Guest jpatino Posted July 19, 2011 Share Posted July 19, 2011 Before I try removing the kingpin and screwing up irreplaceable parts, how do I safely remove the kingpin? I've done nothing except for removing every nut and bolt, including the tapered bolt that holds the kingpin into place and the brakes.Thanks,Jojo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest studepeople Posted July 19, 2011 Share Posted July 19, 2011 Hello; There should be a soft plug at each end of the king pin . They are swaged over to hold the grease or oil against the pin. Take a punch and punch in the center of each soft plug too shrink it into itself and pull away from the shoulder of the spindle. They should then come out. Then take a small brass drift and from the bottom tap out the king pin..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jpatino Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 Thanks for the help! I just tried doing it to one of them but the plugs aren't shrinking on the sides and the center of the plug is going pretty deep. I'm afraid to over do it and have the plug break. Are there replacement plugs available anywhere in case they break?Thanks,Jojo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keiser31 Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 Thanks for the help! I just tried doing it to one of them but the plugs aren't shrinking on the sides and the center of the plug is going pretty deep. I'm afraid to over do it and have the plug break. Are there replacement plugs available anywhere in case they break?Thanks,JojoKingpin sets usually have new plugs included. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest studepeople Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 Yes to your question about getting new soft plugs . Once they are used that is it , new ones need to be bought . They will be domed shaped . You place them in place dome side out and with a ballpeen hammer tap them in and flatten the soft plug . Go to a good auto parts store like Nappa. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jpatino Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 Thanks guys! Now that I know they are available, I'm not too worried. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary_Ash Posted July 21, 2011 Share Posted July 21, 2011 Jojo: I just took the kingpins out of the 1929 President front axle. I drilled a 1/4" hole in each cap, stuck a Phillips screwdriver in a little and pried the caps off. The pins have a hole down the middle so you won't hit anything when you drill through. While a brass drift MIGHT move the kingpins, I needed my 12-ton hydraulic press to get the pins out. I used a socket that fit just inside the 1" i.d. bushings to push against the pin. Once the pin was out, I used a socket just under 1-1/8 to then push the bushings out. Pins and bushings were really stuck tight. It would have been an easier job with a helper - one person to hold the axle and the other to pump the press. You may want to just take the whole axle to a good truck spring shop. They service kingpins on large modern trucks. They can push out the old parts, put your new bushings in, and then ream them for the correct fit for your new pins. Then they can put in the pins and caps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jpatino Posted July 24, 2011 Share Posted July 24, 2011 Thanks for the advice Gary. I think I will take it to a truck shop. I couldn't get the cap off of one no matter what I tried. I just hope I didn't mess anything up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keiser31 Posted July 24, 2011 Share Posted July 24, 2011 A small slide hammer/dent puller will also work after drilling a center hole in the cap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary_Ash Posted July 24, 2011 Share Posted July 24, 2011 Here is my 1929 President FH axle with the new kingpins and bushings. The Commander parts should look similar, though perhaps a different size. My pins are 1" dia. The black shaft is my bushing driver (Harbor Freight).I got the kingpins (p/n 150078) from Scott Stastny at Deluxe Auto Werks in West Chicago, IL, 630-293-7750. Bob Kapteyn had suggested that I call Scott, who had originally made the pins for Pierce Arrows, but they also fit Presidents (FE FH 80 90 91). Very nice workmanship! Scott provided the pins, bushings, new lock bolts, and plugs. It's nice to have new pins instead of some rusted ones that sat on parts shelves for the last 80 years. The thrust bearings (Timken T-101) came from Amazon.com for $6 each!I tapped the bushings in with the driver. The pins measure 0.9995" and the i.d of the bushings after installation is about 0.995-0.996", so I'll haul the knuckles, pins, and axle to the truck spring shop and have them ream the bushings to have about .001-.0015" clearance. I'll have to check the up-down clearance between the knuckles and axle end, as there is supposed to be only a few thousandths clearance. I have the original shim washer, as seen near the bottom of the photo, but don't know where I would get any new, thicker ones. There were 5 different shim washers available, ranging from about 0.105" to 0.125" in steps of .005". I guess I could machine some, though that would be a pain! The Commanders, Dictators, and later Presidents had 10 different shim washers available ranging from about 0.010" to 0.070". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rbk Posted July 28, 2011 Share Posted July 28, 2011 GaryI have hundreds of shims of different sizes.Let me know the ID and OD!Robert Kapteyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jpatino Posted October 16, 2011 Share Posted October 16, 2011 Thanks to everyone for your help. I finally got the kingpins out. I had a heck of a time. I've removed everything from the axle. After all that, I noticed the axle is slightly curved. I know the car was hit in front at some point in it's life so I don't know if it should be curved or straight? Anyone have any insight on this? I want to make sure what it's supposed to be like before I start putting it back together and painting it. I attached a pic so you can see.Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studerex Posted October 17, 2011 Share Posted October 17, 2011 Not susposed to look like that. Find someone with a hydraulic press to strighten it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jpatino Posted October 17, 2011 Share Posted October 17, 2011 Thanks Studerex. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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