Steering Knuckle Grease

I have a 1959 CJ5. What is the best grease to put in the steering knuckles and how much do they need?
thanks

 

OMG.

Take a seat Tom, this may take a while...

 

Original spec was 80/90 GL4 gear oil, filled to level of the plug.

 

Welcome from eastern Massachusetts.

https://www.bing.com/search?q=site:earlycj5.com+knuckle+pudding

 

Welcome, we have a great search tool and many strong opinions on this subject. But the consensus is not just grease.
These axles use kingpin bearings instead of ball joints so the lubricant needs to stay within the spherical seal, lubricate the upper and lower kingpin bearing, and lubricate the axle shaft u-joint.

Personally I start with 80-90 and see if it stays in the knuckle. Grease the bearings individually. If 80-90 doesn't stick I move up a little to 140w but I have not had the need to mix "knuckle pudding" for it to stay in the seals.

 

Lot of opinions on this, I use this https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/super-s-cotton-picker-spindle-grease-00?cm_vc=-10005
Just my 2 cents.

 

First gen Bronco's used an open knuckle 30 with kingpin bearings. the steel race seal can be converted to a 27 closed knuckle. It will mean a thicker shim pack to compensate but eliminates the need for the u joint to splash oil to lube the upper bearing, which can be practically never depending on when you lock in the hubs/t case.

Installing the shield allows you to pack the bearing, which eliminates the possibility of it drying out and rusting.

The bronco use a dampener kit, however the tin shield is all you need. For that matter, you could simply cut out a circular piece of tin and install it below the race and use a correspondingly thicker shim to compensate.

 

In a '59 he may (?) have Rzppa CV joints, they still need the oil bath.

 

Welcome aboard Tom. Do a search for "knuckle pudding" and be prepared to stare at the screen for a while. Many a discussion.

 

I'm not suggesting the knuckles go dry or packing them with grease. The lube needs of the axle shaft and lower bearings are still the same and the pudding is the best fix to keep the fluid thin enough to flow into the U joints and lower bearing and yet thick enough not to weep out around the wiper seals. My "fix" revolves around the upper bearing not getting enough lube due to the installation of locking hubs, which eliminates the front axles rotating while driving.

 

Buy some of the knuckle lube "Metalshaper" sells is my advice.

 

I always packed the upper king pin bearings with wheel bearing grease and ran Lubriplate 105 in the knuckles. I never had a problem with wear in those upper bearings. Of a larger concern with me is the front output shaft pilot bushing in the D18. With drive flanges, there is practically no difference in shaft velocity between the front and rear outputs. With unlocked hubs, that difference is close to 100%. And yet the bushings survive---at least until you let the lube level get a bit too low. That is obviously one potential problem that doesn't go away with an open knuckle front axle swap.