Aftermarket Steering Knuckle Experience (1 Viewer)

[Beto Cruiser]

Had a loose FL wheel bearing. Chewed up the splines on my CV and scored the steering knuckle spindle. I tried finding information on steering knuckles on here but there wasn't much. It isn't a part people have to change very often, and when they did they all went OEM (~$550-600 shipped from partsouq). Wasn't an option for me at this time. So I looked for an aftermarket one. Hard to find. Limited demand I guess. Found one option on eBay and another on Amazon. Both unbranded, probably same manufacturer, and both ~$160 shipped. I have Prime so I figured I could return for free, worth a shot.

Don't bother. Go OEM or reuse. I ended up just reusing my scored spindle. If I have to check my wheel bearings more often as a result, so be it. I'll buy a new OEM knuckle sometime down the road.

Fit was close to OEM but not exact. Tons of manufacturing defects. Who knows the quality of the metal/casting itself. All around a terrible part. I returned it.

FWIW, I also tried junkyard OEM replacement. No-go. The only one I found was also scored and it came from a yard that pulled the part themselves. I watched them remove it. Wow. Never buying from a junkyard. They are brutal in their removal of parts. Totally destroyed the front sus components trying to pull the knuckle.


TL;DR
Reuse existing or go OEM for steering knuckles.

 

[Albertoejl]

Had a loose FL wheel bearing. Chewed up the splines on my CV and scored the steering knuckle spindle. I tried finding information on steering knuckles on here but there wasn't much. It isn't a part people have to change very often, and when they did they all went OEM (~$550-600 shipped from partsouq). Wasn't an option for me at this time. So I looked for an aftermarket one. Hard to find. Limited demand I guess. Found one option on eBay and another on Amazon. Both unbranded, probably same manufacturer, and both ~$160 shipped. I have Prime so I figured I could return for free, worth a shot.

Don't bother. Go OEM or reuse. I ended up just reusing my scored spindle. If I have to check my wheel bearings more often as a result, so be it. I'll buy a new OEM knuckle sometime down the road.

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Fit was close to OEM but not exact. Tons of manufacturing defects. Who knows the quality of the metal/casting itself. All around a terrible part. I returned it.

FWIW, I also tried junkyard OEM replacement. No-go. The only one I found was also scored and it came from a yard that pulled the part themselves. I watched them remove it. Wow. Never buying from a junkyard. They are brutal in their removal of parts. Totally destroyed the front sus components trying to pull the knuckle.


TL;DR
Reuse existing or go OEM for steering knuckles.

i was just about to by amazon aftermarket knuckle for price, after your commnet, ill go for OME, thanks for the info

 

[Beto Cruiser]

i was just about to by amazon aftermarket knuckle for price, after your commnet, ill go for OME, thanks for the info

I bought a new one from Impex a few months ago. Much, much better quality.

 

[3_puppies]

did you try a wanted post here in the classifieds?

Classifieds - Parts

Got more stuff in the garage than you know what to do with? One man's junk is another's treasure!

forum.ih8mud.com

 

[2001LC]

Scoring on spindle shafts, where bearing rides. In most cases, is mild. Mild scoring, can be polished off with a fine emery cloth. Working 360 degrees on each pass, to avoid creating any flat spot. Then test fit with new bearing(s) inner race.

The spindle is not a bearing surface. It's a guide, to align the inner race of bearings. Scoring where large bearing butts to, that metal removed or pound inward. Is compensated for by using thicker snap ring.

This spindle will clean up nicely, and bearings will ride sung & true.

The most important thing with knuckle. Is that it not be bent. Which happens in accidents. They can be bent in different ways. Here's one example.

Good

Bent

 

[2001LC]

Another area of knuckle, that may need some restoring. Is where boot(s) of ball joint(s) rides. We want a flat surface for boot to seal on. This is why pounding off ball joints/TREs with BFH, is a bad idea.

Boot seals, on circular line. Seal of ball joint/TRE boot, may now be compromised.

 

[samwise]

I am tagging onto this thread as I am having some similar issues. I bought this 2000 100 series (200k miles) in the fall and have been trying to slowly update the neglected maintenance. I noticed a sound to the front drivers hub and realized it was the lower ball joint, while I was in there, I noticed that the outer bearings were loose. I noticed the tooth on the claw washer had moved some on the spindle, and the tooth was worn down, also the lock nut tooth was broken off. I did not have a replacement claw washer, but did have a lock washer, so replaced it with this until I could get a new claw washer. The ball joint sound was gone but still a sound.

When I took the hub apart again to replace the claw washer I saw the claw had moved again and lock washer tooth broke again, I had new ones and replaced both, I carefully follow the FSM as well as the advice given by 2001LC for setting front wheel bearings. (thank you 2001LC if you read this, you have some awesome posts!)

But only 10 or 15 miles the sound was back again, when I pulled it apart this time and looked closer. I realize that the claw washer was moving because the threads on the spindle were worn down.
You can see in the pictures it only shifts so far.

Toyota oem steering knuckle is $600-900, after market on Amazon, $120 (doesn’t appear the same as the bad one mentioned above) it has 6
what appear to be real reviews giving it five stars.

I’m in a bit of a time crunch, and money is tight, is there anyway I can make this work with how I have it now?

Thank you for any help

 

[samwise]

Got some more pics, am I not seating this far enough? Should the claw washer be in the position below? I don’t think I can get it that far in? It sits more on the 2-3rd thread.

Others pics for reference

 

[Bisho]

You could get one from a wrecking yard.

 

[3_puppies]

@samwise sending a PM
I'm in Helena and have good used units available.

 

[2001LC]

The only time, I've replace a steering knuckle. Is when, it's bent in and accident.

I've had a few with damaged spindle threads. This is most often caused be reusing lock washer. During install lock washer may spin, tearing its key/tab. Then when removing, metal of key gets into threads of spindle ripping at them, as adjusting nut removed.

I've also had claw washer key/tab spin, out of keep of spindle, as yours did. This is due to old claw washer being reused, that ID enlarged (damaged) and/or keep worn down. The damage happen from loose wheel bearing chatter (vibration). Which those, claw washers, are usually very scored (grooved).
I've turned claws washer back, to get key/tab back into groove of spindle. Also, I've ground the tab off claw washer in place, while on spindle. So that I do not damage thread further.

If threads of adjusting nut or lock nut damaged. Which includes worn down or even stretched. Replace them.

If threads of spindle damaged, correct them.

As long as nuts threads sung and torque down, their fine. Note: even new have some play.

Tip: Grease the claw washer, nuts and lock washer. This reduce assembly friction, that may otherwise result in spinning ripping key/tab out of spindle groove.

First one a had spindle thread damage on. I spend 5 hours filing on threads very carefully, to save it. Which I worked fine.
Since then. I've tooled up, with this die to chase threads, for faster thread repair.

 

[samwise]

Thank you for the very informative response! I get a new claw washer and lock washer in the mail tomorrow.
So if I use those then I should be good to reuse this spindle?

I also was reading more of your threads 2001lc and you mentioned grease temp. It’s about 10* f outside right now and around 30 in my garage, so I wonder if that is messing with getting them set?

Would driving a little bit then immediately checking preload again help that? Any other advice?
Thanks again!

 

[2001LC]

Thank you for the very informative response! I get a new claw washer and lock washer in the mail tomorrow.
So if I use those then I should be good to reuse this spindle?

I also was reading more of your threads 2001lc and you mentioned grease temp. It’s about 10* f outside right now and around 30 in my garage, so I wonder if that is messing with getting them set?

Would driving a little bit then immediately checking preload again help that? Any other advice?
Thanks again!

"So if I use those then I should be good to reuse this spindle?" Likely reusable. Re-read post #11!

You really want grease, bearings, races, wheel hub, nuts, claw washer, spindle warmed up. ~68F or higher is ideal.

You could drive to heat wheel hub. But then you'd need to remove hub flange and replace parts, to adjust. You'd need need lock washer, snap ring and grease cap and maybe HF gasket.

I suggest you just, plan for warmest day and time of day. Use a space heater on spindle/knuckle. Keep assembled wheel hub warm, in the house.

 

[samwise]

Thanks again for the help, I put the hub assembly by the fire over night, then assembled the next day. Definitely makes a difference with the grease. With a new claw washer it all came together fine. Still hasn’t fixed my front end noise even after new oem cv axle. So will continue searching on that.