Cheap knuckles?

Knuckles.. Pics are up now

Alright, probably 2 years ago I ordered new knuckles for my Jeep. I'm just now getting around to installing them I took them out of their boxes to find that they aren't identical (or mirror images of each other to be exact). One of them looks like a nice, well made, nicely machined part. The other one looks downright cheap. For instance, the good one has extra material cast into it where the spindle bolts would thread in to give them extra threads to hang on to. The "cheap" knuckle doesn't. The steering arm on the "cheap" one is cast smaller too. Should I be concerned about running this part??? I'm using studs for the both the kingpins and spindles.... Any thoughts/suggestions? Does anyone have an original equipment right side knuckle they want to sell???

 

Would you have a pic of this by any chance? The steering arm on the 4-cyl were cast smaller than the V6. I'll snap a pic and post it here real soon.

I'm sure I've got a spare available Southtowns. Just need to determine which size/type.

 

There are definate differences in the size of the 2 knuckles.
Like I said before I don't know if it is actually the difference between the V6 or F4, or a difference from D25/D27 or simply something they made larger over time, but there is about a 20% difference in weight. I was told years ago that is was the difference between a V6 axle versus 4 cylinder axle and that is how I have always treated it.
When I did Alans stud conversion a few weeks ago he had 1 of each on his set up, he had swapped 1 out not realizing the difference. If you set the 2 side by side or put them on a scale you will notice it immediately!!

 

The 2 I have aren't that different...One just looks mega cheap. Even the machining on it looks crappy.
I have pics of them, but where can I get them hosted???

 

If Hippo393 can't help you out, I am parting out the axle that had the 4.88's I'm sending you. I've noticed that the steering arms are a lot beefier than the ones on my old 27 that came out of a 4 cyl. The 27 I'm parting out came from a '69 V6. Hippo393 is a lot closer to you than me, but let me know if you get desperate.

 

Thanks a lot Just when I think I have everything all figured out, it all has to change... Ahh the joys of an ECJ5

 

[rant]AAAAARRRGGGHHH!!! For the last 3 hours I've been trying to get a pic up here. Ahh, that's the fun of having Win98 FE b/c today's cameras don't recognize it. So I got on 2 other computers to upload & transfer, and it was a mix of corrupt floppies and crashed computers (each time I'd hit "Manage Pics" it'd crash). Then the dang "Server Too Busy" message came up predictably at 1:05-ish.

Maybe Santa will stuff a new 'puter & server down the chimney. Sheesh!! [rant off]

Hope the pic helps. Lemme know which knuckle you need. Oh, and I'd like to see a pic of what you have. Might try Webshots and link to it. I've enjoyed Sony's Imagestation until V-Bulletin decided to see it as a threat.
-Alan

 

Tried that already, they're too big and I don't know how to resize them. I'll get them hosted and get them up later today.

I'm pretty sure both of mine are in fact 4 cyl knuckles.

 

I have noticed the difference in the arm areas
early type seem small and puny
later ones are much beefier in the arm area
don't know if that is related to the F4-V6 thing, probably not
if you would have purchased/ordered a Jeep in 1969/1970/1971 with the F4, I am sure you would have recieved the heavy knuckles; what they were using at the time

 

Here are the pics... The left one is the "cheap" knuckle. You can see how much less material is in there. I don't have a pic of the two of them side by side, but they really aren't that different. The "cheap" one is just slightly smaller.

I'm actually starting to think about the double holed knuckle for the right side and one long tierod... Anyone run this setup?

 

Here are 2 more

 

Bump, pics are up now...obviously

 

looks like water sat in the knuckle and rusted away the difference.

 

They're both brand new. That bumpy shiny finish on the cheapy knuckle is paint

 

different makers?

 

Yeah, that's what I'm thinking, but should I be worried about running the cheapy one? I don't really want the knuckle breaking while I'm cruising down the highway at 65

 

I have a replacement one I can send ya for shipping. It's currently installed on the Jeep, and I just repainted the ones that're going to go on. With company in town this weekend, I may not get to it until Monday. Lemme know if that works for you!

 

Very interesting. I just went out and looked at the studded knuckles that I bought from lafster a while ago. They have the boss on the inside like the "beefer" ones but not as quite as thick (studs in them now). The "arm" is of the "beefer" type.

Sounds like a "production" change. Don't know if the geometry is different or not.