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#37424 05/18/2004 2:20 AM | Joined: May 2004 Posts: 34 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: May 2004 Posts: 34 | In my shop manual it says that 1/2 ton trucks are floating king pins and 3/4 ton and up are not. My 1/2 ton bushing are not as snug as I would hane expected. Is this because of the "floating", any help greatly needed. thank in advance. | | |
#37425 05/18/2004 4:13 AM | Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 990 Member | | Member Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 990 | when you say not tight, do you mean the bushings are floating about in the knuckle, or do you mean the pins are floating about in the bushings? | | |
#37426 05/19/2004 1:13 AM | Joined: May 2004 Posts: 34 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: May 2004 Posts: 34 | The bushings are loose in the spindle. The pins seem right, not tight but snug. thank for the help. | | |
#37427 05/19/2004 2:03 AM | Joined: Sep 2001 Posts: 29,269 Bubba - Curmudgeon | | Bubba - Curmudgeon Joined: Sep 2001 Posts: 29,269 | 55 1st,
You have a "wallowed out" spindle. This is quite common and is not easily remedied.
1. Find a new or better spindle - good luck.
2. Knurl the outer surface of the spindle bushings and the press the bushings into the spindles - unless you are real lucky, this fix does not last long.
3. A year or two ago, someone posted an excellent procedure for using over-sized outer-diameter (from a larger truck)bushings, machining the bushing seats in the spindles, pressing the bushings into the spindles, and then reaming the bushings to the size of the standard king pin.
I cannot find this discussion in a search of the forum. Also, I recall that the discussion did not have information (part numbers) for the replacement bushings.
I bet that over 75% of people that own a 47.5-55.5 1/2 ton Chevy (and GMC?) truck have this problem.
Good luck,
Tim | | |
#37428 05/19/2004 2:53 AM | Joined: Feb 2001 Posts: 1,096 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Feb 2001 Posts: 1,096 | Right ,, Well I used some 680 Loktite to fix the bushings into the spindle , polished the pins , lubed it up ..............  | | |
#37429 05/19/2004 8:13 AM | Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 990 Member | | Member Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 990 | yeah, generally you have to fixed the odd sized hole because of the abuse the truck got, then get an oversized bushing and ream down...
however...
spanky put me on to these kaiser spiral wound bushings and they might be better because they kind of adjust themselves to be tight
but...
if the eye hole is lopsided, it wouldn't really work. I suppose there is a way to build it up or mebe round it and shim it, but I dunno. I had oversized forks on a ducati and had some .002 stainless steel that I wrapped about a few times to make the fork legs fit right. Worked very well. | | |
#37430 05/19/2004 12:09 PM | Joined: Jan 2000 Posts: 1,586 Extreme Gabster | | Extreme Gabster Joined: Jan 2000 Posts: 1,586 | My truck had slightly egg shapped spindle holes, the local machine shop suggested just pressing in bushings and line reaming them to size. He got the bushings, reamed them ,total cost 50 bucks.7 years later they are still tight.You have to be cautious here, soft brass bushings won't last long,it's better to use the steel backed bushes, they they don't conform to the egg shape hole if it's worn more than 30 thousands or so.Best to have the spindle holes bored then oversize bushes in that case. | | |
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