Symptoms
Grease and oil weeping from the knuckle seals, play in the swivel, or heavy, notchy steering.
The fix, step by step
- SNLC's rebuild of a 1964's front axle: strip the hub, spindle and axle shaft (Tracta or Birfield joint), then the knuckle cap and kingpin or trunnion bearings.
- Check the knuckle balls.
- If they're pitted, find a better housing; he built one good axle from the best parts of three.
- The aftermarket knuckle seal he used isn't split like the original, so it must go on the knuckle ball before the knuckle.
- Fit it facing the right way.
- Set swivel preload by measuring turning force with a spring scale, as for any closed-knuckle axle, and do the same for wheel-bearing preload.
Tools & part numbers
- Hub nut socket
- bearing and seal drivers
- spring scale
- torque wrench
- workshop manual for preload figures
Where to buy the parts
1967 Nissan Patrol 4.0L parts catalog (check listings for your truck)RockAuto ↗
Brake bleeder screw, 1967 Patrol 4.0LRockAuto ↗Amazon ↗
Hunting a used or discontinued part? Search eBay Motors for Nissan Patrol 60 Series parts →
Rated for a competent home mechanic with a decent tool kit. Confirm torque figures, fluids and procedures against the factory service manual for your VIN, support the truck on stands rather than a jack, and work at your own risk (disclaimer). Some parts links are affiliate links, which pay us a small commission at no cost to you.