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The king pins and its components play a vital role in your trucks steering. We have years of installing and shipping steering king pins and all the replacement parts.
King pin shim. 2.812 inch outer diameter, 1.875 inner diameter, 0.005 inch thickness. Details
King pin shim. 2.812 inch outer diameter, 1.875 inner diameter, 0.010 inch thickness. Details
King pin shim. 2.375 inch outer diameter, 1.500 inner diameter, 0.005 inch thickness. Details
No ream spiral steel king pin kit SKS7018 for GMC applications. Details
Kingpin bearing 460.T1822S. 1.813 inch inner diameter, 32817 inch outer diameter, 0. Details
Kin pin bushing service kit 60961-628 for Hendrickson STEERTEK NXT axle. Details
King pin cap. Details
King pin kit 50.103.19 for Ford F650, F750 and LCF500/600 applications. 1. Details
King pin cap AKP-3471 for Mack 10.5-12K applications. Replaces Mack number 18QH32. Details
King pin kit 300-284 for International and Volvo/White applications. 1.794 inch outer diameter x 10. Details
King pin kit 300-287 for GMC and Isuzu applications. 1.614 inch major diameter, 1. Details
King pin kit 300-288 for GMC and Isuzu applications. 1.892 inch major diameter, 1. Details
King Pins are the connection between your steer axle and the steering knuckle on heavy-duty, medium-duty, and older light-duty trucks with a straight axle. The king pins themselves are large, hardened steel pins that are centered in the axle beam. The king pins protrude out of the axle on the top and bottom where the steering knuckle wraps around the axle and king pin. The steering knuckle contains bi-metal bushings which wrap around the king pins and maintain a tight clearance to prevent steering play. The king pins and bushings manage a large amount of force while holding the knuckle in correct alignment.
King pin wear will occur from a lack of maintenance or physical damage from a collision. In an ideal scenario, the king pin and the bushings will never make contact and a fine film of grease will act as a protective layer. If the wrong type of grease is used or if the king pins are not greased often enough the protective layer will break down and the softer bronze of the bushing will begin to wear away. An impact from a collision could also force the grease out and cause king pin to bushing contact but most likely other damage would keep the truck from operation and the loose king pin and bushings would be replaced during the accident repairs.
King pin and bushing wear will be noticeable as problems in the steering system since the steering knuckle is not being held in the correct alignment angles. Normally this will present itself as tire wear and a pull. The pull may be described as a wander because the camber and caster are able to freely change within the wear on the king pin and bushings. If there is a 1/8” of play at the king pin this can translate to many degrees of change in camber and caster settings that can vary with the road or steering direction. With proper maintenance, you may never need to replace king pins and bushings, but for most trucks, king pins will need to be replaced at least once in their lives.
Performing a king pin rebush job is a major undertaking so it is best to be prepared for the task with a replacement king pin kit. There are two main options for king pin kits to accomplish the job of replacement.
Spiral bushing kits use a coiled, spiral-shaped bushing. These bushings can be installed by twisting into the spindle using an installation tool and they do not require reaming. Spiral kits are the ideal kit to use if you do not have the capability to press new bushing into the steering knuckles and ream them to fit the pins. You can avoid a machine shop using a spiral bushing kit so if you are servicing your own truck this is the kit to use.
Standard king pin kits use solid bi-metal bronze and steel bushings. Steel is used for the outer portion of the bushing to allow it to be pressed into the steering knuckle without deforming the inner bronze area. Bronze is used on the inside portion of the bushing due to its anti-friction and wear-resistant properties, bronze will only become damaged if lubrication is not present. The bushings included in a standard king pin kit will need to be reamed to fit the new pin after they are installed in the steering knuckle. Standard king pin kits are typically used by shops since special tools are required to line bore the bushings in the steering knuckle. If you are self-installing, it will require the assistance of a machine shop to fit the pins to the steering knuckle.
King pin kits are specific for each axle model and the kits will include all necessary components to refurbish the axle and steering knuckle. Most king pin kits will include the following items:
In some situations, the axle itself can become damaged and the axle will no longer fit the king pin tightly. If a new pin is installed and it is loose, it will continue to damage the axle over time. Using the truck with a loose king pin to axle connection will cause the same alignment issues and tire wear that loose knuckle bushings will. Ignoring a king pin that is loose in the axle may lead to the entire axle needing to be replaced. If the damage is noticed early enough a shop with the correct tools can bore and re-sleeve the axle. There are oversized bushings that can be installed in the axle that allow you to bore the axle to fit the larger bushing and an original sized pin. This is a specialized job and not all shops will be able to complete it in house.
Both types of king pin kits are complete and will contain all the parts required to complete the install. There are several special tools required for either type of king pin kit, so it is important to keep this in mind before starting the work. If you have questions about a king pin install or need help locating a kit we can help, we have years of experience installing king pin kits, line-boring spindles, and machining axles. Please reach out to us at TruckSpring.com or call us at 1-800-358-4751 and we will be glad to help.