[Bazuka]

I am rebuilding a sad old LWB Sierra and would like to rebuild the entire drive train starting at the front hubs and diff. I have brought a front swivel hub kit and a diff rebuild kit with quality brand name bearings but I am having trouble working out what is a full rebuild kit and what kits just have some of the bearings and seals etc. After looking around I think the diff rebuild kit I ordered does not have some of the seals. It is difficult as they are all advertised as rebuild kits but some come with extra bearings, gaskets, seals etc. Also a lot of kits don't advertise the brands of their bearings and I want to buy quality - buy once.

So my question is what should be included in a full rebuild kit for...
Front swivel hubs?
Front diff?
Transmission?
Transfer-case?
Rear diff?
Rear wheel bearings?

Should I be replacing the kingpins when doing a full front hub rebuild?
Should I be replacing the syncros in the transmission when I rebuild that?

Also where can I find the part numbers so I can get quality bearings, seals, gaskets etc and make up the difference in these so called "full rebuild" kits?

Also what are some good brand name brake components? rotors? pads? shoes?

Lots of questions so thanks in advance for any help.

[jdk81]

Bazuka wrote:

So my question is what should be included in a full rebuild kit for...
Front swivel hubs?

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Swivel-Hub-Wheel-Bearing-King-Pin-Kit-Suzuki-Sierra-81-96-Maruti-Samurai-4x4-/120851652041?pt=AU_Car_Parts_Accessories&fits=Model%3ASierra&hash=item1c2351ddc9
Front wheel bearings
lock washers
seal for front wheel bearings
king ping bearings
front axle seal
knuckle seals and plates etc
some seals for locking hubs

Bazuka wrote:

Front diff?Rear diff?

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Front-Diff-Bearing-Rebuild-Kit-Suzuki-Sierra-1-3L-1984-99-SJ50-SJ70-SJ413-SJ51-/130649524634?pt=AU_Car_Parts_Accessories&hash=item1e6b51899a
2 smaller bearings
2 larger bearings
seal
crush tube
and possibly flange nuts

Bazuka wrote:

Transmission?

http://www.lowrangeoffroad.com/index.php/suzuki/samurai/clutch-tranny/transmission-rebuild-parts.html

Bazuka wrote:

Should I be replacing the syncros in the transmission when I rebuild that?

Depends, id probably open it up and see what they are like.
I have heard they don't really need to be changed that often.

Bazuka wrote:

Transfer-case?

http://www.lowrangeoffroad.com/index.php/suzuki/samurai/transfer-case/transfer-case-rebuild-kits-and-parts.html

Low Range Off Road wrote:

Complete Rebuild kit (5 Roller Bearings, 2 Main Needle Bearings, Front Output needle Bearing, Counter shaft, 2 Counter Needle Bearings, 2 Thrust Washers, 1 O-ring, 2 Gaskets, 3 Seals

Bazuka wrote:

Rear wheel bearings?

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/2-Rear-Wheel-Bearing-Kit-Suzuki-Sierra-SJ70-SJ413-90-96-/400276374100?pt=AU_Car_Parts_Accessories&hash=item5d3254c254
Two bearings, 2 locking collars, 2 seals

And buy piece of 42nb pipe. This is a great tool for seating the bearings etc on axles.
Around 1.5-2m works well, shorter (approx 1m) will work but more effort.

Bazuka wrote:

Should I be replacing the kingpins when doing a full front hub rebuild?

Only if broken or damaged

Some other advice

Before you go spending heaps rebuilding the lot, consider if you will be wanting to mod it later.
Really consider if you will be fitting larger tyres, and want different gearing and/or lockers etc.

[Bazuka]

Wow! thank you very much jdk81, that is the information I was after! I see you have listed all 5 needle bearings in the T-box, most "complete rebuild kits" only come with one or two if any!

Do you know where I can get the part numbers for the bearing you have listed? I have a service manual but it does not have part numbers that I can see.

I don't anticipate modding the truck much at all, I think some people forget how capable they really are from the factory. I am planning to recon the engine at some stage with a new cam etc, so running the factory 1.3. I will be getting 4.16 T-box gears (before I do the rebuild) and plan to run 30's" on a 2" OME spring lift and maybe a small shackle lift. To gain a little extra clearance I would like to shave the diffs, raise the T-box up a little, custom fuel tank and a couple of under body skid plates but I would like to keep the zuk looking pretty stock.

Any brands of brake parts people recommend? Looking at rotors, pads and shoes.

[jdk81]

Bazuka wrote:

Any brands of brake parts people recommend? Looking at rotors, pads and shoes.

If redoing the brakes
the drum brakes will probably require slave cylinders - available from low range $40 for the pair
possibly new springs and stuff etc will be helpful (sometimes the pins etc are rusted etc) - LROR $16 for the set
Shoes available from local auto parts suppliers are $35ish (last I checked). They dont last many trips, the water and mud roots them quickly. LROR $30

Only bother reading small print if you do lots of wheeling and lots of km/y in a sierra.
As per rear wheel bearings, these fail often with bigger tyres and lots of wheeling.
I was doing rear wheel bearings every 6 months, and brake shoes every 3 months.
It was costing me $360/yr to maintain the rear end, whilst wheeling harshly and DD it.
I opted for a rear disc conversion to avoid spending on drum brake shoes, and still not getting much of a hand brake.

However, I sold that and going to a vit based full floater (using sierra disc brakes etc on the rear with a bias valve, and xfer handbrake, but im adding linelocks and an auto, so will have park pawl too, so no need for handbrake anymore).
Vit based full floater cost me about $1000 for all bits etc.
I justified this 2 ways, I sold my old diff for $500, and the vit one will pay for itself in under 2 years.
It is also stronger and itll take more punishment, which means it'll be more reliable.
You wont need a vit based full floater, but you may want to consider a sierra based full floater.

For the front
If you are planning to go bigger tyres, and get the front brakes done
I would consider doing LWB vented rotors and calipers etc.
From the 1.6L LWB vits 91-95(i think)
brake pads, just whats available from local supplier etc is fine
Bit of a shit to bleed, but braking is significantly better.

Plan out what you want.
Don't double spend etc

EDIT:
As per the ebay diff (3rd member) kits not having seals or crush tubes
Thats fine, the OEM seals are miles better, infact the OEM transfer seals are miles better too. (well input, and front d-shaft seal)
The OEM diff and transfer seals have an extra lip on them, which acts like a separate excluder seal.
These prevent shit getting into the sealing interface and make it last much longer than aftermarket seals.
You can also source your crush sleeves from Suzuki at the same time.

[Samurai81]

I overhauled a gear box yesterday. Replaced all needle rollers, synchros and bearings using the kits from Low Range. The gbox had 150K of hard wheeling on it and there was virtually no play in the needle rollers and the synchros looked new. Two bearings were rumbly.
What part of NZ are you in?

[Joshyboy26]

i replaced my gearbox and even though the synchros where ok i chucked newys in becuase they were so cheap from low range you may as well