My Willys 3A and 3B Community

3A, 3B, DJ Technical Knowledge Base => "Original"-- Technical Questions, Answers, Observations => Topic started by: aboyandhisdog on March 31, 2020, 01:21:56 PM

Title: Steering knuckle capacity?
Post by: aboyandhisdog on March 31, 2020, 01:21:56 PM: Need to buy some lube and wondering the capacity of the knuckles. Anybody know for sure? Searched the manual and I can't find the answer. Thank you.
Title: Re: Steering knuckle capacity?
Post by: Rus Curtis on March 31, 2020, 02:15:43 PM: Tom,
There's a reference to this on the CJ2A Forum:
https://www.thecj2apage.com/forums/steering-knuckle-capacity_topic4364_post30862.html?KW=knuckle+capacity#30862

This will help get you close. I suspect having a bit extra would help if a top-off or seal failure caused you to need some "right now"
Title: Re: Steering knuckle capacity?
Post by: aboyandhisdog on March 31, 2020, 04:34:35 PM: Thanks, Rus. All I can glean from that thread is "about a half pint ea.", but I have to say that doesn't seem like enough. It looks more like a pint to me.
This would be nice to know, I wonder why they didn't print the capacity in the Universal manual.
No problem, I'll buy a quart and should be covered.
Title: Re: Steering knuckle capacity?
Post by: binthere on March 31, 2020, 05:24:32 PM: Tom
I just do the same as I do with the tranny and transfer case--fill with gear oil till it starts running out of the fill hole.
Title: Re: Steering knuckle capacity?
Post by: Rus Curtis on March 31, 2020, 08:22:39 PM: Tom,
I think that's pretty much how everyone does it; add until it's full. Depending on your knuckle type, you may be able to buy small pouches of CV joint lube at the parts store. I have Spicer joints so I use 140wt.
Title: Re: Steering knuckle capacity?
Post by: aboyandhisdog on March 31, 2020, 08:59:34 PM: Rus, does the 140 wt. leak out at all? I'm thinking "00" grease. It's thicker but still flows nicely. I'm putting some Spicer axles in so really just need it to lube the king pin bearings.
Title: Re: Steering knuckle capacity?
Post by: Rus Curtis on March 31, 2020, 10:37:15 PM: I have not yet had leaking issues. I've read other posts where owners have reported the same. I did pack my kingpin bearings, just like the wheel bearings, to hopefully keep the upper from sitting dry when the axle isn't splashing. I don't have any experience on the spicers in this location but I would be concerned about the thicker grease flowing into the needle bearings.

What I can confirm is that if your jeep knuckles were packed at some point with #2 grease (and allowed to run for an extended time), a Bendix will wear and come apart.
Title: Re: Steering knuckle capacity?
Post by: MikeP on March 31, 2020, 10:38:19 PM: imma be using this https://blastercorp.com/product/heavy-duty-grease/
Title: Re: Steering knuckle capacity?
Post by: Rus Curtis on March 31, 2020, 10:43:44 PM: Mike,
That link took me to their #2 grease. You will find this is too thick and will stick to the walls of the knuckle and won't penetrate the axle joint at all. If you're planning to use this to pack your kingpin bearings, then you, me and a few others are all doing the same thing. I think this will work well in the kingpin bearings.
Title: Re: Steering knuckle capacity?
Post by: MikeP on April 01, 2020, 06:42:18 PM: my bad i got it mixed up i meant to use this https://www.amazon.com/Premier-Quality-Products-57-376792-Champion/dp/B071QZL5DQ for the knuckles and steering box and the other grease is for everything else that needs grease
Title: Re: Steering knuckle capacity?
Post by: aboyandhisdog on April 01, 2020, 07:56:33 PM: Quote from: MikeP on April 01, 2020, 06:42:18 PM
my bad i got it mixed up i meant to use this https://www.amazon.com/Premier-Quality-Products-57-376792-Champion/dp/B071QZL5DQ for the knuckles and steering box and the other grease is for everything else that needs grease

Thanks, Mike. That's the stuff I had in mind for both knuckles and steering box. Sounds like we're on the same page. I guess if it's no good, at least there will be two of us! ;)
Title: Re: Steering knuckle capacity?
Post by: Rus Curtis on April 01, 2020, 08:43:14 PM: That looks like good stuff. I like the squirt cap on the top.
Title: Re: Steering knuckle capacity?
Post by: MikeP on April 01, 2020, 08:50:32 PM: i do have a bottle of it that i recently bought for my steering box i havnt opened it yet but i could open it and do a small test with pics
Title: Re: Steering knuckle capacity?
Post by: edsajdak on June 01, 2020, 02:25:47 PM: JOHN DEERE CORN HEAD GREASE. Maybe $2.50 a tube, fill until it comes out the fill hole. Holds 3/4 of a tube when bone dry.