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Hot Rods OK to Bush Straight Front Axles ?

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Butch1, Jan 28, 2017.

  1. Butch1
    Joined: Jul 24, 2016
    Posts: 21

    Butch1
    Member
    from Upstate NY

    I thought I had a kingpin problem with the front axle in my 23 Bucket. It's a '64 Econoline axle. When disassembled I found the problem to be in a worn axle. It has been bushed before and assume it can be re-bushed to the proper dimensions again. The king pins looked and measured to be "like new". My question is "is it proper to bush a front axle or is it unsafe"? Thanks in advance for your help fellows.
     
  2. BJR
    Joined: Mar 11, 2005
    Posts: 11,188

    BJR
    Member

    The king pins ride in bushings from the factory, or are you talking about something else?
     
  3. Ebbsspeed
    Joined: Nov 11, 2005
    Posts: 6,457

    Ebbsspeed
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I think he means the kingpin hole in the axle is worn, not the spindle.
     
  4. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 59,645

    squirrel
    Member

    on my old Chevy truck, I bought oversize king pins and reamed the axle larger. I've heard you can heat and beat on the ends to shrink the holes, then ream to the original size...but you'd want to more of an expert than I am.
     
  5. Butch1
    Joined: Jul 24, 2016
    Posts: 21

    Butch1
    Member
    from Upstate NY

    The kingpins ride in the bushings
    The king pins fit fine in the bushings in the spindle. Where the kingpin goes through the axle is what's worn. The axle has been bushed before , but the king pins are very loose in the wornaxle.
     
  6. RRichFox
    Joined: Nov 15, 2016
    Posts: 63

    RRichFox

    I sure don't think it would hurt to remove and replace the old bushings. But the king pin is fixed in my Econoline axle. The spindles move on the king pin but the king pin stays put in the axle. I never looked to see if it was wearing. Didn't think it could.
     
  7. Engine man
    Joined: Jan 30, 2011
    Posts: 3,480

    Engine man
    Member
    from Wisconsin

    It was pretty common to bush them in heavy trucks. When the kingpins are replaced, they are often stuck in the axle so the axle is heated to pound them out. That can leave the hole oversized. Oversized king pins were available but they required the axle to be reamed to the correct size. Many people just put the stock pins in and counted on the wedge pins to hold them in place. If the pin is loose in the hole it will wobble resulting in an oblong hole that needs to be bored and bushed back to specifications. Many machine shops did these but it's unlikely to find someone familiar with it these days.
     
  8. manyolcars
    Joined: Mar 30, 2001
    Posts: 9,583

    manyolcars

    heat the axle and beat it until the kingpin hole closes up a little. Run the reamer thru it and good as new. I've done it on my avatar. I put the grinder on a cold chisel and shaped it to the axle boss to beat the kingpin hole smaller. The only bushings go into the spindles
     
  9. Hackerbilt
    Joined: Aug 13, 2001
    Posts: 6,250

    Hackerbilt
    Member

    His axle is bushed already and now reworn for some reason.
    Maybe its time to cut your losses and just get another axle.
     
  10. manyolcars
    Joined: Mar 30, 2001
    Posts: 9,583

    manyolcars

    This is the cold chisel I reshaped to re-size the kingpin boss on the axle. Doesnt matter if someone put a bushing in it. Heat it red, beat it until the kingpin hole is smaller, use a reamer to get it back to the correct size for the kingpin
    0130171601b.jpg
     
    squirrel likes this.

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