Technical King Pin Question

I have the king pin bushings installed in my Plymouth spindles, having a really hard time finding anyone with a reamer. Two machine shops and no luck, got 1 more to go. I've heard that some people hone them to fit, what kind of hone do they use? The pins are .790 so it'd have to be small.

 

Last ones I had honed by the guys that do big rigs in our community. Got them home and they seemed a little tight.

I cut about 12 inches off a wood 3/4 inch dowel rod. Long enough to pass through both bushings and have a place to grip it with my hand. Wrapped one wrap of 400 grit wet sand paper on dowel.

My own homemade hone. Have a nice king pin fit.

Phil

 

Find a shop with a sunnen hone.

 

Brake cylinder hone is what I used

 

I found an old Hamb thread and seen where they use a piston pin hone. I'm going to take them up to the machine shop where I buy all my steel from and see what they say.

 

Unfortunately you're about 3-1/2 hours north of me, but if you get down around Bowling Green, KY., I'd be happy to ream them out for you.

 

Dont use a brake hone.You need to do both bushings at the same time.I tried it.Pin wont fit through both.It missed by .003....enough to drive you crazy.Any good machinist will use a pin hone,and do both at the same time to keep the holes aligned.

 

You on drugs?

 

A sunnen wrist pin and a competent operator will cure your problem.

 

I had to buy one of these adjustable reamer for my De Soto and Dodge.

 

Not at all, we use a Sunnen hone for kingpins at work. It works perfectly, quickly, and very accurate. The only problem is that we don’t have a mandrel that small. Most of the pins we do are around two inches. Irish Steve is also correct, DO NOT use a brake cylinder hone as each end of the spindle have to be in alignment with each other. This would be the perfect excuse for me to buy a set of adjustable reamers with pilots.


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I echo the replies on using an automotive machine shop and having them honed. For about the same price as the reamer, you get a much better surface finish and a lot greater accuracy in the fit. This is what I did on my Dodge dropped axle.

- EM

 

If you use a hone like a brake cylinder hone that finishes each bushing independently, plan on replacing them in a couple thousand miles after they are worn out again. And you WILL have them honed correctly the second time.

 

Not since the '60s,but keep up on stuff that matters

 

Thanks for the offer Tagman, also I knew better than to use a brake hone. I used an adjustable hone on another set one time but it wasn't a pilot hone, done 1 at a time, didn't work out to good. I'm going to try and get up to the machine shop this coming week, I'll see what happens.

 

Sounds like a ride to Bowling Green to meet another Hamber and talk hot rods while he shows you how to hone your king pin bushings . Would not be a bad day to spend a day.

 

This is like the one I have and use.

Gary

 

I have a King Bolt Reamer that was in my dads tools that I inherited. Reamer is about 70 years old or more. Application notes on the box says for 1934 Plymouth PE, PF, PG; 1935-57 cars; 1937-41 Trucks. Reamer size specified on the box is .797

 

I used one of these after I made my own bushings......

 

Go to the McMaster Carr website and find an adjustable ream with a pilot. It will probably be around $125-$150. Buy it and do it yourself. I bet you spend close to that anyway when you finally find a shop that can do it. And now you will already have the tool for your next build.

 

Adjustable ream & sunn hone are both good advice...

 

Got to center both bushings and hone or ream each one flip the hone center and hone or reap the second one . The key is slow as you go , take to much and you might as well not change the bushings

 

I get 40.00 to hone a set of bushings,ship it to me and have it back within the week.
I have offered this before to other hambers but very few go the hone route..I fit them with a ag300 gauge , .001 clearance and straight.