In a message dated 4/29/2001 1:30:51 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
Jens.maudal@c2i.net writes:
> One of my (king pins) swivel axle pins and the and the hub
> bearings needs replacing, do i need all these special tools to
> do the job.
>
> I have heard that the Haynes manuals are better for unproffesionales,
> where can i get hold of one.
>
>
Hi Jens!
As far as replacing your King Pins goes, first you should replace both sides
if you replace one, unless they were fairly new and you had a problem with
one of them. The only special tool you need, and it is not worth buying for
one front suspension job, is a kingpin bushing reamer. The old bushings have
to be pressed out, and the new ones pressed in. The best way this is
accomplished is to freeze the new bushings in a freezer, heat the swivel
holes (one at a time) where the new one is going to go, then press the new
frozen one in. When everything expands/shrinks it will be there for good.
Then they need to be reamed out. This requires the special reamer that is
very expensive to buy. Both bushings are different sizes, and the special
reamer reams both out at once to the proper size. It would be best to find
someone who has the reamer and have them ream it out for you. I mailed my
set to a distant person who did the installation of bushings and reaming for
me.
You will also want to replace the fulcrum pins at the same time. They can be
a bugger to get out. The easiest and best way to solve that is to purchase
already rebuilt lower A-arms. The dirty and hard work of fulcrum pin removal
is done for you. Not only is it a tough job to get the old fulcrum pin out,
which is usually frozen in place, but you have to heat the old fulcrum pin
bushings, that the pin screws into, out of the A-arm, then silver solder new
ones in, while keeping the alignment. Can be tricky, especially knowing that
most of your well-being and that of any passenger is riding on your soldering
job. Best to go rebuilt, I think.
Hope this helps you decide what to do. Maybe a lister has the reamer and
will do that part for you for a small charge or maybe as a service. The
rebuilt A-arms are available from several sources, including Apple Hydraulics
and MiniMania in the States. Not sure where in Europe--maybe again another
lister can be of help.
As far as the Haynes manual is concerned: I personally really like the
Haynes. You can sometimes get a copy on ebay online auction. But Haynes has
a web site where you can order it. The Bentley manual is preferred by many,
but it is out of print and is relatively expensive to purchase.
--David C.
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