So SAD -93 All Trac Front Axel preventing SAD shaft removal

I LOVE this van! We bought it new - and it has been there and back with us. Kids are in college now and wife has a nicer sedan. I am left with the Van and I am OK with that, despite much ribbing from my insecure pick-up driving red-neck co-workers.

Today I started to remove the SAD shaft to replace (for the second time) the couplings. The first time, I gave up and let a mechanic do the job. Not this time - I am determined! It is actually disconnected now, but I cant get the damn thing out. Found a thread on this forum that told me I will need to remove the front axle. That makes sense, it seems to be SO in the way, and my 2wd manual does not show that it would be a problem.

Tomorrow I will attempt to remove the axle, so that I can remove the SAD shaft, so that I can remove the couplings (what else am I gonna do on a 4 day weekend?).

Hope someone can give me a few pointers on what needs to be done with the axel, and possibly give me a clue about the imposing numbers 4 & 5 equipment housing stays, that the manual warns not to remove, but whose presence seems to indicate further trouble ahead...

Thanks!

I can't say it was an easy job, but I replaced the couplings on mine without removing the shaft or the axle. Changing the engine side was pretty straight forward, but the front was a PITA. I took the radiator shroud off and removed the clutch fan. Then after removing the rear coupling I moved the entire accessory assy forward a bit for better access. I used a hammer and a screwdriver to apply sideways pressure and knock the bushings loose from their bores.

Since 93 couplings are not available from Toyota, I assume you are using aftermarket couplings. Are you using the polyurethane type or the aluminum type? Good luck with the job and let us know how you end up doing it. Tim

Oh yeah, here's a PDF that can be helpful when working on SADS:

Thanks Tim! I ended up getting her out yesterday, like you, WITHOUT removing the axle:clap:. I did need to unbolt the accessory assy, lift it and strap it in to a higher, slightly angled level. Then there was a very specific angle where t FINALLY came out. I know this thing is Japanese, but it was a real Chinese puzzle. Rebuilt the tough end on the bench with the aluminum aftermarket part, got it back in and lowered the assy back in place (with a little help from my son).

I had painted the location of the assy bolts to return it to the same location, although I doubt it was done before, and I wonder if it's truly where it needs to be:cnfsd:.

As I said below, the manual warned against removing the nos. 4 & 5 equipment housing stays because of alignment. They had to come out too, so I painted marks on these also, but found that the three bolts pretty much leave no room for adjustment.

Today's project, everything (including the relatively easy engine side coupling) goes back together - When finished, I will take the time to write the steps I took (in the order I SHOULD have taken) for future use.

Thanks again for your help! Have a great 4th of July!

That's great. I should have mentioned the importance of marking old locations, but looks like you figured all that out on your own. But then again, like you said, who knows if the last guy did any of that :dizzy:. I have my doubts on the quality of any aftermarket couplings, so if they fail prematurely who's to say it was due to misalignment or due to poor quality parts.

I was lucky enough to score several entire genuine Toyota SADS assemblies (complete with couplings) off of eBay a few years back. Next time I do the SADS I plan on using one of those.

If you get to the point where you need to do it again, you would have the option of getting a later model SADS from a junk yard, then you can install new genuine Toyota couplings on it and have something that will most likely last much longer. Tim

Job Complete on 4th of July!

Steps for next time - This is how I would do it again - lessons learned and all that.

Proceed at your own risk - this worked for me, but I am not a professional mechanic. There are certain aspects of this job that must be done correctly to avoid serious injury. I am posting this to provide a record of how I did it and what worked for me - not as an instruction or suggestion to anyone else.

1. Lifted front end, set emergency brake and block rear wheel - I lifted both sides behind the front wheel at the jack points and added jack stands for extra security.
2. Removed unrelated, but impinging equipment - Don't skimp here, like i did - get it done, now and save the frustration!:(:
   
   a. Plastic covers under car - there are three, one in front, one on the left and one on the right - take them all completely off.
   b. Plastic vent leading from grill to air conditioner intake
   c. Battery - not just the negative termanal - take it out!
   d. Top of plastic radiator cover
3. Drained oil and remove oil filter - sounds weird, but i needed that thing out of there to remove and install the rear portion of the shaft
4. Loosen the nuts you can access on the radiator fan
5. Loosen the alternator, loosen the belt, turn radiator fan to access remaining nut(s) - tighten alternator and belt, loosen nut(s), remove the fan.Attachment 379
6. Remove alternator and belt
7. Remove the radiator two hoses from the top of the radiator and take off the rest of that damn plastic cover - I tried to leave it on and finally got tired of all the cuts and scrapes - trust me. Removing the hoses will leak fluid - good to have a bucket under the car for this.
   Attachment 381
   There is a hose at the bottom that held to this piece by a simple clamp - just pop the hose off the clamp. The cowling is tricky to get off, consider this practice for later.
8. Adjust compressor to remove belt
   
   Unless I forgot something, the front end of the car should now look like this...
   Attachment 380
9. Remove the bottom pulley
10. loosen the three bolts holding the shaft to the accessory assembly (now we are getting somewhere!):yes:
11. Back under car, remove the "Number 3 Equipment Drive Housing Stay" shown below with the white paint dot
    Attachment 382
12. Remove the "Numbers 4 and 5 Equipment Drive Housing Stays" - Manual says not to remove unless necessary - because of possible adjustment issues - After much pain, I found it very necessary to remove them. I marked them very carefully, but found there was no adjustment to be had - three bolts on each, no elongated holes.
    Attachment 383Attachment 384Attachment 385Attachment 386Attachment 387
13. Remove shaft from Engine side of car - shown here with new coupling - but you get the idea. Manual says not to remove the nuts holding the coupling, but that assumes you are not removing it. Take them off and see if you can remove the coupling under the car - it will be very tricky getting the shaft out and this will make a difference - your replacing it anyway. There might be some resistance on some of the holes - there was on mine - tap, tap, tap. :wall:
    Attachment 388
14. Back to the top of the car - to get the room I needed to get the shaft out, I needed to lift the accessory assembly. His is not as hard as it seems. If you do not remove the compressor, hoses, and other items, things kind of hold together nicely. The assembly is bolted in two places, and here there is room for adjustment, so I carefully marked the location. OK, not carefully, but adequately. The paint on the nut and washer weren't necessary - the paint around the washer showing it's location was critical to re-assembly.
    Attachment 389Attachment 390
15. At this point, a helper or some strap is needed. I opted for the strap, placing it around any solid piece of the assembly I could find. The pulley, the alternator bracket, etc., then around the air duct housing. Lifting, tightening, lifting, tightening - tricky business, but like I said, the remaining hoses and other items seem to help keep it manageable. probably only lifted 6 inches, if that.
16. Now you should have the clearance to get the sucker out - lifting and moving the back end towards where the oil filter used to be. Be patient, there is one position that will allow removal.
17. Once out, R&R the remaining old coupling and work your way back to a working vehicle - the hard part is over - re-assembly is cake. Don't for get to top off your cooling system and oil.:thmbup:

Attachment 391Attachment 392

Awesome write-up! Thanks for taking the time to share that with us. I know it takes time and effort to document repairs. Your contributions are greatly appreciated. Tim

Pretty good write up, thanks. I notice on my 1995 Previa LE with S/C that I do not have the rectangular washers shown in your pictures DSCF3018a.jpg & DSCF3019a.jpg. It's just bolt heads. Does anyone know if this is a problem or if the design of the kit changed? The engine end did not have them, but I couldn't see the accessory end. Are they supposed to be at both ends? Maybe the previous owner accidentally left them off. I understand that he did this job himself.

Thanks!

They should be there. He must have had some parts left over after the job was done :doh:. I'm not sure how important they are.......I suspect they are there as a "fail safe" to help hold things together if/when the rubber parts disintegrate. Unless you're having problems with it I'd probably just let it go. Not having them there would make inspection of the flex-couplings much easier. When they start to fail, don't mess around, just replace them ASAP. Tim

Thanks. Mine are failing pretty bad. The shaft is pretty sloppy. I can see how the rectangular washers would help now. Maybe that's why it's failing after 4 years and very few miles.

Anyone have the torque specs for the shaft bolts and other bolts that have to be loosened? How can I find that out without buying the Toyota manual. I'm on limited funds right now.

Would I be correct to assume that you have to get an open end wrench behind the aluminum disc on some of the heads of some of the shaft bolts? Looks tight and tricky.

Thanks for any help!

I'll be happy to answer anything I'm able to but you should 1st take the time to download/read the PDF file in my post above (attached to 2nd post in this thread) :). Tim

TIMSRV, thanks again so much! I didn't see that PDF the first time through. I wasn't a member then and you can't download until you're a member. I got it now though.

Great information, but it doesn't mention the torques for the other support pieces that have to be disassembled to remove the shaft. Any idea what those should be or where to find the info?

Mickey

If you own and plan on keeping one of these it's a really good idea to get a Factory Service Manual. They are almost always available on eBay for around $75.00. Occasionally they come up for under $50 (just check there every so often). Don't mess around with Chilton or Haynes, get the Toyota one. In the mean time, here's some pictures I took from my 91 Previa service manual. This isn't the entire section, just the parts that talk about torque. Tim

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23...m/IMG_1379.jpg

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23...m/IMG_1380.jpg

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23...m/IMG_1381.jpg

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23...m/IMG_1382.jpg

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23...m/IMG_1385.jpg

Thanks again. That will help a lot. I'm totally broke, so I'm going to have try this myself and can't afford any extra bucks for the manual right now. I hear ya for the value of a good manual though. I have manuals for my other cars from past times. I've got to order the kit then plan a weekend for the work. - Mickey

Hi all Great write up I have installed new sad bearings in my 95 estima but have a slight vibration low revs how as i didnt see the post about marking everything for realignement i just ripped it out so i am thinking alignement is off as the sad axles line up on the bushes could it be the equipment drive mounts i removed thats out of line does anyone know how to adjust these thanks guys

Thanks for the write up. I too cant afford a manual at this time and I am wondering if anyone can tell me the torque specs on the bushings themselves?

All the torque specs are on the 1st page of the PDF file attached to my 1st post in this thread. Tim

Thanks again Tim

Thank you all for your input very very helpfull I replaced my couplings without removing to much .after removing alt belt aircon belt I undone the engine side first. Then the accsry side I had to loosen off the 3 main bolts where the pully bolts onto and also took the centre bracket out which allows the accrys to rock forward I then removed all nuts from the couplings (use 2 spanners and watch the shaft it will rottate with the motor from your force )here's the hard part prying the old coupling free I tried for a long time with not much luck:wall: so I decided to blow torch them off using a butaine burner once free I was able to pull the shaft out the bottom to clean up for reinstalling (hammer the old bushes off the shaft very easy )I made sure I marked the shaft all the way along front to back before i started so it would balance right and line up when reinstalling just make sure you note the way the bolts and bush holes line up before you undo them during removal.
when reinstalling do not put couplings on before you feed shaft back into position it is tricky but worth installing couplings under Neath and position lining all your markings up before tensioning all your bolts then replace everything the way it was don't forget to tighten your bolts to the manufactures specs thanks for your help job well done :clap::thmbup::silvervan:

thanks tim I did it your way I unbolted the couplings underneath and undid the main stay then removed the shaft was not easy but at least I didn't have to drain fluids and remove to much:thmbup:

Glad it helped. FWIW, other than torque specs, I rarely follow the manual. If I can see an easier way I'll just go for it. Of course sometimes the "easy way" ends up taking longer and being a bigger PITA :wall:. In this case I have doubts as to whether or not my way is faster, but like my dad always said "you can't argue with success" :)>:.