I've been working on and off for a while now to get the kingpins out of my 46 and finally the heat cycles, beating, cursing, and lots of PB Blaster worked. Now I am ordering parts to put things back together and I have some questions. I broke and otherwise disfigured a couple of the castle bolts/nuts that hold the brake backer plates and steering arms and everything else together. Can those be found our should I just replace with grade 8 bolts/nuts and some lockwashers or nylon nuts? Also I think I will end up replacing the tie rod and its ends. Should I keep original style or switch to the "self contained" tie rod ends? if I switch I will have to cut off the ball on the steering arms and press out the shank. How difficult is that? Thanks, Sammy
Removing the ball end from the tie rod is not difficult compared to the fun u ha d w the kingpin wedge, look for YouTube video from "Brothers" truck parts, worked fine for me. As for suspension bolts castle nuts are available locally around me, as to grade 8 bolts be sure to use the fine thread ones like stock, hold strength is better than course. You can drill them but you need to install /Mark /remove /drill/reinstall. I used locktite blue for all those bolts along w castle nuts & pins. Used to use Pegasus racing for all special fasteners. Btw: Brothers also has a king pin video on YouTube.
Also I think I will end up replacing the tie rod and its ends. Should I keep original style or switch to the "self contained" tie rod ends? if I switch I will have to cut off the ball on the steering arms and press out the shank. How difficult is that? Thanks, Sammy
I just finished converting my steering arms to use the modern style tie rod ends. The balls were very egg shaped. Probably the hardest part was getting the rusty plug out of the original ball joint ends, but in retrospect, I should have just cut the ball off the arms. Getting the balls out wasn't that hard. Cut them off close to the steering arm, grind flush, and drill the center to relieve the chamfered part of the shank out. I used a 1/2" bolt as a punch and a ball joint press to push them out. Not too hard overall. I expected to have to ream the steering arms with a taper reamer, but the aftermarket tie rod ends fit just right without reaming.
Kevin 1951 Chevy 3100 work truck Follow this saga in Project Journal Photos 1929 Ford pickup restored from the ground up. | 1929 Ford Special Coupe (First car) Busting rust since the mid-60's If you're smart enough to take it apart, you darn well better be smart enough to put it back together.
Thanks for the replies. I ended up ordering the castle style bolts and a bunch of other fasteners from Mcmaster. They are proud of the grade 8 cotter pin locking bolts but oh well. (almost as proud as they are of their shipping :-0) Kingpin kits and "New style" tie rod ends are on order from Jim Carter. Looking forward to getting it back together!
I got aggressive with the tie rod ends since I got the newer style on order. And cut the balls off the steering arms. Once the flange below the ball was ground off it wasn't too hard to beat out the shanks with a hammer and a punch. I think I am in pretty good shape for re-assembly now.
On McMaster Carr, their shipping default is 2nd Day Air up to me in Alaska, but they will ship USPS if you tell them to. My first order with them, the shipping was more than the cost of the hardware!! Then I learned to tell them to use USPS. One time they shipped air anyway and when I complained that I had told them to use USPS, they refunded the entire cost of shipping.
Those parts sure look familiar. I'm painting the steering arms today, after derusting them.
Kevin 1951 Chevy 3100 work truck Follow this saga in Project Journal Photos 1929 Ford pickup restored from the ground up. | 1929 Ford Special Coupe (First car) Busting rust since the mid-60's If you're smart enough to take it apart, you darn well better be smart enough to put it back together.
I've seen a nice little home-brewed rig that uses a couple of thick steel plates, big round stock uprights, and a 20-ton Porto-Power to push stubborn kingpins out. Once some pressure is applied to the kingpin, a little heating and tapping on the axle eye gets the pin moving. The procedure is a lot more controllable than hammering, and doesn't create as much collateral damage. It also doesn't need as many references to the "Sailor's Encyclopedia Of Useful Phrases" before the job is complete! Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt! There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
Here's my "special fixture". I sandwiched the axle between some boards and parked on it with my truck! Crude but effective. I hammered on the kingpins a bunch inside the fender of the truck for a while before I finally removed the axle. Once I was out in the open I could swing the hammer a lot better.
Another question - what do I do with the four spots on the spindle bracket that are "peened over" to hold the dustcap in? Grind them out with a dremel and then put them back with a punch after the dust cap is in?
Then I learned to tell them to use USPS. One time they shipped air anyway and when I complained that I had told them to use USPS, they refunded the entire cost of shipping. 
