Camper Trailer Australia – August 2019

Nuts

and

BOLTS

A

while back I wrote about my
young cousin Mitch and his love of
4WDing, especially mud driving. At
the time his engine was suffering
from overheating and since then his Hilux has
encountered other issues, typical of 4WDs
that have travelled their fair share of tortured
kilometres.
Most 4WDs perform seamlessly over
many years and kilometres; however, a few
consumable components will inevitably weather
and wear during this process. Tyres, batteries,
fluids and brakes all suffer as the odometer
turns.
Just how much they suffer comes down to
just how well you look after them. A lack of
maintenance over endless years of punishment
will, you guessed it, wear them down
prematurely. So it’s always a good idea to check
these overlooked components when you're
readying your 4WD for its next trip.
This time around Mitchell mentioned he was
having issues with the Hilux’s front disc brakes
and wheel bearings. This came as no surprise,
given he’d been dragging it through pools of
everpresent mud, camping trip after camping
trip. We thought it best to address the Toyota’s
concerns quickly. It’s a pretty easy process and
I’ll run you through it here.

PREPARATION
With any 4WD work, my main priorities – apart
from remedying the issue at hand – are proper
preparation, using the right parts and adhering
to safety principles. It’s not hard to conform and
in the long term it’s more rewarding.
There are times when third-party suppliers are
a good option for saving a few coins but I do try
to use OEM spares for the most part. OEM parts
can be expensive, so shop around and don’t
be afraid to explore avenues outside of your
local dealership. Even looking overseas can be
very rewarding, especially if you own a globally
circulated brand like Toyota, Land Rover or Jeep,
for example. Luckily Mitch had sourced quality
parts locally.

THE TOOLS REQUIRED
To complete this job, we needed just some basic
hand tools and some extras such as supports,
containers, lubricants/cleaners and assorted
rags.
A good hydraulic lifting jack is indispensable.
Ignore those tiny $30 floor jacks (and your
vehicle’s jack) and go for a unit that has a
maximum lift of around 450-500mm. Good two
to three tonne examples can be found around
the $120-180 mark and offer stable lifting of
heavy 4WDs.

But I never rely on the floor jack alone

(especially if placing any part of my body

under the vehicle). I always use a pair of 2T

car jack stands, that cost around $40 a pair, to

complement the floor jack. This ensures a sturdy

platform.

A set of 3/8 sockets in 10, 12, 14, 17 and

54mm, assorted spanners, cold chisel, old large

screw driver, hammers and most importantly

a torque wrench is all you are likely to need,

along with some brake cleaner and bearing

grease. A bucket will help prevent spillage and

unnecessary cleaning too.

REMOVING THE WHEELS

TO GET ACCESS

After wheel chocking the rear wheels and

leaving the transmission in gear, we loosened the

wheel lugs just a full turn before jacking up the

vehicle. Once we fully jacked the front end (read

your user manual to find the correct jacking

points), we placed the aforementioned stands to

support the axle and then removed both wheels.

It was now apparent that the Hilux had seen its

share of mud, so we cleaned away as much as

we could and continued.

A vehicle of 25+ years wasn’t going to be

3

A nice new slotted disc

Use the lift plus both jack stands to secure

All the tools required for the job

The accelerator is only half of the story