Hey. Rotating the knuckles can be simple or a huge pain in the ass, it just depends on where you axle is from. If it is from CA, then it should be fairly easy. Here in Indiana, I usually have to use a hydraulic press to remove the knuckles. Anyway, use a 4.5" angle grinder and grind down the weld that keeps the inner knuckles on the axle tube. Make sure you go into the axle tube and the inner knuckle just a little bit. With the axle on the ground, take a large sledge hammer and start hitting the knuckle on one side, then on the other. If the knuckle is stubborn you can try a number of things. Using generous amounts of PB or WD40 will sometimes work, though once you finally get the knuckle off, you will see that it really doesn't penetrate into that much of the knuckle. If you don't have a hydraulic press, you can use an oxyacetelyne torch to heat up the knuckles to make them come off easier. Once all that is done, you can bang the knuckles back on, put the axle back together, and bolt it up to the leaf springs. Support the axle with some jack stands, and put the weight of the vehicle on the front axle. Now is the time that you will find the correct diff angle. Make sure that it points up to the transfer case as nicely as possible. Once you are sure that your diff angle is correct, tack weld the leaf spring perches in place. Now, using a castor finder (look for them on google, they're around $120 bucks but well worth it) place the caster finder on the hub, set the caster finder to 0 degrees, then have a friend turn the steering wheel all the way to the left, then all the way to the right. The caster will be off, so you will have to hit the knuckle in a counter clockwise motion to rotate it. Most guys run between 4 and 6 degrees of positive caster, so I went for 5. Once it's at 5 degrees, tack weld it in a few places to keep it in place. Repeat this step for the other side.
I'm sure many people will refute this method, but it is the correct way to do it. I've heard that people use a cheap angle finder, and just rotate the knucles 13 degrees. There is no way they're getting both knuckles exactly the same, the tolerance on those cheapo $10.00 angle finders is a joke. The reason why you put all of the weight on the front axle, then check the caster is so you can get the most accurate measurement of caster. Although this is a lengthy process (at least 4-5 hours if it's your first time) it is well worth it in the end. Caster is one of the most important steps when doing a SAS. If your caster is off, then your truck will drive and steer like shit. If you're confused, PM me and I can more thoroughly explain this. Take care!
