Greasing the steering (2 Viewers)

[Deckpilot]

78 Fj40, I found a grease fitting on every joint of the steering linkage except one. This is going to sound a little confusing...

The one on the member that the steering stabilizer connects to that runs accross to the passenger side. (Sorry, I don't know the name of the rod.) The castellated nut and cotter pin are on top, and on the bottom, unlike all the other joints, there is no grease fitting. Is this a sealed joint, or had it been broken off?

 

[Poser]

I would bet that it has broken off, not that uncommon. But, I have seen joints that do not have a zerk port in them also. What type of grease are you using, did you get the zerk on the relay rod that travels from the steering gear to the bellcrank? Did you get the bellcrank? Are you going to remove the pipe plugs and put some Moly in the birf housings?

Good luck!

-Steve

 

[Deckpilot]

I got the two you mentioned, there is so much dirt and grease caked on around the the hubs that I can't really see anything until I get it cleaned off, except on the dome shaped assembly (again, I dont know the nomenclature) that the wheel assembly actually pivots on, grease seems to be readily seeping out. And I haven't added any to those areas. I assume thats why those areas are so dirty.

This can't be normal...

 

[Poser]

Sounds like you are a candidate for a front-end ectomy! There are pipe plugs on the top of the knuckle, the part that the wheel pivots on, one on each side. That is where you would put the grease nozzle to pump molybdenum grease into the knuckle, after turning the wheels one way or the other, to allow the grease to get to the joint. Do you have a factory chassis and body manual? If not, this would be a very good investment. If grease is weeping out past the seals on the back side, or inboard side of the knuckle, this is an indicator that the inner axle seal is probably letting gear oil from the differential past, and thinning the grease, allowing it to make a mess on the knuckle.


Good luck!

-Steve

 

[Deckpilot]

Oh thats outstanding. Especially the part about the oil coming out of the diff. Yeah Ill be looking into a manual now I suppose.

 

[dinkleberry]

[quote author=Poser link=board=1;threadid=10097;start=msg89969#msg89969 date=1074043785]
Sounds like you are a candidate for a front-end ectomy! There are pipe plugs on the top of the knuckle, the part that the wheel pivots on, one on each side. That is where you would put the grease nozzle to pump molybdenum grease into the knuckle, after turning the wheels one way or the other, to allow the grease to get to the joint. Do you have a factory chassis and body manual? If not, this would be a very good investment. If grease is weeping out past the seals on the back side, or inboard side of the knuckle, this is an indicator that the inner axle seal is probably letting gear oil from the differential past, and thinning the grease, allowing it to make a mess on the knuckle.
[/quote]

Is the knuckle supposed to be completely clean? Mine tends to get a little caked up stuff on it after a month or so. Doesn't seem like much. It also doesn't seem thin.

Is that normal or is any leakage a sign it needs a rebuild?

 

[Poser]

There is supposed to be a little amount of grease on the backside of the knuckle, right by where the wiper covers, the two metal halves that are bolted to the backside of the knuckle, meets the ball. If there is a large accumulation of grease getting past the knuckle wiper seal, ie, you can see a layer of grease on the ball, then I would replace the wipers, which requires a total disassembly of the knuckle. The ones that I have rebuilt over the years that have seen daily use do not have a large amount of grease on the backside of the knuckle, and get greased whenever the grease gun goes under the truck.

I think in the 80 series forum there is a far more informative write up about this topic.

Good luck!

-Steve