Are these steering King Pins any good?

Non I have ever seen, nor would I want them.

The stainless steel Kysor, stemco, Rockwell are actually for extreme use.

But if you lack on maintenance, they are a bad idea. You can grease them with weight on them. But if you due, your not checking for play, and your not checking wheel bearings. So there is that.

 

If I recall Thayer makes a no ream poly/brass looks identical to your standard easy steer bushing. Installs the same. I have put them in, but it was customer or fleet. I dont know longterm life. You can get solid brass to. But again, needs reamed and greased often.

 

Short answer most of the time yes. There are a few brands, kits that grease with weight on them. Actual depends on the type of bearing they use. If you don't know, jack it up. Instalation kit will specify.

Stemco,kysor,Rockwell stainless steel you can grease either way. Pins are groved for grease passages. Which allows it to be grease with weight on it.

However, as I mention. If its on the ground. Your not able to check kin pin play, or wheel bearings.

I have Kysor in my personal truck. Pm1 grease job at 5k miles, I grease on the ground. Pm2 oil change full service at 10k, I jack it up. Check for play and check wheel bearing, tire wear.

 

You don't "have" to but it's a good practice to for the reason jamespmack said. My old mechanic always would put a small bottle jack between the top of the spring and frame to relieve weight off the shackle to grease the shackle pins. It was also a good way to find find play in the shackle pins. Some drivers only jack it up every other grease or when it goes in for an oil change. That theory was ok when you were changing oil monthly. Nowadays people can go 6 months with extended oil changes. In that case it's safer to do a good monthly grease job that includes jacking it up. Plus it's a good time to check for wheel bearing noise/play.

 

Personally I like the Kysor no ream kits. They are solid brass.
The stainless spiral deals work great short term. Long term they wear on the spindle bore as much as the king pin. In 750,000 miles or so the spindle bore is worn. Then you need new spindles.
Polly or nylon in brass has only been a short term fix for me.
The solid brass ream bushings are best but they must be reamed properly. Requires a reamer that reaches through both bushings at the same time. That is an hour plus driving for me.

 

I do most of that myself. Some shops have tooling to sleeve the king pin spindle bore. That is a good point.

 

Thats good to point out. I've always noticed a set back axle was harder on spring pins and kin pins due to weight carried. Fleet of set back axle Volvo we just picked up on the frame in the front. Unloading suspension and greased.

Now I do like you. My measly little garage can't afford a Gray bumper jack.