The Spindle Bolt Locking Pin: A-3122

[Steve Plucker]

There were three types of Spindle Bolt Locking Pins.

Two types were round in shape when assembled to the front axle to lock the King Pin into place which also had a 1/2 round cut into it to accept the pin...The other had a "V" type notch that took an entirely different style of pin, which I think, locks the King Pin into place a little better than the previous types.

So the question is, and this is if one needs to use the later style King Pin with the "V" notch but needs to use one of the two styles of early Spindle Bolt Locking Pins, made such a bolt that has the notch on it but still retain the outside appearance of the two early pins when assembled?

Thanks.

Pluck

[Gary Karr]

Steve, it is really pretty simple. You can mill a round notch in the later style spindle bolts that will then work with the early style round locking pins. It's best if you can use an early style with the round notch as a reference as the notches were cut at a slight angle.

[rotorwrench]

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With the Ford updates, they were making the locking bolt to aid in better support for the king pins. These locking bolts actually bore a lot of the weight of the car the way this set up was designed. My point is just to make sure that folks know that these locking bolts and king pins, whether designed to fit or altered, have to be able to support all the weight that is put upon them.

In later years after the model A production came to a halt, Ford redesigned the spindles so that the axle would rest against the thrust bearing between it and the lower bushing boss of the spindle. This took most of the load off the king pin and the locking bolt that held it. It reduced wear by a good bit and allowed for more reliable steering.