-----Original Message-----
From: chasdoug@gte.net <chasdoug@gte.net>
To: spridgets <spridgets@Autox.Team.Net>
Date: Tuesday, April 07, 1998 11:59 PM
Subject: King Pins
>Mini Mania has stub axle assemblies with the king pin bushes reamed in
>(did I get all that right?) on sale this month. Is it time to get out
>my checkbook?
Unless Mini Mani is selling these for around $400's both sides, you don't
have to buy the stub axel assemblies. Usually they can be rebuilt with no
problem. You will also have to (well should) rebuild the A-Arms while you
are at it.
A major front end kit costs between $150 and $200. A-arms are ~ $80's a
side rebuilt, or do what Ulix just did and do them yourself. If you wait a
few things will happen.
You can have the kingpin bushings (they come with the major kit) pressed in
and reamed at Apple hydrolics. Contact Roger Moment about this as well, as
I seem to remember that he was doing this with a special setup that is
better than the traditional stepped reamer we usually use. He was also
charging less than apple. (Alos check local clubs, some clubs have the tool
that you can borrow for free)
If you leave it like it is, your car will not handle as well, risking an
accident. Remember people tend not to see these cars as well and you need
to be able to get out of their way.
You will also go through tires pretty fast (replacements will run you a nice
chunk of change)
Continued driving will wear your parts until you have ruined them from being
usable cores (that will cost you ~$80)
About playing with fire, the wear could get so severe that the car could
wreck. If you watch it closely, this shouldn't happen, but I found out
during a front end inspection that my A-arm had craked at the fulcrum pin,
and only had about 1/8th inch of metal left before that tire literally laid
down. I stopped all other projects that day, and placed my front end on top
of the list.
Personally I think that #1 your brakes should always be kept perfect,
followed closely with steering then suspension. If you can stop the car and
get over to the side of the road, other problems will usually have no
opportunity to KILL anybody. If you throw a rod safety wise, bug deal, if
your brakes go, BIG DEAL!!!
Patton (who just rambled on to long just to say, "yea, I think you should
rebuild it")
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