Hilux MK6 Chassis and Rear Tub

[arther dailey]

View attachment 471519
The ball joint press is apparently just a piece of crap, the clamp portion racked, causing the press tool to deform and in turn muller the replacement ball joint.

Fortunately I did have a spare (intended for the other side, which will have to be done next week) so was able to do it the old fashioned way.

View attachment 471520

I really did need that big thor hammer though.

View attachment 471521
Just reassembly, and replacing the boots on the other side to go now...

Simples?

never seen a long handled copper n hide before ,interesting

 

[Jelly_Sheffield]

never seen a long handled copper n hide before ,interesting

Yeah, I had never seen one in the flesh until I got it.

It was a birthday gift from a group of friends who clubbed together having all seen me reach for my number 4 Thor hammer as a go-to for anything that required force whilst repairing their cars, and mention that a 5 existed, and it might be nice to have one but I didn't know when I would use it to justify such a purchase...

Turns out it's actually very useful to be able to absolutely belt something with a 10lb sledgehammer, whilst not marring the surface!

 

[Jelly_Sheffield]

View attachment 476345

The eventual replica with the original and several failed attempts at a "simplification".

View attachment 476346

And from the back the reason for the generous fillets about 3× the leg length required for 2mm steel.

View attachment 476347
Holes painstakingly positioned.

View attachment 476348

And the extremely fine thread captive nut reclaimed and welded on.

Quickly whacked a couple of layers of zinc primer on, now waiting for it to go touch dry before reinstallation.

The newly sorted welding booth, and having the air hooked up for my pneumatic grinders was a massive plus.

 

[Jelly_Sheffield]

Reinstalling it took almost as long as making the damn thing

This bit felt particularly awkward, as initially you can't get any tools in, or even your hand until the thread has started a few turns.

The solution is to do a half sit-up and sort of cuddle the leaf spring to let you reach one hand over the top of the chassis and the other up from the bottom, to turn the bolt with opposing fingertips.

Once it's 3 turns in a ratcheting ring spanner can slip onto the head and it goes in fine.

Oh, I guess it gets easier from here on out...

Nope, getting the strap into position so that very long, extra fine thread bolt is correctly aligned, then starting the bolt before you lose your position is an absolute nightmare.

This is how I know I did a good job of recreating the bracket, because it was every bit as difficult as doing it last time with the Toyota part in place.

Also the design of the fuel tank strap means you can't get any sockets or a ring spanner on it, so you have to do it up ¼ turn at a time with an open ended spanner.

 

[Morris]

What a strange design. Surely it would have been easier for the strap to be bolted to the chassis mount and remove the need for Toyota to engineer a pointless intermediate bracket.
Good job nonetheless.

 

[arther dailey]

Reinstalling it took almost as long as making the damn thing

View attachment 476353

This bit felt particularly awkward, as initially you can't get any tools in, or even your hand until the thread has started a few turns.

The solution is to do a half sit-up and sort of cuddle the leaf spring to let you reach one hand over the top of the chassis and the other up from the bottom, to turn the bolt with opposing fingertips.

Once it's 3 turns in a ratcheting ring spanner can slip onto the head and it goes in fine.

View attachment 476356

Oh, I guess it gets easier from here on out...

View attachment 476357

Nope, getting the strap into position so that very long, extra fine thread bolt is correctly aligned, then starting the bolt before you lose your position is an absolute nightmare.

This is how I know I did a good job of recreating the bracket, because it was every bit as difficult as doing it last time with the Toyota part in place.

Also the design of the fuel tank strap means you can't get any sockets or a ring spanner on it, so you have to do it up ¼ turn at a time with an open ended spanner.

murder on the lower back that sort of thing eh , job sorted though

 

[sako243]

@Morrisman I agree seems to be a moronic design.

@Jelly_Sheffield it looks like it would benefit from a gusset on the left or front side to stop that bottom bit twisting.

 

[Jelly_Sheffield]

@Jelly_Sheffield it looks like it would benefit from a gusset on the left or front side to stop that bottom bit twisting.

Probably, although that's absent on the Toyota original, and I suspect that's because it would form a nasty trap for water and hygroscopic crap to collect in against the chassis.

Because the mounting hole is pretty deep into the heavily supported corner, the bit that matters is remarkably rigid.

Also, some of what appears to be twisting in the photo is the Toyota captive nut being drilled and threaded at a slight angle, that's intentional and basically the only reason you can get the bolt in to start...

Overall it's a part that's been very cleverly designed, to make up for all the problems created by needing it in the first place.

In any case, I will most likely order an OEM one to replace this with, if only to save me arguing the toss with an MOT tester in 8½ months time.

 

[Woody.v8]

Some new tubs have cropped up on market place, perhaps that's all that was left after the rot?
https://www.facebook.com/share/71uB6B6ckv9tGtk7/

 

[Jelly_Sheffield]

So it's been making a lot of unpleasant noises and vibrating a above between 50 mph.

I took that as a sign I should actually swap the iffy drive shaft I tacked up after the ball joint failure, and replace the other ball joint that was probably on its way out too.

After a test drive, the horrible noises have gone and the steering feels much smoother...

But the vibration remains and is now very specifically between 55-62mph, pointing at most likely either:
- Prop Shaft Center Bearing, or
- Engine Mount.

Both of which will be "easy" to address when I do the clutch (which I have been putting off for ages, but is going to catch up on me soon whether I like it or not).

My mate keeps threatening to add a rally-style driver's name decal on the door reading "Theseus"... He might just have a point.

Some new tubs have cropped up on market place, perhaps that's all that was left after the rot?
https://www.facebook.com/share/71uB6B6ckv9tGtk7/

Usually from someone who does vehicle conversions at a small scale and just buy's single cans rather than chassis cabs.

That's about twice the price of the other price selling them, but it's also in derby rather than mid Wales.

I still don't know if I want to have a tub, or if I'm going to that much effort would be better swapping to a trayback... If I end up keeping the landie and the pickup then a trayback would make a lot more sense.

 

[octo0072000]

have had the wheels balanced lately ?

 

[OJCar]

Theseus

"The myths surrounding Theseus, his journeys, exploits, and friends, have provided material for storytelling throughout the ages.
...
The most famous legend about Theseus is his slaying of the Minotaur, half man and half bull."
Wikipedia

What is your mate trying to tell you ?

 

[Jelly_Sheffield]

have had the wheels balanced lately ?

Tried to get them done along with an alignment before Christmas but no joy with the only place local to me who can do 4x4's.

I am hopefully taking it for full alignment and balancing tomorrow which might fix the issue.

But I wouldn't have expected it to be confined to such a narrow speed range if there was a wheel out of balance, based on previous experience it should just get worse and worse the faster I go.

The most famous legend about Theseus is his slaying of the Minotaur, half man and half bull."
Wikipedia

What is your mate trying to tell you ?

I think it was in reference to his ship...

 

[arther dailey]

Tried to get them done along with an alignment before Christmas but no joy with the only place local to me who can do 4x4's.

I am hopefully taking it for full alignment and balancing tomorrow which might fix the issue.

But I wouldn't have expected it to be confined to such a narrow speed range if there was a wheel out of balance, based on previous experience it should just get worse and worse the faster I go.


I think it was in reference to his ship...

I am also off the opinion get wheel balance checked first , known to cause trouble @ 50/60 mph.

 

[Jelly_Sheffield]

Balance and Alignment done.

The apparently the wheels were only very slightly out of balance (I asked so I could better fault find), but alignment was (as I expected) way off for both toe and camber.

You can clearly hear that the vibration is still there and I am getting a feeling it's drive-line related, but with better alignment it doesn't come through the steering anywhere near as much so you only feel it very slightly (unless you're holding the gearstick).

 

[Blobber]

Our discovery of doom TD5 had a similar issue, even though it drives like a 1970s tractor there was something amiss with vibration/wobble, turns out the big knobblys on the front were just past it, they were a good make but just old and out of shape, new boots sorted it

 

[Jelly_Sheffield]

Our discovery of doom TD5 had a similar issue, even though it drives like a 1970s tractor there was something amiss with vibration/wobble, turns out the big knobblys on the front were just past it, they were a good make but just old and out of shape, new boots sorted it

So the tyres are about 18mo old maxxis' and in fairly good nick...

But you've made me remember something important... Tyre Pressures! I put them up at a fairly high pressure for heavy towing, and can't remember having let them down to normal running pressure again.

If that sorts it I will be most relieved.

 

[bricol]

I remember a school mate, driving test only just passed, complaining to his dad about wheel vibration on the family Datsun Cherry.

Cue mate getting a telling off as his dad knew the wheel vibration only set in around 80mph

 

[Jelly_Sheffield]

Found the source of the vibration.

Within about ten seconds of opening the box of the new center prop shaft bearing it was immediately apparent that the old one is utterly knackered.

That will be a fun job I'm sure.

 

[sako243]

Well at least you had a vibration - I had more of an explosion when the Range Rover's one went. Well actually I don't know what went first but the carrier bearing was kaput, as were both ends.

Good luck, on the Range Rover I had to remove three heatshields, luckily not remove 12ft of twin piped ~2.5" exhaust, then battle with stupid E-head bolts (reverse torx sort of things). All with a completely ******** knee having slipped on some black ice the day before and working under the vehicle parked outside in -15°C on sheet ice. The one saving grace was the boot mat slid around beautifully on the ice to allow me to pull myself forwards and backwards without having to use my legs.