Post knuckle rebuild 2k miles - Is this normal (1 Viewer)

[lp2k]

So like the title says, I rebuilt my knuckles myself around 4 years ago during COVID. This included new Koyo bearings and following the FSM along with using all of the SST. (Stop, I do not want to hear about using SSTs).

I also followed OTRAMM video in conjunction (thank you sir for the boost in confidence) Life has me super busy but my wife is encouraging me to work on my hobby. So I took the girl out of the garage and been tinkering. Well, here is the knuckles which I was proud of but now look to be leaking sort of. My question is, is this normal? Or should I redo it? I did use all OEM gaskets. Everything is torqued to spec.

 

[manofthewoods]

So like the title says, I rebuilt my knuckles myself around 4 years ago during COVID. This included new Koyo bearings and following the FSM along with using all of the SST. (Stop, I do not want to hear about using SSTs).

I also followed OTRAMM video in conjunction (thank you sir for the boost in confidence) Life has me super busy but my wife is encouraging me to work on my hobby. So I took the girl out of the garage and been tinkering. Well, here is the knuckles which I was proud of but now look to be leaking sort of. My question is, is this normal? Or should I redo it? I did use all OEM gaskets. Everything is torqued to spec.

View attachment 3867373

View attachment 3867374

Sleep well.
NORMAL

 

[Fosters]

Did my knuckles 3 weeks ago….they are bone dry with a thin coat of grease on the balls…you have something going wrong there bud

 

[NeverFinis]

Looks fine. Grease will oil bleed over time, especially if not being actively mixed (Read: not driving the vehicle enough over 4 years).

 

[CrabCake]

Looks fine. Grease will oil bleed over time, especially if not being actively mixed (Read: not driving the vehicle enough over 4 years).

I would tend to agree with this...

 

[Irish Reiver]

I'm not buying that this is normal. I would check your axle breathers to start with. I doubt a damaged seal would take this long to raise its head. Would also confirm you are not overfilling the birfs with grease.

 

[77mustard40]

Pull the fill plug and stick a screw driver down into the grease to see if it’s grease or starting to turn to birf’s soup. My axle looks pretty much like yours and the timing of our axle rebuilds are pretty close to the same, although I’ve got about 30k miles on mine. My 40’s axles look the same as well and those birf’s are fresher, I’m not planning to redo the job until I know I have soup and it’s dripping oil

 

[lp2k]

This is 1/15/2021 fresh rebuild.

This is my hobby toy so it does sit for like months at a time (except just starting it to move around the property, and 1-2 100 mile trips every 4-5 months.)

 

[manofthewoods]

Pull the fill plug and stick a screw driver down into the grease to see if it’s grease or starting to turn to birf’s soup. My axle looks pretty much like yours and the timing of our axle rebuilds are pretty close to the same, although I’ve got about 30k miles on mine. My 40’s axles look the same as well and those birf’s are fresher, I’m not planning to redo the job until I know I have soup and it’s dripping oil

mine look like the photo, at ~60k miles. On a related note: I was able to score 2 new Birfs (OEM) for less than $800 for my next job, even though the ones I have will likely still be OK - I'll just keep 'em for spares.
happy trails

 

[lp2k]

I'm not buying that this is normal. I would check your axle breathers to start with. I doubt a damaged seal would take this long to raise its head. Would also confirm you are not overfilling the birfs with grease.

Hmm shot of compressed air from one end of the breather should work? I can probably slip under there and loosed the brass looking fitting and blow some air also

 

[Broski]

I would pull the fittings and try to blow through it that way you will know if that’s the issue.
I also drilled mine out a little to keep it from clogging so easy.
I also think it’s not normal for 2K miles.
Maybe 4 years & 30 - 60K miles

 

[Broski]

Also you can wipe the bottom bolt with you finger if it smells like gear oil you know you have an issue. Gear oil has a distinct smell. You can’t miss it.