2020 Knuckle Therapy

[HardyDanger]

Trouble???

 

[HardyDanger]

Did the seal puller do those ridges in there?

the inner seal didn’t put up a fight, but ....

 

[HardyDanger]

The gouges on seal don’t seem to align with where I pulled on it, so pre-existing.
Begs the question...should I do anything to polish that surface up?

 

[KC masterpiece]

Best of luck with your HOA. I do HOA management for a living. I always hate having to issue citations for people doing their own work....

I don't feel that bad about it when it is a moron doing the work. A few weeks back I had a guy replace his WP and Radiator in a parking garage. He thought it was okay to just dump all of the coolant on the ground and call it a day.

I do bad when I have to send a violation notice to someone like you who is clearly being careful and clean while doing the work.

 

[HardyDanger]

That’s a wrap for 2 day. About 2.5 hours all in. Got the axle and birf apart and soaking. Yeah. Now, just freaking about those gouges.

I hear you @KC masterpiece I adhere to “leave no trace” when all is said and done.

 

[KC masterpiece]

Looks better then my driveway did when I was done!

 

[lp2k]

I’m with ya on this one. The seal puller may be a bit too harsh on that soft metal on pulling the seal out. I used the lisle which otramm used and put a little mark when I made my first attempt. So I put some painters tape on it to prevent metal on metal contact and that allowed me to pull the seal but not make a mark on my axle. I hope one of the SMEs can chime in on how to address those gouges. Will post a pic of mine when I’m by my cell phone. The good about a really neglected cruiser, no gauges since no one has done any maintaining of the cruiser in 25 years lol. Modified rig, someone may have been in there and done some stuff... hard to take the knuckle and seal out to do a pre-inspection.

maybe a small bead of gasket maker once you have the new seal in? That will prevent any leaks in or out but make it easy to repair in 2-5 years.

 

[WCBlueSky]

should I do anything to polish that surface up

I used some 800 grit sand paper on mine to clean it up, then put a thin bead of FIPG (actually Permatex the Right Stuff) on the outside edge of the seal for good measure. And I'm not the only one who does this:

 

[Rusty Marlin]

That’s a wrap for 2 day. About 2.5 hours all in. Got the axle and birf apart and soaking. Yeah. Now, just freaking about those gouges.
View attachment 2532144

I hear you @KC masterpiece I adhere to “leave no trace” when all is said and done.

You got it this far...
Jack it up under the front frame horns, droop that axle end, pop in new springs and shocks, extended brake lines, swaybar drops and some new radius arms and... POOF!
"Jeez Baby, I don't know what happened. I rebuilt the knuckle and somehow the truck got lifted. "
"It was !"

 

[HardyDanger]

You got it this far...
Jack it up under the front frame horns, droop that axle end, drop in new springs and shocks, extended brake lines, swaybar drops and some new radius arms and... POOF!
"Jeez Baby, I don't know what happened. I rebuilt the knuckle and somehow the truck got lifted. "
"It was !"

“I believe!”
Extended lines are coming from Santa Slee, so maybe the @crikeymike sleigh will drop off a little something something under the ol’jack stand?!?!

 

[MrMikeyG]

I ran up 16 hours doing mine the first time. My disassembly times were good, my reassembly times suffered a bit here and there, where I really ate up hours was in hand cleaning parts. I also had to pull drivers side apart again 4 days later to correct my lack of packing the birfield joint. I did 4 new calipers, 4 new rotors, 4 new soft lines, tie rod ends, and front diff fluid change in that total time. Not that we should be doing this job super often, but what I think would have helped me was a piece of note paper with the torque specs for just the knuckle stuff on a sheet all by themselves. The super budget version of the nice posters that @NLXTACY sells.
It looks like you're rockin' and rollin' though.

 

[MrMikeyG]

Oh, that trick with 2 studs to help reassembly is very much worth it!

 

[HardyDanger]

Welp.
ordered these for the rear, just in case. I have rebuild supplies too, but not going to tear into them if they look like poo.

Figure will try these on for size, if the suck, well so be it, will pony up for something else when I do the lift next year.

DRIVESTAR 19B1655 19B1656 Left&Right Rear Brake Calipers for Lexus 1996-97 LX450, for Toyota 1993-97 Land Cruiser Disc Brake Calipers, Brake Caliper Assembly Amazon product ASIN B01MY5U071
You know...
buy twice, cry twice....

And yes, on board with the two stud trick!!
Tomorrow diving into the right side.

 

[NLXTACY]

Just finished this job myself

 

[ZackR]

Looking good so far. I'd smooth out the axle seal surface a bit with some fine sandpaper before reassembly.

Be sure to read up on the bearing preload best practice, it's one thing the FSM falls short on.

Additionally leave the new wheel bearings in the freezer overnight and they will pop in easier.

 

[lp2k]

Oh, that trick with 2 studs to help reassembly is very much worth it!

Knuckle build grocery list-

1. 54 mm socket (wits end is preferred as it’s dual purpose)
2. Seal driver ($34 wits end)
3. 2x exhaust studs (10mm x 1.25 pitch, 42mm length) (3.99 each at ace hardware)

 

[HardyDanger]

I mean, if there ever was such a thing as knuckle Porn, there it is @NLXTACY those nut huggers, those TREs, those studs!!!

awesome @ZackR races are in the freezer! I’ve got an extra set of the lock tabs if I mess up, but I don’t plan too. I rebuilt the rear axles awhile ago and got some practice in there, albeit different lock ring back there.

and yup! I’ve been on the nice list @lp2k I got me all those bobbles already!

 

[Rwhat]

On the Russell bleeders, compare them to one of the old ones you pull out. The tips on the factory nipples are blunted. I ground mine down to match the factory tip, otherwise you may end up with leaks.

Yup, ran them on all of mine. They wouldn’t seat good. When I pulled them out the tips crushed into the bleeder orifice. Not worth the upgrade on the LC.

 

[HardyDanger]

Holy Mother of Mud!!

found the forward two nuts like this....so loose I could mount a putty knife!!

scary... #checkyournuts

 

[HardyDanger]

Blarg....next batch of nut huggers is Jan 8. #nexttime