I have a Model A front axle with 40` ford spindles. the locking pin for the kingpins won`t fit the Model A axle hole. Will the Model A locking pins work with the 40` kingpins or will I need to ream or drill the hole to allow the 40` locking pins to fit? Thanks.
The way I remember it is they only go through the axle from the back of it. Try going through from the other side. You could have the axle turned around. Also, it's not likely you'd have v8 60 lock pins, they were smaller anyway which would help. alch emy: do I recall this correctly? Tim
I just got a set of Speedway kingpins and they did not include the locking pins. I had good ones I had saved.
Axle hole is straight thru, sometimes the hole is burred over on the side the nut was on giving the impression the hole is tapered. Clean it up with a rat tail file and you should be good to go. Lately I have seen imported (?) lock pins that are undersized; but haven't seen any oversize pins. Nothing wrong with cleaning up and re-using original Ford pins if needed.
Just experienced exactly this on my 39. it actually wouldn't fit in either side, and they were the original pins that I had taken out. 30 seconds with a file and the slid right in.
I recently installed an aftermarket king pin set and the locking pins wouldn't go in. Turned out after a quick look at why, the flat on the king kin wasn't wide enough. A bit of carefull grinding to widen it was my fix. Try the locking pin in the axle hole without the kingpin in and see where the problem is. Also when installing the locking pin you also need to get the flat on the pin just at a slight angle to the hole so the taper on the pin gets on to the flat of the king pin before you pull it in with the nut or the locking pin can get caught up on the kingpin.
Good advice from the man from down under there. I've run onto one situation where the guy putting the front end together didn't line up the flat with the hole for the lock pin and was fighting it. Had to take it back apart and line the flat up and put it back together.
I had already tried some of the suggestions you guys gave, so I think I will go with the file route. Much appreciate all your help. Thank you.
One time I tried to install a tight fitting kingpin/pin combo, and used the large nut to pull the lockpin through the axle. Broke the pin right in half. I suggest tapping the pin in from the front with a brass hammer, then snugging the long nut on the backside. IIRC I used an original old pin to replace the broken repro one, and it is probably made of better steel anyways.
If it like a 32 Ford they go in from the front and are tapered otherwise they would just pull right thru when you tightened the retaining nut. Of course make sure you line up the relief on the kingpin as you are driving/pressing thru.
I just went through this with a set that came with my Speedway replacement kingpins. The seem a little too big and I was surprised as I heard that many times they pull through too far. I will most likely clean up my originals and use them. Also, don't they come in from the front so that your stop nuts hit your spindles when you turn the wheel too far? Brian
Yes, that's true. But don't believe anyone who tells you the axles are different front to backside. The hole in the axle is straight through.
Unscrew the steering stop nut, remove the lock washer, put the stop nut back on all but a turn or so, and whack it with a big hammer; unscrew it a couple more threads and whack it again; by then you should be able to remove the stop nut and knock it out the rest of the way. Never had one not come out and I have done lots and lots of them.
Can’t answer that but I will say a set I bought is induction hardened and the grinding (at least on mine) was great, only a couple .0001’s variation. I have a Moog set for ‘42-‘48 spindles that I bought before the pre-offshore manufacturing era and they have more variation than the Speedway set, one is up to .0005 end to end. The Speedway’s are fine from my experience but YMMV.
The locking pin may have been installed in Detroit and didn't want to leave its comfy home. In the process of bashing on a deep impact socket over the pin nut without results, the stud portion got bent and I straightened it a few times too many. It snapped off and drilling the pin out became necessary. I managed to pop it pretty close to the center and drilled it out with successively bigger bits and was able to tap it out with a punch after weakening the walls. On to pressing out the old bushings and in with the new ones! The drilled out pin and a new one in the photo. Thanks to all for the suggestions.
Dont rely on the repro king pins to be locked by the lock pins in the kit . I had a recent experience wherby I fitted new bushes and pins and supplied lock pins. With the lock pins knocked through and the steering stop / nuts wrenched tight, I checked the spindle for any residual play and sure enough there was play there . I initially assumed I had maybe reamed the bushes out to much , but closer inspection showed the play to be between the king pin and the axle . I gave the lock pin a tap and it went in another 1/8 of an inch revealing the stop nut had run up all the available thread and still not effectively locked the lock pin to the king pin / axle . I had to add a couple of washers and turn the steering stop down a little . Result was a firmly locked pin which now appeared to be pretty much flush with the front face of the axle but all the play was now fully eliminated . So before you barrel in and fit new bushes and pins , check the play is in the bushes and not at the axle , If its at the axle , bump the pins in a little further and check again. Dont rely on the steering stop nut to pull the lock pins tight enough to fully lock the pin in position.
Drive the lock-pins in don't draw them in. Key word: drive. Use a punch so your hammer doesn't smack the paint/powder/chrome on your axle when they go in further than you think. I learned that the hard way (more than once).
You asked this as a retorical question ,right? The Speedway king pins I installed 9 (35000 miles)years ago need replacing already,despite regular greasing
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