Re: Knuckles

[bearbvd@domain.elided (Greg Hermann)]

>I'm going to pull the original knuckle from the axle housing, and drill
>and tap it (or perhaps see if a local machinist would take care of that
>cheaply).

For tapered holes for the tie rod ends--Stack Car Products sells tapered
reamers that are right for doing these.
>
>Looking at what I have, I could do this myself, except for the tapered
>holes used in the arm.  The $125 arm looks like it was cut from some
>thick bar stock (3x2?) with a bandsaw, but a grinder would do if one
>(like I) lacks a bandsaw.
>
>The tricky part is the 3 holes for mounting to the knuckle.  If you look
>at either of your Travelalls, on the driver's side, the mounting system
>is the mirror.  Three holes in the knuckle with studs.  Then the arm goes
>onto the studs, but the arm has tapered holes in it.  Tapered
>"lock-washer" sleeves go into the holes, and then nuts go on top to cinch
>it down.  This is supposed to be to keep the alignment and eliminate
>*any* "slop" from an imperfect fit of a bolt/stud to the 1/2" hole in the
>arm.
>
>I'm not sure what the tapered reamer costs.  I *think* I could use one on
>my drill press (isn't it like a bit with a "blade" end on it?  That's how
>the chuck attaches to the 'press).

For these tapered holes in the steering arm, watch it. (I have always
called the little locks "split cone locks", dunno if there is a more proper
name for them.) These cone locks come in various sizes--different stud
diameters, different lengths, and different tapers, all in various
combinations. NAPA carries a variety of them. It is not too hard to pick
the angle off of the ones you decide to use, tho. I had to go to a tool
supply place and order a custom angle tapered end mill to do the job right.
It fits (mounts in) a standard milling machine tool quill .

It cost about $70 for the custom tapered mill--but hey--what's another
tool? Not like that is the cheapest one in my box, not by a long ways!
(Things like s 3/4" drive Snap-Off dial type torque wrench and s 4:1, 3/4"
x 1" drive torque multiplier come right to mind!) And not bad at
all--considering that I had to pay $17 for a 3/4" open end crow's foot
wrench Friday--hadda replace the shift cable on a Traveller $#% $% $% and
this was the only tool which would get the $#@% tranny bracket for the
cable off of the #$@% 727 without dropping  the $#@% crossmember! (Yes, the
#$% cable is in now!)

Reason I got one of these custom mills was  to cut tapered seats in front
lock-out hub stud holes--so as to make SURE the hubs do not come loose on
the studs. I now mount front hubs to the studs in the wheel hubs same way
that rear axle flanges are fastened to the rear hubs on full floaters.
Might make sense to use the same style cone locks for both jobs----

Regards, Greg