Knuckle rotary (UAZ). Description and replacement

2024 Author: Erin Ralphs | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-19 11:42

The rotary knuckle is designed to change the direction of the car by increasing pressure on the steering levers, which ensures a change in the angle of the wheels.

This part of the vehicle is one of the most significant. The steering knuckle (UAZ, Volkswagen, BMW - it doesn't matter) is the base for the hub and is attached to other parts by ball bearings. Usually there are two types of parts: with a hub and with a spindle.

Approximate market value

There may also be a left or right steering knuckle. Outwardly, they are almost identical, but since these parts are directly related to the steering, it would be best to play it safe. On one of them there is a bipod of the steering mechanism, on the other there is no exit to the longitudinal thrust. It is for these reasons that their prices differ.

Auto parts can be purchased at car dealerships, car markets, ordered on various sites. The right knuckle costs about 8400 rubles, the price for the left one starts at 6530 rubles. These are approximate prices for kulaks for UAZ-31519.

It's not worth saving even if the cost of domestic spare parts is higher than Chinese ones. Morethan it is likely that an expensive part will last much longer.

How to make the right choice?

When buying on the market, you should pay attention to the seat where the steering knuckle bearing is installed (the inner race should fit snugly without the help of a hammer), as well as to the appearance of the part: is there corrosion, are there cracks or curvature. Any crack can later turn into a very difficult problem to solve.

Part design

The parts of the steering knuckle include the hub and the brake disc. In addition to the most important part, they are included in the main steering parts kit.

So, the protective cover comes first, then the cotter pin, the steering knuckle itself, the suspension arm, the hub bearing, the retaining ring and the wheel drive joint (outer). Bolts, nuts, brake disc with caliper and bearing can be added to this list.

But the most important thing on this list is still the knuckle. UAZ will serve as a car, on the example of which the scheme for removing the fist will be built.

Replacement and repair

Despite the apparent complexity, replacing such a part as a rotary knuckle is not particularly difficult. First of all, put the vehicle on the handbrake, then substitute wheel chocks under the rear wheels and raise the front of the car with a jack.

Further, the technological process is carried out according to the following plan:

1. Remove the brake disc.
2. Unscrew the pin fastening.
3. Remove it complete with wheel release clutch, brake disc shield and hub.
4. Remove axle shaft.
5. Separate the tie rod end from the steering knuckle itself.
6. Remove the bolts securing the ball joint to the shaft housing flange.
7. Remove the wheel stop stop.
8. Prying with a crowbar, press the ball joint shank out of the axle housing. To do this, use a puller for ball joints.
9. Carefully remove the desired part, in our case the rotary knuckle.

After replacing the fist, the steps should be performed in the reverse order, not forgetting to put the turn limiter in place. For repair, the steering knuckle should be clamped in a vice and disassembled by unscrewing the cuff fastening bolts, the limiter bolt with a lock nut. Next, the cuff clip and felt seal are removed. At the end, the ball joint oil seal is removed.

The hardest part is over, what needs attention remains. The ball joint is carefully removed. Something like this happens repair and replacement of the steering knuckle.

Replacing the pivots

There are other parts that need to be replaced from time to time - these are the pivots. To replace them, you will have to remove the steering knuckle and clamp it in a vise. After that, using a mandrel, you should knock out the kingpin bushings and thoroughly clean the passages for lubrication and for the replacement spare part in the fist.

After the mandrel, install new bushings so that the holes in them coincide with the holes on the fist, and the open endslooked towards the beam attached to the front axle.

Simultaneously unfold both bushings to the required diameter. After that, the bushings are cleaned and a thin layer of lubricant is applied. Then, having lubricated the o-rings and ducts in the knuckle bosses, the rings themselves are installed.

Possible damage

Despite the fact that the steering knuckle is one of the most "long-playing" parts of the car, its damage is only a matter of time. Sometimes the protective cover can crack, giving access to dust and sand, so it is worth checking its integrity from time to time.

If it fails, the best solution is to replace it. Often you can see oil streaks on the steering knuckle, indicating that the oil seal / axle shaft joint is loose. Here you should just change the oil seal to a better one. Such problems are often found in cars that have been in an accident.

How to protect against wear

Those car owners who have recently bought a UAZ often hear unpleasant sounds when turning the steering wheel, as if metal is rubbing against metal without any lubrication. Often this is the case. How can you protect your fists on a domestic car? Here the ubiquitous lithol comes to the rescue.

If there is no experience in car repair, then you can coat the left knuckle, like the right one, only on the outside. For people who are more knowledgeable in auto mechanics, this method is suitable: unscrewing the circular seal, move it to the center of the car and add more lithol to the gap formed.

These operationsare made after cleaning the car from shipping paint or polyethylene. You should also check the presence of a seal.

Steering knuckle design

The most common knuckle design is the so-called "straight cross". Although most of them look almost the same, there are differences in size. One may be a little more, the other a little less.

The swivel fist is usually made of steel. Thanks to this material, such an important part is able to withstand enormous loads. But with all this, the lighter the fist part, the better the cushioning and handling will be. Therefore, designers are trying to get the optimal ratio of weight to strength.

Seats on auto parts are specially designed to attach dirt rings that do not allow all sorts of debris to penetrate into the hub bearing. The case is designed in such a way that it is convenient to screw suspension elements onto it.

You may wonder why most of the article is devoted specifically to the UAZ car? The answer is: because it is a domestic car that has managed to prove itself well - easy to maintain, reliable on the road.

Many underestimate this car, believing that foreign cars are better, but this is far from the case. In many respects, UAZ, even produced back in the Soviet Union, surpasses many modern SUVs, but, unfortunately, it remains unrecognized.

Although made of steel, the steering knuckleis one of the weak points of any car, often due to bad roads. It is worth watching him, because at the crucial moment it is this part of the steering that can help avoid an accident.