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King pins-what do I need to know


hatcity

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Planning on changing the king pins this week. Mechanic was supposed to do it, but hurt his knee pretty good. He says he can come over and show me what to do and help until done.

i would like to know what all is involved before hand. Got the parts, seals, even plan on replacing one set of bearings too.

Any schematic I can look at out there?

Thanks, Ed

Success is only a stones throw away.................................................................for a Palestinian

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They aren't to many steps just some work involved. On the macks you take the screw out of the bottom and pop the top cap out. We use a brass punch you hit it out. Should come out pretty easy if the grease gets in there but when we did one on the superdog a couple months ago we needed to heat up the axle with a torch.

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Matt

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If they are tapered pins, they should come out easy enough. Had my truck apart in less then 3hrs, starting with jacking it up. Got to strip the spindles down to bare bones. With enough big tools from mechanic, it should go quickly. I didn't have any "big" tools back then.

Splindles.jpg

Yours might be a bit harder, but should be doable.

IMG-20180116-202556-655.jpg

Larry

1959 B61 Liv'n Large......................

Charter member of the "MACK PACK"

 

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Sometimes we can get them out with just a brass punch and beating, on a truck that never sees a grease gun or maintenance, the torch comes out in stages of pain. I hate like hell to cherry an axle if I don't have too, it is just wrong. Sometimes all they need is just to be warmed up just a bit to get the hardened old grease flowing, and to expand the housing ever so slightly. I may be just a dumb welder, but I try and know better.

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Ya know, i don't recall. Called Mack, told them I need king pins set. Thats what I got.

They have the vin in computer and read from that

It's a 2001 CX. I been under there so many times to clean/grease, and never noticed.

And when i bought the truck, all I got was a set of keys

Success is only a stones throw away.................................................................for a Palestinian

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UPDATE-Dana/Spicer/Eaton axle.

Had the brake spiders off by 8:30 today. Had to wait for the mechanic.

Bottom cap would not move. 6 pt socket,pipe wrench, nothing. Had to weld a large nut to turn it. the heat also helped free it up.

The pin took about 2 hours to remove. Found a dump hinge pin, and with a 8# BFH, got it to drop.

Still have to put one side together. can't wait for the other side tomorrow

Success is only a stones throw away.................................................................for a Palestinian

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Well, it's done.

second pin dropped with little problem.

The only other problem, the mechanic wanted to change the inner bearings on drivers side.

Thems a beotch to get the race out.

I learned-Glad it is not a routine job like oil change or tires.

Between helping/watching, learned quite a bit

Success is only a stones throw away.................................................................for a Palestinian

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Glad it worked out OK Ed.

Probably will get a ration of you know what about this but I'm going to say it anyway!

With a straight pin like you have is I think a better set up than the Mack tapered pin anyway.

We used to have Rockwell front axles in our Brockways never gave us much problems.

Was a large straight pin (top and bottom bushings were the same size) tapered pins the top bushing is always smaller.

Also with this arrangement there is a much larger thrust bearing to support the weight of the truck and it's positioned in a place that makes much more sense

in my opinion.

It's positioned between the the bottom of the axle beam and the top of the lower steering knuckle bushing bore---you have a much larger bearing surface.

The pin only has one job to do, the one it's supposed to do, keep the knuckle in alignment with the axle and allow it to pivot.

On the Mack style all the weight of the truck is sitting on a very small, by comparison, thrust button style bearing in the knuckle and resting on the bottom of the pin.

I've only seen this thrust button break on one truck in the past and remember there being a recall back in '85 to take them apart and replace the bearings.

That's really a pretty great record and I can't deny it.

The only thing about it is if you think of how small that button bearing is and if you have ever seen one break-------

it sure makes you think when you're trying to avoid the bumps on the Cross Bronx Expressway!!

Ron

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I have seen more thrust button than that break but who knows were they came from. I mean they may have been a brand x. The truck i drive has a set of brand x in it and alot more cheaper but they may not last that long either.Now on a tapered pin i have not seen a axle beam with the pin too loose in it.On a strait pin it is more often found were the pin is too loose and a sleeve has to be installed or replace it.

glenn akers

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I did a set on an L-9000 Ford one time. Had to heat that one up with a rosebud and swing an 10-Lb Persuader Wrench on and off for the better part of 1/2 hour to 45 mins. That was an ex-A. Duie Pyle tractor I think that the boss bought.

Let me tell you how to remove them with out heating the axle beam and i have did many this way.With a torch cut the thrust brg out from under the axle beam were it set on top of the spindle. Then with it out of the way cut the king pin and cut about 1/2" out of it. Then lift the spindle up and cut the king pin above the axle beam under the spindle. Now the spindle is out of the way.Let it cool and then grind off smooth the top of the king pin. Alot of the times the pin will fall out with a small hammer. If not i have some 1

' cold roll that i weld about 6" on top of the king pin and then with a jack under the axle beam supporting some weight use a big hammer on top of the cold roll. It will come out and you have not put much heat in the axle beam. Any time the metal is heated it does nothen good for the metal as for as cracking and falling off going down the road.When your doinbg it for a customer he pays for your time and no reason to stick your neck out and take a chance that will surly come back on you just to save him some time and money.same way with heating tie rod ends and dray links. A drag link arm broke last summer on a freinds truck and he amits he had been heating on it. Two years ago same truck the tie rod arm broke when sitting still and he tells me he has heated on them for always and that is the first he had heard of this. Luck has it when the drag link arm breaks it in most case not being moved and creating more stress by trying to turn wheels sitting still.

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glenn akers

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  • 2 years later...

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