closed knuckle leak

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vin
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closed knuckle leak

Post by vin »

So my 68 has the Dana 44hd with the large knuckles. Both leak, one pretty bad for a while. I ordered a wiper seal kit and after I received it, I gave the caked on oil/ mud combo a good scrub to replace them. The next day I saw that it isn't the wipers that are leaking! Damn.

Looks like it leaks from between the hub and the back of the drum. Looking at parts it looks like the only thing there is a flat metal "shim gasket".

https://quad4x4.com/qu40395.html

Being a flat piece of metal, do you really think there is any point of replacing it or just disassemble, give it a good cleaning and maybe a thin layer of some kind if sealant?

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Hobcobble
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Re: closed knuckle leak

Post by Hobcobble »

Do you know what type of lubricant is in the knuckles now? :thinking
I'm not sure if the rear seal on that hub is shot and leaking, as you'd
see signs of it on the inside of the backing plate. Have you removed
a front drum/hub to look at what's going on in there? :idea :2cents
John

vin
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Re: closed knuckle leak

Post by vin »

no i haven't taken it apart yet and dont know what he had in it now. maybe it is too light weight and that is why it leaks so bad. i was trying to gather parts and just do it once, especially since 140wt was hard to find and pretty damn expensive lol.

but the guy i bought it from told me it was the hub that was leaking and they he topped it off every oil change. pretty sure its not the brakes since they hold and it is leaking outside the drum and the brake level isnd going down.

i finally just found the other closed knuckle seal and ordered it from rock auto. NATIONAL Part # 710304 . ill change that and the wiperseals both at once.

allsupj
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Re: closed knuckle leak

Post by allsupj »

I just had mine all apart and installed new seals but no sealant on those matting surfaces. But I am using 00 grease that does not leak as easily. Could also be a loose or broken bolt(s) that holds the spindle to the knuckle. There is a bushing inside the spindle that would keep most oil out of the hub area. I would pull that wheel now. Jon

vin
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Re: closed knuckle leak

Post by vin »

allsupj wrote:I just had mine all apart and installed new seals but no sealant on those matting surfaces. But I am using 00 grease that does not leak as easily. Could also be a loose or broken bolt(s) that holds the spindle to the knuckle. There is a bushing inside the spindle that would keep most oil out of the hub area. I would pull that wheel now. Jon
ok, so i tackled the job yesterday and even found one of the axle u joints was shot. all the needle bearings were out on one side!

so the leaking side. the spindle was different then the other side! the right side had an 11 bolt spindle and the left has a 6 hole. they are identical in every way except for the bolt holes.

so not only can the oil leak out of the unused threaded holes on the knuckle between the spindle but the previous owner had it positioned with a bolt at 12 oclock which means you can not use the hole at 6 oclock because there is no threaded hole on the knuckle there. that leaves a large span between bolts and below the oil level.

i simply turned it a bit so i can use all 6 bolt and now there is 2 bolts on either side of that 6 oclock position. pretty confident that will solve the leak.

so is this spindle ok to use if it doesnt leak? is it from a lighter axle?

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Re: closed knuckle leak

Post by dodgeboykim »

I wouldn't worry about the extra holes as long as you line up all holes with ones in knuckle. Run a bead of silicone on flange and seal bolt thread also.
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Re: closed knuckle leak

Post by allsupj »

The six bolt spindle is from a 3000 lb. Dana 44 and the 11 bolt is from a 3500 lb. Dana 44. I would not be worried about using it. I suppose one could always drill out the additional holes and use them.

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