HOUSTON, WE HAVE A PROBLEM!
Submitted: Friday, Nov 04, 2011 at 15:33
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Member Al (Sunshine Coast)
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There we were, not quite en route to the moon, but somewhat remote in the Nullarbor when oil was seen to be dripping from the Troopy's front axle. Inspection revealed that the radius arm bracket normally connected to the axle housing almost wasn't! It was extensively cracked and in pulling away from the housing had torn a hole releasing oil. Perhaps that was fortunate as it revealed the problem before the bracket fully detached.
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The arrow indicates the hole.
We were equipped for bush welding but opted to limp to
Cocklebiddy roadhouse and borrow a mains welder. We were lucky to make it as the bracket was attached only by a whisker and came clear away with one blow from a hammer. To do a decent job the whole front axle assembly needed to come out. Took most of the day but is now stronger than Toyota made it.
The bracket had two semi-circular cutouts that reduced the cross-sectional width and the crack seemed to originate there. The cutouts appear to serve no purpose and the bracket on the left side did not have these cutouts, nor does a model a couple of years younger. We plated these cutouts. Has anyone any knowledge or experience of the same?
The repair got a good hammering on the remainder of the trip but got us home OK. Nevertheless, it was a great trip.
Reply By: Dennis Ellery - Friday, Nov 04, 2011 at 16:15
Friday, Nov 04, 2011 at 16:15
Hi Alan
As a fellow Troopy owner I am a bit concerned about your longevity.
I hope you didn’t get under that vehicle while it’s being supported by cement building blocks.
Regards Dennis
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Follow Up By: Member Al (Sunshine Coast) - Friday, Nov 04, 2011 at 18:04
Friday, Nov 04, 2011 at 18:04
Thanks for your concern Dennis.
From industry experience I am thoroughly schooled in safety and I know the fragility of building blocks. They were only being used while we repositioned jacks and wooden stacks as was the HiLift jack under the bumper. It was safely supported.
Dennis, it may be worthwhile for you to examine the RH radius arm bracket on your Troopy to see if it has the semicircular notches. I spoke with the proprietor of a 4WD workshop in Kalgoorlie about it and he said that he has seen several failures of the bracket, all with the crack going through the metal at the cutout. He said they always weld a plate over the cutout.
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Follow Up By: Dennis Ellery - Friday, Nov 04, 2011 at 22:39
Friday, Nov 04, 2011 at 22:39
Hi Allan,
I was only having a bit of a stir – I saw the high lift too – I couldn’t imagine you’d take that sort of risk.
I'll have to check that bracket - but I don't expect a problem - only done 80,000ks and its had no rough treatment.
Regards Dennis
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Follow Up By: Member Al (Sunshine Coast) - Friday, Nov 04, 2011 at 23:11
Friday, Nov 04, 2011 at 23:11
Dennis, Our 2002 Troopy has done 270,000km and has been on a lot of rough tracks. However I am curious as to what others have the semicircular cutouts in the bracket. I'm even more curious as to why Toyota put them there.
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Follow Up By: Bob Y. - Qld - Saturday, Nov 05, 2011 at 09:23
Saturday, Nov 05, 2011 at 09:23
Had a bit of a laugh at the "jack stand" building blocks too, but was more concerned about the Hi-Lift, until saw the blocks & other jacks.
Good photos, Allan. Would have been a big task getting that axle out, and back in again.
Have posted this photo below, taken at a
well known NT roadhouse. Maybe we should start a thread: "More uses for building blocks"
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Bob.
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Reply By: Member - Wayne B (NSW) - Friday, Nov 04, 2011 at 17:19
Friday, Nov 04, 2011 at 17:19
Pleased you spotted the problem before it failed altogether.
It pays to have a look at the vehicle at the end of each days travel. Often something can be spotted before it becomes a serious problem..
I had a oil leak develop from the pinion oil seal and found the pinion flange had come loose. Re-tensioned it so as to give the bearings slight preload and no further leaks or problem.
Cheers
Wayne B
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Follow Up By: Member Al (Sunshine Coast) - Friday, Nov 04, 2011 at 18:10
Friday, Nov 04, 2011 at 18:10
I think that I would have soon become aware of the problem had it totally failed whilst driving. I don't relish the thought of an unrestrained axle.
Even with inspection, the crack was not very visible were it not for the oil leak.
I think I had a lucky escape from a much worse event.
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Reply By: Rockape - Friday, Nov 04, 2011 at 18:08
Friday, Nov 04, 2011 at 18:08
Al,
when I was reading this I had our head light vehicle fitter looking at the post over my shoulder. His reaction was he had never seen it before. He did his time with Toyota and all they work on are cruisers and Hiluxes + the odd Nissan.
We have had them break off due to rust but no other reason.
Good to see you caught it in time.
RA.
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Follow Up By: Member Al (Sunshine Coast) - Friday, Nov 04, 2011 at 18:26
Friday, Nov 04, 2011 at 18:26
Rockape, Was he the chap who fits headlights to vehicles or is the fitter in charge of light vehicles? LOL, just kidding.
Seriously, is he aware of the semicircular cutouts in the RHS bracket and can he explain their purpose? Unfortunately I don't have a photo showing them although someone else took a number of closeups that I may receive later.
The cutouts significantly weaken the bracket and I can see no purpose in them. They do not exist in the LH bracket which is otherwise identical.
I'll see what I can find from LCOOL.
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Follow Up By: Rockape - Saturday, Nov 05, 2011 at 07:26
Saturday, Nov 05, 2011 at 07:26
Al,
I will go and see him today, we only have 2 old cruisers left going here. One is light vehicles recovery vehicle and the old girl that I drive.
Just got her out of hospital as she had a broken aircon.
I can't give the head headlight fitter any cheek as he looks after me when old petal is broken.
RA.
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Follow Up By: Rockape - Saturday, Nov 05, 2011 at 14:34
Saturday, Nov 05, 2011 at 14:34
Al,
I went over and checked both 6cyl utes and both didn't have the semi circle cutouts you speak of. Where I am guessing the cutouts are the saddles on these utes are not welded at these points (about 30mm long).
All the V8's seem to have the same saddle configuration and are not welded at these points.
Asked the fitters again and both had not seen this failure. Both fitters have worked in remote areas with many badly corrugated roads.
I see Humvee has come across a few.
RA.
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Follow Up By: Member Al (Sunshine Coast) - Saturday, Nov 05, 2011 at 15:09
Saturday, Nov 05, 2011 at 15:09
Thanks for that Rockape. Looks as though I am in an elite few of unfortunates that Toyota have it in for! Anyway,
mine does not have the cutouts anymore. LOL
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Follow Up By: Rockape - Saturday, Nov 05, 2011 at 15:28
Saturday, Nov 05, 2011 at 15:28
Al,
don't tell me you lost them, I can make some new ones and send them to you.
Have a safe one,
RA.
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Reply By: Ozhumvee - Friday, Nov 04, 2011 at 20:33
Friday, Nov 04, 2011 at 20:33
Common problem, I know of three troopies that have had the same failure, one was on a one gentle owner private vehicle in the middle of a Madigan crossing. Fortunately they had a welder in the party and he made a repair to get the vehicle mobile again.
They had the same thing you did, climbing over a dune there was a bang as the bracket tore off and then they found oil leaking out.
As the owner had extended warranty Toyota replaced the entire front end.
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Follow Up By: Member Al (Sunshine Coast) - Saturday, Nov 05, 2011 at 10:57
Saturday, Nov 05, 2011 at 10:57
Thanks Peter, it needs to be appreciated that the radius arms bear the full load of front wheel braking and front-wheel drive force. Whilst the radius arms themselves appear to be very robust, the attaching bracket is not so sturdy. It also bears the load of the anti-sway or stabiliser bar. Could have been better engineered Mr Toyota.
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Reply By: gbc - Saturday, Nov 05, 2011 at 09:53
Saturday, Nov 05, 2011 at 09:53
We damaged our 80 series in the same way. To be fair it was competing in a winch challenge at the time, and yes, it's abundantly apparent when a radius arm comes loose while you are driving :(
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Reply By: Dennis Ellery - Saturday, Nov 05, 2011 at 12:32
Saturday, Nov 05, 2011 at 12:32
Hi Allan,
Mine is a 2008 with OEM electic diff locks – it has a different shaped housing and the radial arm brackets appear to be quite different to your photo. The bracket is welded over the top and down both sides of the diff housing.
Regards Dennis
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Follow Up By: Member Al (Sunshine Coast) - Saturday, Nov 05, 2011 at 15:53
Saturday, Nov 05, 2011 at 15:53
Thanks Dennis, my bracket also went right over the top and was welded to both sides of the axle housing............ until it cracked off !!!! LOL
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Follow Up By: Dennis Ellery - Saturday, Nov 05, 2011 at 17:03
Saturday, Nov 05, 2011 at 17:03
Hmm very interesting.
My LHS and RHS brackets don’t appear to have had any cutouts, both are welded on the surface of the diffs axle casing.
Thanks for the info.
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Follow Up By: Dennis Ellery - Saturday, Nov 05, 2011 at 18:42
Saturday, Nov 05, 2011 at 18:42
Hi Allan
Just curious – my radius arm goes under the axle casing while the bracket goes across the top.
The arm has two bolts attaching it to the casing bracket, one in front and one at the rear of the axle – it appears that it would be difficult to just tear one only from the casing.
Is this the way yours is arranged?
Regards Dennis
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Follow Up By: Member Al (Sunshine Coast) - Saturday, Nov 05, 2011 at 19:36
Saturday, Nov 05, 2011 at 19:36
Hi Dennis, Yes, my arrangement is as you describe. The bracket had cracked such that the rear sections had separated from the front sections and from the housing. The front section were cracking at the housing weld but still partly attached to the housing. It was the remaining connection via the front bolt that allowed careful driving to the repair location.
The following photos may illustrate it better:
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The green arrows indicate the remaining front section of the bracket. The red arrows show where the rear section had been attached to the housing. The vertical faces of the front section is where the bracket cracked apart. The yellow arrow indicates the hole torn in the housing. From the hole you can see where we groun the crack in the housing ready for welding.
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This view is post-weld. The red arrow indicates one of the semicircular cutouts where the crack in the bracket seemed to have originated. The yellow arrow shows the plate welded over one of the cutouts.
Hope this helps.
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Follow Up By: Dennis Ellery - Saturday, Nov 05, 2011 at 23:28
Saturday, Nov 05, 2011 at 23:28
Bloody amazing - thanks for the reply
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