The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline Steering knuckle

I made a BIG mistake and took my front axle to a local hot rod shop because I couldn’t get it apart with my DIY garage tools. He obviously had trouble getting the kingpins out too. I put the drivers side together with new bushings, pins, bearings and spacers and it’s so smooth and nice I smile. The other knuckle has problems. #1 with new bushings, the kingpin doesn’t line up side to side. I think he spread the ears getting the old one out. It’s off over 1/8” lining up. #2 take a look at the picture. The axle shows a crack where it meets the knuckle. I don’t know if he damaged this as well or if it was that way. It’s appears the knuckle and axle was forged separately and joined. Seal area looks messed up too. Reparable by a good machinist or start looking? Guy felt terrible and sent me home with the work he did no charge and probably felt lucky. Parts book shows it may be interchangeable ‘29-40, but still about as difficult to find a part as a good machinist which started this whole mess. With all those mustang II conversations, ones gotta be out there.

No comments if a repair is safe… I have now posted in parts wanted if I end up going with replacement

I would not run that spindle myself. It could probably be repaired, but the cost to do that, and the uncertainty on safety says don't use it to me.

I'm not a machinist, but I'm with Kevin on this one. I wouldn't use that spindle either. Your best bet may be to find a complete axle. The dimensions (track width, spring perch width, drop, etc.) are identical through many years. The only thing that really changed (other than later years being beefier axles) was kingpin diameters, and two of the mounting holes in the spindles on later axles (forget what year) were 1/2" instead of 7/16th. Easy enough to drill your backing plates. I see axles popping up on Facebook Marketplace every now and then.

If you don't find something, maybe call Sid. He always has cores ready to be dropped, as well as spindles. Perhaps you could talk him into selling you a core. He'd probably even check it to make sure everything is in spec, or do any other prep work (kingpin resize, install, etc) you may need, but of course you'd have to call to ask.

Here is a handy link. You can scroll down to see all the specs for all the axles through the years. I have a '50 axle from Sid on my '36. I went with the later axle for the bigger kingpins.

https://droppedaxles.com/chevy-dropped-axles-0

Mine has a later axle, didn't know it till I ordered disk brakes and the inner bearings were wrong, kings pins are also bigger. I believe mine is from the early '50s.