Help with King Pin Kit

[howler]

We have a 1959 FC which we're trying to get back on the road - everything passed the Queensland Safety Cert test, with the exception of the LHF king pin.

We were able to get a king ping kit, but unfortunately our mechanic hasn't got the right tools to assemble it - so we're a bit stuck.

He wants either a complete king pin assembly, or we need someone to assemble it it ready to be installed.

Can anyone help?

[FB_MAD]

G'day Howler.

For your mechanic to repair your kingpin you will need to find a reamer kit.The reamer kit has different size reamers and the cutters are adjustable.The bushes are fitted to the kingpin and then cut (or reamed) to the kingpin for fitment.

If you go this way make sure that the grease hole in the bushes are aligned with the grease nipple in the kingpin housing(no grease,no lube,no lube no bush left eventually)before pressing them in.
Also ream the bush slowly, slightly cutting more each time because if you cut too much you can't put it back and the pin will be a sloopy fit.A firm fit is good.
Other alternative is a rare spares changeover kingpin assembly to which someone has already done the hard work for you.For rare spares website search for RSP Australia on the net.I think from memory they are around $150 or so changeover.
If you go this way I'm sure you won't have problems selling your kingpin kit to someone on this forum.

Or maybe some one here can fit your kit for you.I'd be pretty sure someone on this forum has a reamer kit and knows how to use it.

Hope this all helps,

Terry.

[howler]

Thanks Terry

I'm no way mechanical and the mechanic doesn't have the tools and doesn't seem keen to get them for a one off job - fair enough!

I tried Rare Spares and they say they have a unit, or will, but the guy never calls back. I'll try again unless someone else here is able to help out?

Howler

[Brad]

Hello Howler
                 A few years ago I got an exchange king pin kit for my FB from Rares when they were in James St. As the car was being rebuilt I didn't get It on the road for about a year and a half , and when I did, the front tyres scrubbed out in about 500 miles. The wheel alignment was spot on but the king pins were flogged. Turned out that Rares idea of reconditioning was to clean them up and paint them   ..
              Good reconditioned King pins should not flog out in under 500 miles.
              When I pulled them off and took them back to Rares I was told they were out of warranty. They wouldn't do anything and I couldn't prove that the car had done less than 500 miles so I couldn't do much either.
            They have moved now and maybe they've lifted their game, but I'd look long and hard at the kits before handing over the cash. I know this is a public forum and some people frown upon putting crap on businesses but this DID happen to me and I wouldn't like it to happen to someone else. "caveat emptor".
           I know a bloke who may be able to recon your king pins. He's retired but has a great workshop in his shed and is the father of the fella I bought the FB from. I have known them both since I was a teenager. We all live on the south side of Brisbane in the Redlands. Send me a pm if you'r interested and I will contact him to see if he is willing to do the job.
                      Brad.