How to get king pins out?

[bob1972]

Do the king pins in my 1935 Ford pickup need to be pressed out? I ca't budge them with heat and strong whacks with a hammer and punch.

And what replacement pins should I order? NOS? They won't fit if I have the original set up (don't know what to call those things) bored out, will they?

[glennpm]

Hi Bob,

Have you taken out the wedge bolts out first? Once the long retaining nuts are backed off a few turns, hit with hammer to get the wedge moving. Then a few more threads until loose.


Glenn

[Bob C]

Dumb question but did you get the lock pins out??
Bob

[rotorwrench]

Axle eyes can be bored and re-sleeved as long as the bushing used is thin wall like chrome moly aircraft tubing. It's usually the perches that are the PITA to get out. Kingpins usually come right out unless they are corroded up. The type you use depends on the application. A lot of Fords use the same pins depending on year of manufacture.

I don't know if STEMCO/Kaiser APE equipment will work on the axle eyes or not. This is what they use use on the big trucks to resize the axle eyes. A milling machine can be set up to bore one in any case.

[bob1972]

Ye, they are out. Now how to drive the king pins out? A press not needed? Heat and a hammer?

[JSeery]

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They should not be tight. If they are hung-up for some reason you may have to resort to a press. I would start with penetrating oil, heat/cooling cycles and pounding around the sides with something like a brass hammer, lead hammer, dead-blow to see if you can break them loose.

[Andy]

I believe in candle wax. Get every thing warm and melt wax as best you can into the joints. I have had amazing results.

[glennpm]

I really like PB Blaster. I would spray it around the top king pin head and into the wedge pin hole that you've removed.



If it is still on the truck you could place a socket under the bottom of the pin, jack it up and leave it. The load and the Blaster should do the trick. Make sure you have block or stand to support the truck if and when the pin releases.

[Tim Ayers]

They do make presses (Snap-on for sure for we have one), but like other said, heat and some type of spray or wax should allow you to push them out.

[FlatheadTed]

Not sure if this will help but, Good advice above plenty of lube and a press ,,The one we did would need a pretty big press, that we didn't have ,It was a 39 and took about 6 hrs . Had to remove the Axle ,we used a 6" hardened drift one side came easy ,the other side we laid into it with a big 40 '' sledge hammer we had it supported next to the pin underneath with a large solid steel girder, we got it down flush and then completely jammed (swollen shank I think ),we turned it over then drove it back cut the head off then using a socket hammered on that (less bounce ) we compressed the socket by a third but it came out , ,Ted

[Mart]

Take the axle off the car. Dismantle the backplates, taper pins, etc so the pins can come out. With axle upside down and supported on concrete or other firm surface, drive the pins out downwards. A good hammer and a drift of softer metal than the pin should get 'em out. If not, with the axle stripped down to that extent you should be able to use a press or (very) large vise.

Personally I've never had a kingpin take more than a couple of firm taps, most just slide out.

Mart.

[bob1972]

Got them out...used a press. Thanks for your advice.

[Mart]

Did they take much force? Were they particularly rusty/crusty?

Mart.

[glennpm]

Yeah, any idea of what was freezing them up?

[Tinker]

Originally Posted by glennpm

Yeah, any idea of what was freezing them up?

Lack of yearly greasing? It's usually the perch pins that cause all the havoc.

[3twinridges]

When dad and I tore down our F1 two years ago, I went to town driving them out with a sledge and an old socket. They barely moved but I finally got out one pin. I started on the second but the socket let go of a piece of shrapnel that embedded in my forearm next to the bone. Really messy. Cost me big time, had to have surgery to remove it. Press is the only way I would do it on the next one. Really fortunate it was my arm and not my head or eye. Be careful on the brute force methods as things can go wrong quickly, learned the hard way.

I am Mr safety now. I wear safety glasses almost all the time now seeing that sliver of metal cut into me like a razor blade.

JB