King Pin Replacement

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steven kiser
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5K Holy Smokes Contributor
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Joined: Fri Jul 06, 2007 4:58 am
Location: eastern ma.

King Pin Replacement

Post by steven kiser »

I looked to see if i had updated my King Pin replacement blurbs and i had not so here goes. I use to drop the axle and send it out because i didn't have the ream to fit the new bushings. The parts guy at the spring shop told me to do it myself using a Stemco Kaiser no ream kit. I figured what the heck and went for it. I had purchased a torch head set up on line and when i received it i saw it was way to big for my use on a regular basis. I paid 50 bucks for it so i kept it. The Rose Bud attachment looked like a booster rocket and heats up the whole knuckle cherry red in about 5 minutes and an air chisel with a flat tip (put a bolt in the hole in the top of the pin so the pin doesn't mushroom :oops: ) and in 5 or 10 seconds of hammering with the chisel the pin is on the ground. Remove the grease fitting before heating. This Rose Tip will burn them to nothing in a flash. I found a socket that fits the sleeves and i can pound them out with no issue. I clean the seats with a brake hone as well as the axle. Make sure the pin slides in and out with little resistance. The new bushings twist in with ease and the video shows a special tool but cutting a slot in one of the flat head screw drivers that we all have and use for plying and has never seen a screw :lol: . It twists right in. Slide the pin through and make sure it's smooth. If not use the hone until it is. If this is your first time the bigger of the two bearings is for the passenger side and make sure the open side faces down and you load the bearing with grease before installing it. At first it may feel a bit overwhelming but after one or two the all this goes away. If i start one at 8 am i can have it stripped before coffee break. If the pins are frozen don't drop the tie rod until calipers are stripped. You need to move the hub back and forth to get the impact gun in place. Stripping it to the spindle takes less than 20 minutes a side. Remove the lower shock nut, take the mounting plate off with the 4 bolts, leaving the abs attached and i flip it up and lay the shield over the top shock stud. Remove the not from the pin anchor, heat up the axle and knock out the pin. Put the cap bolt into the pin, heat up the spindle and axle, taking my time to get it good and hot. Take the air hammer and pounding it out. Undisturbed i can do two trucks in a day and since it's all in house put three grand in my pocket. I get a minimum of 800 dollars labor, 100% mark up on the kit, grease seals, front brakes 50% of the time, a tire or two here and there, and with the cab up i can see belts, filters etc. Many owner will give the ok to any services since they don't want to tie up the vehicle. I stock the pins, the heater hose tubes (always rotted) rear spring helper cushions ( ever hear one of these go buy and hit a little bump and it sounds like loose steel in the bed, it's the rear cushions) and if you work on a few of these i suggest stocking two abs toner rings. They have to be removed to get the rotor off of the hub. I'm seeing more and more of these trucks owned by landscapers and construction companies. These trucks are inexpensive compared to all others and are gold mines to repair. A simple oil change on the dsl's is around 150 bucks and the gas ones is around 85 bucks. The gas ones love to break manifold to head bolts and crack. Never had a bolt break flush and it's a breeze taking the manifold off or if your removing broken studs you can pry the manifold away enough to get a 4x4 n there to hold it away. I heat the studs up cherry red, allow them to cool and i've never had one i couldn't get out with a good pair of vice grips. The local parts store obviously doesn't have a listing for this truck but an exhaust gasket set for and 3500 with a 6.0 will work.

I have one of these in the shop now and one on the lot ready to come in. This is probably the reason for this post. There is big, big, big profits in these trucks and you can beat the dealers price, feel like a thief and the customer will love you. Another tip here. the cotter pins never never come out of the tie rod unless they've been installed by me. I coat them with grease. I cut as much as i can (after i try to tap it out)pound the socket on and blow it off with the impact gun. Never had one that the nut or end stud got messed up so it couldn't be reused.
never argue with a fool, they'll drag you down to their level and beat you with experience
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