What's new
CK5
Register an account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members.

Flat Top Knuckles, should I be concerned?

Deuling

Deuling

“I like to make things”
 Premium
GMOTM Winner
Joined
Dec 8, 2010
Posts
25,038
Reaction score
6,239
Location
Muskegon Michigan
I bought flat tops for my crossover. Pass side milled and drilled etc.


I had to go with a 1.25" tall spacer with ords arm to get it abouvecthe springs so they don't hit at full bump travel...

I'm on a local forum and as soon as I posted this pic... I got flamed on that I'm going to snap the studs and kill a bus full of nuns...


850E18E1-85A0-45AF-918D-E371DFB6457A-329-0000004E4791F280_zps89723f21.jpg




Now my thoughts were, what if I were to weld the spacer to the arm, and then just a few good tacks from the spacer to the knuckle..??? Ones that could be ground off if needed to remove... Any thoughts on this?


I was thinking if its really that big of a deal I will just do hydro assist, which would take alot of the pressure off the arms and studs..

What say ye? Am I gonna kill everyone with my crossover setup with 33s in sand, or are the local forum people stupid?
 
I've run 1" spacers before, it's not the greatest idea to run them with hydro assist though. I know you were planning on it but not the smartest thing to do. you definitely need to drop the coin on hardened studs though.
 
ion said:
I've run 1" spacers before, it's not the greatest idea to run them with hydro assist though. I know you were planning on it but not the smartest thing to do. you definitely need to drop the coin on hardened studs though.
Click to expand...

Hydro assist would be to the tie rod, so it would have nothing to do with the arms... And I bought ord studs so.... :dunno:
 
anymore with finding a deal shipping 2-3 times and rework and machining on a used flat top . . . .

the win if i was to do it would be new reid / (aka)dedenbear old name nuckle and get the 4th stud hole and a MUCH stonger knuckle also .

i have reid knuckles on my STUBBY build dana 60 axle and these things are massive 10 lbs over stock weight and tons of extra meet and weabing .

but as to your setup good arp studs and nuts . top quality b/j's and keep a eye on stuff first week or so of daily driving you be fine.

and if stacked spacers were bad idea why do these work all the time . its the weak long bolt and or crapy install or worn parts that break most of the time first if you ask me .

check my king pin thread i just mad and check out the bad parts i removed . if those had been a ball joint it would have poped long before the steering arm / block / crossover arm failed . i had close to 1inch of play in that kuckle :eek1: and 44" tsl tires rollin on it. :doah:
 
I got a smokin deal on the flat tops. Like $150 for both a and a sky manufacturing steering arm, which i sold for $50.

So I have $100 into the flat tops with the pass side milled and tapped. Reid's are close to $300 for the one...


I put all moog ball joints in and the studs are from ORD so I figured they were quality :dunno:
 
Do you have a channel machined into the knuckle? Like my old D44 arm had the male end and the knuckle female, to they locked together tightly to help take pressure off the studs. I would think this best.
 
K85 Octane said:
Do you have a channel machined into the knuckle? Like my old D44 arm had the male end and the knuckle female, to they locked together tightly to help take pressure off the studs. I would think this best.
Click to expand...


If you could do this it would be best. Anything that you can lock it together with.

Simple fact is you will break the studs. It may take a while. It may not but they will break.

Keep a close eye on em. Check em every day when at the dunes. Street use is not gonna snap em unless your mall crawling some bad ass curbs in yo skinny jeans.

If you plan on keeping that front axle, it is simply the best idea out there to invest in a new knuckle.
 
Cant see it being any different than running a spacer on a dana 60 steering arm, Id run er!

When I got my X over from ORD, it came with ARP studs. Might be something to look into.
 
I have never seen a xover kit that didn't come with ARPs.

BTW Adam, you won't kill a bussload of nuns, it will be nuns and orphans. :D
 
Bowtie85 said:
Cant see it being any different than running a spacer on a dana 60 steering arm, Id run er!

When I got my X over from ORD, it came with ARP studs. Might be something to look into.
Click to expand...


I have seen plenty of dana 60 arms come loose with the block under them.

sky manu. makes a tall steering arm too that uses stock height studs. I just got one the other day for a sprung over YJ. they make some nice stuff.
 
I would run a raised arm over a spacer.

Its just way too much extra stress on those 3 little studs
 
Deuling said:
Why can't I just weld mine together and not spend another $150 :dunno:



And my knuckle does have the slot milled in it. Should I build up some weld on the bottom of the spacer and file to fit against the slot?
Click to expand...

I have done this once before. I just cut a the steering arm really really carefully took some solid square, drilled holes in it, did a rosette weld to the steering arm. Worked good but took some time to do
 
blazinzuk said:
I have done this once before. I just cut a the steering arm really really carefully took some solid square, drilled holes in it, did a rosette weld to the steering arm. Worked good but took some time to do
Click to expand...

Like buy some keystock?
 
Your not running a monster truck, and your not doing anything obnoxious with it. Your running 33s, a warmed over 400ci, no deep gears, no front locker, no manual, I wouldnt worry about a bus load of nuns, orphans, or criminals. Just make sure they stay tight, and thats it.

Compared to most of your local forums vehicles, your probably in the top 20% on safety. Hell, compared to most older vehicles on the road your probably in the top 20. :haha:
 
Deuling said:
Like buy some keystock?
Click to expand...


Something like that its really something I had laying around.

It was my old 73 and I sold the axle shortly after I did it. I broke the studs twice. Once I caught it when just one was broke but the other time all 3 of them broke, oddly enough it didn't just fall off. My steering got super loose on the interstate. I pulled off to check and I knew pretty quick what had happened.

I was running a spacer too
 
I ran a 1/2 spacer when I had a 10b to clear my springs with the zero rate. I did the tack weld thing and ran it for several years with no issues, but like Eric said I checked it often.

One thing I noticed on your FB pictures that was mentioned when I did mine. Don't paint the mating surfaces on the knuckle, the spacer, or the arm. The paint is a thin layer that will degrade over time and then you have a .010 gap and once there is any movement it will get worse quickly and then you end up with broken studs. The metal to metal clamping force is what holds it all together.

The tall arm from Sky is also another option.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest Posts

Top Bottom