Knuckle rebuild? :(

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Beehanger

Beehanger

winter projects are hell
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Oct 4, 2020
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Idaho
Knuckle rebuild? Just walked out of a restaurant to see this pool of grease on my rig. Smells like grease can’t see where it’s seeping from. I’ve rebuilt the engine but no experience in this area.


Just started. Steering had felt a little weird lately as well.

Just trying to diagnose here if it’s easy.

IMG_6619.webp
 
Rebuilding the knuckles isn't too bad, just a little time consuming. Download an FSM and get a bunch of paper towels, a good rebuild kit, moly grease and a fish scale. Make sure you have a torque wrench too.
 
yotadude520 said:
Rebuilding the knuckles isn't too bad, just a little time consuming. Download an FSM and get a bunch of paper towels, a good rebuild kit, moly grease and a fish scale. Make sure you have a torque wrench too.
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Better to do both together?
 
3_puppies said:
locking hub gasket leaking
if there is oil mixed with the grease, that is when the knuckle needs serviced
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Can it cause wonky steering?
 
Jack up tire off ground and check for wheel bearing play . I bet you have loose front wheel bearings and that’s why your steering and tracking is feeling different. Either way a knuckle rebuild looks in order due to oil from hub seal.
 
Beehanger said:
How long before the truck explodes with this can I limp it for 5000 miles?
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If you have loose wheel bearings I would at the very least tighten them up before driving another 5000miles. It’s an easy job and you don’t even have to take the wheel off. I would also def keep an eye on your diff oil level if your axel seals are blown and you are leaking into the hub.
 
knuckle rebuild is a relatively simple and really satisfying. even kind of fun!! just messy. you need a hub nut socket which is like 54mm. brass drifts are helpful for getting cone washers out. otherwise regular socket set is all you need. you’ll be replacing the bearings anyway so no harm in driving it a while before doing the job. as mentioned above if you have some play now maybe just tighten the bearings up a bit to take up some play. you need the big socket to do that.
 
get the wheel off the ground and place hands at 12 an 6 oclock and try to shake it back and forth......will it move? If so, then the wheel bearings are bad. It will be decently obvious if they are. If bearings are bad, you want to change them sooner than later.

It looks like your inner axle seal is leaking, based on the consistency of the grease. Its recomened to replace that item anyway when doing a birf/knuckle seal replacement.

If its just leaking and the bearings are good, then I'd rock it for a bit, but start gettitng parts now and educating yourself.

And yes, do both sides at the same time.....you're already getting super dirty and greasy. The second one is always easier/quicker than the first.
 
onemanarmy said:
get the wheel off the ground and place hands at 12 an 6 oclock and try to shake it back and forth......will it move? If so, then the wheel bearings are bad. It will be decently obvious if they are. If bearings are bad, you want to change them sooner than later.

It looks like your inner axle seal is leaking, based on the consistency of the grease. Its recomened to replace that item anyway when doing a birf/knuckle seal replacement.

If its just leaking and the bearings are good, then I'd rock it for a bit, but start gettitng parts now and educating yourself.

And yes, do both sides at the same time.....you're already getting super dirty and greasy. The second one is always easier/quicker than the first.
Click to expand...
Thank you!
 
franklin40 said:
knuckle rebuild is a relatively simple and really satisfying. even kind of fun!! just messy. you need a hub nut socket which is like 54mm. brass drifts are helpful for getting cone washers out. otherwise regular socket set is all you need. you’ll be replacing the bearings anyway so no harm in driving it a while before doing the job. as mentioned above if you have some play now maybe just tighten the bearings up a bit to take up some play. you need the big socket to do that.
Click to expand...
Thank you!
 
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