1952B3b23 Posted April 2, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 2, 2013 depends on your geographical area as tp what the labor rates are. anybody shop would be able to tell you what their rate is in your area. for your cross members why not weld the appropriate nuts on the member. that way you just need to put it in position and start your bolts. use some anti-sieze on the threads and you should be good I would have to weld the nuts to the inside of the c-channel on the frame then i'd be able to just thread in the bolts when i go to assemble the crossmembers to the frame. One of my problems with doing that is that i dont know exactly where the crossmembers will need to go because my truck didnt have a bed on it when i bought it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1952B3b23 Posted April 2, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 2, 2013 I'm welding in a 3 sided piece of rectangular tubing on mine so I can't drop the nut and washer inside the frame rail where i can't get it back out. Dave, Could you explain this a little more? It sounds like it may work but i dont think im picturing your approach correctly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1952B3b23 Posted April 2, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 2, 2013 You might consider welding a piece of bar stock to the inside of the frame where bolts need to go. Drill and tap the piece for the bolt pattern needed and tack it in place...it should not require massive welds to hold position. This is also a good idea. If i welded a piece of say 1/4" steel down the length of the frame rail then i could drill and tap it when i go to assemble and install the bed. You're right it wouldnt need a crazy amount of weld to hold it securely in position. Then i wouldnt have to worry about cutting the boxing plates or dropping the nuts and washers down in the frame rail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave72dt Posted April 2, 2013 Report Share Posted April 2, 2013 Dave, Could you explain this a little more? It sounds like it may work but i dont think im picturing your approach correctly. Sure. Cut one of the long sides of the tubing off so it looks like a c channel, the long side down. This piece then goes under the top frame rail edge with the open end towards the center of the truck and goes all the way to the original side of the frame making a pocket big ehough to get a wrench into for holding, tightening a nut. Because it's now a pocket instead of a hole, the nut won't drop into the main part of the frame. I'm using rectangiular because it's easy to find, has a consistant wall thickness, radiused corners and and smoother inside than some of the channel iron. ____________ I____I Kinda like the diagram above where the solid line is the top frame rail and what's under is the pocket made from rectangular tubiung. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1952B3b23 Posted April 2, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 2, 2013 Sure. Cut one of the long sides of the tubing off so it looks like a c channel, the long side down. This piece then goes under the top frame rail edge with the open end towards the center of the truck and goes all the way to the original side of the frame making a pocket big ehough to get a wrench into for holding, tightening a nut. Because it's now a pocket instead of a hole, the nut won't drop into the main part of the frame. I'm using rectangiular because it's easy to find, has a consistant wall thickness, radiused corners and and smoother inside than some of the channel iron. ____________ I____I Kinda like the diagram above where the solid line is the top frame rail and what's under is the pocket made from rectangular tubiung. Ahhhh yes now i get it, thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nowhereman Posted April 2, 2013 Report Share Posted April 2, 2013 I would have to weld the nuts to the inside of the c-channel on the frame then i'd be able to just thread in the bolts when i go to assemble the crossmembers to the frame. One of my problems with doing that is that i dont know exactly where the crossmembers will need to go because my truck didnt have a bed on it when i bought it. guess you have to do some pre fitting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merle Coggins Posted April 3, 2013 Report Share Posted April 3, 2013 (edited) ... One of my problems with doing that is that i dont know exactly where the crossmembers will need to go because my truck didnt have a bed on it when i bought it. Are the holes not punched into the top rail for bed attachment? In this pic you can see a couple of the mounting holes in my frame. The ones right inline with the spare tire carrier cross member are for the third bed cross member. You should be able to find all four on each side along the top of the frame. If there are more than 4 than someone's gone happy with a drill. Edited April 3, 2013 by Merle Coggins Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1952B3b23 Posted April 3, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2013 Merle, Someone went happy with a drill when they installed the homemade flat bed on the truck, so there are far more holes there than should be. I still may be able to tell which ones are for the bed crossmembers though as they would all be the same diameter. Thanks for posting up the pic. -Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Balazs Posted April 3, 2013 Report Share Posted April 3, 2013 Chris; You need to print out the Body Builders Layout sheet for your specific model. I think these are part of the DPETCA site. This is a very helpful document with a lot of measurements that are very useful when trying to restore one of these truck. All the correct mounting points are shown with accurate dimensions. Combined with the information given on the frame drawing ......... this will answer most of your questions. By using common reference points between the two drawings you will also be able to create a few other useful dimensions which are not shown on either drawing. This combination of drawings was essential to me when I was straightening my frame. The rear section of my frame was cocked about 2" to the drivers side. The bed mounting hole locations were used as secondary method to check the final frame alignment at the rear of the frame. Once we got them all where they were supposed to be in relation to each other and the frame centerline ..... Bingo!......all the other check points lined up as well. Hope this is helpful. Jeff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1952B3b23 Posted April 3, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2013 Hey Jeff, I will look for that over on the DPETCA site, i knew that a sheet like that existed but i totally forgot about that until you mentioned it. This would be a big help for me in making sure the frame is straight and everything will line up. Thanks, -Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1952B3b23 Posted April 3, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2013 Guys, I have a king pin related question, i tried searching the tech section for some answers but didnt really find anything there. Im sure that there is probably some threads out there on this but i couldnt find them so here goes... I am replacing the king pins on my '52 half ton and last niight i was able to remove the bushings (top and bottom) out of the passenger side spindle, i will work on the drivers side either tonight or tomorrow. Do i need to have a machine shop press in the new bushings when i get the new king pin kit, or is this something i can do myself? I just dont want to install the new bushings and then have the king pin not fit. Which leads to the next question, do i need the spindles to be reemed out? Thanks in advance, -Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
52b3b Joe Posted April 3, 2013 Report Share Posted April 3, 2013 We've always done them our self. I have used our vise to press them in and more recently our new shop press. And yes they will need reamed out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1952B3b23 Posted April 3, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2013 We've always done them our self. I have used our vise to press them in and more recently our new shop press. And yes they will need reamed out. Thanks Joe. Did you do the reaming yourselves, or is this something thats better done by a machine shop? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
52b3b Joe Posted April 3, 2013 Report Share Posted April 3, 2013 I ream them myself. You want to make sure you ream both of them inline together. You want the pin to just fit in the bushings with no bind in the movement. Almost a 1 to 1 fit, just so you can press the pins in with some pressure by hand or with a mallet lightly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TodFitch Posted April 3, 2013 Report Share Posted April 3, 2013 I ream them myself. You want to make sure you ream both of them inline together. You want the pin to just fit in the bushings with no bind in the movement. Almost a 1 to 1 fit, just so you can press the pins in with some pressure by hand or with a mallet lightly. To add to this, a kin pin reamer set should include a guide bushing. The reamer will have a long shaft smaller than the reamed diameter. You put the tapered guide bushing in the bushing you are not reaming and slide the reamer shaft into that. This keeps the reamer in-line while you ream the other bushing. Then you swap positions and ream the second bushing. The long shaft and guide bushing assures that the bushings are reamed along a common center line. At least that is how my reamer set works. Maybe others are different. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1952B3b23 Posted April 4, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 4, 2013 Ive googled some king pin reamer kits and it looks like they work as you described it Tod. Its seems like the average price of one of these is in the $130 range, im wondering if that would be less expensive than having a shop ream them out? Also does any one have a lead on a good king pin reamer, if i do buy one it'd be nice to buy something that other people have had good luck with. Thanks Tod and Joe, -Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ggdad1951 Posted April 4, 2013 Report Share Posted April 4, 2013 cost me $10 to get mine reamed by a little old school guy that runs a shop locally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wayfarer Posted April 4, 2013 Report Share Posted April 4, 2013 cost me $10 to get mine reamed by a little old school guy that runs a shop locally. ...the guy works in a 'little old school'??? For shops that do it on a regular basis it takes about 10 minutes, no need to buy a tool set unless you are a tool junkie and enjoy the learning curve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ggdad1951 Posted April 4, 2013 Report Share Posted April 4, 2013 ...the guy works in a 'little old school'??? For shops that do it on a regular basis it takes about 10 minutes, no need to buy a tool set unless you are a tool junkie and enjoy the learning curve. ha, naw he's a little guy, but he runs an old school shop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Young Ed Posted April 4, 2013 Report Share Posted April 4, 2013 ha, naw he's a little guy, but he runs an old school shop. You talking about Tom? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ggdad1951 Posted April 4, 2013 Report Share Posted April 4, 2013 You talking about Tom? at Adleman's? yep. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1952B3b23 Posted April 4, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 4, 2013 10 bucks, now i can afford that price lol! I'll have to check around and see what a local shop will charge, may or may not be worth buying the tool and doing it myself. I do like to buy tools but thats money that can be used to fund the project in other ways. -Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merle Coggins Posted April 4, 2013 Report Share Posted April 4, 2013 When I did mine I talked to a truck shop down the road from where I work, but they didn't have a ream that small. Then I remembered that one of the local Napa stores has a machine shop. They were able to do the job. I don't remember the cost, but I don't remember spending over $20. Merle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1952B3b23 Posted April 4, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 4, 2013 Thats pretty good news then Merle, looks like it may not be worth me spending the extra money on the reamer if a shop can do it cheap enough. It seems like a rather straight forward job. I went to the local NAPA auto parts today and ordered up the spring shackles and leaf spring bolt for the left and right sides of my front suspension, and the new king pin set. The shackles and bolts are "rare parts" brand that some of you guys have recommended, the king pins are NAPA brand. Here are the part numbers for anyone interested, these are for a '52 B3b half ton: King Pin Set NCP 2621378 Leaf Spring Bolt RPC 35290 Leaf Spring Shackle, Right Side RPC 35417 Leaf Spring Shackle, Left Side RPC 35516 -Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Apittslife Posted April 5, 2013 Report Share Posted April 5, 2013 Another option is to see if you have a restoration / mechanical shop in your area, that specializes in working on British cars as they had King-Pin's well into the 70's. just a friendly thought. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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