Success!! After welding up a square frame out of some 3" channel iron I had laying around, I used my 20 ton "stubby" jack (7" tall) sitting on the bottom channel and clamping the top channel to the spindle, I was able to press the king pins out yesterday. Took some pics, but my old picture site, Picturetrail, is defunct, so I'm trying to figure out how to post pics on here now.
I also fabbed up a cap with a drift pin stabilizer out of some different size pipe sections, since the 5/8" cold rolled round stock that i used for the drift pin kept 'laying over', or getting out of line with the spindle, to keep it from moving. Just a simple 1/2" section of 1 7/8 ID pipe, a cap for it cut out of 1/8" plate, and then a stout 7/8" ID pipe with a 3/8" wall, 1 1/2" long welded on top to hold the pin that I sat on top of the jack's cross hatched head. (tacked it on to keep it from sliding around). The sound of the loud pop each time the king pin moved was near nirvana. Had them both out within 20 minutes and the top bushing came out with one of them, too, so that helps. I'm convinced that these had probably been changed out at some time, and who ever did the job didn't bother lining up the bushing with the grease zert holes. I know i greased them at least once over the past 8 years, but it looked to me like the grease in the spindle body were full of hard grease (??), because i had to get it out with a pick.
So, anyway, today I'll clean up all the parts and stick the new pins, lock bolt, bushings and bearings back in, then change the brake pads before i put it all back together. Also seriously considering rebuilding the tie rod ends and pitman arm ball joints before it goes for an alignment. Which brings me to another question about opinions on rebuilding tie rod ends compared to buying new 'improved' ones from classic parts.
As soon as i figure out how to put some pics on here, I'll do that. Thanks very much for all the help on this, everybody. Like I said before, there were times that i was about to throw in the towel, until i got onto my computer and heard from you all. Hearing from my peers kept me going and instead of pulling the axle and paying someone else to do it, I was able to say that I completed the job, and saved some money. Not to mention I now have some more tools for future use. Thanks again, bolters! Lee Butcher
Last edited by showme; 08/28/20215:04 PM.
"When I rest, I rust" 1951 3100 5 window w/ '56 235
