need advice setting knuckle preload (1 Viewer)

[albee]

I am in the process of rebuilding the knuckles on a 76' front axle. The drivers side went fine. On the pass side their were no shims under the steering arm on top of the knuckle, just one thick one on the bottom. Their is evidence that someone has been in there before ie. missing felt and some kind of sealent in place of a gaskets.

I do not have the SST to do the job correctly. Can I just pack the new knuckle bearings and try different shims untill the preload is correct?

 

[dgangle]

You can do that but it does not address centering the inner axle shaft on the seal. Get it wrong and the seal is going to leak and allow 90wt gear lube from the diff into the knuckle housing which will show up as it drools past the felt/rubber wipers and onto your tire and driveway. If your truck sees little or no off road use then it's no big deal (assuming you have locking hubs of course. Set the correct preload with the same or similar thicknesses of shims top/bottom and good luck. You may get lucky and get it pretty close. Of the ones I have done they typically have close to the same top/bottom.

 

[albee]

It was the leak of 90wt into the knuckle that led to the rebuild in the first place.

Ok, I guess it should be done it right. The axle is new to me, and I want to put a locker in it later.

Could someone make me a copy of how to do it out of their FSM. My fj40 is a 67' and the front axle is a 76', so I rather not buy a new FSM just for this project. In the meantime I will try and track down the SST.

 

[dgangle]

find them here

http://www.birfield.com/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=77

 

[emtee]

I couldn't get dave's link to work, but here's a homebrew SST that was outlined in a past issue of TT; little tough to read here, though Anybody know if that article is linked somewhere? Or I can email you direct with it. It does sound like that knuckle needs some TLC, based on your description!

 

[albee]

That homebrew version is a cool idea. I think I am going to try to borrow one or buy a used one. Thanks Albee