Knuckle surprise. Need help asap

[crusiersteve62]

So on this nice bright beautiful Saturday I finally had time to do the front knuckle rebuild on my 62.

i start tearing it down and jamming out to some music and taking my time and putting parts in aside in order so I reinstall everything in reverse order with ease.

Well that's when hit the fan. After cleaning up the Grease and a quick little fight with the upper knuckle bearing I found that inside of the knuckle is all beat to heck from the bearing exploding and the Needle bearings Going every where. And then I look down the Axle housing to find a seal just hanging out in there like it's floating on a River.

So my question is how SOL am I? Is the knuckle fine of I just sand it down so there no burs and then reinstall everything with new kuncle bearings and races? And where did that seal come From? Is the the inner axle seal closest to the third member? Do I have to pull out the 3rd member to get the seal out and to replace it?

 

[ceylonfj40nut]

If it has not marred the reunion bearing surface, I would grind that down and run.

 

[crusiersteve62]

If it has not marred the reunion bearing surface, I would grind that down and run.

Awesome now what about that seal?

 

[cruiserpilot]

I think pull both knuckles apart and might be a good idea to pull the third. I’m suggesting that
because all that crap looks like it’s inside the axle tube and you want to clean it right out.
Pull the remains of the axle seal retaining ring out.
Do you have pictures of the axle stub where the axle seal ran around it? Is it damaged?
Did you have a birfield explode? Trying to figure out the scoring inside the housing bulb.
You’ll need to heat and pull that bearing Remains off the knuckle stub.
I don’t think you have anything to really worry about. Did the shims under the knuckle arm
come off top and bottom okay and not damaged?

 

[OSS]

The upper and lower trunnion bearings ride in matched races. New bearings come with new races. It doesn't matter how mangled the inside cavity of the knuckle ball is, the bearings won't touch it.

Just pull that old dangling seal out and replace the one that's installed. The orphan might be part of the original .
Inside the front third member there isn't a small oil seal like that normally.

 

[crusiersteve62]

Here is the lower knuckle bearing

 

[greenbeast]

Just came in from finishing the driver side knuckle rebuild on my wife's 40 project When the wife was shown how to remove the knuckle bearings her lower one was crap with bearings falling out everywhere. Had to use tie rod puller to remove the remaining bearing like yours shows. Seeing yours i am thankful it wasn't the top.
Good luck, i bet it will be fine!

 

[AussieHJCruza]

The inner axle oil seal is the one inside the ball - there's nothing further inboard. I would say the seal sitting in the axle tube is part of that. Remove and replace the seal, bearings and races, knock any burrs or sharp edges off with a file and run it. Perhaps run around town with the hubs locked for a few miles and then change the diff oil again to flush any nasties out

 

[cruisermatt]

they always look like after a half dozen birfs have blown up inside there. It's fine

 

[crusiersteve62]

So here is that inner seal removed... And that other seal is bigger so where did it come From?

 

[cps432]

So here is that inner seal removed... And that other seal is bigger so where did it come From?

View attachment 2405650

Maybe that’s from the third? Better take a look.

 

[Spike Strip]

You need to pull the race off that bearing cap (arm). May need a puller if it's way stuck

 

[AussieHJCruza]

Maybe that’s from the third? Better take a look.

The only seal in the 3rd that looks like that would be pinion wouldn't it? Wonder if it's something that's been left in there by a PO

 

[Skniper]

Pull that seal remnant out of the axle tube and let’s have a look.
Those bearings and seals are completely beat to sh*t, very serviceable though. Quick question, how familiar are you with the components and inner workings of the land cruiser steering knuckle?

 

[crusiersteve62]

The only seal in the 3rd that looks like that would be pinion wouldn't it? Wonder if it's something that's been left in there by a PO

I was the last one to install it.

 

[crusiersteve62]

So I pulled out what I thought was a seal but it more looks like a cap I can add a picture tomorrow.

 

[redrock]

Having just dissected knuckle balls this week for a project, I can confirm that the late axles do in fact have 2 seals on the knuckle ball itself. The flange type seal that you removed is actually the outer knuckle ball seal. It is easily removed and replaced . The seal that you see lodged in the axle tube is actually the inner knuckle ball seal that was placed behind the knuckle insert where it is machined to fit inside the axle tube. It can only be driven into place from the center of the axle --as in the 3rd member is removed. However, the inner seal is part of the axle assembly and is not available as a replacement part. The good news is that it really isn't needed. It is a seal, but it doesn't ride on a machined part of the inner axle shaft. It is more like a baffle between gear oil and grease. The earlier axles didn't have this seal. I can only find a view of this seal in one FSM. You might find it if you look at the cutaway view in the intro to the front axle section. I can't imagine how that inner seal was knocked loose, but I would just grab it with some pliers and pull it out. Make sure nothing is left inside the tube, or the metal seal housing could find its way into the pinion gears or ring gear.

 

[crusiersteve62]

Having just dissected knuckle balls this week for a project, I can confirm that the late axles do in fact have 2 seals on the knuckle ball itself. The flange type seal that you removed is actually the outer knuckle ball seal. It is easily removed and replaced . The seal that you see lodged in the axle tube is actually the inner knuckle ball seal that was placed behind the knuckle insert where it is machined to fit inside the axle tube. It can only be driven into place from the center of the axle --as in the 3rd member is removed. However, the inner seal is part of the axle assembly and is not available as a replacement part. The good news is that it really isn't needed. It is a seal, but it doesn't ride on a machined part of the inner axle shaft. It is more like a baffle between gear oil and grease. The earlier axles didn't have this seal. I can only find a view of this seal in one FSM. You might find it if you look at the cutaway view in the intro to the front axle section. I can't imagine how that inner seal was knocked loose, but I would just grab it with some pliers and pull it out. Make sure nothing is left inside the tube, or the metal seal housing could find its way into the pinion gears or ring gear.

Ok awesome that makes me feel way better. I thought I had something come loose in my 3rd member

 

[cps432]

So I pulled out what I thought was a seal but it more looks like a cap I can add a picture tomorrow.

That’s what I was thinking. Maybe a piece of a carrier bearing from the diff.

 

[g-man]

in my signature line click on my build thread and go to pg 8 and look at post #153 and #158.. you'll see where the trunnion bearing came apart and damaged my knuckle ball. The trunnion bearing race has to sit inside a small ledge that is machined into the surface. In my case it was worn but not enough to keep me from driving a new race back into that ledge or shoulder. You need to make sure you have this ledge or your race is not going to stay in place. Other than that nothing touches... i mean the birf or inner axle ball doesn't really touch the inside of the knuckle. Grind down any sharp edges that may have formed. Sand down any scratches in the outer ball of the birf. Check the gear oil on the axle ..if you have brass flakes from axle wear you may want to clean up the grease/oil birf soup out of the axle joint and repack grease in it.

I'm guessing the seal inside the axle was an older outer axle seal and the last time someone pulled and replaced the outer axle seal they didn't notice that the seal had come loose and was inside...in any case remove it and the outer seal that is in the correct position...as it is obviously worn out too, and see if you can fit the birf in the axle. It has a snap ring and just "pops" into place near the diff.