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Re: Re: Re: King Pins - beware!

Steve Hainsworth
I personally dont use commercial pins, since breaking one alarmingly years ago. I simply buy a piece of chromium plated Hydraulic piston rod (Marchrome bar ) which is precision ground and of medium or High tensile Quality. You can cut it with a Hacksaw or Part it off in the Lathe. I tend not to drill a hole through it unless it is for a original car, preferring to put a nipple in top and bottom of the stub axle. These pins will never break and are lots cheaper than commercial ones.
Another good trick is to ream and fit the bushes to the pins before fitting them . Machine the O D of the Bushes on a mandrel so that they are 4 thousandths (.1 mm)
of an inch loose in the Housings and assemble the bushes to the stubs with loctite using the Pins as alignment guides, leave them in until the Loctite has cured. Everything will then line up fine with no reaming in situ required. Try it, its much easier than the usual way and does not require a Pilot Reamer. If you are clever on a lathe all the machining can be done before parting off, if you make the whole bush yourself . I have found this method also lasts longer as the mating areas are 100%, giving more bearing area, a real high finish can be given to the pin holes. Hope this Helps. The Hydraulic rod is available from steel merchants and Hydraulic Service agents (forklift Repairs etc.)


Hi the Above is a method I have used successfully for years. You an use the new pins available from the cherished people. Just ream the bushes to 1/2 inch then skim .004 off the O/d of the bushes so they slip into the housings with a few thou slack. The pins will end up perfectly in line and will last for ages because of this. Try it ,I find it much quicker than traditional methods.

Location: Wellington NZ