The Ford Barn

Dave N. · 01-07-2018, 02:01 PM

Looking for some help on this,
Should the actuating arm be a tight fit in the King Pin ball end or maybe a snug fit?
Can it have any movement?
How would you repair this play on the actuating arm end that fits in the King Pin ball? Thank you.

wrndln · 01-07-2018, 04:31 PM

I have rebuilt 3 model A front ends including new kingpins and rebushing the operating shaft housings. I see you have a 28 style operating shaft housings. Two of my front ends had this same housings. I don't believe there is any difference in length between the tapered 28 housing and the later housing style. All my housings fit tight in the head of the kingpins. I don't understand why there is play between your two parts. Are both sides lose? I assume the kingpin retaining pins are installed and tight - correct? I have had a problem with a set of repro kingpins concerning the head. It was the back part that interfered with the wedge housing, but maybe the head is not made correctly if your kingpins are foreign made repros. I now use NOS Ford kingpins and have never had a problem with them fitting correctly. One other thing I can think of is the operating shaft itself. Could it be a little to long, pushing the housing outward? Are the operating shafts original? Good luck.
Rusty Nelson

ahirt · 01-07-2018, 06:24 PM

I had to replace both of my operating shafts when I did the front end. I had original 28 ' s but they looked like they had been cut and welded. Result was a sloppy fit. New operating shafts from Brattons, while the later style, fit snugly with no movement but I did not need to force them.

jw hash · 01-07-2018, 11:20 PM

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

(most) reproduction king pins are a POS, it looks that you have the repro`s king pins that the top is at an angle. the original Model A are straight. I use NOS king pins and I have never had a problem. also I leave the king pin lock bolt out until I install the brake activator shaft, that way you can turn the king pin and roll it right in place.

01-07-2018, 04:31 PM	#2
wrndln Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Lakeville, MN Posts: 5,164	Re: actuating arm fitment to king pin ball I have rebuilt 3 model A front ends including new kingpins and rebushing the operating shaft housings. I see you have a 28 style operating shaft housings. Two of my front ends had this same housings. I don't believe there is any difference in length between the tapered 28 housing and the later housing style. All my housings fit tight in the head of the kingpins. I don't understand why there is play between your two parts. Are both sides lose? I assume the kingpin retaining pins are installed and tight - correct? I have had a problem with a set of repro kingpins concerning the head. It was the back part that interfered with the wedge housing, but maybe the head is not made correctly if your kingpins are foreign made repros. I now use NOS Ford kingpins and have never had a problem with them fitting correctly. One other thing I can think of is the operating shaft itself. Could it be a little to long, pushing the housing outward? Are the operating shafts original? Good luck. Rusty Nelson

01-07-2018, 06:24 PM	#3
ahirt Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2014 Location: Stuart Florida Posts: 108	Re: actuating arm fitment to king pin ball I had to replace both of my operating shafts when I did the front end. I had original 28 ' s but they looked like they had been cut and welded. Result was a sloppy fit. New operating shafts from Brattons, while the later style, fit snugly with no movement but I did not need to force them.

01-07-2018, 11:20 PM	#4
jw hash Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Auburn Washington Posts: 2,552	Re: actuating arm fitment to king pin ball Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) (most) reproduction king pins are a POS, it looks that you have the repro`s king pins that the top is at an angle. the original Model A are straight. I use NOS king pins and I have never had a problem. also I leave the king pin lock bolt out until I install the brake activator shaft, that way you can turn the king pin and roll it right in place.