Flat Top Knuckles?

[fulsizjeep]

Well, my trip to Silver City 2 weekends ago produced weird sounds from my front axel on the way home last Monday. Water had been trapped in both hubs long enough to pretty much ruin the axel and hub splines, not to mention stub shaft spindles and bearings. I am taking good outers from a 75 and that axel has flat top knuckles on it. Yesterday, I discovered the lower ball joints are bad. They have almost a quarter million miles on them, so no surprise. This is on a 88 GW with D44 front axel.

Here is my question for y'all. Since I am tearing this 75 axel apart and mine now has the knuckles off, should I go ahead and install the flat tops too? Are they interchangeable? Then if I ever go SOA, I have somewhere to start with cross-over steering.

I did find there is a shim over the 6 studs on the outer stub for the left side. I take it that is to offset and alignment issue with the welded portion of the knuckle on the axel where the ball joint fit. Yes?

[rustywagoneers_com]

should go together without a hitch...

the shim... well... i suppose that is most likely, (that the alignment issue would have been with the housing... )

peace
Dave

[rustywagoneers_com]

and,
pics!!

[fulsizjeep]

The axel housing alignment or maybe the knuckle was not quite true? Anybody else got feedback on the shim? It is thinner on one side than the other like it offsets the knuckle just a bit. Pix of what? Greasy fingers and bleeding knuckles? :D Or pix of the old rusted spindle and bearing burning in the fire pit? :rolleyes2:

[rustywagoneers_com]

the carnage of the old parts!

[fulsizjeep]

Yeah, maybe I can swing that. :p I have to put enough parts back on the 75 so it can be rolled around.

[runnamuck]

sounds like a full contact shim, used to correct caster/camber problems with the axle. could be in the knuckle but i doubt it. more likely a bent inner c or tube.

knuckles should swap esay. if they're already milled and drilled, go ahead and swap em. if not, they have to be removed and balljoint removed to do it so might be worth just putting balljoint in your current knuckles. or you can go ahead and have the milled and drilled now. after you get done, i would have the alignment checked if you drive it on road also. have the shim with you/your rig when it goes.