Knuckle shims needed

F-junker · 05-31-07, 02:19 PM

Among other things. I started my knuckle job, everything came off ok, took off everything and kept it seperate. 3x .20 shims on top with a thicker plate, and no shims with a plate on the bottom. Put it all back together and there is NO Preload. It swings like a new door and has some small amount of play in the lower bearing. I need shims. I also ordered a sst to measure for the proper shims.

This is a rebuild only. Same knuckle and axle, new bearings and seals only. It seems as though it was gone through and not assembled together properly.

any advice, buy shim stock and cut them? Anyone close by have a pile of different thickness? Toyota doesn't have any left in America and they will need to come from japan. LONG WAIT. Help..thx Ken

rusty_tlc · 05-31-07, 02:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by F-junker

Among other things. I started my knuckle job, everything came off ok, took off everything and kept it seperate. 3x .20 shims on top with a thicker plate, and no shims with a plate on the bottom. Put it all back together and there is NO Preload. It swings like a new door and has some small amount of play in the lower bearing. I need shims. I also ordered a sst to measure for the proper shims.

This is a rebuild only. Same knuckle and axle, new bearings and seals only. It seems as though it was gone through and not assembled together properly.

any advice, buy shim stock and cut them? Anyone close by have a pile of different thickness? Toyota doesn't have any left in America and they will need to come from japan. LONG WAIT. Help..thx Ken

What year?
The service kit from Marlin comes with shims, it works for 79 through 85. They may have just the shims, give them a call

matt.mcinnes · 05-31-07, 03:58 PM

I have plenty kicking around from service kits.

Poser ordered a few parts from me took about a week I think to get there.

If you can wait that long let me know.

PabloCruise · 05-31-07, 03:59 PM

F,

You used new trunion bearings? And races?

Are there stops for the races built into a 40 housing?

Pin_Head · 05-31-07, 06:36 PM

You don't need a SST to just set the preload. Its primary purpose is to center the axle and seal, and this isn't going to change by just changing the bearings. Just keep the same bottom shim that came with the knuckle (what you call a plate is a thick shim). Add or subtract shims at the top to get the proper preload.

Degnol · 05-31-07, 07:02 PM

Ken, I just sent you an email.

Ed

camcruiser13 · 05-31-07, 08:07 PM

i also have a stack i can shipp you, just collecting dust here

OlympiaFJ60 · 05-31-07, 10:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pin_Head

You don't need a SST to just set the preload. Its primary purpose is to center the axle and seal, and this isn't going to change by just changing the bearings. Just keep the same bottom shim that came with the knuckle (what you call a plate is a thick shim). Add or subtract shims at the top to get the proper preload.

That is assuming no one has been in there before and just "put the shims in that came with the rebuild kit". This happened to me when I first got my truck. When I did my rebuild I checked everything and it was WAY off before. Probably why the inner axle seals started leaking after 30K (1 1/2 years).

Blue77FJ40 · 06-01-07, 06:50 AM

Pin head's correct. Bottom shim is to center the knuckle, top shims set preload. To increase preload, remove shims from top.

F-junker · 06-01-07, 08:53 AM

Gentlemen, thanks for the advice here. I did reassemble exactly (except the busted nut on the lower stud) as I had found it. Only one thick shim was is the bottom. Three 20 thousands shims in the top and a thick 1.0 maybe as well. This truck has been through the mill, everything that has been touched prior to me has been blessed by Moron and his sidekick Retardo.

I was so ticked yesterday that Toyota couldn't get me those shims quickly that I jumped the gun and in my haste ordered a shim and seal kit from SOR(E). I only wish I had known about those sweet seals that Marlin Crawler had available.

Bottom line on this truck, I trust no PO work. I rebuild everything I need to give attention to. I only can hope that Retardo isn't helping me and I don't know it! My carb rebuild might not be as good as I thought!!!

Pin_Head · 06-01-07, 09:54 AM

Get the Marlin seals anyway. They are cheap and they are much more forgiving of axle seal centering problems.

PabloCruise · 06-01-07, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pin_Head

You don't need a SST to just set the preload. Its primary purpose is to center the axle and seal, and this isn't going to change by just changing the bearings. Just keep the same bottom shim that came with the knuckle (what you call a plate is a thick shim). Add or subtract shims at the top to get the proper preload.

Charlie, I was posting up about knuckle service a little while back...

When repacking birfs - replace bearings?

Can I just run the same trunion bearings and races and re-assemble everything where it came from? (Assuming things look and feel o-k)

I am just questioning if I need to replace trunion bearings and wheel bearings...

I am guessing if I go replacing trunion bearings and races that my pre-load could easily be off... I have never been into the knuckles for service - are there stops in the 40 axle housing for the races to stop on, or do I need the SST for installing trunion races?

I am not sure I want to pull the TRE's off to measure pre-load if I don't have to.

Pin_Head · 06-01-07, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PabloCruise

Can I just run the same trunion bearings and races and re-assemble everything where it came from? (Assuming things look and feel o-k)

I am just questioning if I need to replace trunion bearings and wheel bearings...

I am guessing if I go replacing trunion bearings and races that my pre-load could easily be off... I have never been into the knuckles for service - are there stops in the 40 axle housing for the races to stop on, or do I need the SST for installing trunion races?

I am not sure I want to pull the TRE's off to measure pre-load if I don't have to.

If the bearings are fine, no need to replace them. The wear pattern is pretty obvious on bad bearings. OTOH, the bearings are pretty cheap, so no need to keep marginal ones. The outer race fits into a machined hole in the ball end of the housing. It bottoms out against a seat, so there is no adjustment or SST involved in replacing bearings. The bearings are made to close tolerances, so if the knuckle centering is correct, there is no reason to reset it.

Come on, how much work is it to pull the TRE? If you don't want to, you could just measure the preload with both sides connected and divide by 2 to get an average preload.

PabloCruise · 06-08-07, 02:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pin_Head

Come on, how much work is it to pull the TRE? If you don't want to, you could just measure the preload with both sides connected and divide by 2 to get an average preload.

Not much extra work, but buying another specialty tool is what is bugging me... I got the pitman arm puller, and that sits on my shelf. So buying a TRE puller is less than exciting. I am still picking myself up off the floor after calling around for a 54 mm socket - $57?!? (that is 2 1/8, no one has 54 mm)

Pin_Head · 06-08-07, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PabloCruise

Not much extra work, but buying another specialty tool is what is bugging me...

I use a "pickle fork" on them and even a good one is about $20. If you get one the right size, it will get them loose without even messing up the rubber boot as long as you pull back on the boot to get it out of the way.