Flat top knuckles

[ksq2]

We're building a 78 narrow track, cherokee. It has the stock D44 in the front. What vehicles should I be looking for in the salvage yard to find the correct driver and passenger side flat top knuckles to be drilled and tapped? The archives have been extremely helpful, I just couldn't find a list of vehicles to be looking for, perhaps I didn't look close enough? Thanks!

[orangebike]

earlier cherokees like 74 75 has them....also mid 70s chevys

[ClovisMan]

Weird, my 78 had flattop knuckles. I swapped them to my 88.

[Pavementsux91XJ]

70's and 80's anything with a front 44, so half ton and 3/4 ton chevy ford and dodge. I know most Fords and Chevys will have the driver side drilled and tapped. I've never seen (doesn't mean their not out there) a stock junkyard axle with a tapped passenger side. It's not hard to drill and tap them yourself, just get a good cobalt drill bit and make sure you center punch it and drill a pilot hole first. I did it on my XJ with the knuckle on the axle with no problems

[J20 project]

Umm..your 78 doesn't have them??
J20

[orangebike]

my 77 and 78 didnt have them....seen them on a 75 before

[J20 project]

I knew 80 and up changed.. I have a 78 wt front end out back of the house w/ them.
J20

[EnigmaticEngineer]

interesting

my 77 and 78 didnt have them....seen them on a 75 before

My 1977 Parts waggy has flat tops on it...both sides, neither milled/drilled. They are getting high steer'd and going under my 69.

Nathan.

[Dome]

Everything you want to know and more about D44 flat top knuckles.

http://77cj.littlekeylime.com/flatop_knucles.html

[fulsizjeep]

78 is a FSJ change over year where some have flat tops and some don't. 74-77 FSJs with disk brakes will have what you are looking for. For the other brands, the web site Dome listed is probably be a good source of info.

[Green Giant]

78 is a FSJ change over year where some have flat tops and some don't. 74-77 FSJs with disk brakes will have what you are looking for. For the other brands, the web site Dome listed is probably be a good source of info.

What he said.
Both of the 77s I have owned had flat tops, but neither of 78s have had them.

[ksq2]

Thanks for the information. The article Dome linked was very helpful. One thing in the article confused me, it said the American manufactured vehicles only used two different type of flat top knuckles and Jeep used only one. Would both types work? And, sorry if this is a dumb question, what does bolt pattern have to do with it?
My father-in-law has a '74 Scout parts vehicle, it has a d44 with disk brakes. I haven't had the opportunity to check and see if the knuckles are flat top, if they are, are there any other considerations (I know the bolt pattern is the same), or will they for sure work? It would be GREAT if they did!

[fulsizjeep]

I dunno, you might actually interrupt the space/time continium putting Cornbinder parts on a FSJ.

[Josh D]

Thanks for the information. The article Dome linked was very helpful. One thing in the article confused me, it said the American manufactured vehicles only used two different type of flat top knuckles and Jeep used only one. Would both types work? And, sorry if this is a dumb question, what does bolt pattern have to do with it?
My father-in-law has a '74 Scout parts vehicle, it has a d44 with disk brakes. I haven't had the opportunity to check and see if the knuckles are flat top, if they are, are there any other considerations (I know the bolt pattern is the same), or will they for sure work? It would be GREAT if they did!

Scout knuckles have really long steering arms due to outside frame mounted steering box and forward facing pitman arm. I've seen new holes drilled and tapered in the arms when swapped into CJ's. Other quirks are the 8 spindle studs (all others use 6, so spindles aren't interchangeable) and they use bolt on hublocks rather than internal spline hubs like the others. They also utilize their own axle stub shaft for this configuration. I don't think the Scout spindles will work with the Jeep hubs, which means you'd be stuck with all Scout stuff from knuckle out, including the 5X5.5 bolt pattern.

[ksq2]

Appreciate the info. Josh, I realized I missed the bolt pattern after I posted that. Looks like I'll keep shopping.