> Anybody out there have experience in replacing kingpins/rollpins?
I did that about two years ago, after I discovered wear in the
lower A-arms where the pivot goes through the bottom end of the
kingpin.
>So am I fool-heartedly doing something that maybe I would want
>a reputable shop to do or can I do this myself?
There are a couple of tips that make it easier on a B:
- Use a good trolley jack to support the outboard end
of the lower A-arm when you unbolt the top of the kingpin
from the upper trunnion. Then *s*l*o*w*l*y* drop the A-arm
with the jack. The spring releases all its tension before
it comes loose from the spring cup. Installation is... you know. :-)
- Get a big hammer, a hunk of pipe, some good penetrating oil, and
a propane torch. Some of the fittings there are bound to be
rusted together.
- The upper A-arm is in two pieces. You can get the new bushing into
the trunnion (these names will all make sense once you RTFM) by
spreading the pieces of the upper A-arm, sliding in the new
bushing, and then releasing the tension on the A-arm pieces.
It's all arduous if not too complex do-it-yourself work except for
installing the new bushings into the stub axle and reaming those
bushings to the proper size. Pressing the new bushings in (and the
old bushings out, for that matter) requires a hydraulic press, and
reaming them to size requires Factory Special Tool So-and-So, which
is available from a couple of sources for only $200. Yeah, right,
I'm going to rebuild my front end every month just for the warm feeling
it gives me in the pit of my jeans. For that I found a local shop that
would do it at bench rates, which were less (thankfully) than shop
rates -- $45 an hour instead of $60. It seemed to take about two
hours, I recall writing a check for about a hundred bucks.
>Also note I have the engine out trying to finish the clutch
>replacement that I have yet had time to complete.
If you've managed to get the engine out, you can manage the suspension.
It's mostly frustrating because of the frozen, rusted parts. Putting
it back together is a pleasure; driving it once it's back together is
a joy. "Look ma, no clunks!"
--Scott
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