FJ60 rear diff

G'day Brian,
I did this exact job 6 months ago and it is not a job you would do yourself
unless you're pretty confident and have access to press.
You need a press to press on the new pinion bearings.
Special tools are needed to adjust the preload on the carrier bearings.
A dial indicator is needed to measure backlash and bearing blue paste
to adjust the mesh of the crown and pinion.

I had access to a press, dial indicator and paste. And I made a tool which
allowed me to use my torque wrench on the side adjusting nuts.
It took a bit feel to get it right.
I did not get into the spider gears because they need a bit of mucking around
with measuring and adding/subtracting shims. Mine were O.K yours might
not be however.
To save money buy a bearing kit from a bearing company (mine was less
than $100) includes bearings,seal and gasket. Then take out the diff centre at home and give it to your diff shop.
This job should only take a couple of hours and should save you quite a bit.

Lotsaluck,
Moz

Brian.
If the pinion bearings are still good you can stop the niose with only the cost of the gasket. The load on the diff carrier bearings is 90% on the thrust side so you can assume that the other side is still ok, this gives you the reference for adjusting the worn side, all you do is wind in the adjuster on the thrust side untill there is no end float and then go to the next notch, jobs done. If the pinion is loose you can just tighten the nut a little to fix it but if the bearings feel rough you will have to replace them. Before the many arm chair experts start talking about bearing fialure let me assure you that the hardening on the tapered roller bearings is much thicher than the small amoumt you will be adjusting. Eric.

Brian.
I believe it was suggested in a previous thread that the diffs in 60 series are interchangeable front & rear. If cost is an issue might this be an option worth considering (assuming of course the front diff is OK, which in most cases it will be, having seen much less use)
Mick.

Thankyou for the ideas never thought of swapping the diff,if the bearings are worn will i still have the noise after swapping diffs.
thankyou for your advice.

Brian,

Did the same job on my 80 series last year after being given a quote for over $1000 to re-new four main bearings, 2 pinion shaft bearings & 2 diff carrier bearings. If you are able to re-build engines then I would give it a go. It is not that difficult if you have some mechanical aptitude. The problem with mine was the pinion bearings, but I replaced all four anyway. Once I stripped the diff I took the offending parts to my local mechanic (along with the new bearings), & paid him $100 to press the old bearings off & press the new ones on. It took him less then an hour to do this, but it is worth the money because you do need the special press plates etc.
All up it cost just over $300-, which included the four bearings, the crush tube on the pinion shaft, front oil seal & diff gasket from toyota, & new oil. If you know somebody with a press, & you only replace the stuffed bearings, you could proaberly get that figure down to under $200.

Regards, OM&M.