Anybody use this reamer for kingpins?

[corvette8n]

From wholesale tools
Not sure where this tool is made, they do sell Made in USA drills.
Which one would I need for my '41.

[TJ]

How often will you use it? If you are buying it to use it once or twice save your money and take your spindles to a machine shop and have them fit your pins. I have one of those type of reamers that I got from my grandfather over 50 years ago. They do not do a perfect job and I have not used it for years.

[FL&WVMIKE]

Originally Posted by corvette8n

From wholesale tools
Not sure where this tool is made, they do sell Made in USA drills.
Which one would I need for my '41.

That looks like a straight reamer... not tapered.
I'm assuming the king pins are going to be tapered. You would need a reamer with the exact same taper as the pins.

[JSeery]

King pins are not tapered, they are constant diameter.

[RalphM]

You need a reamer capable of using one bushing as a guide for the other so that both holes are aligned. I use a Critchley reamer, I believe the finished size will be approximately .814. But you always want to fit them. My reamer does from 25/32” to 27/32” if you need the size range.

[JSeery]

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I have never had good luck with adjustable reamers, they tend to leave small "chatter" marks.

[nickthebandit]

I have gotten different tools from Wholesale Tools in the past, such as 11/16"-18 taps and dies to use on ford headlight bolts and nuts, 1935-1939. the tools are excellent quality, and good prices, too.

[rich b]

Need a piloted reamer; otherwise you are shooting in the dark and will more than likely need to cut them oversize to get the kingpin thru both bosses.

Lots of old, purpose made, reamers around, if you look. Cheap too; because nobody knows what they are for.

If it's a one time deal, a truck spring shop should have a Sunnen hone and the know-how.

[deuce_roadster]

If you care, honing is a vastly superior way to go. Backyarders have been using reamers forever and you can get by with them. I have mine honed, reamed ones always seem to be a little loose to me.

[rotorwrench]

I have a whole set of adjustable reamers but would only use them as a last resort on king pin bushings. King pin reamers are out there. They are piloted on part of the reamer body and the flutes start out very close to the correct size with only a small amount of expansion capability. The flute body is usually slotted so that is can be expanded on the inside by just turning a screw slightly. The 7/8" size should be common. My Mercury cars use 15/16" so they are not as common but I found one pretty easy on flea-pay. Most folks don't use them much so they generally stay in pretty good condition. The finish is always better using a purpose made tool like that.

[Kerk]

Iwould ONLY use the Sunnen Hone process and a knowledgeable shop to do the job ! Done once and then forget ir. Probably will not to need to be done again with propper greasing. JMHO kerk

[Karl Wolf]

Originally Posted by Kerk

Iwould ONLY use the Sunnen Hone process and a knowledgeable shop to do the job ! Done once and then forget ir. Probably will not to need to be done again with propper greasing. JMHO kerk

X2

Make sure that your shop has the long fixture that goes through both bushings at the same time.

I'm north of SF, Ca.

Lots of the remaining shops seem to think that honing one bushing at a time is the way to do this.

Must do both to have the holes lined up!!

Two machine shops near me are closing, owners retiring.

Karl

[Tim Ayers]

Originally Posted by FL&WVMIKE

That looks like a straight reamer... not tapered.
I'm assuming the king pins are going to be tapered. You would need a reamer with the exact same taper as the pins.

They are not tapered. They are .814 if I recall correctly.

[1948F-1Pickup]

I just did this job. Don't waste your time with reamers. Honing is the ONLY WAY TO GO. Carquest's machine shop did mine for $20 on a Sunnen honing machine. When Advance takes over they still probably will maintain the machine shop as it is one of the few local places left. Wherever you live, spend the 10 minutes to find someone who can hone the spindles.

[19Fordy]

Get on your phone and call a hone. Can't be beat.
You will have zero play and the best sliding fit ever.

[Shoebox]

x2 What 1948F1 said. I had machine shop hone my 39 Merc spindles, absolute perfection!

[Tim Ayers]

Originally Posted by 1948F-1Pickup

I just did this job. Don't waste your time with reamers. Honing is the ONLY WAY TO GO. Carquest's machine shop did mine for $20 on a Sunnen honing machine. When Advance takes over they still probably will maintain the machine shop as it is one of the few local places left. Wherever you live, spend the 10 minutes to find someone who can hone the spindles.

Agreed this is best, but it amazes me the difference in price around the country for this job. There is not a shop in NJ who will do it for less than $100.

[FL&WVMIKE]

Originally Posted by Tim Ayers

They are not tapered. They are .814 if I recall correctly.

Thanks.
A good machinist can do magical things with a proper hone. We're not talking a hone with spring 'feet' like you'd run through a wheel cylinder. REAL hones are rigid, and will straighten a hole. A good machinist will use a rod hone to get the big ends of rods within a half thou or less. On a king pin, a reamer isn't even in the same universe.

That being said, I'm assuming oversize pins are available for these cars? That would allow the holes to be opened up for a perfect fit.

Sorry, I have a lot of experience working on things, but not a ton of specialized time on these old rides.

[tubman]

I don't think oversize pins are available. The hole in the axle would have to be opened up to use an oversize pin, which is really not practical. The whole idea behind new pins and bushings is to be able to easily service this area. The pins fit the axle, the bushings are honed (or reamed) to fit the pins.

[1948F-1Pickup]

Originally Posted by tubman

I don't think oversize pins are available. The hole in the axle would have to be opened up to use an oversize pin, which is really not practical.

Depends upon the vehicle. I had to go oversize on my F-1. It was a royal PITA to enlarge that hole in the axle to fit that oversize pin. I won't be doing that job again...... EVER. Used a master brake cylinder hone. Took a really really long time. If I had to do again I would remove the axle and bring that item to the machine shop.

Originally Posted by Tim Ayers

Agreed this is best, but it amazes me the difference in price around the country for this job. There is not a shop in NJ who will do it for less than $100.

$100? That's crazy talk. You would think we'd be 'king of the mountain" in prices on this sort of thing in SoCal. At $20, I won't look that gift horse in the mouth.....