Neglected Balls (Rusty & Pitted Knuckles) - UPDATED w/Results (1 Viewer)

[rmckay1021]

Your plan A might be the wire wheel and sandpaper method, but the pitting is pretty significant and it will weep grease more easily than a good set of balls. Your plan B might be good donors off an FJ40 or FJ60 axle. Basically you'd use the Cut and Turn principle.

I would certainly look for an outer housing. I have a few, but much earlier.

I think I may have been able to save these knuckles. After the rework I can not fell any imperfections, flat spots, etc...on the one side. The other side I can feel some of the deeper pits but nothing above the ball surface. Maybe further rework not necessary what do you think? Should I still go with a skim layer of filler? This will be a daily driver as well as weekend trail runner. As far as the oddly marked bearing races, I am addressing those in the build thread (Forsaken 40) in my sig.

What I used for the results shown below. I wanted to test what the effect of these types of wheels would have so I bought a couple from Harbor Freight (even thought I despise that store and their China garbage). Turns out this type of wheel (rather than a flap disc) had an unexpected, but good result IMO. There were not really many sparks coming off but they did remove all the high spots of rust accumulation resulting in very minimal pitting below the surface. I took many passes and alternated the direction and angle of each one. It was interesting that if I focused on one spot going back and forth enough if would give me a slight mirror polish. They did generate quite a bit of heat on the ball surface as I could not touch it right afterwards. I had to use the die grinder and small wheel to get as close to the axle tube as I could because the head of the grinder and the shock mount kept banging heads. Large wheel was $5.99 and the small wheel was $1.99. The process took about 20 minutes per side.

View attachment 2219720

Before:

View attachment 2219677

After:

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Other side (before):

View attachment 2219693

After:

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Nice job!!!

 

[69LC]

I have a pair of (mini truck) balls available. I'm cutting down on projects to try to keep my wife happy. They're not on the shelf though. I'm pretty sure I stashed them in the barn loft out of her sight.

 

[-MaTTi-]

I used Plastic Padding chemical metal (similar as JB Weld) after cleaning with phosphoric acid . Then painted them with epoxy primer few times and sanded down to 600 grit.

I like the result, but the new OEM wiper seals were not perfect at all, this is how the ball looked like after few turns to the same spot.

So, I changed them to Trail Gear urethane wiper kit: Trail Safe Toyota Knuckle Ball Polyurethane Wiper Seals

Now it’s fine.

 

[Drake2]

@-MaTTi- I really like your method of fine tuning the surfacing of the knuckle balls! Thanks for the pics and info on the urethane wiper kit. I never knew those existed.......I love this place.

How long ago did you do this and how has the epoxy primer been holding up since then?

Thanks,
Drake

 

[jim land]

I used Plastic Padding chemical metal (similar as JB Weld) after cleaning with phosphoric acid . Then painted them with epoxy primer few times and sanded down to 600 grit.
View attachment 2313960View attachment 2313961View attachment 2313962
I like the result, but the new OEM wiper seals were not perfect at all, this is how the ball looked like after few turns to the same spot.
View attachment 2313956So, I changed them to Trail Gear urethane wiper kit: Trail Safe Toyota Knuckle Ball Polyurethane Wiper Seals

Now it’s fine.
View attachment 2313963

Nice job , good call painting the ball to keeping rust away
On a side note. , you should fix that crushed steering stop

 

[-MaTTi-]

How long ago did you do this and how has the epoxy primer been holding up since then?

2 days ago.

On a side note. , you should fix that crushed steering stop

I will, it’s got a good hit sometime in the past.

 

[fj40ingkc]

Has anyone tried using solder? I like the jb weld but was looking good to keep “shiny metal” look… not sure if it would adhere to the thick metal.

 

[vankho]

@Drake2 How are your balls holding up? I'm in the middle of knuckle rebuild and I have similar pitting and wondering if I should address it. Like the other person on this thread, I'd prefer to keep the metal look vs the epoxy. So was planning to take a wheel to it. How is it holding up more than a year later?

 

[fj40ingkc]

Has anyone tried using solder? I like the jb weld but was looking good to keep “shiny metal” look… not sure if it would adhere to the thick metal. View attachment 2728052View attachment 2728054

Used the jb weld, wanted it to hold up and welding and turning in lathe wasn’t an option. Sanded with various grits out to 600c and buffed smooth. Will find out how it works soon.

Currently using T9-Beoshield to protect raw metal, current plan is to spray quarterly as it’s driven on all exposed metal bolts etc.

 

[Drake2]

@Drake2 How are your balls holding up? I'm in the middle of knuckle rebuild and I have similar pitting and wondering if I should address it. Like the other person on this thread, I'd prefer to keep the metal look vs the epoxy. So was planning one take a wheel to it. How is it holding up more than a year later?

Sadly, my balls are in the same condition as a year ago. I have not finished the front rebuild yet so I will need a bit more time to be able to give any update on the result of the polishing I did back then. Time seems to fly and not much gets done while it is flying.

 

[Thomsonza]

I used Plastic Padding chemical metal (similar as JB Weld) after cleaning with phosphoric acid . Then painted them with epoxy primer few times and sanded down to 600 grit.
View attachment 2313960View attachment 2313961View attachment 2313962
I like the result, but the new OEM wiper seals were not perfect at all, this is how the ball looked like after few turns to the same spot.
View attachment 2313956So, I changed them to Trail Gear urethane wiper kit: Trail Safe Toyota Knuckle Ball Polyurethane Wiper Seals

Now it’s fine.
View attachment 2313963

MaTTi, how are these holding up? I have pretty big grooves in mine and like your approach.

 

[-MaTTi-]

MaTTi, how are these holding up? I have pretty big grooves in mine and like your approach.

They are just fine, no any kind of problem.