Knuckle Seal Help..am I Crazy?

Hello all,

it seems like I keep moving in the pattern if 2 steps forward 1 step back. Just me?

Anyhow as I try to complete my steering rebuild I just happen to notice this. Does this look right? I am going to take the seals someday but want to finish safety with steering and brakes first.

Is this supposed to have two layers?

Is there a Jerry-rigged reason the PO would have done this?

 

I don't think so. Those seals are relatively easy to replace. I've done it twice.

HEY READER. No it wasn't on the same JEEP. Don't get any funny ideas here.

 

part of outside ring missing
Knuckle Seal Kit 1 Side All 4WD Models-915664

 

Uh oh!

 

Is that third (bottom of picture) part directly under the bolt heads a label identifying the type of joint? I seen them marked RZEPPA for instance.

 

Where? I don’t understand.

 

Hard for me to tell from the photo angle, but is that a metal tag or ID label between the two bolts?

 

Interesting. I will see if I can find anything. What would that mean?

 

It indicates what type of Universal or CV Joint was installed inside the knuckle.

Constant-velocity joint - Wikipedia

 

I'd bet that tag say "SPICER" on it.

 

I think my 43 mb had the REZPPA joint and tag on it. The 53 3B my brother owned had the later type joint with the five balls in it. I dont recall who made them, maybe it is Spicer. I changed out the Rezzpa joints for the new type with a u-joint. worked somewhat better. AFAIK the knuckle seals the op is referring to are all the same on all the closed knuckle joints.

 

I thought Rzeppa had the balls?
Constant-velocity joint - Wikipedia

The u-joint "worked better?" How so?

 

I was thinking the RZEPPA joint had six balls but it's been a long time since I looked at one. maybe they just had 5 also. maybe someone familiar with them can correct me.
The later axle in the 3B had a completely different design and for sure had 5 balls, maybe it was made by spicer?
The newer design replacement axle with the u-joint has a replaceable joint. With the old design axles with the balls once they became worn the only option was replacement of the entire axle assy. As I remember when the ball type axles became worn a little they would make a popping noise when the wheels were turned hard to the stops, especially if you were going pretty fast or spinning the wheels in 4 wheel drive. We broke more than one of those in the joint and they were very expensive to replace.

 

You're thinking of the Bendix type U-joint. It had 5 balls. One in the middle and four outers while the Rzeppa's have 6 balls.

Here's all three that have been discussed. Spicer on the left, Rzeppa in the middle, and Bendix on the right:

 

Since i have a frankie, does one of these typically come with a 3b with Dana 25's?

Is one preferred or upgraded to?

 

Most people go with the spicer joints because they are stronger and replacement parts are available. The advantage to the other styles is they are constant velocity joints and won't surge at high steering angles when in 4wd. It does seem like Kaiser Willys has some NOS Rzeppa joints, but when those are gone, there is no way to repair them.

Others on the forum probably know better than me, but it seems like the other types of joints were typical into the mid/late 50s and they were somewhat random. Somewhere in the late 50s, Jeep themselves switched to only using the Spicer cross-joints.

 

Thanks. Well i just broke into my hubs and they are the Bendix style on the right.

So with these it appears, although i have not taken off the knuckle and really dont want to deal with king pin issues, but is it safe to say that knuckle is filled with grease to lube these? There is a seal keeping diff fluid from intruding?

 

Search "knuckle pudding."

 

Yes but don't use bearing grease. It just squeezes out and there is no lube. It needs to be more liquid such as Knuckelpudding or john deere corn head grease. king pin bearings are not that hard to do. I have sketchy skills and I was able to do it. Watch some youtube videos from Metalshaper and he demos it pretty good. You need a torque wrench and a lot of hand cleaner. It is a messy job.
Yes there is a seal.

 

Yeah, that's it, could not remember the name ''Bendix joint'' those were the ones we had the most trouble with.