• NAXJA is having its 18th annual March Membership Drive!!!
    Everyone who joins or renews during March will be entered into a drawing!
    More Information - Join/Renew
  • Welcome to the new NAXJA Forum! If your password does not work, please use "Forgot your password?" link on the log-in page. Please feel free to reach out to [email protected] if we can provide any assistance.

WJ knuckle swap and 1-ton steering complete

That trackbar to the tube weld doesn't look like it got any penetration on the tube side. Might want to look at that. Last thing you want is your track bar mount ripping off the axle going down the road.

Eyup. That's me not knowing that you can't weld 7018 upside down :).
It's welded all the way around all edges inside and out, and the other welds are much better (not fantastic, but much better). I'll be ripping it back off when I've got the front end off while I do the transmission (hopefully soon), and do it up properly with my new mig.

It's been wheeled pretty hard though as it is, seen a few decent jumps, and tonnes of side-loading, and doesn't seem to be moving. I figure if it doesn't break on the trail, it's not going to fall off on the highway.
 
So I just had another set of uni's fail on my setup. I decided to try some SKF Uni's this time as I've heard they're a bit stronger.
For my swap, I'd ORDERED 2001 Uni's (Timken), but when I compared the Timken to the SKF, the SKF is 1/2" shorter. With the Timken uni, I needed to add a 1/8" washer between the knuckle and caliper to get the spacing correct for the 04 sporttrac rotor hat height. I've heard this is common, but that some guys need it and some don't.
The SKF being 1/2" shorter, meant that that 1/8" spacer was no longer necessary. In fact, with the shorter Uni, the rotor is actually almost too close to the TRE. I've got it installed but there's really only about 1/4 to 1/8" clearance, which I'm hoping won't result in the rotor melting the TRE boot.
Also, with the hat further in, the rotor JUST grazes the inside pad clips. It's so slight that I'm just going to run it and see how it goes. It looks like it's got less than 1 thousandth touching, so the clip should wear down. I COULD hammer the inside of the clip a little flatter, but wanted to see what happens.

But, just wanted to mention this. I've had 3 sets of Timken Uni's, all of which were supposed to be for an 01 XJ, but all of them seem to be no different than the uni's for a 98. I suspect that a lot of vendors (including rockauto) have the timkens listed for the wrong application, and the SKF is correct. Or it could be that the SKF is just shorter than it's supposed to be. Either way, the SKF unit is thicker in every direction, shorter (less leverage), and the hub comes all the way out to the wheel flange (the Timkens have a 1/2" gap). I believe the SKF actually locates the outer bearing immediately behind the wheel flange, which sure would help for strength.

Anyone else run into this though? Were all my Timkens just the wrong part?
 
Any chance you could post some pictures with measurements of the relevant dimensions?

I have a pair of Timkens waiting on this project, but nothing available with which to compare them.
 
I'm following this too, a friend's WJ motor just cratered and I get to help myself to whatever I want before he takes the carcass to the yard.
 
Any chance you could post some pictures with measurements of the relevant dimensions?

I have a pair of Timkens waiting on this project, but nothing available with which to compare them.

New one is the SKF BR930219.
Older is the Timken 513084
0a8758f4e31e247dc24ccbdef07c433c.jpg
1621bfd1fce49ef9e9e4d12d46aac0dc.jpg
f9b514b8828d3f03f7151b85130cb667.jpg


0.25" difference in stick out. With the Timken, I needed a 0.125" washer between the caliper and knuckle. With the SKF, the caliper mount is a touch too far out and could probably do with a bit of a shave, but I'm running it. Seems fine.
What gets me though is that the Timken unit SHOULD be the same stick out. I strongly suspect everyone just has the wrong application listed for the Timken unit.
 
Last edited:
I just did this WJ knuckle swap.

I want to clarify that the post above with unit bearing pictures is wrong.

The newer unit bearings is 1/4" shorter than older unit bearings.

In the picture above on left (new) is for 1999-2006 Jeeps, on right (old, Rusty) is for 1989-1999 Jeeps.

I did my WJ knuckle swap on my 1998 XJ and used the newer generation unit bearings as the one on left in the picture to avoid caliper spacers.
 
I just did this WJ knuckle swap.

I want to clarify that the post above with unit bearing pictures is wrong.

The newer unit bearings is 1/4" shorter than older unit bearings.

In the picture above on left (new) is for 1999-2006 Jeeps, on right (old, Rusty) is for 1989-1999 Jeeps.

I did my WJ knuckle swap on my 1998 XJ and used the newer generation unit bearings as the one on left in the picture to avoid caliper spacers.

The Timken part I had (rusty) was what pretty near everywhere listed for 01, which is why I got it in the first place. You may be correct though. Either way, the SKF part is the one I ended up using, which as you say, does away with the caliper spacer requirement, and the decreased stickout is WAY stronger than the other units. I had 50k on the SKF's with no sign of wear, whereas I was blowing out the longer units every 3-4 months.
 
I hate to revive a really old thread, but having a compounding issue here...

Problem #1. I used everything the OP (Dusty's) parts list, the first issue is that the 01 unit bearings won't fit inside of an 01 SportTrac rotor, tested out a Comanche hub, which fits inside the rotor...

Problem #2. On the driver side (short axle shaft) when I bolt either an XJ, TJ, or Comanche hub to the WJ knuckle with the spacer welded on, the shaft binds when moving it back and forth, like it's being pushed in to the carrier...

Thoughts?
 
I hate to revive a really old thread, but having a compounding issue here...

Problem #1. I used everything the OP (Dusty's) parts list, the first issue is that the 01 unit bearings won't fit inside of an 01 SportTrac rotor, tested out a Comanche hub, which fits inside the rotor...

Problem #2. On the driver side (short axle shaft) when I bolt either an XJ, TJ, or Comanche hub to the WJ knuckle with the spacer welded on, the shaft binds when moving it back and forth, like it's being pushed in to the carrier...

Thoughts?

Need lots more info...........What year, what year axle?
 
I hate to revive a really old thread, but having a compounding issue here...

Problem #1. I used everything the OP (Dusty's) parts list, the first issue is that the 01 unit bearings won't fit inside of an 01 SportTrac rotor, tested out a Comanche hub, which fits inside the rotor...

Problem #2. On the driver side (short axle shaft) when I bolt either an XJ, TJ, or Comanche hub to the WJ knuckle with the spacer welded on, the shaft binds when moving it back and forth, like it's being pushed in to the carrier...

Thoughts?


1. Do you mean the rotor doesn't fit around the od of the hub? That's normal. Just put it on jack stands, 4wd, and grind the hub flange until the rotor fits. You only have to take off less than 1/16.

2. Not following .... Video and pictures?
 
Back
Top