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Reviewing Kingpin clearance issue

To: <spridgets@autox.team.net>
Subject: Reviewing Kingpin clearance issue
Date: Fri, 22 Apr 2005 19:27:31 -0500
OK, I've thought about this problem a bit.
The trunnion piece (cast iron part on top, just under the castle nut) is
secured to the very top of the kingpin. It's position is "fixed" but can be
modified with the shims to increase or reduce the vertical play in the kingpin
relative to the steering knuckle. It would seem that the ONLY other factor in
a completed assembly would be the thickness to the bronze/Oilite thrust
washer. The thicker the thrust washer, the less clearance there is, so if I am
loose, with no thrust washers, the only option would be a thicker thrust
washer (or hope the swivel axle grows in a vertical direction or the kingpin
shrinks). If they were extremely rare, I suppose the area of the kingpin shaft
where the shims are added could also be cut down.
I wonder (although doubt) if the thrust washer is available in different
thicknesses, that would be sweet, I'm sure that would cancel out the play. I'm
a bit confounded on why the extra play is present, I can see a difference of a
shim or two extra, but NO shims and still some play present seems odd. Maybe
through time the kingpin stretches a bit? The knuckles were rebushed by Apple.
Hmmmm.
I did find 2 shims stuck into one trunnion, so Rick, make sure this isn't your
cause for extra play. On mine, one side had really excessive play, removing
these shims improved mine, but still a bit more than I want. Maybe actually
torqing the nut down (as opposed to simply tightening it) will help, but
doubtful. I am also considering trying to swap the kingpins in the knuckles
side to side, it would be easy to try it at this point, still off the car.
One easy question is on the alignment on the trunnion, is this critical? If it
is I would assume torquing the nut on top of the kingpin should come rather
late in the assembly process. Or is eyeballing it going to be fine?
Oh, and what effect will it have if I go ahead and have a little play in the
kingpins? Does it "really" hurt anything? maybe a clunk or clicking noise, or
really affect the handling or what?
Dan





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