Knuckle pull too tight

[RODRIG3911]

I'm converting my Bronco to Ford brakes and using knuckles from an F150/78-79 Bronco. I cleaned/painted everything, installed brand new ball joints, Torqued the bottom nut to 70lbs, sleeve to about 35lbs and the top castle nut to 100lbs. My pull for BOTH sides is 44lbs (Not the recommended 26lbs or less). I tried loosing the sleeve to 30 and castle nut back to 100lbs and it's still the same! The Ball joints are the good highly recommended Gold AC Delco's with the blue covers. I'm not sure to leave it as is with 44lbs or loosen the crap out out all the nuts to make it 26 or less. Everything it tight and brand new, but so is everyone else's when they go through this. Any advice? Roll with what I got, or keep jacking with the torque numbers? Here's what I was going off of for torque specs;

Lower 70-90
sleeve- 40
castle 100

 

[lars]

The pull numbers are pretty much what I've measured every time I've replaced ball joints (several times in 26 years of ownership) and those are the correct torque values. In my experience, a few hundred miles of beating on them off road brings them in spec. My advice would be to move on. Drive it.

 

[RODRIG3911]

The pull numbers are pretty much what I've measured every time I've replaced ball joints (several times in 26 years of ownership) and those are the correct torque values. In my experience, a few hundred miles of beating on them off road brings them in spec. My advice would be to move on. Drive it.

I like your thinking man, thanks

 

[DirtDonk]

Are they greaseable? If so make sure they’re full of grease.

 

[RODRIG3911]

Are they greaseable? If so make sure they’re full of grease.

Yes, but I did fill them with grease before testing them

 

[RODRIG3911]

Well, I got one side right!! Loosened it all back up and torqued it all back down again with the sleeve at 30#'s this time. Was about 24lbs pull .. I'm leaving it where is at. Was trying to get close to 40 for the sleeve, but it's not going to work that way. Moving on to the other side and calling it good

 

[Apogee]

Well, I got one side right!! Loosened it all back up and torqued it all back down again with the sleeve at 30#'s this time. Was about 24lbs pull .. I'm leaving it where is at. Was trying to get close to 40 for the sleeve, but it's not going to work that way. Moving on to the other side and calling it good

Congrats and post up your final torques...I need to do this soon and would love for it to go smoothly the first time, lol.

 

[RODRIG3911]

Congrats and post up your final torques...I need to do this soon and would love for it to go smoothly the first time, lol.

One side I had to torque the sleeve to 30#'s, on the other about 26#'s. Castle nut to 100#'s on both sides. For me that gave me right at 25#'s pull force.... I think it's a guess and check thing for that sleeve. 40#'s was way too much for that sleeve on my Bronco and probably most!... I'd recommend you torque yours around 25 to 30 to start with and see where you're at pull wise

 

[DirtDonk]

I agree. Not once in the last 10 years have I been able to achieve the desire torque on the sleeve before it stopped tightening and just kept going down below the yoke threads.
However each time I was able to get a good pull on the knuckle, so all was good in the end.

 

[Aviodont]

How does one do the steering knuckle pull test (ie, 26 lbs vs 40 lbs)? On the passenger, I have torqued the lower nut to spec (while turning the knuckle back and forth), then tightened the upper sleeve (bushing) to spec and while I was moving the knuckle back and forth, it became increasingly difficult to move and I don’t have even have the upper nut on yet. Now I know that I probably need to get to the gym, but I was having to get off my bottom side and really lean into it to move the knuckle a few inches.

The ball joints I pressed in were MOOGs.

 

[DirtDonk]

Did you try torquing the top nut to see if it changed any?
I don’t know exactly how the reaction goes, because I’ve never tested prior to the final torque. And even if you know what’s going to happen, you can’t judge anything until the job is finished.
The pull torque is taken ONLY after all fasteners are fully torqued to spec.

When you achieved the torque specification on the upper sleeve, did it protrude through the bottom? Or did it seem to seat at a natural depth?

The reading is taken with some sort of measuring device, usually generically referred to as a “fish scale“ because that’s the type of device that works easily.
You can buy them at sporting good stores, or even harbor freight has a digital one that’s not bad.
You take the reading with all steering linkage disconnected so that only the knuckle and ball joints are in play.
Put the hook of the fish scale into the steering arm hole, and pull directly to the side. Whatever reading you get on the scale is your pull torque.