Sorry for another axle seal post, but I've been through as many as I could find and have tried everything in the forums with no success.
A few years ago, I decided to upgrade my diffs to 4.88 for my 35" tires. While I had it all apart, I went ahead and upgraded the front axles to RCV's.
Not more than a few months later, my birfields were leaking and the grease was gear oil soup. Did the knuckle jobs and a few months later same thing. I would literally have to do a knuckle job every 2 trips we took. This year, it seems like every trip we take we end up with a knuckle job.
Here's whats been replaced:
Replaced the diff with a lightly used unit from a friend that only wheeled it for maybe 10k. Already had the 4.88's on it.
New RCV Axles and birfields
New OEM seals
New bearings
New spindles and spindle bushings from Cruiser Outfitters
New tie rod ends
New upgraded lower knuckle studs
New preload shims
The last item I can think of is to check the alignment of the birfield in the housing. I may have removed the lower knuckle shim the first time I did the knuckle job, but that was so long ago, I don't recall.
One other thing I noticed the last time I did the knuckle job was that my birfields didn't seem to move very smoothly, almost as if they were kind of tight. I don't recall how they felt when I first put them in, and I've seen a few posts of people saying that this is normal, but seems wrong.
Our trips are light off road, mostly desert. Nothing like the Rubicon.
Any guidance would be appreciated. I'd love to take a trip and not have to do another knuckle job for at least a year or two.
A few years ago, I decided to upgrade my diffs to 4.88 for my 35" tires. While I had it all apart, I went ahead and upgraded the front axles to RCV's.
Not more than a few months later, my birfields were leaking and the grease was gear oil soup. Did the knuckle jobs and a few months later same thing. I would literally have to do a knuckle job every 2 trips we took. This year, it seems like every trip we take we end up with a knuckle job.
Here's whats been replaced:
Replaced the diff with a lightly used unit from a friend that only wheeled it for maybe 10k. Already had the 4.88's on it.
New RCV Axles and birfields
New OEM seals
New bearings
New spindles and spindle bushings from Cruiser Outfitters
New tie rod ends
New upgraded lower knuckle studs
New preload shims
The last item I can think of is to check the alignment of the birfield in the housing. I may have removed the lower knuckle shim the first time I did the knuckle job, but that was so long ago, I don't recall.
One other thing I noticed the last time I did the knuckle job was that my birfields didn't seem to move very smoothly, almost as if they were kind of tight. I don't recall how they felt when I first put them in, and I've seen a few posts of people saying that this is normal, but seems wrong.
Our trips are light off road, mostly desert. Nothing like the Rubicon.
Any guidance would be appreciated. I'd love to take a trip and not have to do another knuckle job for at least a year or two.
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