Technical Novice Question on King Pin Cotters

I am putting together a drop axle, and I've never installed a pair of these. I think I have the spacers and bearing in the proper arrangement, but the indentation isn't aligning. Am I missing something? I watched an installation video and all it said was, "these will find their home."

 

Your assembly looks correct except for the one problem you have. Remove the kingpin and flip it right side up. It is currently installed upside down. Once you flip the kingpin, you will have to rotate it until the notch lines up with the hole in the axle.

 

^^^X2

 

The king pin goes in from the top down. May have a felt pad that goes under the top of the king pin and on top of the spindle.

 

I gave that a shot. Unfortunately, the retainer on top of the pin hits the lip on the spindle when flipped.

 

The felt pad and dust cap are on there.

 

Gently try the cotter in the hole without the kingpin in place to see how it fits. I had to grind the cotter on my Model A to get it in what I thought was enough. Be sure to push it in from the front.

 

What? He's got it right.

 

No. It is correct!

OP, are you sure you can't push or tap the pin down some more?

I'm alittle scared to ask, but what brand are the parts?

 

I don't know as they were in a parts bag with the axle and spindles, but I would venture to guess Speedway. I actually clamped the pin down, but I'll see if I can get a little more.

 

These are the pieces I was asking about. Speedway comes up a lot though, so it doesn't surprise me.

 

I imagine it's Speedway or Johnny Law. I compared it to a stock A model axle and it looks like the holes line up.

 

Johnny Law = trash can. The people who made that were casting fry pans yesterday. Crude ones.

 

I don't disagree but I had the same problem with the real A axle. The issue might be these kingpins.

Edit: definitely the felt ring being too thick.

 

I apologize for this misinformation. I have done hundreds of kingpin jobs in my 30 year career as a Heavy Duty Truck Mechanic. I am unfamiliar with the Model A axle. The kingpin with the top cap on it is new to me. Thanks for straightening me out.

 

The felt ring should be able to be crushed flat letting the tin retainer all but meet the spindle and usually let the notch line up. The felts I see are up to 1/4" thick; but easily compressible.

Being you aren't familiar with these; be sure to pack the thrust bearing with wheel bearing grease and install it with the open side down.

If there is any gap between the axle and spindle, the thin shims go on the top side of the axle.

I've bought quite a few kingpin sets from Speedway with no grief; but Johnny Law (Hoffman Co) may be a different matter entirely.

PS: the "texture" and shape of that axle casting look like a Hoffman Co's product.

 

Found this from the late Dick Spadaro rather than relying on my feeble memory.
Looks like from your pic, you could use the 42-48 kingpin, BUT it MIGHT be 1/4” too long overall.
Those look like aftermarket spindles; are the pins in there now flush or recessed with the bottom of the lower spindle boss? If they’re flush you can trim the added length on the 42-48 pins. If they’re recessed 1/4”, you’re golden.

 

^^^^
Square-back ('42-'48) kingpins would stick out of both the top and bottom of round-back spindles.

 

I did remember to pack those with grease. Like the axle, I'm pretty sure these did come from JL. I might build up the stock A axle I have with NOS kingpins. I'm just missing original spindles.

 

They're about flush now. Trimming additional length wouldn't help as the slots are too high. Would it be bad to take a little material off with a dremel? That's about the only way the cotters are going in.

 

Is the current notch 2.50” or 2.75” from the top?
If it’s already 2.75”, you will have to widen the notch.

 

The casting quality, and your assumption that the axle came from J law, please please please please take that axle off, cut it in half and throw it away. It is made with the poorest quality metal and is cast, it will brake and destroy your car and could kill you or someone else.

As for the Kingpins, you have it right, but if you cant get the key to line up, get a big C clamp and compress the felt by gently tightening up the clamp pushing on the King pin and the other end on the bottom of the spindle, it will compress and line right up, just don't run that axle, its a ticking time bomb.

 

The center of the notch is about 2.5" below the cap. I decided to widen the notches last night, and everything went together. I checked a spare set and the notches are the same. This stuff came out of a parts lot.

 

So I'm just mocking up the rolling chassis right now. I have an original A axle that was cut and welded to drop back in the day. I might build that with NOS parts.

Edit: I did a little research and it's not a JL axle. It has a V with wings cast into it.

 

To echo what @Nailhead Jason said, I was asked to put together a new front end for a guy, it had a JL axle. I was unaware of anything we are talking about here at the time. I noticed a void in the front of the axle, in the face of the beam, as though the casting didn't fill in. He was an old timer, and knew I TIG'ed, he told be to "just lay a puddle in it!" My education as an engineer and as an injection molding tooling designer, that sounded like a horrible idea. We had a few friendly words and some name calling, but I got him convinced to let me buy him a SB axle. Once the new axle was on the garage floor, I asked, "So I own this first one now, do you agree?" As soon as he said yes, I put the JL one in the vice and cut into it with a cutoff wheel, just to see how deep that void was. I was amazed! I spend 45 minutes and 2 cut off wheels following the tunnel! I heard by several guys, "there are drilled axles on the road!" But here is the thing, there is no real way to know how many caverns there where in that one or the ones out there now. So yes please scrap it, so it doesn't end up being used someday.

 

For completeness, sometimes the cotters require some relieving in order to go in, or to go in deep enough.

Chris

 

The ones with a V and wings are from the same people, the Hoffman group. It's no better. do a search on here for the Hoffman group and you will see. It 's unbelievable that this garbage is allowed to be sold.

 

You guys have convinced me. I was going to use it for mockup, but it's going to scrap. I'll mockup my A axle.

 

Going to have to find some different wishbones as these are 2 1/4". My other axle needs 1 15/16".

 

FYI, a cut and welded dropped axle is also a bad idea.