Knuckle centering tool necessary? (1 Viewer)

[Trialsallday]

hi guys. I wanted to post a thread on how necessary the tool is too use and when is it absolute necessary. I post d in an earlier thread that I’m in the middle of a knuckle rebuild and the first 2 times i tried to send my preload I wasn’t happy/confident with the outcome of my preload. I used a thick and thin shim (that came with my marlin crawler rebuild kit) and I was getting 13-16lbs on the fish scale depending cuz it felt a slight bump or notch. The third time I used 2 thick shims and torques down to 43lbs and getting 5-7lbs on the scale and feels much smoother left to right. I’m happy ...I think.
Do I need knuckle centering kit ?
I’d hate to tear it down again and remove my brand new axle seals too..
And no i can’t find the original shims..

 

[iptman]

The Marlin seals are supposedly more forgiving than the OEMs on a misalligned axle. You might get away with it. I used the centering tool, incorrectly, and had to redo my front axle 3000 miles later. You'll know after the fact if you're dripping gear oil off the lower knuckle studs. I got it right the second time by watching @OTRAMM 's videos.

 

[Mr Cimarron]

I’m about 4-5K in and have no leaks without using centering tool.

 

[thebigredrocker]

Trail Tailor made a run of Knuckle centering tools.
REPLICA OEM - SSTs

 

[shawnfj40]

If you are using all of the original components and mark the shims you take out, then you don’t need the tools. If you change any of the components or don’t know where the shims came from then you will need the tools.

 

[Trialsallday]

The Marlin seals are supposedly more forgiving than the OEMs on a misalligned axle. You might get away with it. I used the centering tool, incorrectly, and had to redo my front axle 3000 miles later. You'll know after the fact if you're dripping gear oil off the lower knuckle studs. I got it right the second time by watching @OTRAMM 's videos.

Hay bud, are those vids on YouTube ?

If you are using all of the original components and mark the shims you take out, then you don’t need the tools. If you change any of the components or don’t know where the shims came from then you will need the tools.

Yeah I located one from a club member, he’s sending it in the mail. Gotta order new seals I guess...
FYI trollhole Marshall mentioned it’s usually one thin on the bottom and thick and thin on top. Will see..

 

[iptman]

Yeah he started a YouTube channel and has started putting all his how to videos on there. Definitely check it out and subscribe. Here's a link to his Mud page and the knuckle video. This is on a 60 so torque specs might be different than your 40.

Knuckle Rebuild Video Series

 

[iptman]

Yeah I located one from a club member, he’s sending it in the mail.

You'll need a micrometer and a fish scale too in case he doesn't have them in his kit. The tool also needs some kind of marking compound. You'll see all this in Ryan's video.

 

[Trialsallday]

Do you remember what shims u ended up using ?

 

[iptman]

Here's my notes but that's no indication of what yours will be.

 

[BrianSanDiego]

Do you remember what shims u ended up using ?

I read on Mud somewhere that you can get an idea if the knuckle is close to centered by how well the spindle aligns with the axle as you reassemble. If the knuckle isn't aligned it's kind of apparent as you slide on and try to seat the spindle.

I wasn't aware of this the first time I did the seals. They lasted maybe 20K miles. But this last time I took note of how it was going together and swapped some shims top to bottom, and is seems to have gone together much better, feeling like it wasn't putting a load on the seal.

Very crude I know, but so-far-so-good and something to keep in mind as you put it back together.
B.

 

[Trialsallday]

Here's my notes but that's no indication of what yours will be.

View attachment 1656746

Hay so I just did all my measurements with the SST tool and what I came up with is 0.22 which is about 1 thick shim for the bottom, and 0.77 for the top which is about 4 thick shims for the top!!
Seems like a lot !!
But then I watched the otramm vid and his too was 0.9 or something which is even thicker then what i came up with so I guess I can really vary ...
Thoughts ?

 

[Trialsallday]

Hay so I just did all my measurements with the SST tool and what I came up with is 0.22 which is about 1 thick shim for the bottom, and 0.77 for the top which is about 4 thick shims for the top!!
Seems like a lot !!
But then I watched the otramm vid and his too was 0.9 or something which is even thicker then what i came up with so I guess I can really vary ...
Thoughts ?

Never mind I forgot to subtract C from E