knuckle job

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toynut

toynut

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any one here doing a knuckle job , i want to watch as i am going to tackle mine soon , also do i need to buy any special tools ? , i am wondering if i should be replacing my rotors or any thing like that while i am at it ?

thanks kevin .
 
if your rotors are worn it's nice to do them, as you have it all part then.

You will need;
54 mm hub socket(snap isn't too expensive and its a good trail tool).
brass drift, big and heavy.
3lb sledge hammer
various sockets.
10mm flarenut wrench(rusty brake lines)
snap ring plier, the kind with flat surfaces that spread open a snap ring.

That's the min items.

Basically you pull the hubs off, brake rotors, and remove the wheel nuts...etc. Good write ups in the mud tech area.

4wheelauto has some good kits for about 225 each.

I did my brake pads/rotors, wheel bearings with new, inner axle seals, new felts, new pinion(king pin) bearings,....

It's a full weekend job. My cruiser was rusty, cone washers were stuck hard, and it was messy. But when I was done I felt very intune with my truck.

Now I just want to be out of tune with my truck..
 
You need a special socket to adjust your wheel hub bearings, maybe just borrow one from somebody. Your rotors would need machining if they are scored or glazed, otherwise replaced if there are blue heat spots on them. Then new brake pads if you replace the rotors. Yes, you should watch somebody or get help with the job for the first time. Its a labour intensive and messy job. Those little brass cone washers can be a bugger to drive out. There is also a snap ring in there and you need snap ring pliers to get that out. The small knuckle bearings are often worn out. Make sure you get the steel shims back in the same way they were before, otherwise your camber will be changed. You can buy and entire kit, complete with gaskets, seals, knuckle bearings, etc. from Steve T, Rob Millson, or Greg B. One item of concern is sometimes what kind of grease to pack the Birfields in. The manual says for a lithium/moly grease but every mechanic seems to have their favorite grease or idea what to do about that. Examine the rubber brake lines for cracks and bulges too. Give yourself lots of time for this job, maybe a whole weekend for the first time. Some guys will tell you they did the job in 2 hours, but don't believe it.
 
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I don't like to machine rotors. If they need it, might as well replace. Everytime I machined rotors on one of my vehicles they warped right away.

I get mixed results for different toyota dealers too, the one my uncle used to own never machined them. They were in spec or replaced.

If they are not pulsating on your foot and are not worn out I would just stick new pads in.
 
When re-installing the cone washers use anti-sieze. Next time you do the rebuild you'll be glad you did. My cone washers pop out right away when I give it a whack.
 
I did this last year on my 74. Got the snap-ring pliers at Princess Auto and the the brass drifts at KMS tools. Job was very messy, but you learn a lot. I found with the brass drifts the cone washers popped right out.
 
I've need to lower that price
new price is $170 due to exchange rate
all Koyo bearings and Japanese parts, no crap parts in these kits!
 
brownbear said:
thats a good price IMOP. $wheelauto is selling them for 225 last time I bought.
Click to expand...

So would there be any reason not to get the kit listed here?
http://www.cruiseroutfitters.com/seals.html

Koyo bearings and all. Is there something this kit doesn't include?
It sure is a lot cheaper than elsewhere, at $87. Even with Koyo wheel bearings it is still cheaper!
 
skeletalmachine said:
So would there be any reason not to get the kit listed here?
http://www.cruiseroutfitters.com/seals.html

Koyo bearings and all. Is there something this kit doesn't include?
It sure is a lot cheaper than elsewhere, at $87. Even with Koyo wheel bearings it is still cheaper!
Click to expand...

It's a good price, yes
is it the same kit?, I don't know
is it being sold at their cost? probably (lost leader most likely)
when buying it, are you supporting the US economy, yes
when buying it, are you supporting the Canadian economy, no
will you have to pay shipping and brokerage, yes
I'm sure UPS is seeing some huge profits form brokerage fees

Good customers get good prices and service
Loyal customers get great prices and service
 
I plan to buy from EBI , price is important but there are things more important than price like customer servive and driving in when ive blown a heater hose and having it fixed on the spot and being charged a ridiculously low price .

will cruiser outfitters spend 20- 30 minutes explaining the details on how to fix somthing i doubt it !
 
skeletalmachine said:
So would there be any reason not to get the kit listed here?
http://www.cruiseroutfitters.com/seals.html

Koyo bearings and all. Is there something this kit doesn't include?
It sure is a lot cheaper than elsewhere, at $87. Even with Koyo wheel bearings it is still cheaper!
Click to expand...

i just checked the web site the $ 87 dollar price does not include wheel bearings , it is $165 with wheel bearings .
 
toynut said:
would any one even consider just doing the felt wiper or is this akin to kissing your sister .
Click to expand...

the wiper only keeps dirt out of the knuckle. It does not keep anything in. The inner axle seal is the "main" reason to go in. When it starts seeping gear oil thru the knuckle from the pumkin you will see lots of oil on the bottom of the knuckle.
 
skeletalmachine said:
So would there be any reason not to get the kit listed here?
http://www.cruiseroutfitters.com/seals.html

Koyo bearings and all. Is there something this kit doesn't include?
It sure is a lot cheaper than elsewhere, at $87. Even with Koyo wheel bearings it is still cheaper!
Click to expand...


if you order is at 87 bucks. Shipping will be about 40(guessing) then ups will charge brokerage(40-50 bucks) then you will pay duty as it is not covered under nafta. That 87 dollar part ends up costing 200 bucks.


I ordered in the past a bunch of stuff from SOR. The shipping is always the cost of the goods or more.

I prefer to just buy it locally if available.
 
brownbear said:
if you order is at 87 bucks. Shipping will be about 40(guessing) then ups will charge brokerage(40-50 bucks) then you will pay duty as it is not covered under nafta. That 87 dollar part ends up costing 200 bucks.


I ordered in the past a bunch of stuff from SOR. The shipping is always the cost of the goods or more.

I prefer to just buy it locally if available.
Click to expand...

CruiserOutfitters ship USPS, not UPS. But you are right, if it were UPS it would end up costing $200. USPS is much cheaper but slightly slower and you get no tracking number. Another bonus is that if you are not around when they deliver the package you can go pick it up at the local post office. Duty is hit or miss, I've had to pay duties about 50% of the time on auto parts. Even still, they are minimal compared to the savings. If the price was within 10% I would definitely buy local but at 50% savings I would just be stupid to order anywhere else.

I used to feel strongly about supporting local business. The disparity in prices between the US and Canada combined with the lack of in store stock and the strong Canadian dollar has me feeling something else strongly, ripped off.

I just don't think I can justify paying twice the price for good customer service. That being said, customer service definitely has a value and clearly many here believe they are getting their moneys worth from EBI in that department.
 
its only five dollars cheaper with wheel bearings as far as i read it ebi's kit comes with koyo bearings for $170 , the online one is $165 ?

am i missing somthing ???
 
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