Hi Guys

On My Sherman Tank, Otherwise commonly known as a '48 F-5,
Is there any special steps in removing the old King pin bolts and installing the new?

Do I just Drive them out with a hammer and drift?

The manual I just got from FTE (1939 -48 Truck manual) Hardly mentions 1948 anything and rarely mentions an F-5.
Dissapointed in the manual.
should be labled 1939 - 47.

Thanks

Reamer

 

A hammer and Drift should do it ok.. If not.. lots of heat.. will get them out otherwise.. Just remember to remove the key pin first

 

You should get the 49-51 Manual, it covers these trucks much better. (it's the one I brought up to your house )Nothing has really changed between 48 and 49. You have to remove the end caps on top and bottom, then remove the locking pin and nut that goes thru the axle. Remove the nut on the back side and pop the locking pin out. THen try a BIG F******G HAMMER and drift pin and drive it out, best to drive it out downward. If it's stubborn , apply heat. Make note of what order the pieces are in . I am assuming you've removed the wheels, brakes and all hardware, backing plates, etc... before you attempt this. Most likely you will have to get the spindle refitted with new bushings ( in the kit) and reamed to fit the king pins. NAPA also can do this or a good local machine shop. Be careful as that's a big truck to fall on your feet!!

Barry

 

An air hammer with a pointed bit or hammer bit worked good for me. Easier then trying to beat the pin out.

 

Reamer you have a wonderful opportunity for a great "therapy" experience! Do a search on this forum and there is a ton of advice for removing stubborn king pins and we've all got war stories that you'll enjoy reading. The most common advice from the crew as I recall is:

Get a heat wrench (also what most mechanics I know tell me) and heat them up then use a hammer and drift to drive them out.

If you can't bring yourself to put the torch on them then the BIG HAMMER and drift should make for much entertainment and oft times colorful language as well. In my case the hammer wouldn't budge them and I ended up dropping the axle so that I could really swing the hammer in a "move it or break it" manner and was able to drive them out...thus the therapy comment above. VERY satisfying!

Also heard of people rigging a hydraulic bottle jack to make a press to drive them out and...

Have also heard of using a pnuematic hammer (air chisel with blunt tool bit) and that is said to work very well.

Whatever remember to remove the pin first - went to help a friend once and found that he had not taken the pins out. He'd bloodied both hands beating on them and when we pulled the pins they tapped right out. Wish I had a picture of his face! They can be stubborn but rest assured that it's worth the effort. Luck to you!

Leaks

 

Thanks Guys

When grtting the bering cap off, do ya "tap" it off?

are there torque specs on thighing up the front berings?

 

The bearing cap is threaded on. Both sides are right hand threads. I am sure you can get a special wrench or socket to remove them without doing damage. I don't have one and have scarred a couple up a bit. I usually try a strap whench first and it doesn't work. I have had good success getting on them gently with a chain vise grip tool. I put them back on hand tight like an oil filter.

Tighten the wheel bearing snug then back it off to the first cotter key hole.

 

If I decide to Heat the thing up, Do I let the whole area (axle) get red hot?

 

You heat the area on the spindle backing plate where the king pin is fitted. The idea is that the heat expands the metal around the king pin or at least causes it to "move" and this will help to break the rust and other crud loose so that you can then drive it out. A rosebud tip on your torch is a helpful thing as it helps to spread the heat quicker and more evenly over the area. Resolve now to keep the kingpins faithfully greased for ever more so you don't ever have to do this again!

Remember...big hammers and mighty blows = good therapy and stress relief...keep it fun! One more thing...when you heat things with a torch they do get MIGHTY HOT and will burn the @#%@#!!! out of your hand. Ask me how I know!

Leaks - not the smartest guy in the world but I do remember the ouchies

 

As I recall when I did mine I beat on them for a few days and never did get them to come loose. I think the problem was I was trying to pound them up. No room to swing and the axle just bounces on the springs. I ended up taking the axle off and with it upside down I could knock them out fairly easy. Not sure on this, but I think I've read where some guys have had success by cutting the tops of them off and driving them down. Put something solid under the axle, maybe a pipe under the spindle. By some reports I have read, an air hammer can be a useful tool.

 

I don't think I'd heat that cast axle all the way to red hot. And you shouldn't need to heat the spindles at all - although it will be hard to keep them from heating up at least a little since they are in contact with the king pins.

What is the situation with the axle and truck? Is the axle still on the springs and installed in the truck? Is the engine still in the truck? If so, you might consider jacking up one end of the axle, setting up some blocks with a short 1/2" drive socket or other metal rod centered under the bottom end of the king pin, and letting the truck back down. You might find the weight of the truck will break the king pin free if you heat the end of the axle a little. A few shots with a 5 lb hammer on the top of the axle might help once you get the truck weight settled on the king pin. If you go this route, make sure you use a SHORT piece of round stock or a SHORT socket to start with. If the king pin pops loose, you want the truck to move an inch or two down until it settles on the blocking below the socket. Don't put a foot long rod under there and have the truck fall sideways and crush you!

 

Whoa! Brain fade - thanks Earl...I reversed the parts in my head (what's that say about my head?)...you don't heat the spindle - the axle is the thing. Sorry about that bad advice!

I tried the weight of the truck trick on my 51 but eventually I had to remove the axle and get it where I could get a good swing with a big hammer to get the pins out.

Leaks

 

Yeah I had the same problem on my 1950 F3. I jacked it up by the king pin with a bottle jack and a large diameter short bolt on top of the bottle jack. I beat on the top of the axle for about 20 minutes and with no luck and figured it was time for plan B.