Trail Damage Help Needed

[CDN_Cruiser]

Dan - given that I just did this, how can I check to see if the studs are secure? I only found one was off when I was trying to mount the bolt and the stud did a spin.

Cheers, Hugh

 

[erics_bruisers]

crap -- where do you live? my '91 has less corrosion on it than that --

e

 

[Poriomania]

This almost always happens some time after a knuckle job. When the steering arms are removed as part of the repair the studs back out just a bit. The axle is re-assembled without checking to make sure the studs are tight. Even correctly torqued nuts will not prevent the studs from backing out if they are not secure.

So three questions then:

1. Are there two issues, stud loosening and nut loosening, or just loosening?

2. The loctite I put on the nuts won't actually prevent this problem?

3. If you keep torquing down the nuts, over time are you essentially drawing the stud out?

 

[Curran]

crap -- where do you live? my '91 has less corrosion on it than that --

e

Eric, meet Mud. Mud meet eric.

The layer of mud on everything is making this a much bigger pain in the arse than it needs to be.

Curran

 

[Curran]

Update:

It turns out that two of the studs sheared off in the Knuckle. One stud fell out. And the remaining one is still in there. You could probably guess that from the pictures above.
The two broken studs appear to have failed in shear rather than tension.

I got all my parts ordered yesterday from C-Dan (thanks) and began pulling everything apart. I didn’t have access to a brass drift last night, so the disassembly will continue tonight.

Currently, my driveway is a rather hideous mess of mud, grease and gear oil. Hopefully the weather stays nice through the week. I’ve been bumming rides to the hardware store and the auto parts place (fawkin’ hate pep boys but it’s the only thing around) and to work. This ordeal is a strong argument for a DD/beater.



Curran

 

[NovaFZJ80]

Curran,

let me know if you could use some assistance...in loudoun county...know a second hand is always helpful...

 

[robbie]

The best way to torque the stud into the housing is to use two nuts jammed together to torque it. As for replacing the stud in the knuckle with out tear down, you may end up with grease on the stud and If you have locktite on it, it will not lock(best to have clean holes for locktite to work). The problem lies in that the stud is loose and when you torque the nut it can loosen up if the stud is not tight. Do not know if the stud is pulled out as much as the stud keeps loosening up with vibration, when you retorque the nut it gets tight again, repeat process untill not enough threads left then the stud pull past the threads. Yes all housing are drilled through, you are not the only one.later robbie

 

[Arya Ebrahimi]

Curran,

let me know if you could use some assistance...in loudoun county...know a second hand is always helpful...

Ditto, I'm in Rockville, and would be glad to lend a hand. I get off work at 3:30 most days in DC and could be in Fredrick by 5 easily.

Ary

 

[Curran]

Nova and Ary,
Thanks for the offer to help. Unfortunately, I'm still waiting on all the parts to get here. Thus, I have time to chip away at the work until everything arives. If I run into serious problems tonight and think that I'll need the help, I'll let you all know. And quality beer will be provided, of course.
Thanks,
Curran

 

[CDN_Cruiser]

So three questions then:

1. Are there two issues, stud loosening and nut loosening, or just loosening?

2. The loctite I put on the nuts won't actually prevent this problem?

3. If you keep torquing down the nuts, over time are you essentially drawing the stud out?

Here's my take:

1) correct...although the concern is that you can torque the nuts properly, but the studs can back out

2) correct - unless you put it on the threads within the housing

3) Not sure about this. The studs are not press fit (the screw in), so I'm not sure they would pull out. I think the problem likely starts where you are using your BFH and drifts to release the cone washers.

 

[Rogue]

The same thing happened to me about 4 months ago. I was back in the mountains here in Utah when all of a sudden my steering became really loose. I got out and looked but didn't notice what was wrong. When I got to the main road I could see grease everywhere, but still didn't notice the missing studs. Later on that evening I went out to look again only to find a huge puddle of goo under the axle and just one stud remaining, and backed out almost all the way.

I had to take the knuckle to a machine shop to get two of the studs out which had sheared. The other is probably on some trail somewhere. I ordered new studs from Dan and bought myself a new torque wrench since my other is at home in Oregon.

Also, it destroyed my inner axle seal requiring another repack. It was expensive, but it works again.

 

[landtank]

crap -- where do you live? my '91 has less corrosion on it than that --

e

only cause that thing is leaking vital fluids from every orafice and crack in the drive train.


The Valdese had nothing on that truck

 

[Curran]

only cause that thing is leaking vital fluids from every orafice and crack in the drive train.


The Valdese had nothing on that truck

This is essentially true. In the last 10 months, I've had to replace the rear main seal, the output seal on the trasnfer and now this. I've been wheeling too much with Rovers!

 

[Junk]

Curran,
I think we can safely all now agree to call you a knucklehead

 

[Curran]

Update Day two:

Update Day two:

I got everything broken down last night. Hopefully parts will arrive today.

It turns out that the 12 o’clock position of the inner axle oil seal was crushed by the axle as most predicted. It’s in the trash now. Unfortunately, the axle moved up far enough to cause the lip of the outer Birfield cage to grind against the top of the axle housing just beneath the top trunion bearing race. (I left my camera at work, so I’ll try to get pictures tonight.) I don’t think that either the Birfield or the housing is structurally compromised, so both are going back into service. No damage wsa caused to the race itself.

There didn’t appear to be any gear oil contamination in the hub and all that grease appears to be fresh so it is staying in place.

The broken studs came out in a couple of minutes using a flat tip screw driver and the remaining one was relatively tight. Here a picture of the studs in question:

 

[Curran]

Curran,
I think we can safely all now agree to call you a knucklehead

I've been called a lot worse.

 

[landtank]

Curran, my comment was for Eric, that truck leaves oil drops like bread crumbs where ever he goes.

 

[Rookie2]

I don’t think that either the Birfield or the housing is structurally compromised, so both are going back into service. No damage wsa caused to the race itself.

Hmm.. so you checked the axle shaft to make sure it wasn't bent?

 

[Curran]

Hmm.. so you checked the axle shaft to make sure it wasn't bent?

I can't see any bend in it. Other than eye balling it or putting it up to a straight edge I wouldn't know how to check for a slight bend.
The wear around the outter cage is uniform. If the axle bent, I'd expect the wear to be concentrated on one spot of the cage. Still at work trying to bum a ride home.

 

[Rookie2]

You might try putting it on real flat surface like a table and roll it across, kind of like checking the straightness on a pool cue. Obviously you'll have to let the cage part hang over the edge, so the axle shaft is flat on the table.

I'm just curious where the weight of the vehicle was being supported. I figured your axle shaft was holding up most of it, but seems like if that were the case, it would have bent it some.


Rookie2