knuckle stud thread

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mmuthart said:
My passenger side knuckle assembly as been rebuilt for a couple weeks now. Only one surprise, the missing knuckle bolt wasn't just missing it was sheared off. I had to drill it out.
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Broken studs are relatively common, when/if they have been run loose. I have never had to drill one out, but I don't use Loc-tite in this application.

mmuthart said:
This was my first rebuild so I really took my time and made sure I didn't screw anything up. I used red loctite on the new studs and nuts as well. Used loctite on the 2 top trunion cap bolts as well.
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With Loc-Tite on them, how do you plan to recheck torque/bolt tension?:confused:

mmuthart said:
She seems to be doing fine after a few hundred miles. My only concern is the lack of any visible grease (see pic.). I'm tempted to pump in some more moly but don't want to overfill. Thoughts? ...
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With fresh seals and grease it takes a while to form a detectable grease line. I check visually through the fill hole and top off as needed.
 
mmuthart said:
Oh, one more note: I got the Marlin inner axle seals but ended up using OEM after finding a thread not recommending them for the AWD 80.
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I thought you have a part-time rig. I saw AVM hubs in your first pic.
 
Tools R Us said:
With Loc-Tite on them, how do you plan to recheck torque/bolt tension?:confused:
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Well, I figured if I put a wrench to all my locktite'd bolts/nuts and they weren't loose, I could safely assume that they have not moved (loosened) and would not need re-torquing. (They were all torqued to the proper spec. upon final reassembly.) Am I way off?
 
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nicholas said:
I thought you have a part-time rig. I saw AVM hubs in your first pic.
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Just the hubs. I had the entire kit (new transfer case bits) but decided to keep AWD.
 
I think most might locktite the studs in the knuckle, but not the nuts on the studs!

If you get in the habit of re-torquing every now and then, your knuckles will have a long and healthy life.
 
anyone think about getting rid of he studs and replacing with 10.9 bolts? mush easier to keep torqued...?
 
anyone? there bolts on top so why not on the bottom?
 
I just found this thread, thank god.

While doing some PM (lube, oil, ATF, filters change), I noticed while wiping off the steering knuckles that ONE of the passenger side steering knuckle nuts and studs were loose. It was the most forward and inboard of the two. The others feel tight but I have not checked their torque, yet.

Should I expect the worse or just clean it up, re-torque studs and nuts back to spec & cross my fingers OR rebuild the entire front axle and install NEW studs/nuts/cone washers?

FWIW - I currently have 207,100 on the odometer. I bought it with 182,400 nearly 2 1/2 years ago.
- The PO had the front axle seals/bearings along with rotors replaced by a Toyota dealer in Nov. '04 @ 170,600. So 37,500 miles ago.
&
I had the bearings repacked at an independant mechanic when I first bought it due to what appeared to be loose wheel bearings back in Nov. '08 @ 183k. So 24,000 miles ago.

Any input from those who have experienced this or are knowledgeable on this subject, would be appreciated.
 
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I would torque them, drive a couple of weeks, couple of hundred miles and recheck, then recheck in a month or so. As long as the continue to stay tight wouldn't worry about it, if the nuts move every time that they are checked, you have a fastener problem.
 
Tools R Us said:
I would torque them, drive a couple of weeks, couple of hundred miles and recheck, then recheck in a month or so. As long as the continue to stay tight wouldn't worry about it, if the nuts move every time that they are checked, you have a fastener problem.
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Great. Thanks! I'll keep my fingers crossed that it works.
 
FWIW: I did my front axle service one year ago using the info from this thread. I chased the threads in the knuckles and then cleaned them with tons of brake cleaner and let it dry. Then used blue Loctite on new style studs and tightened them until they were snug using a small ratchet and female torx socket. It was a combination of feeling like I couldn't safely go any tighter while watching the threads disappear into the hole and seeing the unthreaded portion of the stud about butting up against the rim of the hole, that's when I stopped tightening.
 
Kernal said:
FWIW: I did my front axle service one year ago using the info from this thread. I chased the threads in the knuckles and then cleaned them with tons of brake cleaner and let it dry. Then used blue Loctite on new style studs and tightened them until they were snug using a small ratchet and female torx socket. It was a combination of feeling like I couldn't safely go any tighter while watching the threads disappear into the hole and seeing the unthreaded portion of the stud about butting up against the rim of the hole, that's when I stopped tightening.
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Thanks. Unfortunately, I have the "old style" studs and have to double nut them in order to torque them down. I will be sure to clean out the threads with degreaser and clean with alcohol before retorqueing them.
 
S.CarolinaFZJ80 said:
Thanks. Unfortunately, I have the "old style" studs and have to double nut them in order to torque them down. I will be sure to clean out the threads with degreaser and clean with alcohol before retorqueing them.
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You can't remove the studs and clean the threads without removing the knuckle. If the knuckle contains the proper grease level, there is grease setting over the stud holes, so you will be cleaning until the knuckle is empty. Retorque the nuts and watch, recheck.
 
What Tools said: I should have been more clear; I installed my new studs with everything apart and with the clean degreased steering knuckles sitting on a table. Edit: The socket on the right is a stud removal tool, worked great.
DSC00285.webp
 
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Kernal said:
What Tools said: I should have been more clear; I installed my new studs with everything apart and with the clean degreased steering knuckles sitting on a table. Edit: The socket on the right is a stud removal tool, worked great.
View attachment 500092
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Do you have the part numbers ? I think I will do this when I re do the front knuckles.
 
Thanks Joey for bumping a 6 year old thread! You must be bored!

FYI - I did just as advised by @Kernal and @half k cruiser and re-torqued them. They didn't loosen up but once over several years of checking. I had SD Trux go over my 80 before driving back East years ago and a couple were slightly loose but all have been tight ever since.
 
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