Third link / knuckle arm

[Stvo]

I'm looking for some help regarding a recent purchase and my probable confusion.

In the threads I've read, there are mentions of a third link that include bearings and the kingpin. I thought I had correctly tied this to it being the knuckle arm (54590- and 54591-66U26), but apparently not.

I just received the knuckle arms and there are no kingpins. Not a problem, I just want to be sure that this was my error and not the supplier.

Can I now simply purchase the kingpin (40022-60U05), and do I need anything else such as the seal rings (40290-33P00 and 40579-33P01)? Although, the latter part# appears to be in the arm already. Does the kingpin simply fit into both the knuckle arm and knuckle assy (40010 and 40011 for the knuckle assy's)...is there anything else I may need to know to properly install this?

Fortunately, I have new motor mounts, lower control arms and tension rod bearings to keep me busy for now....

Thanks in advance,Steve

[mxr662]

I would probably get 54524 and 54525. One of mine was shot at 67000 miles (and 18 years). Make sure your struts are good also. I can't answer your question about the king pins as I have not had mine apart yet.

[BCC93QT]

Meh, i did my kingpins on my now parts Q. Good luck. If you have experience with them your okay. Not like there ACTUAL kingpins like on a mack dump truck but they are still quite complicated. make sure you get all the little rubber pieces and bushings. Hell might as well rebush the WHOLE front end while your there. It doesnt take too long just make sure you got plenty of PB blaster and power tools, manual isn't fun.

[1QIKQ45]

Hell might as well rebush the WHOLE front end while your there. It doesnt take too long just make sure you got plenty of PB blaster and power tools, manual isn't fun.

UGH. Ill be doing that soon

[3Q Jay]

the kingpin doesn't usually go bad. you have the new kingpin bearings in the 66u26 parts. agree with replacing the dogbones. would also buy the dust caps (pre filled with the right amount of oem spec grease).

[Stvo]

Thanks guys. I replaced the upper links last week along with anti sway bar bushings and lower control arm bushings.

Can anyone answer the original questions? Dennis/Mike, you seem to be the suspension and parts# gurus.

Thanks!

[Q45tech]

Pay attention to king pin torque specs in FSM. You can buy a new one if you want to but unless visabily damaged why?

The parts you don't replace will create slop which just wears out the others faster.

Everything is part of give and take system and is triangulated to provide rigidity with compliance [rubber].

I have had to replace kingpin bearings twice about every 100k and guess what it needs it again.............usually always the passenger side [rough road side] first.

My list for spring keeps getting larger and larger.

[Stvo]

I started tearing down the front end to replace the LCA, knuckle arm, tension rods (having bushings pressed out/in), and sway bar links (will post when complete).

It appears that the 'third link' is not the knuckle arm as it does not include the kingpin. Unless there is another knuckle arm....

zer...69744

"...the entire third link [which includes the king pin and its bearings]."

"...buy the third link with new bearings and an integrated new kingpin..."

"Third Link (Knuckle arm) $150"

"...buying the 3rd link is the way to go since you get all new kingpins, bearings and all that stuff..."

The old ones didn't 'look' bad, but a visual inspection probably isn't very accurate when it comes to bearings. However, I will not replace the kingpin as I did not see damage to either. The LCA's were definitely leaking and shot.

I also noticed that the upper bearings of the new knuckle arms don't have upper/lower seals as did the old one (pics below). Is this right?? I'll run to the local dealer this week, but thought I'd see what you all thought.

[Stvo]

Dealer could not find anything on the bearing seal and did not have parts available to compare.

Also said that the tension rods/bushings have changed since 94, that the replacement bushing I purchased will not fit, and that I therefore need to purchase the entire assembly.

I'm verifying with Joe at IOS.

[maxnix]

The tension rod lengths have an alternative, but bushings are the same size for active and non-active, respectively.

[qship96]

I thought there was more than 1 size{diameter} bushing,as I recall reading some owners getting bushings too big/small to fit in their existing tension rods?

[Q45tech]

Over the early years there were at least 2 sized tension rods bushings one for standard Q and a different one for Active Q. Also these and others were issued assymetrically to play tricks with caster to correct right or left drift.

Since these silicone bushings rarely last 70k or 4 years. We see mixed and matched errors all the time.

Only the Big Dealers actually kept both or the specials in inventory most had to be ordered from regional warehouse or Japan.

[qship96]

i must be lucky, as my factory installed bushings didnt start leaking til 135,000 miles and their replacements just started leaking{drivers side only} at exactly 100,000 miles- I just replaced both sides.

[Stvo]

I'm even more lucky, or I don't know what worn bushings look like (see pics below). I'm at 211k.

I'm also still working with Joe at IOS regarding the bearing seals, but here are some more pics to show exactly what I'm talking about...

[Q45tech]

Luck has little to do with it as does using miles. Miles are so variable depending on road roughness and undulations. How many accelerations, decelerations, brakes per mile and their intensity. Pushing tension rod back and forth.

Tire sidewall stiffness and inflation stiffness.

I can only report what my Q does and has done, along with the things I see in metro ATL.

Same thing with brake pads and rotors. There is a tremendous varibility between young and old drivers and it is not linear.

Just a little extra agressiveness may double the failure rate. Without totalizers [counters] on every parameter hard to correlate with miles.

Just as planes use number of takeoffs and landings, plus hours of operation not miles covered.

Years ago I installed a simple dc run time meter on fuel pump +12 relay and extrapolating back from 1994 it shows ~ 14,000+ hours of use......so I've averaged ~ 23 mph.

Obviously most of my driving was not major city slow traffic but it could be except for 324,000 miles covered.

[Stvo]

Update: I've been talking with Joe at IOS about this and the upper bearings that he has in stock do not have any seals, nor has he heard of any issues with these (has sold nearly a dozen this year). I've never heard of bearings not having/needing a seal, but hey, I'm still willing to learn!

The existing tension rods/bushings on my car were found to be for an active suspension Q, although my VIN states that it is non-active. The active are ~2.75" OD and the non-active are ~2.50" OD (didn't take a precise measurement). Would this be an issue of any kind? If not, I'll just get the larger bushings (active) and replace.

Motor mounts have been pulled and I'm also going to replace the oil pan gasket along with the pick-up o-ring while I have the suspension member out.