Needle bearings on king pin
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Tuned
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 272
Likes: 37
From: Chicago
Needle bearings on king pin
Has any one used
needle bearing king pin kits on 48 f-1 early front axle
they say you don't need machining
but they do cost 200.00
this is my winter job on the truck
it's time to do it
thanks Joe
needle bearing king pin kits on 48 f-1 early front axle
they say you don't need machining
but they do cost 200.00
this is my winter job on the truck
it's time to do it
thanks Joe
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 27,285
Likes: 1,050
From: NM
People I know who've put them in rave about them, but my truck is very smooth and tight with the stock (refurbished) bushings. On some cars (not trucks that I know of) the needle bearing type reduce friction enough that there were some issues with alignment and tires; namely a high-speed shudder or wander. On a 50 yr old truck, just repairing the kingpins may just uncover other problems, so I don't know how much to read into those reports.
Personally I like the bushings because they are very stout. Needle bearings were around in Henry's time and he chose not to use them, and I wouldn't think just because of the cost. Bushings are more suited to impact loads than needles. They last at least 100,000 miles of hard use. Depends on your usage I guess. If you were going to PS you might want them.
Personally I like the bushings because they are very stout. Needle bearings were around in Henry's time and he chose not to use them, and I wouldn't think just because of the cost. Bushings are more suited to impact loads than needles. They last at least 100,000 miles of hard use. Depends on your usage I guess. If you were going to PS you might want them.
Post Fiend
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 5,231
Likes: 1
From: Near Fresno, California
I bought a hand reamer and did my own fitting - cost around $50 (plus bushings) and was not a hard job. It was a fun afternoon project.
After I was done I found a couple of shops who had the machine for doing the fitting. You just unbolt the front axle and take it to them - they press out the old pins and fit the new ones. Both told me they would have done it for $20 or $30 labor and the cost of the new pins.
Even today the new big trucks have brass bushings and steel pins - no rollers. Likely they would be ok if you didn't haul much weight or drive on rough roads, but I would be more comfortable with the old style bushings.
After I was done I found a couple of shops who had the machine for doing the fitting. You just unbolt the front axle and take it to them - they press out the old pins and fit the new ones. Both told me they would have done it for $20 or $30 labor and the cost of the new pins.
Even today the new big trucks have brass bushings and steel pins - no rollers. Likely they would be ok if you didn't haul much weight or drive on rough roads, but I would be more comfortable with the old style bushings.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Sep 2004
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From: Near Fresno, California
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Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 7,493
Likes: 7
From: Erie, pa
Have a friend with a 34 Roadster, puts between 10 - 20 K per year. Several yrs back he switched to the Royal King Pins, once he went back thru the front end replaceing tie rods, bushings etc, he sai it drives as good as his new car.
I intend to put them in my 48 Panel as it will be a Daily Driver.
I intend to put them in my 48 Panel as it will be a Daily Driver.
Senior User
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 299
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From: Topeka, KS
I really wanted to go with the roller kit, but could not find them for the '53-56 F100's. I believe they are made by SSBC (Stainless Steel Brake Corporation), and I called them about it. They do not make a kit for these years. Sort of a strange hole in their applications, but I'm assuming if they were really wonderful, there would be demand enough to make them...My "oldskool" bushings are in the mail as we speak.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 27,285
Likes: 1,050
From: NM
Originally Posted by stewards68
I really wanted to go with the roller kit, but could not find them for the '53-56 F100's. I believe they are made by SSBC (Stainless Steel Brake Corporation), and I called them about it. They do not make a kit for these years. Sort of a strange hole in their applications, but I'm assuming if they were really wonderful, there would be demand enough to make them...My "oldskool" bushings are in the mail as we speak.
Posting Legend
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 30,255
Likes: 37
Hmmm, from an engineering point of view I could see the friction reduction for a while but if the vehicle was driven any distance on straight roads I would think that needle bearings would fail from fretting corrosion just like a U-joint if it does not get enough operating angle. The continual vibration with the pin in one place would displace the lube film.
-Just my 2¢
-Just my 2¢
Senior User
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 299
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From: Topeka, KS
You're probably right about everybody going with Mustang II, Volare, etc. It's sad that everybody is dumping that technological masterpiece -- that is, a solid chunk of scrap iron with a couple of leaf springs bolted on top of it. Theirs probably don't even "ride like a truck"....to each his own.
Junior User
Joined: Aug 2006
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In general, needle bearings need to ride on hardened surfaces. If you can ream the axles, that would imply that the surface is NOT hardened, so you might expect early failure of the needle bearings. Do you know if the kit includes a hardened insert for the axle?