So what if I don't use the special tool???...

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I ordered all the parts individually from toyota. A kit was not offered to me. I wished I'd gotten a new axle seal but I did ask for that bronze bushing thing I saw in there. The dealer didn't show any seals only shims so I'm puzzled on the gasket thing. Maybe I should get a set from MC?
 
Vicm said:
My understanding of the knuckle centering tool is that it is used for centering the knuckle on the housing. The fish scale (spring scale) is for the bearing preload measurment. Totally different things.
If you are rebuilding and using the same parts and reinstall the shims back in the same order as they were top and bottom, then you wouldn't need that centering tool , because the original shims will take care of that.
The spring scale you still have to use to adjust the bearing preload.
Which if you find to be out of specs, you can correct by adding or subtracting the same thickness shims from both top and bottom to keep it correctly centered. That is how I see it .
Vic
Click to expand...

If your keeping the original housing and the original knuckle, what Vicm said is all you need to know.

replace the shims exactly the way you remove them, your bottom ones should give you a close centering(givin it was centered initially), and your top ones should set up your preload per previous one.

:beer: :beer: good luck
 
cruiser_guy said:
This is true for bearing pre-load. It is NOT true for knuckle centering.

When you rebuild, use the same shims in the SAME locations and add or subtract equally from the top and the bottom for bearing preload.
Click to expand...

Isotel said:
Marlins new seals make up for the fact that you will never get it perfectly centerd without the SST

http://www.marlincrawler.com/htm/axles.htm#hdseals

I wheeled all week in moab, and no leaks yet from my knuckles!
Click to expand...

The special service tool that you guys are calling the centering tool, does not center the knuckle for you. It helps you determine what the total shim thickness needs to be and then you are supposed to divide that in half for the top and half for the bottom. Having shims of equal thickness top and bottom is what centers the knuckle to the housing not the tool. Then by removing or adding equally from the top and bottom shims you set the preload and the fish scale lets measure the amount of preload.
 
KY854RUN said:
The special service tool that you guys are calling the centering tool, does not center the knuckle for you. It helps you determine what the total shim thickness needs to be and then you are supposed to divide that in half for the top and half for the bottom. Having shims of equal thickness top and bottom is what centers the knuckle to the housing not the tool. Then by removing or adding equally from the top and bottom shims you set the preload and the fish scale lets measure the amount of preload.
Click to expand...

Kevin, the bottom shims ONLY center the knuckle in the housing.

You top shims set your preload

consequently you could have different shim(s) thickness on top and bottom
 
67azcruizr said:
Kevin, the bottom shims ONLY center the knuckle in the housing.

Your top shims set your preload

consequently you could have different shim(s) thickness on top and bottom
Click to expand...

This is exactly right!

There is alot of misinformation in this post. For anyone who has never used the SST and doesn't quite understand how it is used look here:

http://www.ih8mud.com/tech/knuckle-center-fsm/knuckle-centering-tool.pdf

The tool allows you to measure the difference between your bearing seats and outer knuckle to determine the total amount of shims needed to set knuckle preload. It then measures the difference between inner axle centerline and spindle centerline to determine the amount of shims needed to center the two.

Using the fish scale only helps you set knuckle bearing preload. It does nothing to help you center the axle and spindle.

Bottom line - As mentioned above, keep track of your current shims and replace the same thickness shims in the same locations when you service the knuckle and you will probably be golden. If you have had a history of bushing wear, leaking inner axle seals, or you don't trust the previous owner's work, then borrow the SST and center the knuckle.
 
That looks like sound advice from you shipwreck, and to all other's who have contributed. thanks,
This would make for a good FAQ to be posted up
 
Wow....I guess you can find "it" on eBay.
 
Thanks, tried that already. $112 (which I didn't think was tooo bad). They are out of stock until 8/17 - I was hoping to find one sooner.
 
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