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I just found oil leaking from the right side of the axle so it looks like I have a big job to do. A couple of things I would like to clarify first...
The oil is leaking around the joint exactly as in the kingpin instructions - am I right to assume this means I must change the kingpin bearings and inner oil seal? (If so I will probably do the outer seal as well)
Do I need to use the same waterproof grease for both the CV and the Kingpin bearings?
Can anyone recommend the best type of ball-joint splitter? Does the straightforward wedge type damage the joint?
Finally (Martin?) - the Bigjimny shop would be my first choice to buy the parts but they are showing out of stock. If they are not in stock very soon where else should I get them please?
Thank you
If oil is leaking you need to change the inner oil seal. It would be foolish not to, given how cheap they are and how easy it is to change once the swivel is apart.
Wedge type ball joint splitters tend to damage the gaiter so are best avoided. Either find a nut of the same thread and wind it on a few turns then hammer the joint out by the nut, or get a proper clamp type splitter. I got one for £10 on ebay. Halfords sell them for a few £ more. I wire brush and oil the ball joint threads then run the nut back and forth a few times to make sure it runs smooth before knocking the joint off. This makes it easier to tighten without the ball spinning on reassembly.
The bearings and seals are all standard sizes, available from any bearing supplier. I use normal grease in the CVs. [strike]The bearings are sealed and already lubricated so I don't mess with them[/strike]. I don't replace the swivel dust seals- even brand new ones don't seal well enough to stop water getting in.
Busta wrote: If oil is leaking you need to change the inner oil seal. It would be foolish not to, given how cheap they are and how easy it is to change once the swivel is apart.
Wedge type ball joint splitters tend to damage the gaiter so are best avoided. Either find a nut of the same thread and wind it on a few turns then hammer the joint out by the nut, or get a proper clamp type splitter. I got one for £10 on ebay. Halfords sell them for a few £ more. I wire brush and oil the ball joint threads then run the nut back and forth a few times to make sure it runs smooth before knocking the joint off. This makes it easier to tighten without the ball spinning on reassembly.
The bearings and seals are all standard sizes, available from any bearing supplier. I use normal grease in the CVs. The bearings are sealed and already lubricated so I don't mess with them. I don't replace the swivel dust seals- even brand new ones don't seal well enough to stop water getting in.
I have done this job several times now and used both suzuki supplied koyo bearings, bigjimny supplied ones and kap supplied timken bearings all of which were 2 part taper roller type. Are you suggesting that there's some sort of sealed race type that is suitable as i was under the impression that sealed bearings were ball type and didn't have sufficient axial load capacity and were not able to offer preload adjustment like is achieved by opposed taper bearings? Or have I missed something, because sealed bearings would be great for extending the service life of the kingpins by keeping all the muck and water out especially of the lower ones?
Temeraire (2018 quasar grey automatic)
One of the last 200ish of the gen3s, probably.
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