im ordering a 3in drop axle for my 46 ford truck,from sid at dropped axles and i know its best to put new kingpins in it. how can i tell if i need a standard set or ones that are over sized? this will be my first kingpin set. i just want to make sure i order the right set the first time. is there a stock measurement or something i can do after i get my old spindles off my axle.

Thanks
The rookie

oh any advice on getting the old king pins out and installing would help also.

 

First off, is it an old factory axle that has been dropped or new item? Second, is it just an axle or are the old kingpins and spindles still on it? If the old kingpins are still in there, you're in for a treat. Unless you're good with a torch and have a strong press, find a machine shop that can do Kingpins SPECIFICALLY. Don't trust the local guy that can "figure it out." You will also need some precision tools to check the bores in the axle after the kingpins are removed. If you are feeling brave and want to do it yourself, you'll need to do some teardown first. Begin by blasting all the old crud off it with a pressure washer or sandblaster if its bad enough. Cover the spindles if you sandblast, no sense in damaging them. The kingpins will have a keeper about midway down the bore that will need to come out before the pins will move. It may be a nut and bolt, steering stop, or allen-head setscrew. Whatever it is, pull it all the way out. Remove any hardware (metal caps, snaprings, etc.) from the top and bottom of the bores. Soak in PB Blaster overnight if things look bad. Make sure you fill the hole left be the keeper, it will get the PB into the bore a little bit. Place the axle in the press with the bore as level as you can get it. Apply steady pressure to the kingpin, possibly working the spindle back and forth as you go. The kingpin should slide out from the bottom of the bore with minimal difficulty, unless it was never serviced correctly and then it might not come out at all. Scared yet? Truthfully, unless Sid tells you the specs on the bores (numbers, not "they're fine") be prepared to have a machine shop brass sleeve them back to stock. Speedway has the kingpin kits for cheap enough, and they tell you the sizes. Remember: if you do need the bores on the axle machined, see if the bores on the spindles will still match up. Sorry to say that this is why I bought a new axle and spindles instead of paying for vintage.

 

Thanks for the info we finally got the kingpins out we did like you said get it cleaned up and soaked and soaked with on blaster for a week. It still needed heat haha. But they are out. The axles are checked and resleeved to stock .812 or whatever size they need to be. And I got the king pins from speedway as well. Since I don't have a reamer I'm leaving that mess to a shop for the bushings