closed knuckles? advantages/disadvantages?

jeepmkcomin

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 3, 2007
Location
Raleigh NC
I'm not very familiar with closed knuckle axles. What are the disadvantages and advantages when compared with regular axles?

How easy is it to service one? Is it practical on the trail?
 
I know a few foreign auto makers used them (Land Rover, Toyota or whoever, I'm not very familiar with them), but the only domestics I know of were old style Danas and they had front drum brakes. That would rule it out for me immediately.

I can't think of any advantages to them.
 
if you don't have one,don't waste your time and get one.If you have one allready,you can upgrade then with larger drums or even discs.The biggest thing is to research what ya got and what needs to be done.
 
The old closed knuckle dana 60s share no parts with their newer open knuckle breatheren, they have smaller weaker axle shafts, the knucles are nearly un rebuildable and what parts you can find are $$$$.

I seem to remember one of the mgs doing a test a few years back where newer D44s showed higher breaking strength than older closed D60s...

and the drum brakes already mentioned...
If I had one I might upgrade it, Id never go looking for one.
 
If I got it for dirt cheap/free then I'd run it...:beer:
 
Don't know how applicable it is to other closed knucle axles, but the turning angle of the toy axles sucks bigtime.
 
I have seen people rework the old M715 60's with newer style stuff...but I think it's because they were bored and had a bunch of parts laying around.

I have talked with M715 guys that have had no problems with them on there full sized rigs.
As stated above I would not search one out....the Dana 44's from the 1960's Era Full Size Jeeps were poo but you can get service parts. I have also seen the people cut closed knuckle off and weld standard Dana 44 open knuckle outers
 
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