1976 Eldorado front knuckle

[Roger Zimmermann]

Well, Rick, I understand if you are keeping that knuckle. What about the idler arm? It's decent or has too much play?
While I'm busy with other things, I will anyway send your pictures to the owner, explaining that the bearing went out and in without a press. Don't throw that part away for now.

[Cadman-iac]

  I'm sorry, I had forgotten about the idler arm after I removed the knuckle.
I did test the idler arm by trying to pry up and down on the steering linkage, and it seems to be fine. I'll get it removed and get back with you.

[Cadman-iac]

  Roger,
Here's some pictures of the idler arm. It appears to be in fine shape. I didn't have a big enough steering linkage separator tool, mine was too thick to fit between the idler and the center link, so I had to use a pickle fork to separate them, and the seal was distorted slightly in the process. You can see that in the pictures.
I've cleaned it up and it's ready to go. Send me an address and I'll figure it out from there.

Rick

[Bob Hoffmann CLC#96]

I hesitated to post this, but now I will. The "secret" to the loose bearings in the  knuckle is.... LocTite them in. That's providing the race didn't spin. This problem was happening years ago.
HTH, Bob

[Cadman-iac]

 The tip is appreciated Bob, thank you, but I believe this knuckle is beyond that now. I have been looking at it and the bearings, and I cleaned the grease off the bearings completely and tried putting them in the knuckle. You can practically drop them in once you square them up with the bore, and you can lift them by hand right out again. It's toast, and going into the scrap metal pile for the next trip to the salvage yard.

[Cadman-iac]

  Well I was convinced by Roger that the knuckle I had was probably better than the one that it's going to replace, so I agreed to send it to Switzerland.
   Roger,  how did it work out? Was it usable as you suspected, or was it as bad as I suspected? I am very curious to hear about it now.
  Thanks, Rick

[Roger Zimmermann]

Still no news from the customer. You know, things are sometimes going slowly in this country!

[Cadman-iac]

  Wow, I'm sorry to hear that. I would have thought the customer would be anxious to have the car back by now.
Thanks for the update Roger.

Rick

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

C'mon Rick, Postage at this time of the year is always slow.   Especially to any overseas Country.

Bruce.

[Cadman-iac]

C'mon Rick, Postage at this time of the year is always slow.   Especially to any overseas Country.

Bruce.

So true Bruce,  but it's already there and in the hands of the mechanic. He may be putting it off though, I probably would knowing what it too to get that one off the car.

[Roger Zimmermann]

This afternoon, I called the guy who ordered the part. He said that your knuckle was in a better condition than the one from the car, but, as you experienced it, the bearing(s) is going into the bore without force.
The car will not be driven during the winter season, therefore this will let enough time to find a practical solution. Your knuckle will be used for that.

[Cadman-iac]

  Roger,

  I'm very sorry to hear that. I had a feeling this was going to be the case. But like you said, you never know unless you try.
Maybe they can try the trick that Bruce had mentioned someone else had done to his, and "knurl" the bore by using a punch to expand the contact area enough to grip the bearings.
I hesitate to suggest using any kind of an adhesive or liquid repair like JB Weld, as this could make a replacement or repair in the future very hard if not impossible.

  Definitely keep me updated with whatever method they try and hopefully works. I thought those were forged parts, but you said you thought they were cast. If forged, I would think that welding it to build up the bore, then machining it may work. Not sure if you could do that with a cast piece.

  Best of luck to his mechanic in this repair. I hope it's possible.

Rick