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Few questions on changing out steering knuckle

C

Chuck_SA

NAXJA Forum User
Location
San Antonio
I need to put a used steering knuckle on my 98 XJ and had a few questions I hoped someone might offer some advice on.

Does it make a difference if the weight is relieved off the suspension or not when loosening/tightening the tie rod to knuckle nut and upper and lower knuckle nuts?

There doesn't appear to be enough downward clearance to allow the knuckle to slide off the balls because the ujoint looking thing (name?) that turns the hub is in the way. Does this pull out if I separate the hub bearing assembly and brake shield from the knuckle?

Is there any special technique to ensure the ujoint looking thing properly seats in the hub bearing assembly when I'm putting things back together.

Thanks for any insights.

-Chuck
 
Vehicle weight on the suspension is ok. Put a jack stand under the axle tube and start tearing it down.

Remove the wheel, remove the caliper bolts and rotor.Remove the tierod. Pull the three 13mm 12point bolts from behind the hub assembly, pull the axleshaft and hub assembly out. Remove the upper and lower ball joint nuts, use a ballpeen hammer on the flat cast into the outer knuckle assembly to remove it.

Leave the axleshaft and hub assembly together as one piece.
 
John B is right on.

On thing I like to do is leave the ball joint nuts on but loose until after all the hammering, just in case you miss. :D

Last line of his advise will save you lots of time. Many people think you have to do them separately but in this case you don't.

hinkley

hinkley
 
Thanks for the reply. Just to clarify, the ujoint looking thing in the knuckle will actually get pulled through the knuckle with the hub assembly and give me the clearance I need to lower the knuckle off the ball studs? And, the outer cast of the knuckle I will strike with a ballpeen hammer would be the flat top section of the knuckle? Leave the ball stud nuts on to keep the knuckle from falling to the ground?

-Chuck
 
Chuck_SA said:
Thanks for the reply. Just to clarify, the ujoint looking thing in the knuckle will actually get pulled through the knuckle with the hub assembly and give me the clearance I need to lower the knuckle off the ball studs? And, the outer cast of the knuckle I will strike with a ballpeen hammer would be the flat top section of the knuckle? Leave the ball stud nuts on to keep the knuckle from falling to the ground?

-Chuck
Click to expand...

Yes, when you pull the hub assembly, you will pull the axle shaft, complete with u-joint, as well. If you're not replacing the u-joint, you can do this with the big 36 mm. axle shaft nut still attached, and pull the hub and shaft as a unit. If you plan to take the opportunity to renew the u-joints as well, you'll probably want to separate the shaft from the hub, in which case you should loosen the nut before you take the wheel off the ground. You can actually do the u-joint with the hub on bit it's kind of clumsy.
 
Awesome. So those u-joint looking things are called u-joints. Guess I always associated u-joints with driveshaft as this is the first 4x4 I've owned. This is a learning experience for me. I've only done minor maintenance stuff (plugs, wires, belts, hoses, pads, etc) in the past. Sick of paying out the nose to have someone else do it and half the time it doesn't get done right. With the FSM and help from folks here I think I will manage okay. Thanks again.

-Chuck
 
Chuck_SA said:
Awesome. So those u-joint looking things are called u-joints. Guess I always associated u-joints with driveshaft as this is the first 4x4 I've owned. This is a learning experience for me. I've only done minor maintenance stuff (plugs, wires, belts, hoses, pads, etc) in the past. Sick of paying out the nose to have someone else do it and half the time it doesn't get done right. With the FSM and help from folks here I think I will manage okay. Thanks again.

-Chuck
Click to expand...

Yes, those u-joint like things are u-joints in fact, functioning the same as those in a driveshaft, to allow the shaft to bend while it rotates. The only real difference between those in the axle and those in the driveshafts is that the ones you're familiar with generally come in pairs. A standard cross-type u-joint will not maintain a constant velocity as it turns at an angle, which is why your front wheels will seem to pulsate when you make a turn in 4WD. On the driveshaft, there's one at each end, and they're always turned 90 degrees out of phase with each other, so that the speed variations cancel out. On a front axle, the only place it can bend is at the steering knuckle, so there is no way to pair them. Front-drive cars that run on pavement use constant-velocity joints, which are more expensive and complex. So do some 4WD vehicles, such as my Chevy truck. Of course, the Cherokee, being cheap and nasty*, doesn't.

*just kidding, folks... :flame:
 
Rounded up the right sockets, but haven't started the job yet. I'm a little unsure about the axle shaft. Does the inboard side of the axle shaft go all the way to the dana 30 differential or is there an intermediate connection in the axle tube? Do I have to do anything other than pull to remove it from the axle tube? When putting it back in place is there a way I can know it is in okay?

-Chuck
 
Chuck_SA said:
Rounded up the right sockets, but haven't started the job yet. I'm a little unsure about the axle shaft. Does the inboard side of the axle shaft go all the way to the dana 30 differential or is there an intermediate connection in the axle tube? Do I have to do anything other than pull to remove it from the axle tube? When putting it back in place is there a way I can know it is in okay?

-Chuck
Click to expand...

On your 98 the right hand side shaft will go to the diff. If you follow the suggestions above it will all come out with the hub assembly. Going back in you will need to slide the axle into the diff. This will take a little playing with the axle and hub, up and down front to back jockeying and maybe a little twisting, but it will slide into place, NO FORCE WILL BE NEEDED. When the hub is flat against the dust shield and knuckle you are ready to install the bolts. Make sure to clean the surface of the mating hub so it will slide into the knuckle. Make sure the knuckle is clean also. Might want to check this before you start assembly.

HTH

hinkley
 
Should I drain the differential before removing the axle shaft or does the oil sit low enough in the differential to keep it from spilling into the axle tube?

I've already taken a wire brush and brake cleaner to the used knuckle and I will be sure to do the same to the hub bearing assembly as you recommended. I've also read other posts that suggest it may be a bugger getting the hub bearing assembly free of the knuckle. They recommended putting some anti seize on the matting surface before reinstalling it.

-Chuck
 
Whatever on the anti-seize. Depends on where you live. I just hate working with that goo later on, Hate it, Hate it, Hate it!!!!

No draining is necessary unless you have that side of the axle lower than the other side. Just keep it level or higher.

hinkley
 
Mark Hinkley said:
Whatever on the anti-seize. Depends on where you live. I just hate working with that goo later on, Hate it, Hate it, Hate it!!!!

hinkley
Click to expand...

I hate working with it, too...when I don't have latex gloves on. I love it for the climate here, otherwise things get difficult to remove.

:D

SOMETHING TO ADD TO THE ABOVE ADVICE: Be careful putting the shafts back in as there is the potential to tear the axle seals. I haven't torn any myself but have known folks who used force in shoving the shafts back in. Ouch.
 
Chuck_SA said:
Should I drain the differential before removing the axle shaft or does the oil sit low enough in the differential to keep it from spilling into the axle tube?

-Chuck
Click to expand...

No need to drain the diff, but you're probably experience a bit of leaking out of the axle tube for a day or so.
 
Well, I pulled the axle shaft and swapped out the knuckle before the sky opened up on me and I had to stop til the rain quits. The hub bearing assembly pulled free with a few tugs. I hit it and bolts with some PB Blaster yesterday. Axle tube is clean, oil seal still in place, and axle shaft not scored. So far so good! Was wondering if there is a test or visual inspection I can do on the u-joints while I have the axle shaft pulled? Also, is there a way to grease them? They have Spicer 7 etched on them.

Thanks,

Chuck
 
They're probably factory ujoints, non greasable. The test is to move the stub shaft/ bearing around relative to the inner shaft and check for tight spots anywhere. Rust appearing on a ujoint is also a bad sign.

I am extremely careful when putting the shafts back into place. These axles do not have an outer tube seal factory as some axles do, so you can get a lot of grit in the tube. Splines on the inner shaft are great at picking up grit and passing it around the whole axle. Just try not to drag the shaft down the tube and you'll be OK.
 
I knew things were going too smoothly!

Tried to put the caliper and pads back on and the outboard pad won't fit in between the slides of the knuckle. The inboard pad fits but won't slide far before it wedges in the slides. The upper slide looks like it is bent downward about 1/8 inch. That is a pretty sturdy piece of iron. Could it bend like that during an accident or if they struck it on the slide when trying to get it off the ball joints? Guess I get to take it all apart again and try a different knuckle. *crys*

The old pads I am replacing and the new Mopar pads I am installing both won't fit the new knuckle yet both fit the old knuckle, so I know it isn't the pads.

-Chuck
 
Chuck_SA said:
I knew things were going too smoothly!

Tried to put the caliper and pads back on and the outboard pad won't fit in between the slides of the knuckle. The inboard pad fits but won't slide far before it wedges in the slides. The upper slide looks like it is bent downward about 1/8 inch. That is a pretty sturdy piece of iron. Could it bend like that during an accident or if they struck it on the slide when trying to get it off the ball joints? Guess I get to take it all apart again and try a different knuckle. *crys*

The old pads I am replacing and the new Mopar pads I am installing both won't fit the new knuckle yet both fit the old knuckle, so I know it isn't the pads.

-Chuck
Click to expand...


Get a new used one or this is why I like new or taken from some where I know, like something I took off myself from a working jeep.

Take a pad with you seeing you have it apart and check the replacement.

Bummer!!!!!!!!!!

hinkley
 
This was a used one. I was using "new" to distinguish between the old one I was taking off. I have the pads and caliper bolts in my car now and will definitely test the next one! I looked at the slide surfaces and caliper threads for wear, but never thought to measure the space between the slides.

-Chuck
 
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