King pin install prices - HOLY SMOKE !!!! (update)

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72stepside
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King pin install prices - HOLY SMOKE !!!! (update)

Post by 72stepside »

I've done some checking around here in NW Florida. One place wanted $280, another OVER $500, but they would do it still installed on the truck (no change in proce with them out of the truck)!!!!

I did finally find a machine shop that can do the work for $48 per spindle, but I have to buy the parts.

So, I went to NAPA online and found the following...

http://www.napaonline.com/masterpages/N ... ng+Pin+Set

It says it only does one axle, but has two king pins in the picture????

For those who have done this, is an alignment (bending axles) required after? The $500 place said it would be required. I don't think so cause I have a good set of springs, which controls the camber anyway. If it weren't for sloppy king pins (which I have confirmed), it would line up just fine.

$78 for the kit plus $96 for the labor is a little easier to take.
Last edited by 72stepside on Wed Jan 12, 2011 12:36 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Chris
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re: King pin install prices - HOLY SMOKE !!!!

Post by Randy Beck »

$500 :loco: Are they crazy? Did you ask if they were 24K gold or made of titanium? I paid $625 for my kingpins but they came with a free set of DJM drop deams. :D
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re: King pin install prices - HOLY SMOKE !!!!

Post by BiggDogg »

Ouch I haven't gotten any estimates yet, but I have a feeling it may need to be done on my truck also :doh:
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re: King pin install prices - HOLY SMOKE !!!!

Post by H-DFord »

Every old Ford Ive had seemed to need them. Can feel slack in my 69 but hope it will be ok until I get everything together to put disk brakes on it. Also,trying to wait and see if I need to change frame or not. Glad you found a better price.
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re: King pin install prices - HOLY SMOKE !!!!

Post by basketcase0302 »

Chris,

The hardest/time consuming part of this is the removal and re-install of the beams and springs. Can't see how his price would be the same if you took them to him.

I'd get another price from another mechanic.

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Post by BiggDogg »

So would you say its a job that can be done at home, in say a weekend or less?
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re: King pin install prices - HOLY SMOKE !!!!

Post by 67mann »

That the same xact kit I got for mine(does both sides)and just got them back from the guy that did the bushings and the reaming,he also put the Kpins in--so when I picked them up--spindles were attached to arms.40.$
and a beer + parts 8) But that ain't attached to a vehicle---just parts
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re: King pin install prices - HOLY SMOKE !!!!

Post by Banjo »

The king pins are hell to hammer out at home, I have done 2 sets with a 4 pound hammer. But, I was bound and determined to do as much on my truck as I could by myself. Here are my thoughts. In my case I don't think it was kingpins as much as the draglink which is very easy to remove and replace in a very short order. Also, old grease congeals. If I had it to do over, I think I would have cleaned out my kingpins good with brake cleaner and rags and greased them really good with new grease (and an air powered grease gun) with a modern color grease, so you can see all the old congealed brown/black grease/goop coming out and see if the new grease, in conjunction with new draglink fixed your problem first.
To knock kingpins out by hand, you remove the top and bottom metal screw on cap and the retaining pin. The retaining pins will likely deform upon removal. the kingpins will likely mushroom upon removal if you have to hammer much. You can knock them out and some get lucky. I had one knock out in 10 minutes of various hammering. Others took at much as 10-12 hours of breaks/hammering/soaking. A full size torch can help. Some guys have bought one of the smaller benchtop harbor freight hydraulic presses and got it up into the wheelwheel with the truck off the ground and popped them out that way if I recall. The easiest way would be removing stuff and taking to machine shop though. Because the machine shop is going to have to hone the new brass inserts that go into there anyhow. Banjo.
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re: King pin install prices - HOLY SMOKE !!!!

Post by Banjo »

And, my beams didn't have to be rebent, only alignment because I rebuilt my whole front end and didn't mark good my tie rod end adjustments first (should have counted threads and wrote down), but likely a fresh alignment wouldn't hurt. I did it all, because I wanted to go to discs anyhow, so I blew apart my whole front end, new bushings, shocks, rotors, calipers, hoses, disc spindles, new rotors/bearings and seals, etc. But, I really think my truck stopped just as well w/drums and all I really needed was a good and thorough greasing and new draglink (was floppy). There are ways to grease the kingpins good with slack on some and some compressed (top and bottom), but I'm forgetting right now and tired of typing. Banjo.
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re: King pin install prices - HOLY SMOKE !!!!

Post by worldsmysterie »

i got new king pins and all by drum brakes redone for 1,000.
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Post by ezernut9mm »

years ago i did the one's on my 64 with a heat wrench. took me about a day to remove and reinstall them. i got the bushings reemed for 48 bucks, kinda high, but the guy was right down the street from where i was working on the truck and did it that day for me. waiting for them was the longest part of the job.
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Post by DanielSmyers »

After replacing mine (finished this morning), I'd do the job for 150 labor, you pay machining and parts. (Just for reference, I've done king pins for a 64 F100, 67 F100, 71 F100 (Ranger), and a 1950 Chevy 4500) Frankly, it's not all the hard (except driving the old pins out). But it was one of those might as well jobs, being I had the front apart I went ahead and replaced the brakes, radius arm bushings, and a few other parts (while I was at it).
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Post by cdherman »

With the correct reamer (look for one on ebay), you can ream the bronze bushings yourself.

Getting the old king pins out it the problem as many allude to. A proper acetylene torch makes that a helluva lot easier if the kings don't want to move initially, just heat up the end of the ibeam and keep pounding. Heat the ibeam to expand it, not the pin.

Frequently, the axel pivot bushing and radius arm bushings also need replacing, so in that circumstance, taking the whole works off would be the best course.

But in any case, do consider reading about how to REAM the bronze bushings, as opposed to having a place hone them. Honing was not what FoMoCo recomended, its just what machine shops do when they don't have the correct reamer.
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re: King pin install prices - HOLY SMOKE !!!!

Post by Banjo »

that's really the truth, all I had was a little bottle torch (propane) and it won't get enough heat. I hammered like a madman, but a torch would have made a world of difference and I mean a world.
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re: King pin install prices - HOLY SMOKE !!!!

Post by AlleyCat »

For those who aren't aware of it there are king pin presses that are designed to be used on the truck. :) One style is mechanical that is driven by a 3/4" drive impact wrench or if you have enough a** a 3/4" drive ratchet.The other style is hydraulic with a pump that operates like a bottle jack.I've used both types.If you can find someone who will loan or even rent one it's well worth using not to mention a lot easier than beating ones brains out with a hammer. :lol:
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