The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk 38 truck kingpin issues

hey guys

found some issues with my front end (wheels moving directions they shouldn't) the king pins needed to be replaced and also the beam i was using i don't trust it due to a crack.

i have a spare beam with no cracks and minimal rust that is the right size only issue is its a 1 1/2T and the one in the truck is a 1/2 t so they use different king pins (didn't know this when i bought the new king pins.

today the new kingpins arrived they fit the good beam fine no play sit snug so that good but they don't fit the spindles as they are 1/2t. the part that has the spindle on it seems to be in good condition but they would need to be machined to accommodate the larger kingpin.

after some measuring i found the the right side spindle is around 2mm smaller than the left side, makes me thing someone has already re drilled them. well i have pictures as they might make more sense.

left side spindle

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/jeffism/20120320_150451.jpg

right side spindle

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/jeffism/20120320_150443.jpg

Beam

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/jeffism/20120320_150319.jpg

king pin

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/jeffism/20120320_150336.jpg

bushing

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/jeffism/20120320_150411.jpg


so i am wondering can i get a machine shop to drill the spindles to accommodate the new kingpins or is this a dangerous option (more dangerous then a cracked beam)

thanks guys

jeff

I think that you might have one early and one later 1/2 ton spindle.

The later 1/2 ton axles had bigger kinpins. They changed -I think in 1941, someone will soon correct that if I'm wrong- to .865" (21.97 mm)diameter Kingpins. Only 1.5mm difference in diameter between the later 1/2 ton spindle and the 1 1/2 ton pins you have, so boring out the later spindle should be a safer bet.

What about the option of getting a machine shop to press thinwall bushes into your 1 1/2 ton beam's axle eye, and using the correct kingpins for your spindles.