Varg In Jeep's Clothing

Interesting addition to the grocery getter

 

Still prepping and painting.

 

Stoked on this!!

 

x2....cant wait to see the assembled part!

 

Waiting for paint to dry is forcing me to do the parts of this I despise. Gaskets. Tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap...

 

Alright, so i don't understand the hammer and gasket connection.

 

Lay the flat piece of gasket material on the opening. Tap around the edges with the round end of the ball peen to ‘cut’ the gasket.

 

Or you could buy them, with no tapping!

 

Where’s your sense of adventure?!

 

I do what I can to mentally push through it. Trust me... I’d buy them if I could, but my Varg fund is at $0.00

There are a few I’ll have to buy because the thickness is crucial, but I’ll make the rest.

 

Plugging along...

 

Showing my age but I remember when you could get your gasket material from the corner phone booth.

 

Not fully finished reading this yet so I don't know if it has been mentioned, but beware of banjo bolts with no way to keep the hose somewhat captive on the caliper. I have had them loosen up and lose brakes from suspension cycling. They really should have "blocks" to keep the hose from being able to pivot and loosen the bolt. Most calipers that use a banjo bolt will either have a block at the end of the hose that is unable to turn (sort of captive), or cast in raised spots that keep the fitting from turning as well.

 

Good point. I’ll address that when I get there. Thanks!

 

Did it have your number?

 

tony the tiger had free gasket material back in the day too no need to shred the phone book.

 

I’ve run into an interesting tidbit of info. Not only do none of the FLAPS carry any of the knuckle seals, shims, bearings or gaskets for this front Toyota axle, they don’t even list the shims or seals! I stopped by 4 Wheel Parts on my way home to see what they had, and they only carry a complete knuckle rebuild kit for $90. I only really need a few shims; all of the gaskets and seals are in good shape. I’d rather not delegate my limited funds to this whole kit if not needed. So that is on hold until I have time to hunt down some shims. These were previously assembled with an ungodly amount of preload. I can’t put it back together like that.

The D300 is ready for new oil seals and paint.

The rear axle is all reassembled and ready for brake lines and oil.

The Volvo M45 trans is waiting on a gasket set.

So, the reassembly can’t really go any further until parts get ordered, so maybe I’ll start on some of the body work while I’m waiting. I need to make an access hole for the fuel pump, mount the ignition switch, find homes for the computers...

 

On the subject of shims...

And I did! I made a few of these out of some sheet metal I had laying around, using an original as a template.



I got one side cleaned up, greased and assembled. It’s been a long time since I’ve worked on a closed knuckle axle. I forgot what a pain in the butt they are.

 

That Toyota knuckle design sure seems familiar.