Word of Caution

[cityfarmer2]

Just had a major breakage, On my Dana 60 that I put in about 1 and a half ago. Went wheeling last week and this week had three out of four steering link at the King pin shear clean off. Words to the wise this could have been avoided if I would have looked my Blazer over before I hopped back in after washing it. Hine sight is a very clear 20/20. Took about 8 hours to extract those studs after I broke an easy out off in the last stud and a local machine shop made me up a set of stronger studs. I consider myself extremely lucky since I was not haulin a>> but rather just pulling out of a friends house when steering link separated from king pin mount. /forums/images/graemlins/eek.gif /forums/images/graemlins/doah.gif

 

[Hossbaby50]

I had a similar problem awhile back with my D44 crossover setup. It was explained to me (and makes perfect sense now) that the shear strength of the bolts are not what keep the arm in place. It is the friction between the steering arm and knuckle surface. The torque on the bolts is what causes this friction.

More torque = more friction.

You must match the fastener to the torque spec but more torque is better if possible. I am running Grade 9 bolts torqued to 180lb/ft on my D44 setup now.

It was also explained to me that once the steering input overcomes the friction between the steering arm and knuckle the bolts WILL NOT hold the loads. The amount of presure that the friction causes is MUCH more then what the shear strength of the fasteners are.

It is VERY IMPORTANT that you make sure there is no paint and not grease between the steering arm and knuckle surface. They need to be completely clean so that they can hold the most amount of friction possible.

Harley

 

[drivelineman]

I actually hear a softer stud will not sheer an easily- Although i run factory gm studs on my top kingpin 60 with 5 bolts holding it- Jess

 

[TrcksR4ME]

That makes sense /forums/images/graemlins/thinking.gif, I wonder how many people on here paint their arms and knuckles before putting them together /forums/images/graemlins/thinking.gif

 

[79Beast]

I think it's alway good to recheck torque on everything after you run it that first few weeks. It's also good practice to look everything over periodicly. I try to give everything a good eyeballing everytime I grease it. I have to tell you that the best way I've found so far to find those minor discrepancies is to have someone else look. It can be a buddy who also wheels, or someone you met in the parking lot at the parts store who can't believe a B.U.T. (Big Ugly Truck) sounds better than his mustang. Everyone else catches all the little stuff that I miss...even fine lines in caked on dirt that look like cracks.
As to the studs in the top of D60 knuckles, I'm still running stock. I think that ram on my factory position tie rod take a lot of stress off of them. I am planning on upgrading later to a high strenght stud. I work at a CAT dealer and we have been pulling wheels off of BIG 6 wheel drive off road dump trucks, buffing the mounting surfaces, and retorqing all the studs. If memory serves me, there are 32 1" studs per wheel that torque to 400 ft/lbs. That said, I agree with the previous comment about clean mounting surfaces, especially anywhere a shear load will be found.

 

[Hossbaby50]

For help ID'ing possible problems with my studs in the future I made a line on the top of each bolt running parallel to the axle tube. This way if the lines are not parallel I know something needs torque, is broken, or needs attention. Easier to make things obvious.

Harley

 

[drivelineman]

are you talking to me ? my stuff cam painted the knuckles anyways- there actually powder coated from dedenbear- Jess

 

[tRustyK5]

That is exactly what happened to me the first day of Blazer Bash. My studs sheared while driving out of the wash from Lower Helldorado/Upper Helldorado and we ended up having to leave the truck there overnight and fix it on the trail the next morning with the help of FWP and his OBA.

Funny how much tighter the steering seemed after we hit pavement again.../forums/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif

Rene