The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Kingpin replacement observations

So, I have the replacement front end for my 53. It is off the truck and taken apart. Naked I beam with spindles. Over the weekend I drilled a hole in the top and bottom dust/end caps and pulled them off. Life is good. Now the I beam with the spindles and king pins are sitting on two floor jacks with PB Blaster and carburetor cleaner working their way down around the kingpins into the rusted area between the kingpins and I beam. Hopefully.

Next weekend I plan to hit the kingpins with a rod and big hammer to see if I can set them free.

Is there anything I missed?

Dennis, If there is any way for you to press them, try to press them, not hit them! Think rivets!
Denny G

Dennis,

You have removed the tapered retaining pins that hold the king pins in the axle...right!

Stuart

Add some heat to the axle about where the cross pins would be. The heat will draw in the penetrating oil. Also a few good hits on the axle will knock the rust loose. One side of mine came right out, I beat the heck out of the other side. With out fenders to whack, you sould be able to drive the pins right out. Use the biggest punch or drift that will fit in the hole, go buy a piece of steel rod 3/4" or bigger and make you a long handled "T" to hold and hit on. It works a lot better if you have some one hold the driver while you swing the mallet. Wear safety glasses, king pins tend send out very sharp projectiles! Joe

I used a large pipe nipple to hold the drift in place. For a drift I used a wrist pin.

Good advice from post's above, the pin's are generally froze in the axle a few goog whacks on the end of the axle eys should loosen the rust. Don't beat on the pins, they will swell, homemade punch and punch holders are dangerous, if they wont move after soaking for a week with a few sharp wacks get them pressed please. Machine shop bill will be considerable cheaper than your insurance deductible at the ER.

Dennis,

Lots of great points. If you plan on banging these out yourself, you must support the axle firmly...no movement allowed. Every blow of the hammer is reduced dramatically if the item being hit is allowed move and cushion the blow..it can make the difference between success and failure.

Stuart

I always use a Bell Pattern Maul, looks kind of like a straight pick axe with blunt ends. I just put one end on the kingpin, and have another guy hit the other end of the maul with a sledge hammer. Definitely one of the safer ways to do it, if that kingpin is froze in there, you might be wailing on it for quite a while, and most likely slam your hand a few times.

I was able to use a ball joint press to start the pins out. Worked well with a little heat being applied. After I pressed the pins as far as the press would go I used a ball-ping hammer and a big drift and it came right out. I then used the old pin I got out to knock out the other one.

Thanks to all for the replies.

I have a friend a work that has a kingpin c-clamp extractor. He asked if the kingpins are tapered.

Do I need to extract them from a specific side?

No...they are straight!


Stuart

Congrats Dennis, ya took the best road!
Denny G

OK. It is time to revisit this thread and give an update.

Over the weekend the boy was off doing 13 year old stuff. Giving me a couple of hours.

I put the king pin c-clamp thing on and after destroying my Sears 1/2 inch ratchet they came out. Sears is good in replacing Craftman tools.

Now it is the bushing removal. Any advice? Is there some type of tool or other thing that would help in their removal?

TIA

Dennis, this might not be what your looking for but it's the way I have done things like this. I built a small 10ton bench press with 4" channel iron and an inexpensive inverted bottle jack.
There are many places that sell these small bench presses and they are usually not to much. I use it for pressing bearings and bushings, speedometer gears, forming small parts, punching holes for gaskets and on and on. Ranks up there as one of the best investments I made for my shop. If you are going to make a habit out of working on your truck it might be something to concider. beats the h$@@ out of a BFH and in my opinion is the difference between a back yard mechanic and a profesional looking job on a repair.
Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

I have removed spindle bushings with a vice and a socket .
Worked good for me.

Hi,

The bushings popped right out with a socket backwards on an extension and driven with a hammer. Not a BFH but just a good sized ball peen. Now, it is cleaning all this stuff up and going in reverse to put the new bushings and king pins in. Oh, the spacer is the ball bearing type.

I was supprised to see that the bushings did not have the hole in them for the grease to go to the pin but had a ring (groove) that went around the outside of the bushing, between it and the spindle. And the bushing was a compression type.

Life is good.

Oh, I forgot to ask.

Ghostrider - what size vise it that? I need a bigger vise and was wondering if that is a 5,6 , or 8 inch vise.

5-6 inch vises are around $50 and the 8 inch is $120. Lots of difference.

TIA

oldblue...
I think it's a 10"...at least that's about how far it opens up. The vise is older than I am. They're expensive if you've got
to buy a new one, but what's 70 or so more dollars
in the long run...

Back again.

The stuff is all apart. I have the new king pins and supporting pieces.

The bushings are snug in the spindles and the king pins press down in the spindles & front axle. The tapered retaining pins are the thing that needs to be wacked in.

So my question is. Do the bushings and king pins just slide in. The bushings have grooves around the outside, a hole through it, and a slanted groove up the side for lubrication from the grease.

Thanks again for all the help on this.

Dennis,

If you can find a picture or drawing to show the location and orientation of the thrust bearing and shims it will help with assembly. The thrust bearing is directional and the shims take up play between all the components and the axle eye.

The king pin should hard hand press or light tap into the axle eye. If you can sand the old king pin for a real loose sliding fit, you can use it as you trial fit the shims, then when all is within specs, push it out with the new pin and your all set. Make sure to pack the thrust washer before you install it.

Stuart

Stuart, as always, thank you very much.

I have not looked but is all of this in your tech tip?

Dennis,

My name really shouldn't be on that tip...I made a minor suggestion and was given more credit than the suggestion deserved. The things I mentioned above were from the dark recesses of my small brain. I hope they are accurate...I always try to remember the things that made the job easier for me, then share those things with others.

Stuart

Stuart, I am going to pick at your brain (it is a good one, too) one last time.

You mention the thrust bearing and shim. I assume you mean the cap over the bearing must face the axle eye. And for shims. Wonder if there is no room for shims? I assume that the bearing between the spindle and axle (and facing the axle) is OK. There is no other way without resurfacing the spindle or axle. I don't think that would be a good thing.

I think I am in good shape.

PS - your name on the tech tip looks good on the resume.

Thanks again.