Thread: BJ73 Landcruiser

I agree with Tussock. There are no short cuts in suspension and if you just get the springs reset it only lasts a short time. Buy new springs, shocks and bushes. New suspension bushes can make a big difference to how well it handles if the old ones are stuffed.

Did you fix the diff leak? It's been years but I think you can do the pinion seal without disassembling the diff. Take driveshaft off, undo big nut on diff and take off the flange on that then pop a new seal in. Carefully do big nut up again back to the same place it was (mark it before undoing it). Cruiser diffs are meant to leak though so in general just top it up.

There is a whole art and science to rusty cruiser bolts. Heat it red hot with the propane torch and then spray crc on it. The heating and rapid cooling cycle breaks the bond on the rust and the cooling of the crc hitting bolt sucks it into the thread. Work the bolt back and forwards for a bit so the crc works into the thread and then undo carefully. Not breaking them is a lot easier than getting the broken bolt out!

I brought a large set of the most common sized of bolts with captive washers from a panelbeater supply place. Before reassembling I run a tap through the old captive nut in the chassis and then put in a brand new plated bolt with either anti seize or locktight on it.