The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline 1954 3600 King pins

I made my way to the kingpins and made an attempt at knocking them out. No way no how, they're stuck in the axle. Aside from a big press and maybe some additional heat, any help?

Also, will replacement pins need to be reamed to fit? I've read yes and no.

How was your axle supported when you tried to drive them out? If they were hanging on the springs, there's no way they're going to come out. Put a STURDY jack stand under the axle as close as you can get to the king pin and use the largest BFH you have. I would also apply some penetrating oil first, and maybe some mild heat (maybe up to 300F with a propane torch.)
I'm assuming you did remove the lock pins first.
From what i understand, 3/4 ton spindle bushings need to be reamed to fit the king pins after installation in the spindles. 1/2 ton spindle bushings drop in and don't need to be reamed.

Truck (frame only in reality, front suspension is the last to come off) is on a lift so I lowered the axle onto a set of jack stands and the BFH, nothing. About a week of Kroil soaking after my first attempt, still nothing. I think I heard them laugh at me. I did try and heat one side, no idea of the temp but the grease was boiling. Still nothing.

I attempted the same on a donor axle from a 1 ton
I had it in the press at 20 tons and it didn’t move
I gave up on it and moved onto other projects
I kept the original sloppy king pin axle in the truck for now
Hoping to find a solution one day
The plan was to rebuild the donor and swap it into the work truck

Thinking maybe pushing out the pin with an oxygen lance in the future. But that might be too hot for the axle

Please post any solutions as I’m interested too
-s

I use a 20 ton bottle jack and a fixture I made to support the top of the spindle. Push the kingpin out the top. Been doing it for quite some time that way. Send me a PM and I'll send you a sketch. Yes, the new bushings need to be honed or reamed to fit the kingpins.
Jerry

Concidentally I just knocked them out of my 49 3600 this weekend (with a 53 axle under it as it turns out).

I have a ten ton press but because the thing is so awkward I just tried my u-joint press and a slight touch of the oxy acetylene, I'm not talking colour change here just warm it up - and they started moving.

I haven't reinstalled mine yet, just cleaned and painted everything.

Yes the bushings need to be reamed I used an adjustable reamer; I do have a lathe to make alignment bushings but the one it came with worked great. Can only take a very small amount of metal off at a time which is really a good thing, but it takes a "few minutes"

Hey Jerry. Alot of the things I see you say "PM me" for can usually help other folks. I'm not big on pm'ing. No particular reason. I don't like to talk on the phone either lol Your sketch sounds interesting though. Could you just post it up?

Was thinking about the comments 2ManyTrucks made. I wanted to change them not because they are sloppy, in fact one of them is the opposite.

So what I have is one side has no play in any direction. No movement vertically and no play in the bushings.

The other side spins nice, no play in the bushings but a small amount of play vertically as if the spindle wasn't shimmed right.

kind of just plannning on letting it ride for now. When it becomes an issue I'll deal with it. Thanks for all the comments!