WJ Knuckles!!!

I'm thinking of running WJ knuckles but i have a few questions. I have searched but cannot find the answer i want. If I swap the WJ knuckle with the stock WJ bearing can I just have a wheel spacer made that changes it from 5 x 5.5 to 5 x 4.5 without any problems? Also, what OTK system would you suggest to go with the WJ knuckle?

I put on wheel spacers up front and they put a lot of stress on my wheel bearings and it also gave me some steering problems. What if you bought 5 on 5.5" spacer conversions for the back and buy a new set of wider wheels. Maybe you don't want to spend the money and that is ok, but I think it would be better to have the spacers on the back.

reelbigdundy87 said:

I'm thinking of running WJ knuckles but i have a few questions. I have searched but cannot find the answer i want. If I swap the WJ knuckle with the stock WJ bearing can I just have a wheel spacer made that changes it from 5 x 5.5 to 5 x 4.5 without any problems? Also, what OTK system would you suggest to go with the WJ knuckle?

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Ok You can run the WJ hubs the bolt patern is 5 on 5 not 5.5 just to clarify. You can redrill the WJ hubs to be 5 on 5.5 if need be. You can get wheel spacers on ebay or spidertrax that will change the bolt pattern from 5on5 to 5on4.5 easily. For the steering run the stock wj tie rod ends with the JKS tie tod, and depending on how much lift you have get the chevy 1 ton for the drag link. I have the JKS Tie rod and Drag ling on my WJ set up both over the knuckle, but plan to switch the drag link to 1 ton gm soon.. Start collecting parts, and good luck.

thanks, this answers all of my questions.

Or you can weld a .250" spacer to the knuckle (available at the JKS website) and run year 2000+ XJ/TJ hubs that are already 5x4.5, and not need a wheel spacer at all..

I hope this is not hijacking the tread but I have plans to fit JK axles under my Willys pickup front and rear as buying a whole wreak. The WMS to WMS of the JK is actually 65.9". ( 61.9 track (centre of tyre to centre of tyre) plus 2" of wheel offset each side. ) This works out fine for the rear but leaves the front just over 6" too wide due to the Willys running a 6.5 narrower front compared to the rear. So would it be possible to get a 60" XJ D30 front say and just use its axles and housing but then the JK centre and knuckles with hubs? Thought might be cheaper and easier than having the front cut down and custom axles made?

reelbigdundy87 said:

thanks, this answers all of my questions.

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The spacers that JKS sell will cost you less then 1/4 of what wheel spacers will. Also won't give you the problems above with wheel bearing load.
Also you will be spacing them out at least 1.25 inches to clear the studs on the orginal hub. Do you want your wheels sticking out that far?

I wouldn't do it if I were you.

cal said:

Or you can weld a .250" spacer to the knuckle (available at the JKS website) and run year 2000+ XJ/TJ hubs that are already 5x4.5, and not need a wheel spacer at all..

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That is the way I went... works beautifully.