Free up seized Kingpins?

[Second Series]

Has anyone unseized and serviced frozen Kingpins? I have a 1955 second series 3100 with very tight Kingpins. I am unable to pump grease into Three of the zerks. The steering is very stiff. When I drove the truck home, it would not return to straight after I made a turn, I would have to crank the steering wheel back. I had to drive slow so it wouldn’t go off the side of the road. I sprayed PB blaster around the Kingpins and plan to continue for a few days. Has anybody been able to free up frozen Kingpins?

[tmoble]

the kingpins are locked solid in the axle by tapered steel pins. the spindles have bronze bushings that turn on the kingpins. best bet: get a kingpin kit from one of the truck vendors, replace the stuff. this is routine maintainence on straight axles.

after the kingpins and tie rod are good, get it aligned at a shop that does big trucks. there are wedge shims to tilt the axle back and give it some caster. After that it will return to center normally and drive better to boot.

[vineyard1]

Before you get too carried away, replace the Zerk's with new GOOD ones like Alemite. They are about the only ones still made in the USA. They should be available through NAPA. Don't accept anything else. They have a red ball in the tip. While you have the old Zerk's out, take a small drill bit & run it in the hole to clean out the old gummy grease. After installing the new Zerk's, take the load off the wheels & use a GOOD grease gun. If you have help, have someone turn the steering a little while applying grease. Don't use a cheap gun. Get a Lincoln 1142 or Alemite 500. There aren't any guns still made in the USA, but those 2 are the best. Cheap guns will bypass grease back into the reservoir instead of through the fitting if they meet resistance. Old Zerk's wear out & old couplers wear out. Replace them when they don't work right.

[mr48chev]

Do what Vineyard1 suggested before you do anything else. Often as not the zerk is bad. And follow his suggestion and get top quality zerks.

If you then need Kingpins check Rock autos prices against others as some of the outfits charge stiff prices for something that shouldn't cost that much
https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/...3.8L+235cid+L6

the MOOG 8377B are 35.79 from

[MARTINSR]

I don't see anywhere that you lifted the truck up and tried to turn the wheels. How about figuring out if it's the king pins or the steering box, or some bent tie rod end or something.

You want to isolate the problem, it could be something else. Remove the drag link from the steering box and see if the wheels are still hard to turn to eliminate the steering box as the issue would be my first step.

Brian

[_Ogre]

no fun driving your truck that way

king pins should be greased often, like every 500 miles
i worked in the school bus garage, all of our buses had king pins, we had lots of creative ways to grease them
jack it up, remove zerks, drill out grease, replace the zerks and try to pump some grease in there
moving the wheel or wiggling the tire top to bottom also helps
if nothing else works, start heating the knuckle with a torch, sometimes the old grease needs to be melted out

had it happen to me too (back in 75)
the king pins had seized to the bushings, had to remove the axle and press out the king pins

[Second Series]

Thanks for the replies. I have the truck on Jackstands and had disconnected the pitman arm. I can not turn the wheels by hand. I removed the Zerks and cleaned them. I'll keep soaking with penetrating oil for awhile. If that doesn't work I'll try removing the kingpins. I have an extra axle from a '48 panel, but I won't be saving any work by using that.

[mr48chev]

Quality new zerks are less than a buck a piece I wouldn't fool with trying to clean them. I lost track of how many I replaced on customer cars over the years because they wouldn't take grease but it's normal to have to replace them when they get old, worn or when the check valve inside corrodes and won't move as in the case of your truck.

Also you might want to use one of the lower viscosity greases the first time around at least as it might flow better than the "heavy duty" grease.

[chevyguyase]

Google this and watch the video. You fill this with motor oil and tap the plunger with a hammer. it forces the oil into the frozen joints then you free up the joint and then flush the joint with grease. About $30.00 at Northern Tool supply.

[vineyard1]

Be careful with any of those rigs you hit with a hammer. I've seen people jack the grease fitting right of it's hole & take the threads with it. Then the work starts!
Tim

[Second Series]

After soaking the area with PB Blaster and WD-40 for a week, I was able to grease the tops. I can now turn the wheels by hand and if I hit the steering wheel it will spin from one end to the other with the truck on jack stands. I'll keep spraying penetrating oil to soften the lower joints. This truck sat for over a decade, possibly inside, so it seems more gunked up than worn out. I'll know for sure when I get it on the road.

[MARTINSR]

WHOOO HOOO!!!!


Brian

[_Ogre]

good news

we had the hammer type grease gun in the bus garage too, it is a very effective tool
i'd grease those king pins every day you drive it for a while to let grease in dry areas