you definitely want to clean that up for licencing mate , not too hard to do - do you have or can you get hold of a reamer ? I gather the Rares kits would be the way to go , not sure if anyone else even makes them ?
I started with nothing and still have most of it left.
Foundation member #61 of FB/EK Holden club of W.A.
Blacky wrote: Mon Mar 12, 2018 7:38 pm
you definitely want to clean that up for licencing mate , not too hard to do - do you have or can you get hold of a reamer ? I gather the Rares kits would be the way to go , not sure if anyone else even makes them ?
I may be able to borrow a reamer, depending on size. The manual says kingpin diameter is 0.8020 -0.8025 with 0.0005-0.0015 clearance, so need a reamer around that?
The book also mentions some special tools - can both jobs be done without these, albeit at the risk of skin loss and a bit more difficult to do?
Hey John,
If I rewind my memory to when I did my king pins (c 1986) On Dad's FB i would suggest clean the crap off so you can get a better look to see where you have the play. You may actually find the you have play as a result of the thrust bearing collapsed and/or the bushes worn where the pin fits.
Rare spares are probably your best bet if your going to go for a new set (bushes, pin, thrust bearing). You will probably need new rubber grease seals too if you want to take the arm out to do the job on the bench (easier). If you have access to a press that will help otherwise you maybe able to use some heat and a set up with running thread and spacers to press the old bushes out and the new ones in.
The upper outer pivot is easy enough to replace. But you can also fake it: loosen the locknut off and then back the "bolt" off a quarter turn. If doing that removes the play, then insert a washer of equivalent thickness between the "bolt" head and the upper control arm. This trick has saved me more than once for NSW yearly inspections.
King pins are a different story. Clean all the grease and crud off the steering knuckle and support. The first thing to do is confirm that the king pin is held firmly enough in the support - often what you think are worn bushes is, in fact, the pin loose in the support. (I got "had" by this on my FC at the end of last year.) Make certain that the cotter pin locknut is tight. Then get a hammer and decent-size pin punch and give the cotter pin a few decent whacks to drive it home firmly. Tighten the locknut again.
The reasoning behind 0.005" and 0.010" oversize pins is so that you don't have to replace the old bushes, you just ream them oversize. At 0.010" oversize pin, you may need also to machine the hole in the support oversize. Frequently, the hole in the steering knuckle support flogs out too. If'n'when you disassemble the king pins, try the new pin in the support. If it feels like it rocks in the bore, as if it's on a convex surface (rather than sitting down on a flat surface), then the hole in the support is suspect.
To do a good job when replacing king pins and bushes, you'll need to get a drift machined to remove and replace the bushes. And of course a piloted, adjustable reamer. Warren and Brown used to make king pin reamers. I've got one for FX-FC; but you need the one suited to FB-HD king pins. And you need a micrometer.
Put all your parts on the bench and let them sit for half an hour. Measure the diameter of the pin at several places, and record the smallest pin diameter. Don't hold the pin in your hands any more than necessary. Clamp the micrometer off at this value. Set the cutter on the reamer so it just kisses the jaws of the micrometer. Ream the bushes to this size. If the reamer chatters, soak some strips of paper in kero or WD-40 and wrap them around the reamer, and try again. Try fitting the pin in the bushes. It should be a very tight fit. Let the parts sit on the bench again. Adjust the reamer so it begins to drag in the micrometer. In this way, bit by bit, sneak up on the correct size. Beware - you'll go from interference to size-for-size to loose really quickly. And if you hold the pin in your hand for a minute or so, it'll expand and make a loose fit tight.
I have also heard it said that once you've done the initial sizing with a reamer, then switch to a brake wheel cylinder hone until the bushes are size-for-size.
It's satisfying when you get everything right. But you may find it easier to get exchange king pins and steering knuckles.
Wow, thanks for all the tips everyone. This forum definitely allows people, like me, to tackle stuff they never would have without the help given here.
Rob-Cyclopedia, I’ll try those couple of tricks you mentioned. I used degreaser and a pressure washer just before dark tonight to clean both sides up. Even the pressure washer wouldn’t move some of the gunk. Looks like a hammer and screwdriver job to get the hard stuff off.
Neil, I’ve got a press here but if you could stump up with a reamer if I end up needing one, that’d be great - I’ll swap you for a steering wheel
