The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Kingpin Removal

I noticed that there is a tech article on how to remove kingpins, a very good one I might add. It mentions hitting the axle on the side while the pressure of the truck weight is brought to bear on the kingpin. Does this actually mean a sideways blow, to shock it ?

Yes, but make sure you have the vehicle blocked up secure and safe.

Trucker,

If you have a stubborn set of pins, no amount of beating with a hammer is going to get them out. I have stressed the heck out of a 20 ton press getting one out on a half ton recently. Rugo and I just about had to clean out our drawers when it finally let loose, the press, axle and tools stacked on the press all jumped about 6 inches in the air when if finally popped.

Ken,
was this with heat or no heat ?

with heat on the knuckle - not sooper hot, but hotter than you could touch without burning your skin.

Ken,
thanks for the details. Everything that I have read up to this point talks about lots of heat and force and I was surprised by the tech article. I remember from my teenage years, working in a shop, that there was a guy there that used to do the axles. Although I didn't know much about them then, I can remember him using a large sledge hammer and pounding it as it sat on two stands. He was quite strong and had very good aim! I would probably fail at those two requirements! Obviously a press is the civilized way to do it in the shop.

I have removed lots of king pins and here is how I have had the best luck in doing so.
1. Remove all the brake assemble, tie rod from the steering knuckle, and anything else from the steering arm. Use a sharp small chisel or something to remove the soft plugs on the top and bottom to expose the king pin.{make sure the vehicle is supported good} Remove the tapered bolt that is holding the king pin in. Find a short piece of shafting slightly smaller in diameter than the king pin. If you have a jack that screws to raise and lower it is best, but a heavy hyd. jack will do, jack the vehicle up to where it just raises up off the stands you had supporting it. Use a heavy sledge hammer and hit down on the axle just inside of the steering arm. [what you are trying to do is use the vehicles weight to help push the king pin out] If this won't jar the king pin loose try squirting some penetrating oil in the hole where the tapered bolt was. I have had to heat the axle up red hot some times to get it to break loose. The reason I mentioned a screw jack is to get the support as solid as you can, there is a small amount of give in a hyd. jack. If heat doesn't seem to get it to break loose then heat it again and while it is really hot squirt it with a stream of water from a garden hose.
I have had some real times getting them to break loose and as the last resort, remove the axle and take it to a hyd. press and press it out.