The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline new king pins, again?

I had the Blue Funk (see my signature) get new tires and requested a front end alignment. The Fella told me I needed to have new king pins and showed me some slight wobble in both wheels.

Now, I had a Shop press in new king pins back in March of 2011. The Blue Funk was T-Boned by a Big Rig in July 2011. The Force of the Collision was so great that, among other things, the steering column was bent and the front main leaf spring on the opposite side of the impact was broken.

Along with replacing and/or repairing several other areas, I had the frame and the steering column straightened, and the leaf springs replaced and/or worked on.

There is no shimmy or other anomaly when I drive the Blue Funk down the road. If I let hold of the steering wheel, there's a slight pull to the right.

My Question is: Could the force of the impact in the MVA have caused the need for the king pins to be replced?

My guess is the axel was slightly bent in the collision. I say this because on my '46 in replacing the king pins I had a removal problem. My buddies with 40 plus years mechanics experience and every trick they knew finally through in the towel. They suggested I take the axel to Nostalgia Sids. Sid found the axel to be slightly bent. He repaired it and installed new king pins.

King pins generally last around 40,000 miles give or take....

John

King pins are often replaced without checking that the pins are a tight fit in the I beam. It is not uncommon for the eye in the I beam where the king pin goes through to become worn. When assembled, even with a new pin, it makes it feel like the pins are worn and loose when it is movement between the pin and I beam you are feeling.
The I beams can be bored and bushed$$$ or a replacement axle will need to be found.
If all is in good shape and lubed regularly king pins will last a very long Time.

It could be possible that the old (new) king pins have worn out prematurely. I recently greased my new king pins for the first time before putting the truck on the road for the first time as well. What I discovered is that the kingpins did not want to take the grease. The grease made it to the first joint and oozed out. So, I am concerned that all moving interfaces do not have adequate grease. My plan is to keep applying grease after every few hours of operation to ensure the grease slowly works it's way to where it needs to be. Assembly grease should protect the bushing and kingpin for the first few hours of operation ... I hope.

Just food for thought.

Sid is a great guy, He put a 4 inch drop in my axle for me not to mention new king pins and all. It should be arriving today via UPS. Can't wait to get home and put it back onto my truck! When i rebuild my next AD i will be using him again. Very reliable and honest (realized that i overpaid him and refunded money right away)

Chris

I thank you all for your perspectives, information, and resources.

I may have the front end repaired or this might just be an opportunity to upgrade. I'll let it simmer on the back burner for a while before making my decision.

Thanks again.

I have a friend trying to get rid of a complete stock front end, drum to drum, if you need it. I'd even be willing to deliver it next time we go for catfish and beers.

If you lower it on the straight axle, go with Sid. He did my dropped axle and I can't say enough good things about him and his work. He advertises 3-4" drops but I believe he'll do 1-2" if you call him up.

When you front end guy did the 'wobble' test, was it top to bottom or left to right?
Like another said, if kingpins are replaced sometimes when they are 'overly worn' they'll damage the axle, to repair the axle you shrink it and ream to size. You don't 'bush it' although that sounds like the solution. I've done several.

I've Quoted you to Answer your Question, ojhSo- "shrink it and ream to size" is the Solution, eh?

Definitely Interested, Eric.

And Thanks for the Offer!

Sorry, I've been swamped lately and haven't been on site.
Yes, I shrink the axles with lots of heat. When i do a model 'a' axle I'll heat the boss area to very hot and quench in a bucket of hydraulic oil, you have to repeat the process over and over to get it down to size. the bosses' at top an dbottom need extra attention, I do them by intalling a kingppin that i have turned down a few thou on the lathe and I get the bosses cherry red hot I'll peen them with a hammer tight to the pin, then you can ream them to proper size. I ahev done this on chevy trucks without removing the axle as well, it helps to have experience on the model 'a' axles.

ojh,

That's a good "last resort" trick/technique.

Do you know a good trick/technique for fixing the wallowed-out bushing seats/sockets/journals in the spindles/knuckles?

Thanks,

Its not really a 'trick' its just how its' done properly.
the spindle has bushings you replace and ream to proper size, the steering pieces are replaceable - I don't remember having to do anything specail with them.

If you keep your eye on ebay you can find the old reamers, I believe mine is a LemCo and they are deadly accurate and a pleasure to work with. Its' fun really, very satisfying job.

I have reamed axles for over-sized king pins (I have an adjustable reamer). I have replaced bushings many times.

My question was about wallowed-out bushing seats/sockets/journals in the spindles/knuckles (not about worn out bushings).