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Home > Jeep Articles > General - Product Reviews > Parts Mike D44 Replacement Knuckles |
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Parts Mike D44 Replacement KnucklesArticle written by ScramblahDate Added: 06/08/2006 When I started my Dana 44 build, I needed to find some flat top knuckles for the high-steer arms that I wanted to use because of the spring over. |
The most common approach to obtain flattop knuckles is to grab them off an older Chevy or various other older 4x4 vehicles. However, simply getting the knuckles from the junkyard is not the only step. You have to send them to a machine shop and have one side machined down, drilled, and tapped. This has to be done in order to get a perfectly flat surface to mount the high-steer arms. |
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Another option is to get Parts Mike?s new six bolt knuckles. These are brand new, cast knuckles that are designed to be used and abused. The six bolts correspond to the same spindle pattern as Chevy trucks and some of the older Jeep Wagoneers. | |
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When you first compare junkyard and Parts Mike, you?ll notice there is one major difference. There is no horn to directly mount the tie rod ends to the knuckle. Some might say this is a disadvantage, but in my application those horns are of no use. With a spring over, there is a leaf spring right where the tie rod is supposed to go. |
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There is a height difference between the old and the new knuckle. This difference is only about ½ inch, but when it comes time to mount high-steer arms, this will make a world of difference because you will not have to run a taller spacer with the new knuckles. | |
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Here is a picture of the inside of the knuckles. You can see that the Parts Mike knuckle is much thicker than the junkyard knuckle. There are also two steering stops included on the new knuckle. |
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The one disadvantage of the new knuckles is the price. When I purchased these knuckles, I also bought new ball joints and all the appropriate hardware from Parts Mike. My total was close to $600. | |
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After talking to him on the phone, he offered to install the ball joints and promised me that I would have them by the end of the week. He delivered on his promise, and a few days later I had my knuckles. Not only were the ball joints installed, but also the arm studs and the spindle studs. The installation was a breeze and they fit perfectly. |
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 Final ThoughtsI highly recommend these knuckles to anyone that is in the market for new ones and has the money to spend. Not only do you get a stronger/taller knuckle, but also you get higher quality knuckles than you would from any junkyard. |
