The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline Kingpins reaming tool 53 3600

My axle eyes were worn when I got my 3800 in '71. I didn't discover that till the first time I replaced the king pins.

I don't remember what tipped me off but I measured the ones I took out and they were 0.020" oversize. So that's what I ordered. Had 'em the next day (this was in about 1974). Later I ordered two sets. I also noted that the axle eyes had a couple of beads of weld running vertical. That tightens up the hole considerably. They are now "just" tight enough not to rattle even looser. I also don't let king pin bushings get loose and start to bang on the axle eyes. The axle can be bushed back to size but it's a hassle and expensive and I have one more king pin set left, so somebody in the next generation will have to do the axle eyes. I have a 1-inch adjustable reamer that goes just big enough to provide grease clearance. The 1-tons are just over an inch not the 0.921 of the 3/4-ton. I taped up the shank with electrical tape to mimic a king-pin reamer to keep the reamer square. Works fine.