King pin rebuild issue

[Mikemomd]

Hello all,

 

I am need of some advice. It is apparent by the "play" in my front wheels and the fact that my '48 Dodge Custom will now not pass state inspection due to this fact, that my front end suspension needs "rebuilt". I have found a replacement steering king pin set for around $50 online.

 

My shop manual states that "If the bushing is a pressfit, use special tool C-328-A to remove it"...and "All press-fit bushings either upper or lower, should be line-reamed with special tool C-369 from kit C-671." Does anyone have experience with rebuilding the front wheel suspension and installing two new king pins with proper alignment with OR without these tools? Is there any service online to which one can ship the front end knuckle / spindle with the kingpins and bushings to be done by a "professional" with proper equipment?

 

Thanks for any help or tips,

 

Mike 

[Andydodge]

I've rebuilt a few of these front ends over the past 48 yrs I've been playing with 1940 Dodges and unless you have a proper hydraulic press and access to a set of reamers I wouldn't do the job myself.........certainly pulling the front end apart and reassembly is no great problem but installing the kin pin bushes and reaming them to the exact size of the kingpin is a job for some one who knows what they are doing, I've got the "man" to do the reaming etc then I do the rest.............whilst it maybe an issue finding someone who has the tools and experience in doing this its worth chasing down, a good front end alignment shop or a place that does truck alignments and/or repairs should not only have the experience, skills and tools but should happily do this job for a minimal cost as its a lot less hassle than the large truck stuff...........find a shop that can do the job, then you remove the old king pins & stub axles, clean them thoroughly(shops like nice clean parts to work on, lol) and get the shop to press out the old, in the new and ream to size............job done and you reassemble..............BTW make sure to get 1939 to 1954 Dodge/Plymouth CAR king pin sets as the pickup versions do NOT fit, NOR do any set thats to suit a 7 Passenger vehicle OR DeSoto/Chrysler vehicle from the 39-54 yrs...........as for shipping the spindle/stub axle to someone I'd think that the shipping cost would be prohibitive..............try a truck place first.............regards from Oz, Andy Douglas     

[Dan Hiebert]

No need to ship anything off, any good automotive machine shop or shop specializing in front end work can do this.  Those tool specifications are just to simplify things for Chrysler specific shops.  A good auto shop will have the specifications for virtually any car and their own tools to do the work.    

[Mikemomd]

Thanks Andy and Dan,

 

I guess I just need to find the right / competent automotive machine shop. Update to follow...

 

[48ply1stcar]

Do you need to replace bushings and other suspension parts?  I did my entire front suspension and if I was to do it again I would after taking everything apart (one side at a time) I would have a automotive machine shop install the king pins and bushings in the control arms.  The, just reassemble.  I replaced the coil springs with Areostar coil springs at 1/4 the price. 

 

[48ply1stcar]

The part that shocks me the most is that West Virginia has a state vehicle inspection program.

[sser2]

5 hours ago, 48ply1stcar said:

The part that shocks me the most is that West Virginia has a state vehicle inspection program.

There is a reason for that. A lot of folks there driving marginally safe old cars.

[Mikemomd]

"There is a reason for that. A lot of folks there driving marginally safe old cars."

 

And, you have come to that conclusion by what means? I have done a lot of traveling...it is no different in any state.

[sser2]

1 hour ago, Mikemomd said:

And, you have come to that conclusion by what means?

By means of average household and per capita income:

Average income by state

[Andydodge]

Well, here in Oz cars under 5yrs old don't need to get inspected each year however after 5yrs every car has to pass an inspection by a State licenced, qualified motor mechanic that not only checks the lights, etc work but jacks up the car, checks the front end for wear then takes the car out for a drive around the block with a brake gauge to get a printout of the brake deceleration test..........been this way with various updates since the 1950's at least................andyd   

[Mikemomd]

Thanks for the help and information related to the initial question.

 

Mike