i have been unable to find kingpin bushings for my 30 hudson front axle so i am making some on my lathe. the first one took me about 3 hours! my real question is what size should i ream the bushing to? my pin is 0.8025 if i remember. thanks
King pin clearance should be .001"-.0015"; (one thousandth to one-and-a-half) My years in the frame & wheel trade demonstrated one thousandth, period. Feel a little tight when first driving, but a re-lube of zerks after 50-100 miles and it is excellent. I don't like the 'greater' spec: In a few hundred miles, they are looser than new bushings should be. A local machinist honed some for me on his Sunnen machine. I told him my recommended specs, but he 'knew better'...I then replaced my NEW WORN OUT ones with another set. Reamed them myself with a Ford reamer.
Just to sure, the bushings are on a spindle, the axle don't get bushed it is reamed to finshed size. I am bringing this up to be on the 'safe' side.
Now I agree with the .001/.0015 tolerance and it is best done with a hone but a reamer will work..Mine are done that way but I have a bitch of a time getting grease in, pressure is so great that I have to turn the spindle to relieve the pressure to get the grease gun off of the zirk and very little comes out around bushings, thrust bearing..And the fittings are good, the holes line up..Just say'in...Check E bay?
thank you all three. i'm sorry, the reason i said "for a 30 hudson axle" is that's not the car it's going on. i am using this axle under my '27 essex. i already have the spindles off and bushings and pin out. i have cut these spindles down to accept latter hudson wheel bearings/ hubs and adapted the latter hornet backing plate. i am going to get a 0.804" reamer. i checked ebay and couldn't find any 59/64" od bushings.