them, because afterwards you will have just the same lean.  This is a well known problem with Land Cruisers, and there's a very funny-to-read article one the matter.  It's a good laugh, written very well. It was published in a magazine called "PV4" in April 1981 with the title "The strange case of the Leaning Toyota".  It is reprinted in the Toyota Land Cruiser Gold Portfolio 1956-1987 by Brookland Books.

If you want to remove the lean, there's a special Toyota kit for
that, it basically means introducing a spacer plate on the high corner between the top of the spring pack and bottom of the axle housing.  Plus you'll need new U bolts (longer ones).

Talking about U bolts: the original ones from Toyota are pricy, but you usually can get generic ones with the same specs elsewhere.  Never recycle U bolts!  They have to be tightened with very high torque (and re-tightened after the suspension has settled in!) and when you remove the nuts from old U bolts, the bolts usually twist and become useless.  Since they are essential for your safety (the whole car is hanging on them), you don't want to take that kind of risk.

Happy cruising,

Laplander

[arutgers]

Hi Laplander,

Thanks for the pic you mailed and the tips about the torque wrench (I will buy one) and especially the U-bolts.

About changing the rear springs: I am familiar with the 'famous toyota lean' and the article you describe. There has been written a lot about this subject at the www.sor.com forum which is not live anymore, although the archieves are still available at www.ih8mud.com.
But I think my case is different. I noticed the shackle of the left rear spring has a different angle (more backward) than the right rear schackle; so the left rear spring must be flatter than the right one. Probably the result of 25 years more weight at the driver side. I have lifted the left-rear so both shackles were at the same angle, and in this position the back-end was level. The article describes they changed the springs and there was no effect. I think in my case it will compensate the lean because the springs have a little different arch. Just hoping it will not overcompensate. But if that's the case, I only have to wait another 25 years ... and it will be level again.

Ton

[Laplander]

Hi again,

ok, in that case it makes sense to try and interchange the spring packs, even though the best deal would be to replace them altogether, there are plenty of various versions on the market. Before you start have a careful and thorough look esp. at the weaker or more worn out spring pack and check if there isn't a leaf broken. If that's the case, then the changing won't make you happy. One can open the spring pack and replace a leaf from another used pack, which can be gleaned from the various forums maybe, or one has to "bite the bullet" and buy new ones...

Just another thought,

Laplander