Reaming King Pin Bushings....

1FATGMC · February 21, 2005, 07:26:34 PM

I got new kingpins and bushings from Speedway for a 37-48 Ford front axle. Of course there were no instructions at all with the kit.

The kingpins seem to mic at 0.8120. I see a 13/16 reamer is 0.8125 inches. Is that the normal reamer to use in this application. Looks like it would give you 1/2 a thousands clearance.

This will be used on the front axle of the lakester.

Thanks, Sum

Lakester Construction In
Progress

Dave · February 21, 2005, 07:57:05 PM

Quote from: "1FATGMC"I got new kingpins and bushings from Speedway for a 37-48 Ford front axle. Of course there were no instructions at all with the kit.

The kingpins seem to mic at 0.8120. I see a 13/16 reamer is 0.8125 inches. Is that the normal reamer to use in this application. Looks like it would give you 1/2 a thousands clearance.

This will be used on the front axle of the lakester.

Thanks, Sum

Lakester Construction In
Progress

Yup I believe thats right. You need clearance to get em in and to let grease flow around em.
Dave

DRD57 · February 21, 2005, 10:47:13 PM

That needs to be a piloted reamer to keep the bushings aligned.

GPster · February 22, 2005, 10:20:32 AM

Quote from: "DRD57"That needs to be a piloted reamer to keep the bushings aligned.

That is the whole reason, listen to him. Because of the interferance fit between the bushing and the spindle they are allowing for compression of the bushing and mis-alignment of the bore of the bushing after installation. There is not neccessarily any measurement of clearance as much as the corresponding fit between the kingpin (which is straight) and the alignment of the bore of the bushings and their comfortable fit around the straight object they are being mated to. The first clearance you need to be concerned with is do the kingpins fit properly in the axel. Then you need to press the bushings into the spindle and ream those busings for size and alignment for a paticular kingpin and then that will be a fitted set. This job does require special tools but a lathe and micrometer are not among them. DRD57 just bought one of the tools and if you added him to your list of sponcers and put his name on the side of one of those "Wing Tanks" maybe he'd loan it to you. GPster

1FATGMC · February 23, 2005, 03:29:34 PM

Thanks for the replies guys. Good advice.

Don have you used your reamer yet? How did it work?

I can get a non-piloted 13/16 inch reamer from Enco for around $15.00. I'm wondering if I put the spindle in the vise on my mill with the bushings in it and locate it with a dial indicator on the insides of the bushings so I know it is vertical and then use the ENCO reamer in my mill if that would work for what I'm doing.

I guess if it didn't I would just need to get a couple more bushings.

Thanks, Sum

Dave · February 23, 2005, 06:43:22 PM

Quote from: "1FATGMC"Thanks for the replies guys. Good advice.

Don have you used your reamer yet? How did it work?

I can get a non-piloted 13/16 inch reamer from Enco for around $15.00. I'm wondering if I put the spindle in the vise on my mill with the bushings in it and locate it with a dial indicator on the insides of the bushings so I know it is vertical and then use the ENCO reamer in my mill if that would work for what I'm doing.

I guess if it didn't I would just need to get a couple more bushings.

Thanks, Sum

It should work. I remember reading a story in in street rodder years ago and a pic with a guy reaming spindle bushings on a lathe.. How you may ask ?
he had the reamer chucked up in a collet or a chuck I cant remember which then he fed the spindle into the reamer by hand? Interesting I thought.
My brother and I have an actual kingpin reamer. Im sure its still at his house. Well it better be! Ill also tell ya where we got it. Mikes affordable A parts. I should have him check the size but im sure they were all the same thru 37 at least. If I remember right it has a pilot to keep things lined up. I used it on the 30 model A . Geeze how many years ago was that ? Ok hows this .. Im sure we can make it available for use. Id just have to get it and ship it to who ever needs it via ups then you ship it
back.
Dave............

1FATGMC · February 23, 2005, 09:08:34 PM

Quote from: "N8DC"Geeze how many years ago was that ? Ok hows this .. Im sure we can make it available for use. Id just have to get it and ship it to who ever needs it via ups then you ship it
back.
Dave............

That would be great. I'd be glad to pay the shipping both ways

.

I don't have to do this tomorrow, but sometime within a month would be good. Just let me know the status of it.

I don't think you will be seeing me hand holding that thing in the lathe. I do enough dumb things already :cry: .

c ya, Sum

Dave · February 23, 2005, 09:28:47 PM

Quote from: "1FATGMC"
Quote from: "N8DC"Geeze how many years ago was that ? Ok hows this .. Im sure we can make it available for use. Id just have to get it and ship it to who ever needs it via ups then you ship it
back.
Dave............

That would be great. I'd be glad to pay the shipping both ways .

I don't have to do this tomorrow, but sometime within a month would be good. Just let me know the status of it.

I don't think you will be seeing me hand holding that thing in the lathe. I do enough dumb things already :cry: .

c ya, Sum

Ok ill check with my brother tomorrow and get the reamer..
Dave

enjenjo · February 24, 2005, 12:25:55 AM

You have a lathe now, you could drill and tap a hole in the end of a standard reamer, and make a pilot for it out of bar stock.

DRD57 · February 24, 2005, 12:42:20 AM

Quote from: "enjenjo"You have a lathe now, you could drill and tap a hole in the end of a standard reamer, and make a pilot for it out of bar stock.

I haven't used mine yet. I'm going to have Wayno cut a bushing for it on his lathe before it will work on kingpin bushings.

If you have a lathe do what enjeno said and make a pilot for yours.

1FATGMC · February 24, 2005, 12:46:28 AM

Quote from: "enjenjo"You have a lathe now, you could drill and tap a hole in the end of a standard reamer, and make a pilot for it out of bar stock.

I'm wondering if I understand what the pilot is going to do. Let's say I have the two new bushings in the spindle. Now the pilot's OD is the bushing ID (un-reamed)? So it is in one bushing and guides the reamer as it goes through the other pushing (the pilot went through this bushing first).

Now you have one side reamed to size.

If you reverse the procedure wouldn't you need a second pilot that is the size of the finished hole, since it will be piloting on the hole that was reamed in the first step. You have turned everything around.

Also do you think what I suggested before will not work? Seems to me if you locate and clamp the spindle in the vise on the mill you should be able to ream straight through. Am I missing something. I can see where you would get into trouble trying to use a hand drill, but with the vise and the mill everything should be pretty stable.

Dave hold everything until I get this figured out with Frank. If I can buy a $15 reamer and have it on hand I don't mind spending the time to make the pilot.

Thanks guys,

Sum

enjenjo · February 24, 2005, 01:01:46 AM

No reason you can't do it on the mill, if you can do it in one setup. It would be difficult to do one side, then flip it to do the other bushing.

With the pilot setup, you can do one pilot bushing for the as installed ID, and a second for the finished ID. I would also us an adjustable reamer, and sneak up on it, so it fits as tight as possible.

1FATGMC · February 24, 2005, 11:36:53 AM

Quote from: "enjenjo"No reason you can't do it on the mill, if you can do it in one setup. It would be difficult to do one side, then flip it to do the other bushing.

With the pilot setup, you can do one pilot bushing for the as installed ID, and a second for the finished ID. I would also us an adjustable reamer, and sneak up on it, so it fits as tight as possible.

Thanks Frank. I got your PM and we were glad you guys could come by. We had a good time. Sorry I wore you out

.

Dave is the reamer you have a fixed size or adjustable?

Has anyone ever gotten one of those sets with a number of adjustable reamers from HF or ENCO (imported ones)? Are they ok or junk?

c ya, Sum

Dave · February 24, 2005, 06:35:31 PM

Quote from: "1FATGMC"
Quote from: "enjenjo"No reason you can't do it on the mill, if you can do it in one setup. It would be difficult to do one side, then flip it to do the other bushing.

With the pilot setup, you can do one pilot bushing for the as installed ID, and a second for the finished ID. I would also us an adjustable reamer, and sneak up on it, so it fits as tight as possible.

Thanks Frank. I got your PM and we were glad you guys could come by. We had a good time. Sorry I wore you out .

Dave is the reamer you have a fixed size or adjustable?

Has anyone ever gotten one of those sets with a number of adjustable reamers from HF or ENCO (imported ones)? Are they ok or junk?

c ya, Sum

Its a fixed size. I asked my brother 348 tripower to bring it in to the shop and hopefully he will do it tomorrow. I cant remember how the pilot works on it but soon as i can lay an eyball on it again ill know.
Dave