Moore_rb's 1965 Hardtop Patrol...L60-3-00617

[Esteban]

I have had the unfortunate pleasure of rebuilding Toyota Birfield joints as well...

....

and, in comparison to birfields, the Nissan tracta-joint is a much stronger (and much simpler ) design

The Patrol was fitted with Tracta-joints up to 09/71 (all the ones sold in the USA) and after that with Bierfield. For sturdiness I will pick the Tracta, but for smoothness of operation the Bierfield is a better constant velocity joint, and now widespread used (probably saves in labor assembly costs)

[moore_rb]

I Agree - Birfields allow a wider range of motion/articulation, and are smoother -- but they are also certainly more finicky about regular maintenance, and proper lubrication...

[moore_rb]

haven't had much to report lately as far as progress on this project..

The axles and springs are all painted up and hanging back under the frame

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And I've blasted and repainted the brake backing plates, diff covers, and other misc chassis parts

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I've also ordered a lot of parts for the front end - The lower kingpin bearings both came out in many fragments

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but my knuckle rebuild kit has replacements for those

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The front wheel bearings were in only slightly better condition - These will be tossed and replaced as well

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Moving to the rear, I learned that this Patrol received a new rear axle on the long side at some point in the past:

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Maybe I'll get a few more hours in on this project later this afternoon...

[RiverPatrol]

That's a lot of progress to me.

I told ya that Patrol had been rode hard and put away wet. Your findings are interesting; we don't have many threads on the front end stuff. This is good.

[moore_rb]

Today I got my rear axles re-assembled, made some gaskets for my diff covers, and got the rear axle all buttoned back up and u-bolted to the springs...

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[faux40]

Looks really good!

[Esteban]

Looking good Robert. Very good pictures and detail of the wear. The decal on the axle is great.

Like RiverPatrol, will be waiting for your front axle rebuilt.

[moore_rb]

This morning I cleaned up (and loosened up) my rear brake adjusters

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And then I re-assembled my rear brakes with my brand new wheel cylinders from Australia:

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and my re-lined brake shoes from Arizona Brake and Clutch

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Then I slid the drums back on (which were also turned for me by Az Brake and Clutch) and now my rear brakes are all buttoned up and ready for the wheels to go back on.... someday.

[rjiggy]

Looks really nice, all those new parts and paint will yield full factory stopping power

All kdding aside, that will be one nice truck from the ground up!

[moore_rb]

all those new parts and paint will yield full factory stopping power

Boy, if only paint made things work better - Doing these projects would be a breeze.

This past week I got a nice shiny new Protex master cylinder from Australia, to go along with these new wheel cylinders. These brakes better have factory stopping power when I'm done...