cracked spindle knuckle - need to replace
Thread Starter
Driver
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 103
Likes: 1
From: wv
cracked spindle knuckle - need to replace
Hello every one.
I am trying to replace badly rusted front rotors on my 99 rx300 which are badly stuck to the hub. I sprayed liquid wrench on them and banged them with hammer but they wont move. In the end I tried pushing them off the hub by placing two 17mm 2" long bolts with nuts in the caliper holes and tightening them with up a ratchet while holding the nuts with the wrench. Well that worked nicely for getting the passenger side rotor off but not so well for the drivers side. During the process I ended up cracking part of the knucle with caliper bolt holes as shown in the picture. Now I need to replace the whole knuckle. Is this an easy job especially with the rotor still stuck to the hub? I am thinking of buying the whole knuckle from a junk yard so I dont have to get the bearing pressed in. Any Ideas? Thanks.
I am trying to replace badly rusted front rotors on my 99 rx300 which are badly stuck to the hub. I sprayed liquid wrench on them and banged them with hammer but they wont move. In the end I tried pushing them off the hub by placing two 17mm 2" long bolts with nuts in the caliper holes and tightening them with up a ratchet while holding the nuts with the wrench. Well that worked nicely for getting the passenger side rotor off but not so well for the drivers side. During the process I ended up cracking part of the knucle with caliper bolt holes as shown in the picture. Now I need to replace the whole knuckle. Is this an easy job especially with the rotor still stuck to the hub? I am thinking of buying the whole knuckle from a junk yard so I dont have to get the bearing pressed in. Any Ideas? Thanks.
CL Community Team
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 16,557
Likes: 1,385
From: Austin, TX
Sorry to beat you up on this, but dd you not notice 2 holes 180degrees apart near the center of the rotor. Near the stud pass through holes. These are the designed in holes to pull apart stuck rotor.
Weigh your options after you pull off the rotor.
Salim
Weigh your options after you pull off the rotor.
Salim
Thread Starter
Driver
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 103
Likes: 1
From: wv
Salim,
Thats the first option i tried. I used a 8mm x 1.25 pitch bolt but the rotor was so badly stuck that the threads came off of the hole. I heard a cracking sound while trying to tighten the bolts and thought the rust between the rotor and the hub broke but it was actually the threads that broke.
Thats the first option i tried. I used a 8mm x 1.25 pitch bolt but the rotor was so badly stuck that the threads came off of the hole. I heard a cracking sound while trying to tighten the bolts and thought the rust between the rotor and the hub broke but it was actually the threads that broke.
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Driver
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 144
Likes: 1
From: MA
I had a problem similar to this on a Tundra front rotor. It wouldn't budge. I managed to get the rotor to rock back and forth on the wheel studs. It wasn't moving much, but it was enough to free it up.-
Hope you get it off!
Hope you get it off!
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CL Community Team
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 16,557
Likes: 1,385
From: Austin, TX
Heat needs to be applied with caution, you dont want the problem to magnify by affecting the bearing.
Penetrating oil and patience will win out. The reason the caliper broke was that the force made the rotor more crooked. Use the rubber mallet to seat it back before attempting to pull. The rotor also has an axial play (only if the hub allows).
You can also tap new threads ... remember to use flat bottom tap.
Salim
Penetrating oil and patience will win out. The reason the caliper broke was that the force made the rotor more crooked. Use the rubber mallet to seat it back before attempting to pull. The rotor also has an axial play (only if the hub allows).
You can also tap new threads ... remember to use flat bottom tap.
Salim
Thread Starter
Driver
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 103
Likes: 1
From: wv
The caliper is not broken. The area on the knuckle where the caliper bolts in cracked so the knuckle needs to replaced now. I am thinking of removing the knuckle without taking the rotor off since all the bolts seem accessible with the rotor on. Here are the instructions I found from a manual online.
Removal (ES300 & RX300)
1) Raise and support vehicle. Remove front wheels. Have an
assistant apply brakes, if necessary, and remove axle nut. Remove 2
bolts, caliper and disc. Support caliper securely. DO NOT allow
caliper to hang from brake hose. See Fig. 1.
2) Remove ABS wheel speed sensor and wiring harness from
steering knuckle. Loosen 2 strut-to-knuckle bolts, but DO NOT remove.
Remove cotter pin and nut from the tie rod end. Using Puller (09610-
20012), disconnect tie rod end from steering knuckle.
3) Disconnect lower ball joint from lower arm. Remove 2 nuts
and bolt. Remove strut-to-knuckle bolts. Remove steering knuckle and
hub as an assembly.
Although it says remove the disc it seems like it may not be necessary. I can pick up the knuckle with hub and bearing pressed in from a junk yard.
Removal (ES300 & RX300)
1) Raise and support vehicle. Remove front wheels. Have an
assistant apply brakes, if necessary, and remove axle nut. Remove 2
bolts, caliper and disc. Support caliper securely. DO NOT allow
caliper to hang from brake hose. See Fig. 1.
2) Remove ABS wheel speed sensor and wiring harness from
steering knuckle. Loosen 2 strut-to-knuckle bolts, but DO NOT remove.
Remove cotter pin and nut from the tie rod end. Using Puller (09610-
20012), disconnect tie rod end from steering knuckle.
3) Disconnect lower ball joint from lower arm. Remove 2 nuts
and bolt. Remove strut-to-knuckle bolts. Remove steering knuckle and
hub as an assembly.
Although it says remove the disc it seems like it may not be necessary. I can pick up the knuckle with hub and bearing pressed in from a junk yard.
Last edited by wvuguy; Aug 24, 2010 at 06:43 AM.
CL Community Team
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 16,557
Likes: 1,385
From: Austin, TX
Pickle fork invariably rips the boot.
I prefer http://www.amazon.com/OTC-6297-Ball-.../dp/B0015PN010
Not sure if it will work on RX.
Salim
Thread Starter
Driver
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 103
Likes: 1
From: wv
I was able to remove the knuckle following the instructions above. The only thing I did different was that I did not remove the lower ball joint to knuckle castle nut because there was not enough clearance to put socket on top and use a breaker car. I tried opening with the 19mm open ended wrench but it wont turn. I removed the two 17mm nuts and one 17mm bolt joining the ball joint to controller arm and I was able to pull the knuckle off with the ball joint on. Once the knuckle was off, I put it on a vise grip and got the castle nut off using a breaker bar. To pop the lower ball joint after the nut was off, I hit it with hammer three times and it came off.
While trying to pull the knuckle, the axle popped out of the differential causing the transmission oil to spill out. I have tried to put the axle back into the differential but it wont snap in. Is there a trick to this? The seal and the snap ring look good to me. Thanks.
While trying to pull the knuckle, the axle popped out of the differential causing the transmission oil to spill out. I have tried to put the axle back into the differential but it wont snap in. Is there a trick to this? The seal and the snap ring look good to me. Thanks.
Pole Position
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 3,054
Likes: 103
From: Sacramento, California
Does the snap ring look like it is in good shape? I put a lot of tranny fluid on it and yes it does take a lot of force to snap the axle back in....not the snap ring should stick up above the groove inthe axle. If it is flat than it wont hold.