closed knuckles

[eightyone]

ok, so i have this 1970 shortbed, and the front axle doesnt have ball joints, im told this is a closed knuckle, it is just round, are these axles still pretty good, its not my wheelin truck, its for werk...they creak alot wen you turn, can i rebuild them or sumthin, i have never experienced this bfore. thnaks.

 

[diesel4me]

I had the same closed knuckle front end on a 69 suburban chassis I put under a 72 Chevelle station wagon--the U-joints are enclosed in the "Ball" thing,and swim in 90 weight gear oil--and I think they used a tapered roller bearings similar to a front wheel bearing,only smaller,and a kingpin type setup instead of balljoints.I never had to mess with mine--I found large felt seals for the ball socket knuckle things in the glove box of the burb--geuss the original owner bought them,but never installed them--neither did I,it did not leak that much,and I pumped some grease in it with a grease gun,then filled it up with 90 weight gear oil--barely leaked at all after that--an old timer taught me that trick--saved a lot of work!. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif