I finally got around to installing a new kingpin set this weekend. I was planning on just taking my spindles ('37-'41) to have bushings pressed in and reamed to fit my new kingpins. But I found that the kingpins are loose in the axle and were shimmed at some point. The hole is not round approx. .005'' larger side to side. I was just wondering what my options are. Thanks TK
Use an oversize king pin and choose it after cleaningup the worn holes to the same size. It doesnt need to be an oversizekingpin for your set up just the right length and only slightly bigger than you currrently have so you can get there easily. A few minutes with a king pin listing will yield what you need. Honing BTW is better than reaming. much easier to control the size to exact standards. A sunnen con rod machine for the spindles. Don
now that dolmetsch mentioned it....i've seen .010 oversize king pins for the later square spindles , but not for the round. that would be something to check into
Its doubtful that you will find an oversize king pin and reaming a bushing boss is a time consuming job and potentially expensive. Heating and hitting the boss with a sledge hammer will shrink the hole but can make it more out of round. This might sound like back yard mechanics but works perfectly fine. Since the king pin is locked into the axle with a the king pin lock bolt, the hole does not have to be a precision fit. First install the new king pin in the axle boss to determine exactly how stretched the boss is. Then install the axle king pin lock bolt, tap the king pin lock snugly into place and attempt to rock the king pin. If the king pin does not move you are good to go, just rebush your spindles and complete your job. If your king pin wiggles you can tighten the worn clearence up by drilling and tapping the axle boss at a position slightly over center and installing a 3/16" allen head set screw thru the boss to act as an alternate direction lock. This will lock the king pin in place and take out any wiggle or loose fit after installation.
Like **** said Or if need be 1. Grind / sand down a old kingpin 2. Heat the end of the axle 3. Drop the undersize pin in 4. Peen around on the stretch out area / shrinking it 5. Let cool on its own 6. Ream to 13/16. I find new reams on ebay for 15 to 25 bucks
Having run the Ford 3/4 ton axles in our roundy round car and having NO budget for a replacement axle, when an axle got loose in the eye running beads of weld around the eye from top to bottom will tighten the eye very nicely. As previously mentioned honing the hole is a great method to finish it up but believe me it is quite a task for 2 people stroking using a creative method to rest the axle on a support bar that will hold the weight of the axle while stroking on a horizontal Sunnen machine. I am not aware of remote hone setups that will hole small sunnen horizontal mandrels. I had the good fortune of being on the free end of the 48" axle while my father worked the eye over the mandrel.....all I can say is whew!!!
Thanks guys for taking the time to reply. This morning I took my axle to the machine shop at the local airport. The guy there is going to make a steel sleeve to press in, then weld, and ream it to fit my new kingpin for 40 bucks. Seemed cheaper than going to oversized kingpins. Also I remeasured the hole this morning and it was .012'' over side to side and .005'' over front to back. The drivers side was fine. TK
I know this is old and we can’t ask ****, Rest In Peace. But does anyone know what he may have meant buy “ slightly over center” in his remedy for loose king pin? Thanks in advance.
@exc400 Spadaro suggested drilling and tapping either higher or lower than the centerline of the king pin keeper so the k/p could be held with no movement in the bore of the axle. By pushing the k/p that way it makes contact at two points in the bore, not just where the keeper is. Sounds like a decent method if the k/p bore is worn oversize just a bit, but if the clearance is excessive I’d bore and sleeve the axle.
The Jalopy Journal
