New Kingpins

[wvshoem]

Hello,

This is my first posting on the forum, but have been reading it for the last few weeks. Lots of good knowledge here!

I have a 1965 MGB that was resurrected from a field in Albuquerque where it had been sitting on touched for twelve years – no top! That was about six years ago and its refurbishment is nearly complete. The last big project is rebuilding the front suspension. I removed the front end in tact and have disassembled and replaced about everything that can be replaced, bead blasted and painted.

Here’s my question. I bought a major suspension rebuild kit that includes new kingpins and all new bushings among other things. When I run the retaining bolt through the bushing at the bottom of the kingpin, there is a slight bit of play - maybe 4 to 5/1000’s. Is this acceptable, or should I knurl the bolts so it is a snug fit? The old ones had some play, but after 39 years, that is to be expected.

Your thoughts would be greatly appreciated!

William

 

[aeronca65t]

Welcome!

Don't knurl the bolt...it'll chew up the lower bushing if you do.
Your suspension kit came with a lower bushing that is supposed to be pressed in and then reamed to size. If this is done properly, there should be very little clearance. I'm not sure of the exact value but 0.005 sounds loose to me (I don't own an MGB). Many Brit car shops will press these in for you and then ream them for a modest charge. Our local club has a set of Brit reamers that they bought for the various bushings. You might have a local club that is similarly equipped.

 

[wvshoem]

Thanks for your response. I did take the swivel axles in to have the upper and lower bushings that the kingpins pass through pressed into place and reamed. The clearance on those is less than 1/1000th because there was no perceptible noise when I try to wiggle the kingpins around. It’s the lower bolt that attaches the kingpin to the lower wishbone that I thought may have too much play. Your point about chewing up the bushing is a good one, so I assembled everything as is (no knurling) and packed it with white lithium grease. The car has been out on a test drive and seems to be performing very nicely (that is, it turns and stops as it should). Now I just have to get the little shimmy that starts to develop a 75mph to stop.

Thanks again.

William

 

[Wade Keene]

William,

I think the part you're talking about is the distance tube. Is the "bushing" you were wondering about a hardened steel tube that fits into the lower end of the kingpin? If so, that's a distance piece/tube, not a bushing. The bushing is already in place in the lower end of the kingpin and the distance tube slides into there - that is the bearing surface. The bolt serves to lock the distance tube in place so the only thing moving is the kingpin bushed surface against the distance tube. Hopefully you torqued it to 45 ft.lbs. and then a bit more to align the cotter pin. When you try to wiggle the kingpin in the swivel axle, can you easily rotate the kingpin? If not, somethings wrong.

 

[wvshoem]

Wade,

You are describing exactly what I’m talking about – it is the distance tube I’m speaking of. Never done this sort of thing before so I don’t have all of the parts names down correctly. It slides into the bottom of the kingpin and has very close tolerances. It was the bolt inside of the distance tube I was concerned about having too much play. Sounds like that is not an issue.

I don’t recall what torque was called out. My Haines manual isn’t good about providing that kind of info. It mostly just says “assemble in reverse order," which is not very helpful to a non-mechanic. My father-in-law had a book that had all of the torque information.

The kingpin does spin freely in the swivel axle with no perceptible play.

I appreciate your responses to this. As a novice, every bit of information helps.

William