an oldie but a goodie quick-release knuckle mod for solid front axles.

[veiloctane]

just in case your living under a rock

 

[mudgudgeon]

just in case your living under a rock

Under a rock you say? I'll fix my birf, and crawl over your rock while you're still under it trying to put wiper seals back together

I actually think it's better / preferable to take apart the spindle, leave the knuckle intact.

A few reasons,
I don't want to **** with the knuckle studs and nuts. They are kinda problematic (check yer nutz!)

I don't want to mess about with the 5mm bolts (10mm socket) holding the wiper seal in place when it's all caked in mud/dirt/grease.

I don't want to pull a tie rod end unnecessarily. They can be a bear to pop loose, and the ball can often spin in the socket when you're undoing used rod ends, meaning you may not be able to torque it down again on reassembly



To take the spindle off . . .

He's done a bunch of the same steps required to take the spindle off anyway.
(Remove hub flange, remove calliper)

The spindle has larger hardware (8mm bolts, 14mm socket).

You're not disturbing the knuckle studs, or wiper seals. You aren't opening up the knuckle to dirt.

It's easy to slip the hub of the spindle.

All the hardware is accessible from the outer face of the hub (except caliper bolts which can be undone blindfolded)

Its easy with the right tool to undo wheel bearing nuts and re-adjust, retorque.

You're not inviting your 10mm socket to flee into the undergrowth.


To me, it's debatable the camo method is any quicker.
It's a debate I've had on the trail, and had guys watch me pull the hub to pull busted birfs and comment on how quick it was after telling me I should pull the knuckle coz it's soooo much faster.

I keep a couple of 2'x2' heavy PVC tarp in my trail to bag. Put a square down under the hub so you have a clean spot to lay out tools, fasteners etc.
keep the critical bits out of the dirt.

Anyway, there's multiple ways to skin a cat

 

[ChaseTruck]

Yes, but you won’t have to struggle with the cone washers at the drive plate

 

[too tall]

Yes, but you won’t have to struggle with the cone washers at the drive plate

If you are wheeling hard enough to break birfs, you should consider tapping out the hubs to accept 7/16" fine thread cap screw bolts. Then you don't have to deal with the cones. I did it that way for years until I went to 7/16" bolts on the drive flanges. I find its waaaaay less chance of issues during or afterward when you remove the spindle to get in there. I think someone should do a race and see which is faster start to finish. My son's new rig has ifs hubs with tacoma rotors (the hat slips right off the outside) so he can actually pull the spindle without removing the wheel bearings. It is very fast.