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Knuckle rotation contemplation

XJEEPER

NAXJA Member # 13
NAXJA Member
Location
Wasatch Range
Let's talk hypothetics........say someone with a HP D30 wanted to rotate the knuckles to reclaim the caster loss associated with a 6" lift. He wants to run unit bearings so the hub vs ub arguement is not applicable, nor it the 30 vs 44 vs 60 discussion.

This yet to be named individual could make sure the subject axle housing was straight and level, then document the angle of knuckle to pinion and angle of knuckle to tube.

Once the knuckle/tube welds were cut to allow the knuckle to be removed, couldn't one simply heat the knuckle up to reduce the friction between knuckle and tube and rotate the knuckle to the newly determined, appropriate caster angle?

I'd like some feedback from those with actual experience.
TIA
 
Heat really isn't needed, just the use of a big hammer. Cut the inner C free and bang away.





















Then again, what do I know? All my mods are bolt-ons...
 
said endevor may be avoided by said party purchasing offset balljoints.
 
Just remember to rotate your spring mounts too.
 
Jes said:
Heat really isn't needed, just the use of a big hammer. Cut the inner C free and bang away.

Then again, what do I know? All my mods are bolt-ons...

:D
 
TNT said:
Just remember to rotate your spring mounts too.

Hmmmmm. With the pinion pointed straight at the t-case, there is no noticable bow in the coils, so please explain this recommendation?
 
And you just built that killer D30 too...I like your build, and soon I will start on mine, and that is an issue that I am thinking about too. Is your caster out that much?

Justin
 
XJEEPER said:
Once the knuckle/tube welds were cut to allow the knuckle to be removed, couldn't one simply heat the knuckle up to reduce the friction between knuckle and tube and rotate the knuckle to the newly determined, appropriate caster angle?

I'd like some feedback from those with actual experience.
TIA

I've done it to a 60 knuckle and a 44 knuckle... I would just make sure I ground those welds real well... I wouldn't want to pound on those 30 C's too hard.
Billy
 
Just did this exact thing today. Worked fine. I added 4 degrees.
 
XJEEPER said:
Hmmmmm. With the pinion pointed straight at the t-case, there is no noticable bow in the coils, so please explain this recommendation?


With the 4 degree turn I did on a buddy's XJ the bumpstop pads angled forward 5 degrees with the caster set at 6.5 degrees. I had to cut a slit in the mount from the back of it going forward and weld the slit shut after the gap was closed with a BFH.

If you rotate the axle forward the spring pads rotate forward too.
 
Castor is overrated.

In a hypothetical situation, I wouldn't mess with it.

Hypothetically, if a person would let go of the steering wheel while turning a corner, would the wheel tend to come back to center on it's own?
 
xjjeeper19 said:
And you just built that killer D30 too...I like your build, and soon I will start on mine, and that is an issue that I am thinking about too. Is your caster out that much?

Justin

What? We're talking about Jeff? I thought it was a "yet to be named individual?" :dunno:
 
Goatman said:
Castor is overrated.

In a hypothetical situation, I wouldn't mess with it.

Hypothetically, if a person would let go of the steering wheel while turning a corner, would the wheel tend to come back to center on it's own?

Perhaps....considering this for another D30 project.
 
Goatman said:
Castor is overrated.

In a hypothetical situation, I wouldn't mess with it.

Hypothetically, if a person would let go of the steering wheel while turning a corner, would the wheel tend to come back to center on it's own?
If I was running a 44 or 60 with hubs it woudn't worry me that much but I can see where Jeff is going with this and its something I am thinking about a lot with my new build.

Without hubs the caster becomes much more critical, not so much for the actuall caster issue but the issue of driveline angle. In fact you can get, on a 5-6 inch lift great caster and still keep your springs in line. However that always spinning driveshaft becomes a problem on a jeep you want to drive everyday.
 
DrMoab said:
If I was running a 44 or 60 with hubs it woudn't worry me that much but I can see where Jeff is going with this and its something I am thinking about a lot with my new build.

Without hubs the caster becomes much more critical, not so much for the actuall caster issue but the issue of driveline angle. In fact you can get, on a 5-6 inch lift great caster and still keep your springs in line. However that always spinning driveshaft becomes a problem on a jeep you want to drive everyday.

That was the issue I had. To keep my junk drivable on the highway the front driveshaft was in a very poor alignment and the vibrations were horrable. It was compounded by the fact that I have a manual transmission with an AtlasII which makes the front shaft really short(27").
Removing the front driveshaft to drive it on the road got old very quickly, especially when you're laying under your junk in a wind storm in Barstow while snow melts off your rig and drips all over you. ;)
 
XJumpmaster said:
Jeff, when you help this mystery jeeper do his/her axle, let me know and we can do mine too! LOL
i am debating doing this on my HP D60 project, but i will be full hydro and 39in tires and air shocks, i dont know what i need for rotation with my high pinion and D300 air shock setup right now.
 
Mr.OverKill said:
i am debating doing this on my HP D60 project, but i will be full hydro and 39in tires and air shocks, i dont know what i need for rotation with my high pinion and D300 air shock setup right now.

Common sense?

:D

--ron
 
Captain Ron said:
Common sense?

:D

--ron
ok, so that means?????? well .......... 3* of rotation???? what ????common sense is really uncommon, how about a hint, dispense with some of your God like insight...:dunno: :dunno: :dunno:
 
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