87 steering knuckle

[Whitaker717]

So I just went to get an alignment job and they said I had some play in my passenger front tire. They took me out there and sure enough there is some play. My tie rod is new so I am guessing it’s my steering knuckle. Any idea where I can get one for an 87? I’m guessing the wheel bearing will need replaced or should be at the same time. Thanks guys. 

[ghetdjc320]

On 3/2/2023 at 4:09 PM, Whitaker717 said:

So I just went to get an alignment job and they said I had some play in my passenger front tire. They took me out there and sure enough there is some play. My tie rod is new so I am guessing it’s my steering knuckle. Any idea where I can get one for an 87? I’m guessing the wheel bearing will need replaced or should be at the same time. Thanks guys. 

The likelihood of play coming from a faulty knuckle is slim to none. Tie rod end, ball joint or wheel unit bearing. Your mechanic should be able to tell you which beyond a shadow of a doubt within a minute or two. 

[Whitaker717]

6 hours ago, ghetdjc320 said:

The likelihood of play coming from a faulty knuckle is slim to none. Tie rod end, ball joint or wheel unit bearing. Your mechanic should be able to tell you which beyond a shadow of a doubt within a minute or two. 

When he brought me out to look at it the play I where the tie rod goes into the knuckle. The tie rod is brand new from precision or Oreillys. It is almost like the tie rod bolt is too small or the knuckle hole is wallowed out. 

[ghetdjc320]

It may be the wrong tie rod end. Or perhaps a previous owner drilled the knuckle for crossover steering or one ton tie rod ends. There is a fix if that’s the issue but you’ll need to examine it and see what the issue is. Is it both knuckles or just one? The 84-89 knuckles are no longer in production. The 90 and newer knuckles have a different caliper mount system but, if you needed to, you could change over to them. But you’d have to do the knuckle and caliper. And if you do that you might as well do the upper and lower ball joints.
First things first though, knuckles don’t just go bad and are not a wear item. You either have a bad TRE (tie rod end) or someone may have modified it at some point. You need to find out if the actual knuckle taper is somehow modified or damaged. If the taper itself is confirmed to be bad after some testing and examination, you can use something like this to restore it: https://www.tmrcustoms.com/products/tie-rod-end-inserts-jeep-taper-tj-lj-xj-zj-mj

[Whitaker717]

1 hour ago, ghetdjc320 said:

It may be the wrong tie rod end. Or perhaps a previous owner drilled the knuckle for crossover steering or one ton tie rod ends. There is a fix if that’s the issue but you’ll need to examine it and see what the issue is. Is it both knuckles or just one? The 84-89 knuckles are no longer in production. The 90 and newer knuckles have a different caliper mount system but, if you needed to, you could change over to them. But you’d have to do the knuckle and caliper. And if you do that you might as well do the upper and lower ball joints.
First things first though, knuckles don’t just go bad and are not a wear item. You either have a bad TRE (tie rod end) or someone may have modified it at some point. You need to find out if the actual knuckle taper is somehow modified or damaged. If the taper itself is confirmed to be bad after some testing and examination, you can use something like this to restore it: https://www.tmrcustoms.com/products/tie-rod-end-inserts-jeep-taper-tj-lj-xj-zj-mj

Thanks for the explanation. I would venture to guess it’s the wrong size end. I can’t imagine the guy I got it from did any modifications to the knuckle. Just out of curiosity, some tie rod ends say 20mm like the MOOG one. Does that mean it will take a 20mm socket to get it off because mine is definitely not that size. 

[ghetdjc320]

1 hour ago, Whitaker717 said:

Thanks for the explanation. I would venture to guess it’s the wrong size end. I can’t imagine the guy I got it from did any modifications to the knuckle. Just out of curiosity, some tie rod ends say 20mm like the MOOG one. Does that mean it will take a 20mm socket to get it off because mine is definitely not that size. 

No, the socket size should be 3/4 for the castle nut. The passenger side knuckle is where the drag link attaches from the steering box. I end that connects to the knuckle is a fixed end and not serviceable. The tie rod connects from the drag link near the passenger side and connects the driver side knuckle. The only replaceable TRE’s are at the steering gear box side and the drivers side knuckle unless you have a non-stock configuration. MOOG DS1046 should be the drag link that attaches from the passenger knuckle to the steering box. 

[rokinn]

If I were you I would take it home and make sure everything is snugged up before taking what they say at face value.  I recently took my Subaru in to Brakes Plus (whom I had used before on a couple of occasions to my satisfaction) for an alignment after having replaced my struts.  I was told the the inner tie rod ends on both sided were worn and that they needed to be replaced and might as well do the outer ones as well as the labor would be the same.  They showed me too that there was movement in the steering components.  Estimate was $750.  Heck with that I said and ordered new inner and outer's from Rock Auto.  Got down to doing the work only to find that the castle nut on the RF outer TR was loose.  Can't say definitively whether it was just wear or intentional loosening but it definitely wasn't what they were saying.  I changed my outer TR's and took it somewhere else for an alignment.  

 

Be wary of a lot of these places.  There's a lot of shadiness going on out there.

[Whitaker717]

32 minutes ago, ghetdjc320 said:

No, the socket size should be 3/4 for the castle nut. The passenger side knuckle is where the drag link attaches from the steering box. I end that connects to the knuckle is a fixed end and not serviceable. The tie rod connects from the drag link near the passenger side and connects the driver side knuckle. The only replaceable TRE’s are at the steering gear box side and the drivers side knuckle unless you have a non-stock configuration. MOOG DS1046 should be the drag link that attaches from the passenger knuckle to the steering box. 

This is the set up I have. I have the play by the blue boot

[rokinn]

Make sure the castle nut is tightened to proper torque.

[ghetdjc320]

Do the tests that @Limeyjeeper posted the other day. Should take 15-20 minutes but you’ll get some seriously good data: 

 

[Whitaker717]

34 minutes ago, ghetdjc320 said:

Do the tests that @Limeyjeeper posted the other day. Should take 15-20 minutes but you’ll get some seriously good data: 

 

I will take a look. The problem is I have no wobble at all. Which is wierd. It is smooth as a cucumber going down the road. 

 

1 hour ago, rokinn said:

Make sure the castle nut is tightened to proper torque.

That could be an issue for sure. What is the torque spec? I think I tightened it just enough to get the cotter pin in there. 

[rokinn]

17 minutes ago, Whitaker717 said:

I will take a look. The problem is I have no wobble at all. Which is wierd. It is smooth as a cucumber going down the road. 

 

That could be an issue for sure. What is the torque spec? I think I tightened it just enough to get the cotter pin in there. 

35 ft lbs.  Go tighter from there to get the cotter pin in.

[Whitaker717]

Just now, rokinn said:

35 ft lbs.  Go tighter from there to get the cotter pin in.

I have my cotter pin in right now so it may be close if it’s only 35 ft pounds

[ghetdjc320]

Any steering wheel play? 

[Whitaker717]

22 minutes ago, ghetdjc320 said:

Any steering wheel play? 

Maybe a little. Not much though