steering knuckle damage. Why?

steering knuckle damage. Why?(pics)

I need the help of the badass collective to tell me what happened and if it can be fixed. The pics show the left side steering knuckle housing(correct term?) with some significant damage from some kind of grinding. Many, many grooves as you can seemehh. The outer seal matches the damage marks on the knuckle housing. The kingpin cup was almost welded in place as you can see. Is this too much damage to continue using it or can it be fixed? Will a new seal hold the fluid? Any help as always is much appreciated. By the way the rt side was fine.
thanks again
JC

 

Maybe the kingpin bearings blew up.

 

kingpin bearings are in tact top and bottom. I did notice there wasnt any shims on the top kingpin. dunno

 

IMO there was some kind of debris between the inner and outer knuckle cups.(like the other guy said) I've never seen damage that bad before. I'd replace the outer knuckle, then I'd get some JB weld and fill in the grooves on the inner knuckle and sand it smooth. Some may disagree, but all you need to do is try and keep it from leaking. The ony thing that will touch that inner knuckle is the rubber and felt from the seal. The JB should be harder than rubber and felt and hold up for a long time....IMO. Otherwise, you would have to get a whole other axle shell. It comes down to, just how much time and money do you want to spend fixing essentially an oil seal.

 

Yeah, I'd guess that there was metal-to-metal contact between the axle and the knuckle for a long time. I expect that you'd have to drive it with a missing top or bottom kingpin bearing for a while to cause damage like that. Does the knuckle have matching wear?

If it were mine, I'd look for a complete replacement axle. What ratio is it? As mentioned, model 25 and 27 front axles aren't in terribly high demand. Replacing it with a model 30 is another option, but finding one in your ratio could be difficult.

You can change gears in a replacement axle, but it's fairly advanced work, and most amateurs aren't up to it. Pretty good chance you can find a 25 or 27 in your ratio though, and then you can replace the whole axle.

 

Unfortunately I have the 5.38s in mine which arent as common. BUT, If anyone somewhat local has a set of axles with gears closer to 4.11s or so and wants to trade I would dig that even more. It is mainly going to be a pavement monkey anyway. My rear is a 44. thanks for the input so far.

 

Most CJs with the 134 cid engines came with 5.38s. You should be able to find a 25 or 27 front axle with 5.38s.

 

I'd do the JB Weld repair, put it together, then take my sweet badass time looking for an axle. And I'd stick with swapping in another close-knuckled axle since you aren't wheeling it hard. Old stuff is interesting unless it's unreliable to the extent that you dislike the Jeep.

 

I would also vote to replace the axle. Finding 4.10 gears for a 25 will take a bit of luck as I do not think these were even an option on CJ's. The set I used was from a 63 wagon that had the 230 ohc motor (it was a very nice restoration until the PO did a couple of somersaults off a steep mining road-bought it for $500 for the Warn OD and PTO winch adapter). The 5.38's are everywhere. I have seen the 4.10's in the early V8 J trucks but I think all these used closed knuckle 44's.

 

Correct for the closed-knuckle axles. For CJ-5s and 6s, 4.27s or 5.38s with the F134, 4.88s or 3.73s with the V6. That covers it for a compatible 25 or 27 front axle. For Dana 30s, from 72-75 3.83s std and 4.27s opt. After that, 3.54s and 4.10s for the rest of the 70s, and even worse ratios (3.31s and 3.07s?) after that.

Try the WTB here or on the Willystech parts board for a complete 5.38 axle. Also try your local Jeep/4x4 boards and forums. Since you are in Sacramento, you could visit J&W and go home with a replacement axle, albeit at a premium price. I'm sure they'll have one though. Worth a look for an idea of prices, if nothing else.

 

once again..extremely grateful for the info. Especially the additional yrs to get the axles from. is it best to just stick with hunting for axles from cjs or go to the trouble to locate other compatible rigs (if any?)
thanks again

 

Here's a 5.38 Dana 25 axle:

http://inlandempire.craigslist.org/pts/1375073801.html

 

what model is it? if it is a model27 i have a axle housing and left knuckle you can have for the cost of taking a drive north to redding

 

Nice!! I'd be on that

Some time in the near future I will have a D27 with 3.73 available.

 

you must not be in metro sac area its only 2.5 hours driving from my house to cal expo area.any how if you are interested maybe we could meet half way but that would cost you a frosty beverage .or somtimes i go to lincoln for work maybe we can make something work

 

Note that ad does not say the Dana 25 came from a CJ. I'd presume it does.

Re the relative merits of the Dana 25 vs. the Dana 27, I recall there are some reasons why you'd want the 27; axle u-joints and such. But other members could tell you more.

I don't think these axles are that scarce. Not that they are plentiful, but that there isn't much demand for closed-knuckle axles. Look around locally befor you go hundreds of miles to get one. J&W is in Antelope - perhaps the largest Jeep wrecking yard in the world. I can't believe they would not have one.

 

Jeep Peep, I was talking bout the other add above on CL, it was in Riverside. LOOOOOONG way. Thanks for the offer. I will see what I can find around and maybe be in contact. thanks