Normal Knuckle (1 Viewer)

[Docmallory]

Hey all,

I've been loooking for a used 80, and the Newbie guide on the Slee page says to look at the knuckles and see if they are covered in grease or not.

Please excuse my ignorance, but being a complete newbie, I'm not exactly sure what I am looking at. I'd like to learn however. Could someone please post a photo of a normal-appearing intact knuckle, perhaps with an explanation of what is shown? And maybe give me a hint where there should be grease and where there should not?

I did use the search function, but found only pictures of disassembled knuckles. That doesn't help much.

The 80 I looked at today was a very poorly maintained specimen, and there was gobs of crusty grease all over the ends of the axle just outboard of the axle housing (beyond the joint itself). I'm guessing that's bad.


Thanks in advance!

 

[Beowulf]

Here is a thread where there are photos of the knuckles on a '97. This truck is showing early signs of a leaking inner axle tube seal.

Feel free to post pictures of the one you're looking at and we'll give you our opinion.

-B-

 

[e9999]

dang, these photos are goooood!

Eric

 

[Docmallory]

Thanks for the help!

Yeah, the one I was looking at looked maybe a bit worse than in the pictures you linked to. I decided to forget about that particular cruiser b/c it had clearly been abused for most of its life. Too bad - had lockers and low miles....

Again, thanks for the assistance - I'm not sure why I didn't find that myself when I searched....

 

[landtank]

Doc, the grease issue with the axle is by no means a deal breaker. Just negotiate that into the price. If you expect to find an 80 that has had the axle service done properly prior to you looking at it, well you can set up camp with Eric and grow old together. It's most likely the axle service that got the truck on the market in the first place. The service is about $1000.00 and not many people are going to sink that into a used vehicle when that is all it is to them, a vehicle. They would sooner put that toward a new one.

 

[Beowulf]

Doc,

>> b/c it had clearly been abused for most of its life. <<

The 97 that I bought was dirty, no major services, and high mileage (95k in Jul 2001) Little nicks and scratches everywhere. Imitation wood delaminated and peeling. Missing one of the 3rd row seats, broken antenna, & missing hub cap, mismatched tyres. $20 in change in and under the seats, carpets, and console area along with chocolate chip cookies, crackers, & french fries.

Derek would have left in a screaming fit at first sight.

Best deal I've ever made and the best vehicle I've ever owned. Listen to Rick because you very well may have found a diamond in the rough. I Love my truck!

-B-

 

[Docmallory]

[quote author=Beowulf link=board=2;threadid=11626;start=msg106393#msg106393 date=1077061933]

The 97 that I bought was dirty, no major services, and high mileage (95k in Jul 2001) Little nicks and scratches everywhere. Imitation wood delaminated and peeling. Missing one of the 3rd row seats, broken antenna, & missing hub cap, mismatched tyres. $20 in change in and under the seats, carpets, and console area along with chocolate chip cookies, crackers, & french fries.
-B-
[/quote]


Yeah, sounds like the one I looked at yesterday. I've seen vehicles abandoned in fields that had cleaner interiors. Also:
-It had an oil leak (not sure exactly where)
-The radiator was low on coolant and the overflow was empty
-There was some dubious wiring running around the engine compartment that looked pretty half-arsed
-Previously-mentioned knuckle issue
-The paint was rubbed off the hood in about 5 spots where the broken bug deflector had been rattling around for God knows how long
-There was some fairly bad body and paint work to the rear hatch and tailgate
-It had been a lease or fleet car all its life

-Although it ran and drove great, and everything worked, it had been poorly maintained, for sure, and I was iffy on the color (a clearly non-factory tu-tone), so I decided to pass. I might have considered it if I could have gotten it cheap, but----

-It's on eBay and the dealer set the reserve at $15K. Looks like he is going to get it... But not from me. Feel free to bid if you like!
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=6443&item=2460442949

 

[Docmallory]

Oh, and it smelled like ether! I think the PO was running a meth lab out of the back!

 

[Beowulf]

-There was some fairly bad body and paint work to the rear hatch and tailgate

Body damage and repaint is unacceptable. You did the right thing by passing up that one.

BTW, that color combo is the highly desireable desert dune metallic over moonglow pearl. It was not only a factory color combo but the rarest of the rare and only the most elite of all 80's got that color combo.

You've obviously never seen pics of Pristine.

-B-

 

[cruiserdan]

[quote author=Beowulf link=board=2;threadid=11626;start=msg106432#msg106432 date=1077064179]You've obviously never seen pics of Pristine.

-B-
[/quote]

Like he could see it thru the wrapper...

 

[Docmallory]

[quote author=Beowulf link=board=2;threadid=11626;start=msg106432#msg106432 date=1077064179]

BTW, that color combo is the highly desireable desert dune metallic over moonglow pearl. It was not only a factory color combo but the rarest of the rare and only the most elite of all 80's got that color combo.

[/quote]

Heh heh, maybe so... But this one sure didn't look factory to me. The lower color didn't really match the fender flares (body looked bluish, flares looked more gray), and there seemed to be a pronounced ridge at the top edge of the paint (like a tape line).

You're not pulling my leg about factory tu-tones, are you? Would tu-tone paint be reflected in the door jamb sticker? This is a good learning point.

 

[Beowulf]

Tu-tones have a single paint code. The dealer then translates that to the two individual paint colors. The one you looked at is 2AB and that combo is 1A5 over 1A6

-B-

 

[landtank]

personally I'm a purist, 1A6

 

[Rogue]

You should probably look for a truck that has 6M1 as its color code. That way you can buy the best the first time around instead of having to sell the fugly white one once you've seen the best color ever to be offered on an automobile.

 

[NovaFZJ80]

Not sure where you are, but if in the Wash DC area, several were in the washington post paper

97 40 anniv w/106 miles for $13500 by private owner
94 w/83k miles for $12500 by private owner
91 w/150k miles for $7500 by private owner

 

[e9999]

wow, prices in the PRK are really much higher...
E