Attempting to tap the knowledge base here. I need to replace the kingpins in my 54 Chevy pu. What do I need to lookout for? After getting the replacement parts, it seems to be fairly simple in scope but I have heard of places screwing them up. Any tips for someone who has never done this particular thing? r
Take the spindles to NAPA shop. Buy their kp set (Perfect Circle). Have their guy install the bushings and HONE them to size on his Sunnen con rod machine. Reassemble, with thrust bearing on the bottom with open side down. Prepack bearing with grease. Use shims provided to reduce clearance between top of axle and spindle to around .015". Install lock pin and stake with punch or tighten lock nut. Pay attention to direction of taper through axle. Reattach tierod ends with new cotter pins, reassemble backing plates and brakes. Now's agood time to do shoes, drums and wheel cylinders, if needed Reassemble hubs, repack bearings, new grease seals. New zerk fittings come with the kit. Make sure you shoot some grease in the spindles! Check front alignment. You're done.
HotrodA, I never heard anyone nail it so well. You hit every aspect without making it seem complicated.Good job.
HotRod-A has obviously done it before, sounded like I was standing there doing it. Follow his instructions and you will nail it right off. Good Luck Pat
is this procedure exactly the same for '48 & older ford axle/king pins? if not please walk me through fords in the same way you did above. b-t-w; i'll be putting together a dropped axle of unknown make, 46-48 spindles, etc. i've got the ford kingpins. how do i know if they are usable or junk? i don't see any pits (they appeared to have grease on them right up until we took them apart), but what else am i looking for? and THANX for the help.
Good info. But it isn't necessary to ream the bushings on a cheverolet, like a Ford, The shop manual tells you this and I've done it myself with no problems. $.02 Billy
another thing to check on straight axles.... when you have the old kingpins out of the axle, take one of your new ones and make sure it has a slight drag going through the boss after you clean out the accumulated crud with some fine emery cloth. Occasionally its the axle itself thats the problem. If your new kingpin is sloppy in the axle its a different situation entirely. I've done more than my share of kingpin jobs on those brown boxes rolling around that bring your hotrod parts to your door.
Part II: Good tip on the axle kingpin boss. If it is wallowed out, it can be trued oversize, and the appropriate o/s kingpin set bought. If it's way out it can be bored and sleeved to standard. As to the the other questions: yes, the procedure is the same on Fords. As to determining wear: if you have obvious movement at the spindle (jack up the vehicle, place a hand at the one and seven o'clock position and vigorously rock in and out. Make sure it's not wheel bearing clearance. Normally, only the bushings wear, with slight wear on the hardened pin surface, but old, non-greased pins can get pretty scored. There is wear only on the outside of the top bushing and the inside of the bottom bushing as this is where the lateral thrust occurs. Regardless, new pins come in the set, so use them. Be particular when disassembling; DO NOT swell the lock pin when you drive it out (backwards, it's tapered). Leave the nut on a few threads and hit the nut, or use a correctly sized punch. The king pin itself may be frozen in the boss: GOOD LUCK! Fords need to come out from the top. Chevy P/U's, if I remember, can go either way if you take out the spindle caps so you can drive from the top, down. Use an old socket or bar the same size and a BFH. Worse case scenario, use a little heat on the axle boss to loosen the corrosion. If that fails, blow the thrust bearing out with a torch, cut the kingpin below and above the axle boss with the firewrench, and the spindle's off. Or take the axle out and use a press. Whew! Now it's startin' to get like work! Oh yeah, don't forget to install the felt dust seals from the new kit (Ford). Jack up the vehicle and grease every oil change.
Part II: Good tip on the axle kingpin boss. If it is wallowed out, it can be trued oversize, and the appropriate o/s kingpin set bought. If it's way out it can be bored and sleeved to standard. As to the the other questions: yes, the procedure is the same on Fords. As to determining wear: if you have obvious movement at the spindle (jack up the vehicle, place a hand at the one and seven o'clock position and vigorously rock in and out. Make sure it's not wheel bearing clearance. Normally, only the bushings wear, with slight wear on the hardened pin surface, but old, non-greased pins can get pretty scored. There is wear only on the outside of the top bushing and the inside of the bottom bushing as this is where the lateral thrust occurs. Regardless, new pins come in the set, so use them. Be particular when disassemling; DO NOT swell the lock pin when you drive it out (backwards, it's tapered). Leave the nut on a few threads and hit the nut, or use a correctly sized punch. The pin itself may be frozen in the boss: GOOD LUCK! Fords need to come out from the top. Chevy P/U's, if I remember, can go either way if you take out the spindle caps so you can drive from the top, down. Use an old socket or bar the same size and a BFH. Worse case scenario, use a little heat on the axle boss to loosen the corrosion. If that fails, blow the thrust bearing out with a torch, cut the kingpin below and above the axle boss with the firewrench, and the spindle's off. Whew! Now it's startin' to get like work! Oh yeah, don't forget to install the felt dust seals from the new kit. Sorry for the ramble.
Thanks, guys. I already bought the kingpin kit but I'll check to see if I can talk them into pressing the bushings in anyway... r
thanx. this one's getting copied and going in my saved tech files. great info on stuff i need to know more about.
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