knuckle rebuild snag/question

[LoneRanger]

My first steering knuckle rebuild and I'm on the reinstall phase of the left hand (driver side) knuckle. The housing is installed with the preload set and the steering arm in place. I'm trying to push the birfield back in place but the inner axle is snagging on something near the diff. The the part of the birf with the bearings won't go into the knuckle.

Any suggestions oh wise ones?

 

[cruiser88]

Oh I re-read....Have someone turn the driveshaft while you are trying to get the axle in the diff. Is that the trouble...axle will not go into the diff? Must be long long side?

Take the steering arm off then slide the birf in. It is not a Longfield birf is it?

 

[LoneRanger]

Oh I re-read....Have someone turn the driveshaft while you are trying to get the axle in the diff. Is that the trouble...axle will not go into the diff? Must be long long side?

Take the steering arm off then slide the birf in. It is not a Longfield birf is it?

Not Longfields. Just a stock birf. It is the long side. Axle won't go into the diff. That is the problem. I will try turning the driveshaft.

 

[cruiser88]

While somebody is turning the DS you may need to sort of lift on the outer axle/birf assemply to get it into place...sort of rotating it the same time. As long as the carrier is not bend it should go,

 

[inkpot]

Howdy! The very end of the inner axle shaft has to line up with the hole in the end of the side gear that sits in the carrier bearing. Plus the splines have to line up before it will slide in. It is a ticklish job on the long side. It is hard to move the inner around without leaning on the inner axle seal. IIRC, I used two hands on the Birf to aim and wiggle, and I used one foot to reach out and roll the diff flange around to line up the splines. I think it will engage about the time you pinch your fingers between the Birf and the knuckle housing. HTH. John

 

[coolotisdog]

I just did my knuckles a few months ago and struggled at the exact same point. The above suggestions are exactly what I did, you just have to keep wiggling/rotating the birfield until it slides into place. Its a little tricky but you'll get it.

 

[LoneRanger]

Thanks for all the replies. I got it in. It slipped right in after I turned the other side a little. I hope I didn't damage the seal. Its all back together.

Two responses from AZ. My home state. We're heading out that way in my 60 in a week or so.

 

[lehiguy]

I hope you used the Marlin inner seals, those babies work!

 

[cruiser88]

Thanks for all the replies. I got it in. It slipped right in after I turned the other side a little. I hope I didn't damage the seal. Its all back together.

Two responses from AZ. My home state. We're heading out that way in my 60 in a week or so.

I am sure the seal was fine. As long as you did not get rough with it. Even the cheaper ones are stronger than you think but the Marlins are pimping seals

 

[LoneRanger]

I am sure the seal was fine. As long as you did not get rough with it. Even the cheaper ones are stronger than you think but the Marlins are pimping seals

Thanks for your help. I ordered all my parts from TPI.