K20 help!

[underliner6]

I need help with my 72 K20!

I replaced the upper and lower ball joints but now cannot get the threaded stud portion of the joints in the holes of the axle. When I have done half ton’s in the past, I seem to remember like I was able to install the axel shaft through the steering knuckle hole after the knuckle was mounted. The 3/4 ton Dana 44 seems to have a larger ujoint/ yoke which requires me to put the axle shaft in first and then try to work the knuckle around it and line up the ball joint studs with the axle holes which isn’t happening. The axle shaft is straight which limits my ability to work the knuckle in a way I can get the studs in.

Does anyone have any tips on what I am doing wrong here? Thanks for the help!

[52napco]

The axle shaft has to go in after the knuckle is installed

[52napco]

Depending on the year 3/4 ton runs the same 297X joint as the half ton dana 44

[underliner6]

The stub shaft yoke doesn’t want to go through the knuckle hole once it’s installed. What really makes me scratch my head is that everything was together with the original u-joint before I took it apart. I’m very curious as to how the PO made this work.

[kwmech]

Looks like in the last pic the Ball Joint is not even installed all the way to center the shaft in the tube. Find some help from somebody that has done this before

[underliner6]

Correct, the photos are to show the lack of clearance in the knuckle hole for the yoke to go through. I only have the ball joint mocked up in the photo.

[dozerbill72]

The knuckle isn't where its hitting. The axle isn't lined up with the splines in the carrier.

[57taskforce]

Originally Posted by dozerbill72

The knuckle isn't where its hitting. The axle isn't lined up with the splines in the carrier.

That’s exactly what I was going to suggest.

[MJN]

The ball joints need to be fully installed and properly torqued before you install the axle shafts. As it was stated the shaft is not centered in the tube and is hitting inside the axle tube causing it not to go in all the way- this is because the knuckle is not installed correctly. Be sure to follow the instructions- I posted the procedure in this thread a while back, post #5. http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...ght=ball+joint

No difference between a 1/2 and 3/4 ton in this area, same axle, balljoints, knuckle, shafts, u-joint, etc. and it won't matter if you have 260x joints or 760x joints, they both fit through the same knuckle. The ujoint caps are larger on the 760x joints so it doesn't impact how it fits through the knuckle.