repl knuckle seals and felts

hello,
Do I need to remove the front knuckles on a 1967 cj5 to repl the seals and felts? i,read you can cut the seal but nothing on the felt? do you do the same with the felt and place at 12:00? and how tight do you tighten the retainers. thanks for your help. i am fairly new w/jeeps but learning as i go.

 

Not sure on the felts, but if they are like the one piece rubber seals (which I recommend), they have a slot in them that allows you to install it without taking the knuckle apart.

 

the replacements are one piece rubber with a metal strip incased. i've seen posts where they say to cut it on an angle and place the cut area at the top. the felts are also one piece so i cant think of any other way to put it on unless i cut them as well. if i need to pull it apart then now is the time because i have the fron brakes apart, but was hoping not to have to pull the hub and other stuff off if i dont have to.

 

All the newer kits I have bought the seal was already split and the split goes at the top. The FSM does not give a torque for the bolts. The new kits also have felts. The seal goes on first and the the felt which acts as a wiper I think. Then the metal retainers go on. After you run it a while I always retighten the bolts as the felts compress a little.

 

the seals came from 4wd hardware and they are 1 piece w/no split. they say you cut them. however i not heard or seen anything on the felts? i assume (which i hate to.) you do the same w/ them.??

 

Here's a good picture. Yes, you have to cut the felts.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Jeep...r_Truck_Parts_Accessories?hash=item45f0c9d0d8

 

thats the exact kit i got from 4wd.com (hardware.) for like 14.00. thanks!! i will cut the felts. you guys are a big help.

 

Something to consider...it wouldnt hurt to tear it down to the ball and check the kingpin bearings. The you dont have to worry about cutting the felts [not that thats a big deal] I am glad I went that route and looked at everything while i was there. Just my .02

 

The felts will slip over the ball if torn down. You do not have to cut them. If it hasn't been rebuilt then the top bearing has about a 99% chance of needing to be replaced anyways.

 

Like I said its not a big deal to cut them....my point was its a good idea to go the extra few steps

 

Just a note on the seals that need to be cut - there is a break in the steel ring that is encased in the rubber - you can feel it. That is where I was taught the cut should be.

 

The set I got from Kaiser Willy's were cut and 1,2,3, to install. The 2 manuals, (one old military and a yellow cover one that is the cat's meow), I have does not give a torgue setting, but simply state "don't over tighten", or snug, something like that. ( so the felt doesn't buldge out).
I used a 1/4" rachet and held it at the top and tighten them the 1/2" bolts.
One side seaped a bit and I had to "snug" it a bit more, 1/4 turn at a time.
One my '61 CJ5, whilist I was doing the seals, I tore apart the knuckle, looking at the bushings at that top and bottom,really easy 4 bolts and pull out.
It was good cuz the bottom was filled with gunk from the years..
I used a mix of petrolem based grease mixed with petroluem gear oil to make a slurry,(I got the idea from my old Royal Enfield motorcycle trans
Don't forget to clean up you steering knuckle ball, rust gunk etc., and lightly grease it so the rubber seal won't wear.
The military manual states that you gotta clean up the ball after a muddy ride, and clean it off before parking in cold weather.
Seems to me you'd spend a LOT of time wiping that ball off!
Joe
It's a jeep, NOTHING is critical!

 

I have a 48 and a 65 FSM and it says that very thing in both. Just turn the wheels.

 

i am sur its a good idea to ck the kingpin bearings as i'm sure it needs them. steering is pretty stiff but i am running out of money this season so i will tear that down in the summer or next fall to ck and repl. a guy in salem ohio at daveys jeeps told me that 85-140 gear lube would be fine to put back in there is that true? i see talk about some kind of soup concocction? which is better?

 

The 2 manuals I have state 140 wt, (which I thought was ppprrreeetttyy heavy when it cold out), that's why I went 85 wt in the diff. and made that slurry to whip @ in there.
I figured like my Royal Enfield Motorcycle trans, the seals are, well, not like todays seals and weeping occurs.
The slurry will lube the "U" Joint, and cuz it a bit thicker, won't work it's way out onto my brakes (I hope).
The cilivian manual states to turn the wheel back and forth, the military one (reproduction manual from WW2), says wiper 'er down, but that's the goverment, always going to the extreme.
(really I've never thought about doing either, perhaps I should?????).
Joe
It's a jeep thing............. common sense!