I am wanting to adapt Ford '46 spindles to my Model A axle. I have a '42-'48 Ford kingpin set from Speedway motors. The issue I'm having is that the new bushings are to small for the stock spindles. What to do? I was thinking of installing the old bushings back into the spindles, reaming them to fit the new bushings to take up the gap, press in the new bushings, then ream the new bushings to fit the kingpins. What are your thoughts?
My thought is you have a wrong combination of parts somehow. what you are doing is super common and nobody has the problem you are having. A picture or two of the spindles would be a great help!
Yeah...you have to have some parts mismatched. I have 46 spindles on my A axle and I used the same 46 48 king pins and it was no problem.
For starters, not a model A axle. Looks like your spindle has been drilled wider where the bushings go, or?
Are there any forged numbers on the spindles? That will tell the original application. Passenger spindles from that era didn't have a king pin without a top like you show in that pic.
Can't see the axle being F1...because there are no shock eyes out near the king pins. It seems this axle used a shock plate to hold the springs. Also, the spindles can't be F1 as F1 takes the same diameter king pin as all early Fords. Now its potentially possible that F1 uses a thicker king pin bushing...I have no idea on that...but regardless, those original pins are obviously thicker anyway. Also, F1 uses a bolt thru left steering arm to allow for drag link steering. These spindles use an extra right eye on the steering arm to allow for cross steering and NO bolt thru steering arm on the left. They do look like 48 style spindles, so we really do need those numbers Alchemy mentioned. Could you measure the pin diameters as well? (new and old) That could help narrow things down a bit!
It was set up as a cross steer on the frame I got it off of. The numbers on the frame came back to a 1946 f-100. The new kingpin is .80 and the old pin is .87 if I remember correctly. I will get the numbers off the spindles.
just lit my googleometer and according to droppedaxles.com that is a 1946 ford pickup front axle kingpin diameter is still .8125 though original axle measurements: 2-3/8" Kingpin Boss 50-3/4" Kingpin Center to Center 29" Spring Perch Center to Center 1-3/4" Wide Spring .8125 dia. Kingpin Part# 2IY-3010 No shock mount holes in axle.
What is the O.D. (spindle king pin bore) of the bushings? Simple caliper measurement will do. BTW, how were you figuring on shackling the cross spring to that axle in the Model A frame?
what atwater mike said. the kingpin bushings are the same for car right up through 1 ton pickup. you either have been sent the wrong bushings or your spindles have been bored out due to wear at some point. an industrial supply house would probably source a bushing if that is the case.
Will you post a pic or two of that full axle please. Everyone is thinking thats the axle you intend to use, but now it seems its the spindle donor axle...and if it is, its a big part of the issue you are having! Give us some stuff to go on here. Your pics simply don't mesh with what you say you have in parts! This is an easy swap IF you have the right parts...but you just keep giving us a tiny bit of info here and there and the parts dont seem to be anything close to what you say you have!
Ahhhhhh......Missed this one! A 46 pickup isn't an F1 or an F100. It's just a pickup...and would have a cross steer box setup from the factory. I'm now thinking you have spindles from a larger 1946 truck and not a 1/2 ton at all. Did it have wheels or drums on it? How about a rearend? Pictures of those things would confirm the size of the vehicle etc. You have to be careful how you describe things. When you say you have "46 Ford spindles", people will naturally assume you mean 46 CAR spindles. Truck spindles would likely come in various sizes depending on weight rating etc. Regardless of all that...it comes down to one obvious fact. You NEED car spindles and all unusual surprises will be gone from the swap.
There are a couple numbers on the side of the boss that the kingpin goes through. Look there. Or take a clear pic and we will look for you.
Looking at all your pictures; the oversize kingpins are probably an old repair job. Those five lug hubs will not fit on a larger truck spindle. Unless you are a machinist (or have a good buddy who is) and have the means to make custom bushing; I think you would be better off just getting another pair of spindles. Square backs are pretty cheap anyway.
I find it odd that someone would go thru the trouble to oversize the bushings but it certainly is possible. However...oversizing the pins like the ones he shows would mean oversizing the axle kingpin bores as well. That seems pretty extreme! But then again...you never know!!! LoL Regardless...a set of unmodified car spindles is definately the way to go.
It came with drums (12" backing plates). 16" 5x5.5 lug pattern steelie rims. The rearend is an open drive banjo.
many places online to order bushings from, you just need to make them fit your application. look up bronze bushings online. if you have access to a lathe you are good to go. make a few sets so you have spares. probably cost you $30 in material.
True. But...without knowing exactly what spindles he has, there is a potential for other issues down the road. KPI...brake availability...stuff like that. Might be NO issues at all and things will work fine. But knowing that going in would be better.
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