I beam axle problems continue! I need to vent!

Ok, so I did something stupid and bought a Malaysian made "INSERT BRAND NAME HERE" 4" dropped axle. I quickly found out the king pins bosses were smaller than the stock sized king pins I have. No help at "INSERT BRAND NAME HERE", so 1 adjustable reamer and 2 brake hones later I have the king pins fitting perfectly tonight! Finally, I can get this over to my buddies shop so we can start the ch***is for my Model A pickup...WRONG! I noticed the tapered holes in the axle for the king pin retainers are tapered on opposite sides of the axle. One pin goes in from the front of the axle and the other from the rear. How F-ing stupid is that going to look on a fender less car? I can't win! Is there a silver lining I'm missing here? Thought I was buying something nice from a well known speed shop. Should have bought a Ch***is Engineering axle and kept some AMERICANS at work. Thanks for letting me vent.

amsvette

 

I thought they had quality parts there. Makes you think twice......Magnum is where I buy.

 

so tell us the brand so nobody else makes this mistake.

 

I wouldn't have any idea.
Larry T









Re: So-Cal axle problems continue! I need to vent!

 

I'm picking he's talking about So-Cal.Funny,i have one and all's ok.

 

Sorry to hear..... The real question is that if the axle is that messed up, do you really want to trust it under your car??? Drill the **** out of it and make it a wall hanger. Save the scratch and buy a magnum.


Also post the name of the manufacturer.....!

 

Just curious, why didn't you have an original axle dropped?

 

Without a brand name this post is worthless!
Dave

 

Also post the name of the manufacturer.....![/QUOTE]

I had the manufacture name in the original post but decided to remove it until I hear what they plan on doing for me. I'm just sweaty and pissed off for doing all this work to a "brand new" axle. I waited a month to get it, and I've been dinking around with it for at least another month. I'd like to get my ch***is started soon. In reality I'd get more satisfaction out of throwing it through their front window than I would using it as wall art!

 

It looks like it should be a good axle, but mine has issues. Is yours installed? If so, do both king pin retainers go in from one side or are they opposite like mine?

 

I'd really like to know, I plan to purchase an axle before the end of the year and I don't want to go through the ******** you're suffering right now. If they're selling **** and know it then they can't very well cry if someone calls them to task for it. It's call "doing the right thing the first time, everytime".

 

I was trying to be nice and not publicly blast a manufacture. If you read through so earlier posts you will figure it out.

 

It's a SoCal axle. I don't want to blast ALL of SoCal, but the particular location I'm dealing with has left a bad taste in my mouth. It should be a great axle, even the two machinists I took it to said that the pins should fit together even though they did not by a long shot. I've heard others say they have no problems with theirs, apparently I make up for that! I've heard nothing but praise for Ch***is Engineering. They too look like the '32 heavy axle and are supposedly forged here in the states.

 

are we talking forged axle? mine seems fine (set up)

 

Yep, stupid is as stupid does! I'll eat the cost of the adjustable reamer (will probably find other uses for it) and the two sets of brake hones but they need to step up to the plate and eat their mistake.

 

Yes, this is a brand new forged 4" dropped axle.

 

Yep,mines ***embled.No miles on it though...

 

My "A" axle is in BAD shape, so I would have to find another axle and then have it dropped or buy one that had been dropped and hoped that it was done properly. It seamed more cost effective to start with a new piece.

 

The retainer nuts go on the back side and act as spindle stops to prevent the wheels turning too far.

 

Do your king pin retainers both go in from the front of the axle or do they go in opposite sides?

 

How much is the So-Cal axle?!??!

I can't imagine that there is enough difference in price between it & a Ch***is Engineering to make a difference. They have to be almost the same price....

....... ****, buy the better one to start with.

JH

 

They're the same both sides.Don't they wedge up against the Kingpin itself??

 

Thank you! I am not crazy. Mine have one nut on the front for one spindle and one nut on the rear for the other spindle. I guess they thought I only needed one wheel to have a steering stop.

 

They do, but I am almost positive the holes themselves are tapered also so the retainer can only go in one way. Maybe I'm wrong there but on my axle the retainers will only go in on one side of the hole.

 

Those holes just need to be reamed. The're straight through holes, not tapered holes. The king pin retainers have the wedge/taper built into them on one side to lock the king pin into position.

I just checked my So Cal Axle and theres .002 thousands difference in the holes front to back .560 on one side .562 on the other. Then I checked my king pin retainers and they measure almost the same thing. So with a little clean up you should be able to put the king pin retainers in either way.

 

That is good to know, I'm calming down a bit now. One more thing I shouldn't have to do to a new part. That's part of the game I suppose, make and modify things to work for what we need. I guess I'm mostly pissed off at the lack of decent customer service from this particular So-Cal dealer. Thanks for checking your axle for me.

amsvette

 

I decided to go check a few more axles, and the king pin retainer holes are all over the place from as small as .559 to .566. I checked a Magnum, Super Bell, So Cal and stock Model A. It's only 7 thousands between smallest to largest so you should be alright with the axle you have.

Gus

 

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA




-Jason

 

Thanks Jason, sure it won't be the last dumb thing I do before it's done!

 

Thanks Gus, I'll ream out the one side and use it...for now.

amsvette