Go Back   The Ford Barn > General Discussion > Model A (1928-31)

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 01-24-2020, 05:16 PM   #1
Rich Bowes
Member
 
Rich Bowes's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Cotuit MA
Posts: 32
Default King pin fit

How should new king pins fit in the spindles. Should they be very tight, or should there be any play? should there be any clearance around the king pin, between the king pin and the spindle?
Rich Bowes is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-24-2020, 05:44 PM   #2
Werner
Senior Member
 
Werner's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Germany, near Aachen
Posts: 1,151
Default Re: King pin fit

Guten Abend Rich. The fit is correct when the oiled components glide smoothly. This corresponds to approximately 5/100 mm clearance.
__________________
Beste Gruesse aus Deutschland,
Werner


Ford Model A, Roadster, 1928
Citroen 11 CV, 1947
Hercules W 2000, 1976; (with NSU-Wankel Rotary Engine), Canadian version
Werner is offline   Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)
Old 01-24-2020, 05:57 PM   #3
Patrick L.
Senior Member
 
Patrick L.'s Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Largo Florida
Posts: 7,225
Default Re: King pin fit

I ream both bushings together to .003-.004". Some specs will say .001" but I find them too tight to take grease.

Last edited by Patrick L.; 01-24-2020 at 09:17 PM.
Patrick L. is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-24-2020, 08:07 PM   #4
duke36
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 1,414
Default Re: King pin fit

The vendors I believe still sell the bushing reamers.
duke36 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-24-2020, 08:12 PM   #5
Mulletwagon
Senior Member
 
Mulletwagon's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Florida Panhandle
Posts: 585
Default Re: King pin fit

After pressing in new bushings new king pins will not fit until the bushings are reamed to .8125 inch. After reaming the pins should slide smoothly with no perceptable play. The actual clearance is probably less than .001 inch - like wrist pins. When reaming, a good practice is to press in a single new bushing and ream it using the old remaining bushing as a guide to ensure the bore is reamed concentrically, then press in the other bushing and ream again. When reassembling be sure to shim the assembly so the entire load is on the thrust bearing. Take your time and do the job right !
Mulletwagon is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-25-2020, 04:53 AM   #6
Dodge
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Sonoma, CA.
Posts: 1,491
Default Re: King pin fit

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)
I ream them a little under size then hone to fit just like she likes it.
Dodge is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-25-2020, 08:38 AM   #7
aermotor
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Greenville, SC
Posts: 1,099
Default Re: King pin fit

Quote:
Originally Posted by duke36 View Post
The vendors I believe still sell the bushing reamers.
The one's I have seen are too short to go through both bushings at once. A local machine
shop can hone them in for a couple bucks.

John
aermotor is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-25-2020, 08:56 AM   #8
daren007
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Saint Cloud Mn
Posts: 745
Default Re: King pin fit

Save time nd money plus aggravation. Have your local machine shop hone the bushings.
daren007 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-25-2020, 10:29 AM   #9
Mulletwagon
Senior Member
 
Mulletwagon's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Florida Panhandle
Posts: 585
Default Re: King pin fit

Quote:
Originally Posted by aermotor View Post
The one's I have seen are too short to go through both bushings at once. A local machine
shop can hone them in for a couple bucks.

John
This is a good one from Snyder.

https://www.snydersantiqueauto.com/P...PINS-ONLY-PAIR
Mulletwagon is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-25-2020, 12:32 PM   #10
100IH
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: SW Idaho
Posts: 970
Default Re: King pin fit

Best practice is at the machine shop and only if they have a Sunnen pinfiting machine or equivalent from Italy This will hone both bushings at the same time in alignment. Wheel cylinder hones can get out of round and no alignment. The special reamer, some alignment but no control over the final clearance.
100IH is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-26-2020, 10:47 AM   #11
old31
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 2,088
Default Re: King pin fit

Based on the price from Snyders I would think it would be cheaper to have a machine shop do it.

Why buy a $160 reamer if you are only going to use it once or twice.
old31 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-26-2020, 09:39 PM   #12
Cape Codder
Senior Member
 
Cape Codder's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 1,261
Default Re: King pin fit

How come in is not addressed in THE book : Model A Ford Service Bulletins Complete?
Didn't they ever change King Pins? HA! HA!
Cape Codder is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-26-2020, 11:04 PM   #13
CWPASADENA
Senior Member
 
CWPASADENA's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: PASADENA, CA
Posts: 1,881
Default Re: King pin fit

Have a Machine Shop do it.


I recently bought on eBay an old adjustable hone set specifically made for King Pins. It came with a whole box of new abrasives which will hone all the king pin bushings I will ever want to do and then a lot more. I paid about $35.00 and it really works well.


Before I found this, I always had my local machine shop hone the bushings.


Chris W.
CWPASADENA is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-27-2020, 06:24 AM   #14
Werner
Senior Member
 
Werner's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Germany, near Aachen
Posts: 1,151
Default Re: King pin fit

Hello precision mechanic.

As a low-cost compromise, I rub the bush bearings with a hone stone brush (+/- $ 15.00) for hydraulic brake cylinders. They are very cheap. But they are sufficient for such simple requirements.
__________________
Beste Gruesse aus Deutschland,
Werner


Ford Model A, Roadster, 1928
Citroen 11 CV, 1947
Hercules W 2000, 1976; (with NSU-Wankel Rotary Engine), Canadian version
Werner is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-27-2020, 03:45 PM   #15
Tom Endy
Senior Member
 
Tom Endy's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Southern California
Posts: 3,122
Default Re: King pin fit

years ago I bought a king pin reamer from Bratton's that is long enough to ream both bushings in line. I have rebuilt six or seven front ends and used the reamer. I have never used a hone. I seem to have had good results with just using the reamer. The problem I had was trying to figure out what to do with all the bearing shims. I spoke with Les Andrews and he educated me about the geometry of the front end. The attached article is a para-phrase of Les Andrews conversation. The procedure has worked for me.

Tom Endy
Attached Files
File Type: pdf 2OC-King Pin Geometry _1-08_.pdf (30.2 KB, 138 views)
Tom Endy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-27-2020, 04:07 PM   #16
Synchro909
Senior Member
 
Synchro909's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 7,471
Default Re: King pin fit

The best way I've found is to reem the bushes with a pilot on the reemer so they are in line. I stop while they are still a little too tight and use some valve lapping paste on the unworn part of the old king pin(the part that was in the axle) to bring them to a point where I can push the new king pin in with my finger. Clean the bush thoroughly before final assembly. If it is too tight, the car will be all over the road and you'll have to take it apart and do it properly (after you change your underwear!).
__________________
I'm part of the only ever generation with an analogue childhood and a digital adulthood.
Synchro909 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-27-2020, 06:02 PM   #17
J and M Machine
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: 40 Mt.Vickery Rd. Southborough,MA 508-460-0733
Posts: 352
Default Re: King pin fit

Quote:
Originally Posted by Rich Bowes View Post
How should new king pins fit in the spindles. Should they be very tight, or should there be any play? should there be any clearance around the king pin, between the king pin and the spindle?
Hello Rich:
The pin fit should just slide in: to quote a "Perfect fit"
Any machine shop that has a Sunnen hone can do them for you to achieve the perfect fit.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg king pin honing.jpg (165.3 KB, 132 views)
J and M Machine is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-13-2020, 05:27 PM   #18
old31
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 2,088
Default Re: King pin fit

I just brought my king pins to a shop that has a Sunnen. Mine slide in with a tiny bit of friction.

They charged $45 per side.
old31 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-13-2020, 05:40 PM   #19
ryanheacox
Senior Member
 
ryanheacox's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Northwest CT
Posts: 1,092
Default Re: King pin fit

Was going to get mine honed until I stopped into A&L to pick up some parts and he gave me a nice piloted reamer to use. It worked great and the surface finish looks nice. Test fit of an NOS kingpin confirmed a nice tight fit.
ryanheacox is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-13-2020, 05:41 PM   #20
ryanheacox
Senior Member
 
ryanheacox's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Northwest CT
Posts: 1,092
Default Re: King pin fit

Quote:
Originally Posted by old31 View Post
I just brought my king pins to a shop that has a Sunnen. Mine slide in with a tiny bit of friction.

They charged $45 per side.

$90 seems pricey for 2 spindles but then if they charge an hour of labor minimum I guess that makes sense.
ryanheacox is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 01:14 PM.