knuckles/Birfs...oh my!

[PeeZed]

Hey folks,

Discovered much grease on my passenger caliper...maybe that's why it's pulling to the drivers side when brakes are applied!

Anyways, from what I've read it sounds like it's an all or nothing kind of job ahead for me. I have a mechanic neighbour who actually worked at Radd for awhile and owned Cruiser's and owes me a favor so I think I have someone knowledgeable help to make the labour end of it happen.

What I'm curious about is which parts/materials I should get for the job? I know Radd can bring in something, but I'm wondering what your experience has been. Should I replace the Birfs while I'm in there?

It also looks like I may need to look at replacing the hubs...where the inner seal sits looks very worn, almost like it's been filed down on the edges; the top of the cylinder is quite flared.

Anyways, I'm a learning wrencher so I'm excited to see this all ripped apart...just want to make sure I replace everything necessary.

Still driving it daily for now...

 

[cruiserpilot]

Get a full knuckle rebuild kit that includes seals, inner and outer wheel bearings, upper and lower trunnion bearings.
You won't need to replace birf's unless for some weird reason you're driving around with one all blown to crap.
I would recommend replacing the rubber brake line, and maybe even the short steel line. The brake fittings get pretty crappy
and it's just as easy to replace once you've removed them, unless they are recent. Get at least 2 tubes of grease.
New rotors and pads. You can get a kit for the hubs which has new gaskets. Aisin or Warn hubs? If Aisin, be careful
when you take them apart, they are kind of weird and not very intuitive to put back in.

 

[seapotato]

I still need to do mine as well. I'll get around to it one of these days...

Mines actually dripping from the end of my hub....

Profoundly unpleasant job...which is why ive been putting it off.

I have an extra knuckle kit too if you're interested.

 

[JimJ]

Hey Ryan, how much you asking for your extra BF Kit?

 

[PeeZed]

Just re-read the PO's description to me in an email before purchasing...looks like they "re&re all bearings and seals in front end two years ago." So, that's 2.5yrs ago now...seems premature for them to be blowing out...that's usually not a good sign! Ugggg.

 

[Diesel Cruiserman]

If you figure most knuckles have 30 plus years and just starting to fail..you are right on maybe not believing that the knuckles were rebuilt or they did not keep the shims bagged and marked per side for preload and center.

Jim J is going to watch me and help me BF rebuild, he will do a couple rebuilds on his cruiser collection...



Just my bit of insight..

Rob

Just re-read the PO's description to me in an email before purchasing...looks like they "re&re all bearings and seals in front end two years ago." So, that's 2.5yrs ago now...seems premature for them to be blowing out...that's usually not a good sign! Ugggg.

 

[Sweatyforehead]

I just did mine a couple months back, stuck to the service manual for every step and got it done. Just some things I'd like to share is that heating the area up around the bearings makes them press in 100x easier.

If you need a 54mm wheel nut socket I've got one that you can use.

 

[cruiserpilot]

I would think that all you need then might be the inner axle seal. It could have been damaged when he put it together.
The runny grease is when gear oil hits the grease inside the birfield and wheel bearings. So pressure wash the knuckles and calipers
really well using some strong degreaser, then see what happens after a week of driving. Unless he did a ghetto rebuild and didn't
replace the sweeper kit on the knuckles when he did the rest. This might save a few bucks, but you still got to take it all apart and
pull the axles to replace the inner seal.

 

[PeeZed]

Thanks to Seapotato I now have a complete rebuild kit in hand! I also found a set of Marlin Crawler seals that the PO had stashed away in his extra parts bins for the win.

Seapotato also mentioned that it would be good to have the "Special Centering Tool" to make sure the correct amount and size of shims are used when doing the job. Not sure if the PO did that or not; perhaps the reason why this is happening?!? Although the Martin Crawlers do look more skookum, if my alignment is WAY out, then I'd like deal with that now and not in another two years! So...anyone own such a "Special Tool?"

Now to find a day to actually do the job.

 

[slowandsteady BJ]

Most people say that with the marlin seals centering is not (or at least much less) nessasary.
If you need the tool.... Hellbent40 has one. His name is Adam and he is in Langford. Shoot him a PM.

Good luck, take your time and you'll be good for a long time.

 

[Diesel Cruiserman]

Hung out with Marlin a few years ago for three days...guy is very smart.

Some people do not like the seal? but i know its flexability make it an ideal seal...

 

[cruiserpilot]

I'm going into Marlins shop today, . So I will ask. HaHa! Anything in particular anyone want me to ask or find out about.
Yeah, roughing it out at work in Cali....

 

[seapotato]

Most people say that with the marlin seals centering is not (or at least much less) nessasary.
If you need the tool.... Hellbent40 has one. His name is Adam and he is in Langford. Shoot him a PM.

Good luck, take your time and you'll be good for a long time.

Yeah I've never really done much in the way of centering knuckles on the ones I've done, and they didn't leak , just figgered whoever rebuilt it last may have got it a mile out on his, especially if they did in fact use the marlin seals in there, and they're leaking after 2 years.


He also doesn't have backing plates , so I wonder if they cut them down to make spacers or just bolted on without?

Although, I'm not really sure if that would make any difference to the axle seal or not...

 

[PeeZed]

PO says that the Marlins were extras so I'm assuming he didn't use them two years ago. Also said he put the shims back in the way they came out so hopefully I wont need the centering tool.

Also, Jon over at RADD is going to take apart a front end so I can have the hubs as the one I saw on mine during inspection was either overly worn or filed down from a mishap during a previous installation. Jon said it was somewhat common to see dents and mishaps on that part of the hub and even had a few there for proof. So, I know I just need to be fairly "gentle" whilst convincing those new seals to seat.

Crossing my fingers that I don't bust a birf the first time I really put the rig to the test and have to go through this again!