Removing king pins on 48 F1

[waterboychuck]

I'm trying to remove the king pins on my 48 F1 and cannot seem to get the job done. I do have the shop manual for the truck but the illustrations in the manual do not look like what is on my truck. Does anyone in the group have experience with removal of the kingpins? If so, how did you do it?

Chuck

[Harley Dean]

When I replaced bushings in my 48 I used my torch and got the king pins cherry red and a BFH. I had goggles on for eye protection,but a piece of the drift broke off hitting my ear,was bleeding like a stuck hog and had to go the emergency room. I finally got them changed. Next time I'll take the axle to the machine shop and have them press them out. Dean

[Paul/Woodinville]

Have you removed the pin that goes through at the center of the spindle?
You also have to remove the cap on the top of the king pin so that you are hitting directly on the king pin. You need a punch that is just fits on the king pin and a large hammer. Small punches do not apply enough force when hitting the king pin. I used a 5/8 brass drift. If no amount of hammering seems to move it then use a oxy-ace torch and heat the spindle with a rosebud until it's red and beat on it again. Wear gloves.

[alchemy]

Originally Posted by Paul/Woodinville

If no amount of hammering seems to move it then use a oxy-ace torch and heat the spindle with a rosebud until it's red and beat on it again.

Don't heat the spindle, heat the axle boss if you have to. The kingpin is not stuck in the brass bushings of the spindle, it's probably rusted in the axle. I've seen plenty rusted in the axle, but never have I seen one rusted to the brass bushing.

[V12Bill]

I replaced kingpins in a 1955 pickup many years ago. One side came out all right, but the other side was firmly attached. I removed the axle and took it to a machine shop. When i picked it up the owner said that it took nearly 20 tons of pressure to push it out. I would not heat any suspension part cherry red. You are asking for failure down the road.

[rotorwrench]

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Those old Ford axles were pretty good forgings. You can heat them to a dull red with no problems, just don't quench them. Let them cool down slowly. I don't know how many old model A axles have been heated to near melting then dropped with a pressing fixture and quite a few of them are still running around out there. Many of the king pin bosses get worn from loose king pins. Those will fall out and usually end up haveing to be repaired for the oblong hole that's left over. If you're going to pound on one, try to find a good heavy duty piece of pipe or something to back it up against the floor or an old piece of I-beam, railroad track, or an anvil if you have one. It will respond to the hammer blows a lot better that way.

Kerby

[George/Maine]

If you have your new king pins in front of you on top there should be a added piece like a quarter.Knock that off, then the pin should stick up, hit down with good heavy hammer don,t forget the locking center bolt.

[waterboychuck]

I'm replacing mr original axel with a 3inch dropped axel. Today I took the axel out fron under the truck and still cannot get anything to budge. Yes, I did take out the locaking senter bolt, and in the new axel instructions it states, " Do not heat the king pins to remove them". I will also have to take the spindles to a machine shop to have the bushing reemed to fit inside the spindle so I thought that I would take the old axel with me and have them press the king pins out and then do the rest with the bushings.

[waterboychuck]

Success finally. Yesterday I took my axel to the local Ford dealer and one of the repair men took at air hammer to the king pins. He started from the bottom and it didn't even budge so he went from the top and both pins came out.