Replacing kingpin bearings, seals, tie rod nuts.

Hello again,
I'm currently sporting a leaking drivers side swivel hub with gear oil/grease etc now oozing out onto the hub of the wheel. Due to no driveway or decent tinkering ground - I'm struggling to attempt this job myself. I've watched the video a lot of times but also worried about starting it and ballsing it up - its. my first Jimny. The garages seem to quote me to do both drivers side and non drivers side when I try to get a quote and then the quote seems madly priced when you look at the cost of the parts on here and watch the video...

I'd much rather have a go myself but could do with an experienced eye/ hand/ help/ don't do it like that you numpty kind of guide from a Jimny owner if thats possible??? 

I'm in North Shields (north east coast area) area but happy to get Jimny out and about and obviously cover costs etc. if someone could give me a hand doing this job...
 
No worries if not possible but thought i'd just ask... 

Thanks
Chris.

If and it's very much up to you, you were able to/felt confident in bringing it down to Harrogate I have space to work on my drive and the tools needed. It would be the weekend after this though as I have commitments this weekend?

Hi Chris,

I am 5 miles to the West of Newcastle. I did mine on a 2011 Jimny recently, but did them one at a time as I could only feel play in one side, but both sides needed doing.

I had all of the tools, but everything was really tight so it took me a full day to do each one, no doubt I would be faster if I was doing it again.

I suggest you get the bearings, swivel seals, new bolts for the seals, the special grease (which is out of stock on here) and any other fixings that look rusty. I don't know if your is ABS, but both of my bolts sheared off, still they are easy to drill out and put new Stainless bolts in.

I did mine on a drive, but it slopes so not ideal. I could have done it in the street a side at a time again not ideal if you don't get it done in one day and then there is the weather to consider.

I could give you a hand, but can't do this weekend and then I am on holiday for a week the following weekend, so might not have the opportunity for some time.

Did you try a Suzuki garages or you local friendly family run garage? It is a straight forward job for your local garage and wouldn't take long with all of the standard garage tools.

Robin

Hi - Thanks for getting in touch. I just feel a bit out on a limb as I'm not getting much support from the garages I'm trying. I actually booked it into the Suzuki garage in north tyneside but they were gonna charge 1200 quid for both sides, which just wipes my budget right out the water and they also said my discs and pads were worn on the front and needed doing at 200 so when I added it all up I thought I cant afford that. Or is that standard??

I've been in touch today with a couple more garages so I'm gonna see what they say. If everything came off with a socket set I'd do it tomorrow as I restore and rebuild bicycles for a hobby but I can tell the nuts and blots on some of these parts will need a bit of a kick...

Thanks so much for your offer of help - I will see what the next couple of garages say. If I'm no further forward I'll see if I can get it on a mates driveway and maybe have a go from there... How long can you continue to drive on a damaged swivel hub before you brake it more??

Thanks again,
Chris.

...apologies - a few typos!!

Hi Thanks for getting touch - sorry - I read the last reply first so just also noticed this. I have contacted another couple of garages today as you'll see in my reply to Dr Robin... I will keep you posted - I would be willing to travel and wait if it meant getting it sorted without blowing my budget I have available. Just glad I found this Forum to be honest or I would have threw the towel in a while back on the welding. 

Thanks so much for your offer of help and i'll keep you updated.
Chris.

 

It's one of those things, once you notice it you want to get it fixed quid but how long was it like it before you noticed? I wouldn't worry too much about still using it but equally I wouldn't plan a week's trip round Scotland in it either.

Hi Chris,

£1,200 sounds a bit steep, for a garage with all of the tools and lift it really would be a morning job. For someone without all of that and having not done it before it is longer.

Discs and pads are an easy job, especially if you are doing kingpins as they have to come off anyway. They aren't particulary expensive in the BigJimny store, but if out of stock get them at EuroCarParts or GSF. You might want to check them first to make sure they really need doing.

If it is just the swivil seal that is leaking a bit, it probably isn't too much of a worry, but as Lambert says needs sorting sooner or later. There is an oil seal on the drive shaft, they sometimes leak and let oil in to the kingpin housing, this is more of a problem, so get new oil seals in the kit of parts.

My suggestions if doing it yourself are
- Get somewhere local to do it in case it doesn't go well and spills over in to 2 days
- I can come across and help on a Saturday, possibly 25th June?
- Aim to get one side done at a time, if you get both done it's a bonus
- Assume everything will be stuck on tight, get easing oil, a large hammer, a breaker bar/long socket bar, drift or cold steel chisel
- For small nuts/bolts get replacements, it's faster than trying to clean up old parts. Get new split pins for the steering rod ends, I had to drill one of mine out.

Things that were stuck on mine
- One of the caliper bolts was very tight
- The swivil seal bolts on one side
- Both of the ABS bolts sheared off
- The lower kingpin, needed a blow lamp and a big hammer
- The lower kingpin bearings, hammer it out with a 1" socket.

If I come over I can bring the tools I used/found useful.

I wouldn't say it is a difficult job, just sometimes various bolts won't budge, but that is normal. It is just a case of knowing how much force to use, the tricks to get things free or when to use heat.

Robin

Hi,

It's been looking like its leaking definitely for about a month now but seems to have just stayed the same since I first noticed it. I then watched a video on Youtube where a Jimny swivel looks exactly the same so I thought I must get it done soon. I haven't done many trips in it other than running about on small jobs but I work up in Northumberland and I'm starting to need to get around and about the county pretty soon so I could do with it running for then.

I'm hoping to hear back today from a couple of garages, then i'll see what the next step is...

Thanks again

 

Hi Robin,

Thanks for getting back with all of that info. Thats really helpful. I'm hoping to hear back from of a couple of garages today with a price and some availability so I will see what comes of that. I'll keep you posted though and check to see if I could do 25th if garages fall through...

Once again - thanks for your help so far!

Chris.

Hi Robin,

I'm not getting too much affordable or positive Feedback from the garages - I'm going to get stuck in and have a go at this as I need to bite the bullet and get to know how some of the Jimny stuff works.

I will order the parts on here and if you are available to help I have managed to borrow my brothers driveway which is flat an in a safe culdesac so if it wasnt completed its safe to leave over night.

I'm away on the 25th at a birthday for my Uncle in Stockport so If you have any other availability please let me know. Please dont change any plans or anything like that as I'll just wait as long as it takes to get some help.

Also is this the kit I need to buy first from the shop?

www.bigjimny.com/store/kingpin-bearing-w...it-premium-koyo.html

Thanks
Chris.
 

Hi Chris,

Yes, that is the kit, it does one side.

You also need the grease, but it is out of stock
www.bigjimny.com/store/waterproof-grease.html
I got mine from Oiltek www.oiltek.co.uk/detail.asp?id=207

I would also suggest new seal bolts, they are only £1 for 8 and quicker than trying to clean up the old ones.
www.bigjimny.com/store/swivel-seal-bolts.html

I will message you my mobile number, that way we can arrange to meet, borrow any tools you might need when you are doing the job or ask a question if you get stuck.

It isn't a difficult job, just like all of these jobs down below, things tend to sieze in place, especially if they haven't been apart for a while.

Robin