The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk king pin removal

I am disassembling an old front axel assembly in order to swap out my old one . This one appears to be in better shape than mine.I spent all yesterday removing the drums ,linkages etc.Now I am down to the removal of the king pins. I got the retainer pins out but I can't budge the king pins. The spindles wiggle and turn freely as the bushings are toast.Right now it's on my workbench. Any ideas would be appreciated.
Thanks, Jeff.

The several I have removed came out easily with a hydraulic press. It usually takes a lot more than just a big hammer..

Grigg

When I had my King pins replaced my mechanic had to use a torch to get them out If you search king pins on you will find lots of info....

I got one side of mine out with a hammer and a drift pin, the other side I had to take to a garage and have it pressed out, the mechanic even had to apply heat to if before it pressed out.

Good luck.

I had to have heat and so much pressure applied to my kingpins, that we all went into another room so that we wouldn't get hit by a flying piece of metal if something moved.
scary,
Bob

Since it is on the work bench remove the grease fittings. Chances are those cavities are plugged solid with old hardned grease. Use kerosene as a penetrate and spray it down or fill a large enough container and submerge the entire kingpin in the kero. Give it a few days and go to work on cleaning the cavities so the kero can penerate better. If you have a vise large enough, as I am assuming you have no access to a press, Place a socket the size of the pin in one end and give it a few turns in the vise to act as a mechenical press. A larger socket can be added on the opposite end for room for the pin to enter once you get it going. If no vise is available, soak it,heat it and use a large tapered pin and a maul. Watch you do not damage the housing with the blows.

After this, I'll bet you'll grease them pins every couple of hundred miles or so...I DID!!!

Jeff,

If it is on the bench...take it to a shop and have them pressed out. When I did mine I used a 6 pound hammer. 1 took about an hour the other was 3 or 4 hours and i ruined a drift pnch and a 1/2 inch socket extension....just not worth it. They can press them out in a few minutes at a good spring shop.

Good luck
Rich

They can be really tight in the axle it's self, greasing the king pin to spindle bushings won't do anything for the axle to king pin fit...

Give it a try with moderate blows with the big hammer and sturdy punch, while supported solidly underneath, on an anvil or concrete floor.

If that does not work, then to avoid possible damage by continuing down that path, it would be best to take it somewhere with a hydraulic press.

Grigg

Jeff,

If you decide to tackle this job at home, my one suggestion would be not to do it on a work bench or in a vise. Do any hammering or whatever on a solid concrete floor with very solid blocking under the axle ends.

If the pins are going to move at all with a huge hammer and driver, it will only happen if there is zero rebound as the king pin is blasted. It must feel the absolute full, sharp blow of the BFH before it makes up its mind to give up!

Stuart

I'd advise taking to a machine shop and having them press them out. While you MIGHT be able to press them out with a vice, i would say you'll break the vice first, as they're not designed to apply that kind of force, which can be into several tons worth.
Another alternative, if you can gain access to one, would be to use a balljoint press, possibly with some heat. That tool is designed to apply force, and should be able to ush out a kingpin with little trouble.

Thanks for all the good ideas.I'll let you know how it works out.
Jeff

I took mine to a shop and they couldn't get it out using a 20 ton press and applying heat. Atleast they didn't charge me. I then used a 50 ton press after hours in a aviation shop. That was very scary and loud every bit they budged. Actually required about 40 tons of pressure to remove the bad one. I would wish that on any one.

Good luck.

40 TONS!!! so much for the impact socket,vice idea...LOL...sounds like those things were welded in there Shellology...

Dave

It looks like take it to shop and take the new pins with you sometimes they don't go in to well too not worth all the grief...

I pounded mine out with the axel in the truck and the front sheet metal off. I have holes in the concrete garage floor to prove it!

I ment to say "I would not wish that on any one".

Yes Dave, on one side the bushing was not lined up with the greasing hole and it never got a drop. After 50 + years that side had nearly rusted, pitted, or welded itself together.

I wanted the shop to do mine since it needed Reaming and they already had the right size.
Instead I used a hone and that worked, sorta, not very good.

Shellology,

Sometimes its just better to pay a little extra to do the job right. As you noted, sometimes a reamer is needed for the kingpin replacement.

Dave