52 F1 king pin play

[3twinridges]

Getting ready to install new king pins. Have a NOS kit, spindles have been rebushed, pins are tight in spindle, slip in with oil. Put the pins in the axle and I probably have 0.010 in play. I think my options are:

1. Run it, but how will steering be affected by that much play?

2. Find another axle, where I probably have same problem

3. Find oversize pins, then the spindles get rebushed again, anyone know a source for stock axle oversize pins?

Thoughts on those options?

JB

[supereal]

If your problem is in the fit of the king pins to the axle, the lock pins will keep the pins from turning. Your fit in the spindles is OK.

[rich b]

Is the play in the axle, if so are the lock pins driven in hard and tight?

The eyes on the axle can be heated and shrunk over an under size pin; then reamed to size.

If needed it should be easy to find another axle; not much of a market or demand for them.

[3twinridges]

Yes, play is in the axle, but I haven't put the locking bolts in yet. I just slid the pin in the axle and noticed it wasn't a tight fit so I mic'd it to see what my clearance was.

My spindle fit is perfect, was performed by a trusted machine shop.

JB

[GB SISSON]

I think you need to report back after tightening the lock bolts. They perform an important task.

[rich b]

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Remember; drive the pins in, tighten the steering stop, drive the pins some more, tighten
some more, until they don't move anymore. Sometimes the pins end up recessed in the axle.
Good original or earlier aftermarket pins are better than many of the new ones, which seem to be undersized.

[Ross F-1]

Originally Posted by GB SISSON

I think you need to report back after tightening the lock bolts. They perform an important task.

They do, and that is to keep the kingpin from rotating. They won't make up for the loss of fit over the length of the pin. You'll basically have a line of contact at best. With the weight of the truck on it, the kingpin can pivot around the locking pin. With 10 thou slop, it may not be too bad, but the O/S pins are +.010", so presumably meant for fixing even less sloppy fits.

I don't think if I had the axle already out I'd put it back as-is, but that's your call.

[49fordv8f4]

If the kingpins are loose in the axle, the only three choices you have are, replacing the axle, having the axle bushed and rebored for standard pins, or oversize pins if the axle will clean up. The lock pins will not keep the pin from moving in an oversize axle hole and they will only get worse. The hole would be the smallest at the lock pin and be egg shaped at the top and bottom of the hole. If you go with oversize pins, the shop should be able to ream or hone the spindle bushings you already have installed for the larger pins.
Mark

[3twinridges]

Thanks guys for the responses. Everything is new on this front end so having a lousy fitting pin kinda doesn't make sense. I am going to have the machine shop sleeve it so that it's perfect.

It had a lot of rust in the hole and when I sand blasted it, getting back to good metal created a lot of slop. I can literally wiggle it back and forth in the hole which to me seemed too much.

JB

[Ross F-1]

I have never seen an axle get sleeved, O/S kingpins are used or the axle is replaced.

[49fordv8f4]

I have sleeved a number of bigger truck and school bus axles. Sleeveing would be the most expensive route to go. I would personally use oversize pins or another axle, sleeve as a last resort.
Mark

[GB SISSON]

I recall buying a set of .010 oversized pins from Bob Selzam's 'Half ton fun' in Jackson NJ. He has lots of NOS and NORS parts.

[3twinridges]

So I picked up the oversize pins this morning from Mr Selzam. Will let the machine decide best path.

Thanks for the advice

JB