I'd like to re-build the front end of this old truck to see if I can't make ol Henry a little more stable on the road. Being 58 years old, he tends to wander a bit which, as I get older I can certainly relate to! I have bought new tie rod ends, a king pin re-build kit, and new wheel bearings, races and drum seals (it already has a new drag link, courtesy of the previous owner). I've never done this before, but heck, I'm an engineer, I have the shop manual and the front end on an old F1 doesn't look all that complex. I'm just not sure I have all the necessary tools, and don't exactly know what to ask for. Here are the questions I have.

When disassembling the spindle assembly, the shop manual says you can remove the old bushings by "driving a small center punch between the bushing and the spindle at the split end of the bushing. This will collapse the bushing for easy removal". What about pressing the new bushings in? Can I just use a vice, or do I need a certain tool? The manual also says to "line ream them (the bushings) to required size" What sort of magic tool does this? I really don't want to go into Kragen and ask the cute 18 year old female clerk, "Do you have a reamer??" What would I ask for?

Someone else said, at this point I would be better off bringing the spindle and the bushings to a machine shop and have them press them on and "ream" them, but I'd really like to do it myself not only to save money, but to learn.

I have similar questions with the races and oil seals on the wheel hubs; ie. what do I need to properly remove the old races and then reinstall the new ones properly? The manual says "Front wheel bearing cups and oil seals should be removed with a tool that pulls the cup absolutely strait out without damage to the cups or hub" . What would this tool be called?

I apologize if these questions seem simplistic, but I'd rather ask now than write in a panic after I start the project and then get stuck! Thanks in advance.

 

I did my own spindle bushing removal/install, using sockets and a piece of all-thread for install. Removal is like any other bushing job, once you get it moving, have a place to get a punch on it, you're golden.

I took my completed spindles to a NAPA machine shop for honing. Luck of the draw, the guy knew what was required, but he honed them too loose for my taste. Make your desires known clearly to the guy who will actually be doing the work!! A tighter fit is better, within reason, the honing or reaming is primarily to get the two bushings in line with each other and clean up any distortion from pressing them in.

The removal of the bearing races is no different than any other similar set-up; move it out evenly with a punch, avoid cocking, but I didn't have any trouble with the usual backyard methods. I always grind the OD of the old race to use it as a driver for the new one.

Good luck! The improvement is unbelievable!

 

You should probably check for slop in your spring bushings and the bushing of the spring hangers. Mine were pretty worn and loose (in fact I still need to replace the spring hanger bushings)
I was able to find all of the bushings locally at a spring and suspension place.

Radial tires would also help with the wandering.

Bobby

 

I have a stock 48 F-1
it wandered on the road
the main problem I had was the TOE-IN
after I fixed it ,drove much better
also check the steering gear thrust nut
take the slop out
hope this helps
Joe

 

I do essentially all of my own work, however, I agree with taking the spindles to a machine shop and have them honed to fit. I prefer a hone to a reamer (which is faster) since with the hone the amount of material removal is slower, (fast machines make fast mistakes). All of the advise given is right on. Looking at your truck which is beautiful, I would do it all unless you know that some things have been already done. I know all about that wander. I drove cross country with my F-1 flat towing a Model A with about 800# in the bed. Not for the faint of heart!

 

OKay, may or may not pertain to a F1 axle, but I've done a few 55-59 other brands 1/2 ton axles (3/4 and up are different).

Generally you don't need to ream the bushing if you use the proper "Bushing Driver". When I installing the bushing the manly way, knocking them in created a lip on the bushing that I was able to take out with my pocket knife. Next one I did I used a bushing driver and didn't have the problem. The bushing driver will fit snugly on the inside of the bushing and on top of it, allowing equal force all the way around, and not allowing it to collapse inwards.

Now if the F-1 bushings are undersized, you ream them with a hand reamer, if you don't have the proper size, then get an adjustable one. There should be a spec in your manual. I don't recall the spec I had for mine, but something like 4-8 thousandths is what I recall.

For the bearings and races, you use what is called a bearing driver.

You don't need one, a socket, or the old race will work to get it started and knock it in. Drift punch will take them out. Side to side, slow and easy.

Back in the same way.

Lay the hub on a solid surface, when the hollow sounding tink, turns to a solid sound, you're seated.

If I was doing it for the first time and had no one around who had done it before, I'd get a set of bushing drivers and bearing drivers.

If you brought it over to me to do, it would be done with a punch and the old races for the bearings, but I'd use the bushing driver to save time cleaning things up.

Now it's very possible that F1 bushings need to be reamed no matter what, I know that 3/4ton 55-59 "other brands do, they come in undersized and ream to fit properly. I'd just think that of all the innnovations Henry did to save time and cost in assembling Fords from the beginning, he'd have that extra hour or so of work planned ahead and eliminated.

You do know he spec'ed the crates for Model A's parts (maybe T's too) to be built with a certain sized frame work, that he used in the cab construction and such. The guy was all no waste and labor-saver to increase profits.

 

I used a "press" (all-thread and washers) to put my bushings in, and was hopeful they wouldn't need reaming/honing. The new pin slid in each of them with some pushing, but wouldn't go thru both without reaming. Either the holes in the cast iron weren't perfectly in line, or the bushings weren't totally concentric. It doesn't take much misalignment to keep the pin from dropping thru both.

 

That's good innnovation. That's why I like this forum, I've been doing things like this for 30+ years, always thinking I was doing it "the only way", and then see an idea that is so simple to incorportate.