Aluminum knuckle failure

[gato]

That looks a little better. I wouldn't be surprised if our pricing is quietly adding in shipping costs.


Yup....that is super dirty and bent.Wallowed out long before failure.

Probably the commonly incorrectly torqued lower ball joint castle nut contributed to it.

Note: In their latest TSB, Jeep has instructions to tighten the lower ball joint to 59 ftlbs (vs 35 ftlbs previously), if they are clicking. So Jeep knows that there is not enough torque to keep them from spinning and wallowing it out at 35.

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[364pipeguy]

As everyone knows badge of honor badges are easy to get. All you have to do is sign in at the trail head , and go on the ride or turn around and go home. I know if you are already there why not do the trail , but I have seen people change their minds when they see that it looks more difficult then they expected, and just go home.

 

[utahcamera]

It failed, because it broke. No consideration to how it was used: whether outside correct intended use or not. Dont be an antagonist. I'm not advocating either way. I merely stated that in ONE incident were it "failed" Chill. LOL

I watched the video yesterday and heard the driver say he did NOT have his front lockers engaged. Could wheel hop have done the dead?

 

[IQ_imbalance]

Ugh, i've seen people bust U-joints and axle shafts but this is a first!

 

[grimmjeeper]

Rock crawling, lockers on generally all the time. Because in rock crawling there is a tendency to have a wheel off the ground. Once that happen that axle is providing no force to the ground. Wheel in the air spins…

exception is tight turns. Lockers on on hard surfaces making a turn is hard on components. And can make you miss a line.

When I'm rock crawling I don't turn the lockers on until I can't make an obstacle. Only then do they come on. Doing that reduces premature wear on the drivetrain components.

 

[19 JLUR Bright Whit3]

Ugh, i've seen people bust U-joints and axle shafts but this is a first!

Same here. When that U Joint, axle shaft or drive shaft goes, it creates a lot of damage. Urgh. LOL

 

[19 JLUR Bright Whit3]

When I'm rock crawling I don't turn the lockers on until I can't make an obstacle. Only then do they come on. Doing that reduces premature wear on the drivetrain components.

I prefer the dry stuff, where you can crawl. Too bad the majority of the stuff here is muddy hills with slippery rocks that force you to "bump" every time. LOL.

 

[IQ_imbalance]

Same here. When that U Joint, axle shaft or drive shaft goes, it creates a lot of damage. Urgh. LOL

"PING!!!"

 

[stumblinhorse]

When I'm rock crawling I don't turn the lockers on until I can't make an obstacle. Only then do they come on. Doing that reduces premature wear on the drivetrain components.

My Original post was trying to indicate very similar, lockers on when climbing an obstacle. I think if you have lockers use them. I think if you want want to wait to see if you need them you might be living dangerously. I like to be sure they are locked and with Jeep e-lockers, make sure they are gonna work

 

[Rsarffs]

Those wheels have a decent amount of backspacing and the Jeep probably would of survived without the wheel spacers. I think the wheel spacers multiplied the forces on his front suspension/steering components. I've seen issues like bent tie rods, broken tie rod ends, broken cv joints on axles and jammed steering in tight articulated turns when wheel spacers are used on overly back-spaced rims on UTV's.

 

[grimmjeeper]

My Original post was trying to indicate very similar, lockers on when climbing an obstacle. I think if you have lockers use them. I think if you want want to wait to see if you need them you might be living dangerously. I like to be sure they are locked and with Jeep e-lockers, make sure they are gonna work

Depends on the obstacle. There are many that only require slow precision on the right line. Too many people use lockers as a crutch and never really learn to crawl.

 

[mikem20]

Happened here too. And he’s only on 35’s.

 

[19 JLUR Bright Whit3]

Happened here too. And he’s only on 35’s.

Wow, we got to see this break in action!

 

[mikem20]

I wasn’t too worried about the aluminum knuckles but then I see that vid. Might need to put it on my list sooner than later.

 

[Headbarcode]

The cimpled Jeeps in both of these videos seem to have the same witness marks in the tapered lower ball joint bores of the knuckles. My guess is that both Jeeps had loose ball joint studs that allowed the bores to get wallowed out. That movement allowed a slide hammering affect, that when coupled to the shock load of wheel slip and ujoint crow hopping, amplified the stress leading to the compound break.

Reids high strength nodular iron knuckles and RCV axle shafts would avoid all that fun.

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