I know I should probably put this in the classifieds, but I also needed to vent a bit.

I have been making great progress this week on my truck. I rebuilt my whole front end with new kingpins, springs, tie rod, etc. I began to install the front disc kit from speedway. Part of the kit is you have to relocate the grease zirk on both sides due to clearance issues with the caliper bracket... passenger side done- new hole drilled and tapped, no problem.
Moved on to drivers spindle drilled new hole started tapping and *snap! broke the dang tap inside the hole...flush so I could not get it back out. great. I finally decided to weld up the tap in the hole and just drill another hole...it worked! Went and got another tap from Ace and drilled another hole on the opposite side...tapped it no problem but needed just a bit more to get the zirk seated and despite my inner voices screaming not to try one more half turn...you guessed it...I did anyway and snapped it flush again!! grrr! why do I do these things? Not sure if I blame the cheap-o tap or operator error...probably a combination of both!

Now, here is the dilemma... I could weld this one up too and drill yet another hole...at minimum I will need new bushings with all the holes, right? I don't know if I should reuse this spindle now or not?? Those taps are hard to drill in so I would have to drill in another spot on the spindle to avoid hitting the pieces I left in there. I am worried about drilling all these holes and weakening the spindle though. I am thinking of just getting another spindle all together, take it to the machine shop with a new set of bushings and have them drill and tap the hole at the same time they press in/ream the bushings? Thoughts? Do you think I can weld it up again and just get new bushings?...or have I weakened the spindle too much?

Does anyone have a drivers side spindle in good shape (good steering ball, good threads on spindle) they would be willing to part with?

I am also open to suggestions (other than get a new hobby.) I am still happy with my progress and hope there is at least some time before my next debacle so I can keep moving forward at least a little.

I will post pics of my progress when I get time.

Thanks for any help in advance!!

 

Shoot...I can't find sources for just the king pin bushings without having to buy a whole kit again...awesome. Anyone know of a source?

 

have you tried salvage yards ?? arizona I thought was the best place for old iron and great wrecking yards..

 

Thats a bummer man! I know how it is with those stupid ace hardware taps!
I had to use taps(plural) because I did the same thing, except not on a spindle.
I started same way and SNAP !!! Thats a horrible sound...I still hear it....
so I went back and got TWO more! LOL I told them there taps were garbage hoping for a discount since it was twenty minutes after I bought the first one!
NO such luck...I babied that second one 1/4 turn in and out ALL the way. Seemed like forever! But got it done finally and on to the next thing!

 

OK...I am feeling a little better now, it wasn't just me...

I am researching "tap extractors" now after a google search. I didn't know they made such things so I am hoping they have one to take this one out. Crossing my fingers.





The hole was made with a #3 bit (.213) and the tap was 1/4-28 NF.

 

TAAA-3105-A .. Spindle-Right/Left is the same / Obsolete

Applications: 1953/56 F100/250.

BOWMAN SALES & SERVICE in Bowman ND has ONE = 701-523-3257.

Possible sources for a used spindle: Early Ford Store (earlyfordstore.com) in San Dimas CA

Mid Fifty (midfifty.com) is located in Kingman AZ, might also have it...and the bushings.
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TAAA-3110-A .. Spindle Bushing-1 5/16" long / Obsolete

Applications: 1953/56 F100/250.

ANTIQUE AUTO SUPPLY in Arlington TX has ONE = 817-275-2381.

MILLER OBSOLETE PARTS in Binghamton NY has TWO = 607-722-5371.

NORTZ & VIRKLER FORD in Lowville NY has THREE = 315-376-6594.

KLIMESH MOTOR SALES in Calmar IA has FOUR = 563-562-3241.

GREEN SALES CO. in Cincinnati OH has SIX = 800-543-4959 / 513-731-3304.

 

Don't get your hopes up with that tap extractor. Most of the time a tap breaks after chips gauld up in the cutting threads of the tap and it is hard to get the legs or ears of the extractor down in the tap. If the tap is seized really good the legs will just bend or break. Sorry don't mean to sound so negative but I have had little to no sucess with those. The machine shop I use to work at had a tap burner and it worked everytime. We would have a die shoe that might have 100 hours work in it and they would break a tap off in it. The burner would get it out and save the die shoe. Might be worth checking a local machine shop to see if they have one. On something like a zerk fitting you can go a size bigger on the drill and still have good threads and it makes tapping a lot easier. I do not recommend this if you are tapping a hole for a bolt that is going to hold something that is going to see a lot of stress or on a critical component such as motor mounts or brake caliper etc. a zerk has no stress or pressure on it so 50% thread depth will work just fine.

 

I've had good luck drilling out broken taps and drills using a carbide tipped masonry drill bit at high speed.

 

I have had *some* success with extractors for 4-flute taps, none with extractors for 3-flute. If you used a 2-flute tap, you got what you deserved......