King Pin replacement
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Senior User
Joined: May 2008
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From: Surrey, B.C.
King Pin replacement
Has anyone replaced the King Pins on the front end?
Haynes manual doesn't explain it very well. Wondering if any special tools are required besides a hammer and drift.
Haynes manual doesn't explain it very well. Wondering if any special tools are required besides a hammer and drift.
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Joined: Jan 2001
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From: Virginia
You can install them yourself if you are careful, but you have to take them to a shop and get them reamed to fit the new pins. They shrink when you install them, and the shop carefully takes material out of the center till the new pin just barely slides in.
Junior User
Joined: Feb 2009
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From: Townsend, DE
I took my 85 F250 into a shop to get them replaced (first major work done on the truck). It took them near a week to get the old ones out and the new ones in. I paid dearly for the machining involved to get them to fit and the time they spent on it.
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Joined: Feb 2009
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From: Townsend, DE
I got a bad deal on the repair. I had just gotten the truck and it was making a horrible screeching noise any time I turned the wheels. Plus my other vehicle was not available at the time so I just wanted the problem gone as quick as possible.
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Joined: Jan 2001
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From: Virginia
Taking it all apart, and then taking the bushings to get them pressed out and back in, and then reamed, should not cost all that much. I would not think it would be over $100.00. Finding a shop that has the tools to do it will be the problem.
I am not sure what truck you have, but I bet you could also go to the junkyard and get later model axle beams that have ball joints, and swap them in.
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Cargo Master
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 2,585
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From: Duluth, Mn.
Dave has it about right.
Let Me ad that many shops will say they can ream the bushings. But a shop with a Sunnen Hone (and a decent operator) will do the best, most accurate job. You'll run into less problems getting it, and keeping it aligned. Should only cost about $80-100 Sunnen
Also, pull the top caps off, clean all of the old grease out off the top of the pin, spray penetrating fluid into the cup, replace the top cap, inject grease. Do this a couple of times about a week or two before attempting removing them.
When I did mine, one damn near fell out after I removed the lock wedge. The other took a little pounding. Nothing major.
I'm sure You've heard some horror stories. This tip will prevent You from having one.
Let Me ad that many shops will say they can ream the bushings. But a shop with a Sunnen Hone (and a decent operator) will do the best, most accurate job. You'll run into less problems getting it, and keeping it aligned. Should only cost about $80-100 Sunnen
Also, pull the top caps off, clean all of the old grease out off the top of the pin, spray penetrating fluid into the cup, replace the top cap, inject grease. Do this a couple of times about a week or two before attempting removing them.
When I did mine, one damn near fell out after I removed the lock wedge. The other took a little pounding. Nothing major.
I'm sure You've heard some horror stories. This tip will prevent You from having one.
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Senior User
Joined: May 2008
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From: Surrey, B.C.
Thanks for the info guys. The truck is a '80 F100.
I have jacked it up to confirm that the King Pin is the problem.
Today I phoned around and found a place that can do it. Not sure if they use the Sunnen machine. I'll ask next time I call them.
I have jacked it up to confirm that the King Pin is the problem.
Today I phoned around and found a place that can do it. Not sure if they use the Sunnen machine. I'll ask next time I call them.
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Joined: Jan 2001
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From: Virginia
In the old days they had a special reamer that was piloted. As it went down through the first bushing, it had a place on it that guided it through to the next bushing. I guess the machine the other poster is talking about is a more universal type thing that they can use for lots of different things, and they can set it up to hone the bushings.
We are talking about one more decimal place over from a thousandth of an inch to get a really nice job. This is one of those fits that you really have to hold your mouth right to get the pin even started if they do a really nice job on it.
All trucks had king pins in the early years, but like everything else, they got away from it, and there is not much business doing the small trucks, except the classics. Yours is one of the last smaller trucks to have the king pins.
We are talking about one more decimal place over from a thousandth of an inch to get a really nice job. This is one of those fits that you really have to hold your mouth right to get the pin even started if they do a really nice job on it.
All trucks had king pins in the early years, but like everything else, they got away from it, and there is not much business doing the small trucks, except the classics. Yours is one of the last smaller trucks to have the king pins.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,249
Likes: 10
From: oklahoma
or you could use these its a oreilly part # from there website
MOOG - King Bolt Set
Item No: 8551N 79.99 no machining involved you just put them in and go i've used them on 2 trucks and never had a problem but as any ford truck KEEP THEM GREASED!!!
some people are scared of them say they wear out faster. but i put them in a truck in 1989 and drove the truck till we scraped it in 2005 and they were still good.its all i'll ever use agian but thats just my thinkin.
good luck
MOOG - King Bolt Set
Item No: 8551N 79.99 no machining involved you just put them in and go i've used them on 2 trucks and never had a problem but as any ford truck KEEP THEM GREASED!!!
some people are scared of them say they wear out faster. but i put them in a truck in 1989 and drove the truck till we scraped it in 2005 and they were still good.its all i'll ever use agian but thats just my thinkin.
good luck
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 7,437
Likes: 4
From: Charles Town, W bygod Va
We used to send the knuckles out to the machine sop to have the pins fit. I believe any machine shop can do it for you. I dont think I'd try it at home unless you have access to a torch
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