Mystery One-Piece Knuckle Seals? Any Good?

84Toyota4x4 · Oct 31, 2006

So the other day I got a wild hair sitting around doing nothing and decided to see if I could locally source knuckle seals for my truck because mine are leaking really bad and I figured if I could find them failry cheap, I would replace them.

I called Toyota and they want like $40 per side to get just the felt pieces and retainers, when I can order that kit online for $12 per side, so that was a no. I called a few other places and they either couldnt get them, didnt have them, whatever. Later that day, I stopped in a local Napa for some degreaser to clean some other parts and decided to ask them. My friend works there, and he was able to pull up a picture of what looks like a one piece knuckle seal, made by Napa. The application in the book says 79-82 front axle knuckle seal, but as far as I know, those are the same as the rest of the solid axles, save for the trussing, right?

Anyway, I had never seen them before, nor heard of them before, and still havent after a Google search or two. So, has anyone ever used/heard of these before? Im going to attach a picture of what they are so that you can look at it. I was just thinking that since they look like theyre all rubber/silicon, they might hold up better than the stock felt? They retail for $29.99 each though (ouch!), so theyre not exactly a cheaper alternative, but maybe more durable?

~T.J.

64FJ40 · Oct 31, 2006

A few thoughts:

It looks like it's split at the top of the picture. Obviously it would have to be in order to get it on, but I just wanted to point out that it's not continuous. The stock rubber seal IS continuous, but you have to stretch it to get it over the knuckle ball, that's why it's not attached to the retainers.

I would still want the felt there. To knock off the big abrasive crap that ruins rubber seals.

If your knuckles are leaking, you have more wrong than just the knuckle seals. Your inner axle seals need to be replaced as well. Grease doesn't leak, but grease mixed with gear oil does.

84Toyota4x4 · Oct 31, 2006

It looks like it's split at the top of the picture. Obviously it would have to be in order to get it on, but I just wanted to point out that it's not continuous. The stock rubber seal IS continuous, but you have to stretch it to get it over the knuckle ball, that's why it's not attached to the retainers.

It looks to me like only the metal is split, but I dont know. Im looking at them on a laptop monitor, so its hard to tell. Good point though.

EDIT: Looked at it closer, and it looks like the metal and that outter part is split, however, there seems to be a continuous piece below, am I crazy? Ok, maybe it IS split completely, but being split at the top wouldnt be a HUGE deal, would it?

I would still want the felt there. To knock off the big abrasive crap that ruins rubber seals.

Well, its hard to tell from the picture, but it could have multiple layers to it, which would help with this problem. Something like an inner wiper and an outter?

If your knuckles are leaking, you have more wrong than just the knuckle seals. Your inner axle seals need to be replaced as well. Grease doesn't leak, but grease mixed with gear oil does.

Yeah, its the inner axle seal thats leaking, which I have. I just wanted to toss some new seals on the back of the knuckles too at the same time. I just didnt want to spring for the whole kit with the bearings and everything yet. Just kinda wanted it patched up for now.

I was also thinking these would be good for changing birfs/axles on the trail since you could just undo the 8 bolts, and just let it hang or whatever instead of having all those layers to deal with once you take the bolts out. Just seems more simple, assuming they work...

~T.J.

crash2 · Oct 31, 2006

Those are a one piece seal that you turn/twist open and pop then over the housiung just inside the bell on the diff. I have no idea who makes them but I have seen them before...

64FJ40 · Oct 31, 2006

84Toyota4x4 said:
Yeah, its the inner axle seal thats leaking, which I have. I just wanted to toss some new seals on the back of the knuckles too at the same time. I just didnt want to spring for the whole kit with the bearings and everything yet. Just kinda wanted it patched up for now.

~T.J.

A whole kit is no more than $100 with Koyo bearings.

I've tried not getting the trunion bearings before, just to find out that one of them is trashed and falls apart during disassembly. Then you're a couple days from driving it again while you pay extra to buy the bearings separately and get them ordered/shipped to you.

And if your bearings come out ok, just save the new ones in your trail box with your spare birf. You'll need them at some point.

84Toyota4x4 · Oct 31, 2006

Ok, here was my thinking at the time...

I was bored with nothing to do, and had the inner seals and figured I could toss them in, but I wanted new seals for the back, but didnt want to wait to have them shipped, hence trying to find them locally. Never found them, never installed the inner seals, and will just order the whole kit now.

It was just a random "I have nothing to do so lets work on the truck" moment.

Those are a one piece seal that you turn/twist open and pop then over the housiung just inside the bell on the diff. I have no idea who makes them but I have seen them before...

Ok, but are they any good? Do you think they would be any good? I mean, the price is a little steep, but for simplicity it seems pretty good. Plus I can get the trunion bearings through my work account cheap, so the cost would be about the same if I went with these seals and new trunion bearings instead of the full kit from somewhere.

~T.J.

crash2 · Oct 31, 2006

84Toyota4x4 said:
Ok, here was my thinking at the time...

I was bored with nothing to do, and had the inner seals and figured I could toss them in, but I wanted new seals for the back, but didnt want to wait to have them shipped, hence trying to find them locally. Never found them, never installed the inner seals, and will just order the whole kit now.

It was just a random "I have nothing to do so lets work on the truck" moment.

Ok, but are they any good? Do you think they would be any good? I mean, the price is a little steep, but for simplicity it seems pretty good. Plus I can get the trunion bearings through my work account cheap, so the cost would be about the same if I went with these seals and new trunion bearings instead of the full kit from somewhere.

~T.J.

I don't think they are worth it TJ.... The typical style works just fine IMO.

84Toyota4x4 · Oct 31, 2006

Ok, just thought Id throw it out there. Like I said, I had never heard of nor seen them before so I had no idea about them.

Interesting find anyway since I didnt know they existed, and apparently judging by the lack of search results on them, not a lot of people did either. Either that or they sucked so no one uses them, lol.

~T.J.