King pins for Karrier Bantam

Rather than hijack someone else's post, thought I better chuck it up here.
Karrier Bantam rebuild, looks like I'm going to have to do something about the king pins.
As with a lot of this stuff, virtually unobtainable today, haven't had any feedback from my contacts anyway.
Rough dimensions are one and one eighth inches diameter .
The good book says that they , king pins (they call them swivel pins and bushes) and are available only as standard OR 10 thou oversize!
They also say, and I quote, .... "The bushes are supplied with a pre-finished surface and on NO account should be REAMED, BROACHED or HONED AFTER ASSEMBLY!"
Then goes on to add to avoid distortion, you have to use special tool No,................. No doubt this tool wouldn't be something the average backyard fixer would even have.
SO, I'm thinking what options are available?
Have King Pins made up from scratch? (Also have to have bushes made to suit, I do have a spare front axle here)
Try and find something getting close and have it machined down to suit,
Have old ones re-chromed as John.K. suggested
Any of the above would still necessitate getting someone to supply and fit.
Reading on this forum how different types of NON-BRONZE type bushes have been used over the years, some sort of Poly. (Did one of these myself but so many years ago, I forget.)
Someone also wrote on here that they had done a few K200 front ends, guess he refers to Kenworth?. but only lasted a hundred thousand miles!
Hell, this is a hobby weekend warrior, I'll be well and truly be gone in a hundred thousand miles!
AS I said, have a spare front axle here I could strip down and chuck in a box trailer (I live in Central Vic,) and send it out if I knew anyone or could find out who would do it.
Funnily enough, the King Pins (swivel pins and bushes) are about the only thing on the front end that CAN'T be adjusted.
Just about all the other ball joints etc can be serviced to a certain extent by adding or subtracting different thickness "cups" in the actual ball joints (IF they could be sourced, or made!)
BTW, the next model UP in size, the Gamecock, uses a one and a quarter inch king pin, but it HAS to be reamed and seated.
Did have a set of king pins off a 200 series Dodge which probably would have come close, albeit with a bit of machining. (Sold along with the truck)
Would appreciate any thoughts, thanks,
Dave_64

Im thinking the pin will be fine, I have never found one that isn't, only the bushes
So if that is the case could suitable size bush out of a different brand be usec

Paul

Thanks, Mrs.
Will pull the king pins out of the spare front axle and run the micrometer over'em, if they look like they can be re-used it would be a bonus.
Matter of which way to jump when it comes to bushes, bronze or the poly type.

Hi Dave
I find it amazing how some people go out of their way to over complicate somthing as simple as a king pin axle assembly. From my experience the idea of oversize bushes (bronze normally sometimes with grease channels and somtimes plain) that you ream to size is the best fix. Why because if the pin and bushes are worn then the axle has done some work and there is a reasonable possibility the eye where the bushes are located may by now be distorted. Usung a reamer with the correct alignment to both bushes will result in a round hole that the pin should pass through without jamming. As for the pin I doubt the material would be any more tha 1045.
But as my mate Swishy would say Wot would I know Rex

Might be worth exploring if the pin is same as some as the bigger Humber cars. As has been said it is usual to see wear on the bush and not on the pin, however if it has been run without lubrication for an extended period the pin could be very worn as once wear starts the steel bits embed in the soft bronze.

There is a company that specialise in induction hardened pins for tractors ,excavators,backhoes etc called K-SET......they also sell induction hardened rod ...which wasnt expensive back in the day .......I have no doubt some kingpins could be made from something they have in stock............id be a bit careful with hardchrome ,due to a thing called "hydrogen embrittlement" of high tensile steels.

Dave_64 wrote:

Rather than hijack someone else's post, thought I better chuck it up here.
Dave_64

Thank you.

Dave-64 Any machine shop should be able to make new bushes out of sintered bronze. This has microscopic holes in it that are designed to hold oil. Most common sizes are sold by length. The machine shop or engineers suppliers should have it in stock, or be able to order it in for you. Soak it in clean engine oil for 24 hours before fitting. (this is how the oil gets in to those little holes) If you cannot get sintered bronze, use ordinary bronze bush but in either case, drill a hole in it to match the grease nipple hole and scrape channels from the hole to near each end of the bush for the grease to distribute across the bush. If the pins themselves are worn, the machine shop should be able to turn them up and grind the OD, as REX says out of what I presume is now called 1045 steel bar. In prehistoric times, when I was slightly involved with it, it was called 55ton steel.

I have not used neoprene for kingpin bushes but it never needs greasing and should be suitable. You would probably not get one hundred thousand miles out of them but you can leave that for the next generation to worry about.

Can you ream neoprene?

Good question!