knuckle ball rust question (1 Viewer)

[CanadianCoast]

I did knuckle rebuild mid September, I haven't driven it much since then and know I've noticed that the knuckle balls are rusty, do I need to adjust the felts or something so more grease is getting left on the metal? I feel like even when not getting driven is should not rust due to a small film of grease ?

this is my first solid axle vehicle so I'm just trying to figure this all out

 

[BILT4ME]

I did knuckle rebuild mid September, I haven't driven it much since then and know I've noticed that the knuckle balls are rusty, do I need to adjust the felts or something so more grease is getting left on the metal? I feel like even when not getting driven is should not rust due to a small film of grease ?

this is my first solid axle vehicle so I'm just trying to figure this all out

Did you fill the knuckle housing with grease? If so, it should be smearing it around. If not, you need to fill it and drive it.

 

[CanadianCoast]

Did you fill the knuckle housing with grease? If so, it should be smearing it around. If not, you need to fill it and drive it.

yup I filled it 2/3rds or so, i read a few write ups on here, had a FSM and watched videos on it

 

[ppc]

There is no adjustment on the seals. If you are not driving it much just smear a thin layer of grease over the ball. Eventually with more usage the problem will resolve itself.

 

[80t0ylc]

Pics will help us to see if there might be an issue. I subbed in Trail Gear wiper set instead of the felt wipers when I rebuilt my front end. Zuk at @gearinstalls.com recommended them. IMHO they do a better job keeping grease in and dirt out than the OEM felts. Also don't get as much build up of grease on the edges of the knuckle balls.

 

[CanadianCoast]

this is the only pic I managed to grab this morning that wasn't blurry, I'll hopefully have time to get under it today when I'm off work to take a better look and grab some better photos

 

[BILT4ME]

View attachment 2527271
this is the only pic I managed to grab this morning that wasn't blurry, I'll hopefully have time to get under it today when I'm off work to take a better look and grab some better photos

Is that before or after the rebuild?

 

[1911garand]

View attachment 2527271
this is the only pic I managed to grab this morning that wasn't blurry, I'll hopefully have time to get under it today when I'm off work to take a better look and grab some better photos

That pic shows low grease level.

 

[CanadianCoast]

Is that before or after the rebuild?

after

 

[BILT4ME]

after

Very low grease level Also, did you clean up the parts before reinstalling? Lots of dirt and grease balls still stuck to heads of bolts, so it made me think it was pre-rebuild.

A bit of Scotch-Brite pad on the balls, then grease them and add a tube of grease to each side knuckle housing through the square plug on top. Should be moly based grease like Valvoline Palladium (don't mix incompatible greases)

 

[CanadianCoast]

here is before, lots of grease/crud build up before all over the knuble and bolts
the reason there is so much dirt and s*** is I took it out on some dirt roads and they were very silty/fine mud so it coated the underside so it make every thing look bad,

during the rebuild I used this

and used I think around 2.5 tubs for the birfield and knuckle per side

I did clean up all the parts and scotch bighted the balls

 

[BILT4ME]

View attachment 2527308
here is before, lots of grease/crud build up before all over the knuble and bolts
the reason there is so much dirt and s*** is I took it out on some dirt roads and they were very silty/fine mud so it coated the underside so it make every thing look bad,

during the rebuild I used thisView attachment 2527309
and used I think around 2.5 tubs for the birfield and knuckle per side

I did clean up all the parts and scotch bighted the balls

You can put that into a Ziploc bag, cut off the corner and make it like a cake decorating bag and squeeze it into the square plug on top. They should be about 3/4 full, so push in about another 10-14 oz, drive it a bit to get it good and warmed up, then maybe do it again to make sure it is full.

Definitely need to clean and grease the balls otherwise the rust will eat the seal when you do start driving it, then it will leak a lot.

 

[CanadianCoast]

You can put that into a Ziploc bag, cut off the corner and make it like a cake decorating bag and squeeze it into the square plug on top. They should be about 3/4 full, so push in about another 10-14 oz, drive it a bit to get it good and warmed up, then maybe do it again to make sure it is full.

Definitely need to clean and grease the balls otherwise the rust will eat the seal when you do start driving it, then it will leak a lot.

Ah thats a good idea, and okay, would it be the good to unbolt the felt/wipers so I can clean off the rust/ regrease easier?

 

[BILT4ME]

Ah thats a good idea, and okay, would it be the good to unbolt the felt/wipers so I can clean off the rust/ regrease easier?

No, just turn the wheels one direction, buff and lube the exposed half on each side, then turn the wheels the other direction and do it again.

 

[Malleus]

I wouldn't. You'll wind up getting the rust you remove on the face side of the seals and then it's Typhoid Mary all over again. It's just surface rust; I wouldn't stress about it. Wipe it down with parrafin dissolved in ATF (use the cheap stuff) and call it good until the weather warms up and you can break everything down and give a it a proper cleaning (if you're like me and just want everything to look shiny).

 

[clx16]

I think the general idea is that balls that get rubbed regularly with the right lubricant, don't rust.