Replacing king pin for first time

While your at it check out the leaf spring bushings also...

 

I am glad you reconsidered muddydog I understand people wanting to save money but some jobs will be cheaper hiring it done. I am a heavy truck mechanic working on municipal plows. Needless to say most of the king pins I do are seized tight from salt conditions. I made a tool as described above using a 11/2 solid pipe with 4 foot handle and someone else working the sledge after the axle is heated with rose bud. As I mentioned earlier if things go smooth its not a bad job. If the lock bolts and king pin is seized you start wondering why you started in trade in the first place lol. It makes for a very long frustrating day.

 

more or less been covered, i have seen some videos of a kingpin press though that looks like they would be the cats ###. i might consider buying one next time i do a pair. last kingpins i did were on a izusu npr box truck and they were so froze up it took a 4 foot cheater bar just to turn the spindle after the steering linkage was removed that was about a solid 6 hours of cursing and swearing to get the king pins out.

 

Mack tapered kingpins are pretty slick...disassemble what you need to and use an S-cam roller from a prior brake job...perfect size to sit on top of the kingpin without needing a spare hand to help hold it. One good thump from a decent size sledge and the pin falls right out the bottom.

Even better, if you've got a little slop, you can get under it and snug them up a bit.

 

Wheel seals, wheel bearings, brakes, tires jobs i would do no issue but kingpins & anything related to suspension i leave it to professionals.

 

I warn people when they ask the question because most don't even know how to set the bearings up on the truck, they think they just tighten it like a car and back it off but not really that easily done.

 

Oxy/acetylene work for this?

 

Yup.Tricky to do.You have to cut the bearing and lower part of the pin out of the way,then raise the spindle up and cut the upper part of the pin.Get the spindle out of the way,the just work on getting whats left of the the pin out of the eye.As I said some can fall out in minutes,some can be a royal PITA,fight you for hours.Just don't screw your axle up.