Hot Rods Amateur hour king pin issue

This is my first time assembling a front suspension. Axle is a roadster supply 32. Spindles are aftermarket 37-41 of unknown manufacturer bought used. King pin stuff is from speedway.

I can put the king pin in the axle, and king pin in the spindle, but not at the same time. In the picture below it’s stuck maybe 1/2 inch above the bottom of the axle. The bottom king pin is in there just to hold the bearing.

Am I missing something? Everything is pretty heavily greased. The only thing I can think of is maybe the axle and spindle are drilled at slightly different angles. Same issue on both sides.

 

Any thrust bearing shims used? Try with out the bearing.

 

After you install the spindle bushings in the spindle the
bushing for the king pin must be reamed to fit the king pin. This can be done by hand with an adjustable reamer but it is best to have it done at an automotive machine shop that has the correct machine to do a perfect job. There should be a sliding fit with zero play between the spindle bushing and the king pin when done.
Did you do this?
The king pins won't fit unless you do this reaming process which is commonly done at an automotive machine shop. Read thru this info. and watch the videos.
I had mine done at NAPA years ago.
https://www.google.com/search?q=how...rome..69i57.7264j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
and
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/honing-king-pin-bushings.452927/

 

Did you ream the kingpin bushings after they were installed in the spindle? They will need to be reamed or honed.

 

First make sure you can slide the pin completely into the spindle first.

IF you CAN'T slide the pin completely into the spindle then try sliding into one end of the spindle then the other end, IF you CAN slide the pin into each end BUT not both at the same time the spindle bushings have been reamed wrong and out of line.

IF you CAN'T slide thru either end then the bushings need reamed to fit pin.

.

 

Like said. Check that the king pin will go into the spindle, by itself. It should turn in the spindle. Then check ti see if the king pin will go into the axle, this can be a little tighter fit. Lastly check the trust bearing the king pin should slide in easily! If all this checked out, you have a misalignment of the spindle bores to the axle bore.






Bones

 

FYI, when you put weight on your front axle make sure your shackles flip so they slope downward from the perch to the spring eye.

 

A regular reamer will probably not let you do the job properly unless you're very lucky. Don't ask me how I know. The correct reamer has a pilot which ensures the two bushings are reamed in alignment.

Chris

 

Best to find an excellent machinist with proper tool to do the job. Make a world of difference in how it drives.

 

Someone recently posted about reaming the bushings, the adjustable reamer and Pilot seemed to be pretty affordable, the Pilot end was like a cone or similar that kept it centered, then flip it in the other way and do the other bushing.
Not sure what a shop would charge, maybe 1/2 the cost of the tooling? But if you’re ever going to do it again the convenience of having the tool and doing it at home is worth it to me.
Heck, I’d spend the money for the tool for even a one time job as opposed to to taking it in and probably having to go back to pick it up.

 

^^^^^
If the bushings are installed we charge about an hour. If we install and ream we charge 1-1/2 hr. But we also take a round file and run around the edges of the spindle bushing holes. Keeps from cutting or peeling pieces of the bushing off when driving in the bushings.

 

I’ve a few different sets of bushing and seal drivers, also a small lathe I can make one up to fit as well. Even after using a driver on a bushing, I too use a fine file on them.

 

Thanks. I should have said this earlier but the bushings have been reamed.

i can put the kingpin in the spindle easy peazy.

 

Is there a burr where the lock pin passes through the king pin hole?

Gary

 

Your eyes are out of alignment on the axle .
Somethings bent .
If everything is inline , straight and to size , the king pin should slide in with a bit of effort. Hand pressure or the slightest of taps with a hammer or hunk of wood.

Any Hamb fisting this means your either doing it wrong, or something is bent.

 

Does the king pin fit the ID of the thrust bearing?

 

So, it fits in the axle, then it fits in the spindle, separately. If it won't go in the assembly, I'd say you have a bind caused by misalignment. As suggested, try it without the bearing to give some space. If that works, see if you have a spot on the meeting surfaces of the axle and spindle that are touching before anything else. Maybe that spot needs to be shaved down. Something might be worn crooked, or machined crooked.

 

I like the burr idea. I’ll check it out and be report back.

 

I normally use a large c or Beasley clamp to ease the pin home . I’m not forcing anything , mine have always been just a bit tighter than able to use through by hand effort .

 

This problem may be why the previous owner sold the spindles.
To summarize, the pin will slide through both the spindle and the axle separately, but not through both as an assembly. (Have you tried both sides?) This pretty much means you have an interference between the spindle and the axle. Check that interface. A little die grinder work could be necessary. Also as Seb in post 2 suggested, try it without the bearing. there could be a machining problem on the end of the axle or the spindles where they are not cut square to the king pin line. If the pin will go all the way through them both without the bearing, hold the spindle all the way up or down and see if a feeler gauge can measure a gap at any place where the axle and spindle touch.
As an aside, when you look at your spindle, that little divot between the top and bottom bolt is supposed to be on the rear of the spindle for the turn stop to hit. You said they were after market so maybe they were made to fit either side and I just can't see it.

 

That is not a regular 37-41 style spindle. They have a round flange. Yours has a square flange like a 42-48, or maybe even an F-1 pickup. I've never seen aftermarket spindles made in that style. If you have a kingpin kit for a 37-41, it might not fit. The length is different, and the locking notch is a different height.

I've read about some new axles having interference between the boss and the inside crotch of the spindle. Maybe if yours has this interference, you aren't able to swing the spindle into alignment with the axle. Check for scraping on the outside end of the axle. Might need a bit of clearance grinding there.

 

Cost me $40 at a napa machine shop to have them honed on an o/t 77 f100

 

This has come up before. There seems to be a lot of variation on Ford's square back spindles. Some of them will touch the axle end before the holes line up properly. Grinding a little off the contact point on the back of the spindle will take care of it. If you can slide the kingpin through both the axle and the spindle independently then honing is not the answer, and will ruin the parts.

 

My money is on @alchemy and @TCTND ‘s respective explanations. Makes the most sense.

 

This is probably one of the issues. I bought the wrong king pin kit - it is a 37-41. Weird it seems to fit the spindles though. I’ll also check to be sure I have them on the correct side, and if anything needs to be grinded.

 

The pin diameter is the same on 37-41 vs 42-48, the difference is in the length and notch height. Bushings are the same diameter too.

 

Make sure you find a machinist that knows what he or shes doing or it could get out of hand fast. I reamed my axle worked very well just take off a little at a time.

 

1942 up squareback spindle king pin length = 5 27/32 ''
or 148.43 mm
37-41 roundback spindles or 'MODEL 77' = 5 3/8 ''
or 136.53 mm
148.43mm - 136.53mm = bit less than 1/2''
or a couple of mm more than 10

they do share the same diameter at 0.810''
or 20.574 mm - (this number is good to know IF you are rebushing oem spindles with a metric reamer)
and will actually go in and the cotter pin slot enable you do put a pin in BUT
the felt washer and cap will not be against the top of the spindle and the grease will ooooze out IF using a model 77 spindle.

I reckon the reason why those spindles were at the swappy is two fold, one - the steering arms have been removed and two the outer bearing surface looks to have a divut in it.

you will need extra drop steering arms, there are two drops in aftermarket versions, shallow and 'extra' IF you are running a split wishbone, the tie rod needs to be dropped, IF you were running a hair-pin than they go through the hairpin and can be the shallower or stock model77 drop
or find some 'model 77' 37-40 roundbacks that have had the steering arms already dropped.


OR simply
take the bearing out / fit the spindle upside down and see if the pin goes all the way through
or compare the clearancing of the boss of a 42 axle
or compare the clearancing of a modell 77 spindle to a 42 where the upper axle boss sits

 

Are you sure that the spindles are Ford, and not Lincoln ? Lincoln spindles have different king pin inclinations, which could cause a binding condition.

 

or
1942-48 Ford spindles | The H.A.M.B. (jalopyjournal.com)

already dropped

1942-1948 FORD ORIGINAL FRONT SPINDLES | The H.A.M.B. (jalopyjournal.com)

stock drop but extra eye removed