Follow-up to “Fun with king pins —-‘35 Commander”

[37S2de]

Some here might remember the saga I reported several months ago about replacing the king pins in my ‘35 Commander.  In one of the posts I showed some brass shims that I had machined and asked for opinions on their use versus steel shims.  A couple of commenters recommended against the use of the brass shims and I recently set about making and installing steel.

 

Steel king pin shims are readily available on the commercial market, but I machined my own just like the brass shims.  This time, because I wasn’t fighting 80+ years of wear and oil and grease and dirt buildup, the total job of taking everything apart and replacing the shims only took about an hour and a half.

 

I’m still trying to find the right oil to use in the king pin system.  The shop manual says 20wt engine oil.  I tried to find straight 20wt and was told that motorcycle fork oil was the only 20wt available. I went to the local Harley dealer (because they were closest) and  asked for 20wt fork oil and they only had fork oil that was branded Harley specific and did not have a viscosity rating on the bottle.

 

I used that anyway, and I think water might be thicker.  It leaked out right away.  About a month ago I found some oil that was labeled straight 20wt and sucked out what little Harley fork oil was left in the pancake oilers and put in the new 20wt.   It also leaks, though not quite as fast.  I think the next move might be 20w-50.  One commenter suggested STP.  I think that I’ll get some and see if it will wick.

 

Any thoughts?

 

Tom

 

Any thoughts?

 

Tom

Edited May 17, 2023 by 37S2de
Eliminate extra words (see edit history)

[Gary_Ash]

I think the Dictators, Commanders, and Presidents shared the same basic front suspensions in the mid 1930s.  My 1928-40 parts book for sixes shows that the oilers were used in 1935 but Alemite grease fittings were used in 1936.  The king pins and knuckles weren't changed.  Do you think you could just switch to grease in your car?

 

Strangely, the 1928-40 parts book for 8 cylinder cars doesn't show an oiler or Alemite fitting for the 1936 cars but the later 1934-46 book does show grease fittings used in 1936.  We've used grease on those king pins and bushings ever since, no more oilers. 

 

On the other hand, Studebakers were made to mark their territory by leaking oil all the time.😁

 

P.S. All the Studebaker Indy cars and my replica use grease fittings on their solid front axles.  Mike Cleary, Augie Grasis III, and the late Bob Valpey have raced their cars with grease where oilers used to be.  Must be OK!

Edited May 17, 2023 by Gary_Ash (see edit history)