an den?
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I had the same issue your describing. It was the brass bushing in a front spindle.
I documented it in Post 173
NC LX450
Did you trade it in for something else?
Indeed, traded in the 80 and my pride for a Camry.
Please turn in your man-badge at the front desk.
Got it in the shop and pulled it apart. Dry spindle bushing.
When the knuckles were rebuilt, the guy who did them forgot to grease the brass spindle bushing on the driver side. This dry bushing caused the whole issue.
Shop took complete care for me, felt horrible and pulled the whole thing apart/re did it to make sure everything else was done properly within a day.
Hey! Nothing unmanly about protecting animalsFirst I need to become a vegan and do yoga in my spare time.
Kevin, how are you checking the grease level of the knuckle?They didn't need to take anything apart. If the moly grease level is at the correct level the bushing is self greasing, so could have checked/added grease. Guessing the level was never right, understandable, when apart it's difficult to judge the amount needed. We always check/adjust after a few hundred miles, then a few times a year to maintain it.
Kevin, how are you checking the grease level of the knuckle?
GraciasThe easy/at a glance method; look at the ball, there will often be a witness line where the grease level is. Will build a bigger grease line where the grease is and smaller where there is none. Not definitive, but gives a good indication. In this poor pic, can see that it's at the bottom of the axle tube, want it to be at least halfway, preferably closer to the top of the tube.
View attachment 1587781
The other method; remove the plug, clean the grease skin from the hole, using a flashlight look into the hole, ideally want the grease level at the top of the bushing. The challenge is; the knuckle doesn't have a breather, so has to have airspace, if it's solid full, will push excess grease into the axle and wheel bearings. So we add some drive a few hundred miles, recheck/add, repeat, until its at the correct level, then check/add a couple of times a year to maintain the level.
Most don't do this, its common to see them low/dry. If the level is maintained parts last a longtime, when run without lube part life is greatly reduced. As long as the grease level is correct, we see very good birf life, even with 37"s and wheeled often, if the grease level is low, they can be quickly ruined.