King Pins Seem Seized Up. Extremly Hard To Turn

[FoMoCo]

I cannot figure this out. I removed every thing down the the bare spindal and could barely move the spindal side to side. All steering components were removed. The pin isn't rusted. Driving aound, it's very hard to steer.

Suggestions?

Nick Wilson

[oldschoolrods]

What kind of bushings did you use? and well just to not miss the obvious is it well greased?

[FORDification]

Nick, are you putting everything back together after replacing kingpins/bushings or taking it apart to do so?

If you're removing the parts to get the front end rebuilt, and it was hard driving beforehand, I'd say the previous owner(s) did a poor job with front end maintenance, by not keeping the kingpins greased up. What grease that IS in there is hard. I wouldn't worry about it since the machine shop will press the kingpin out anyway. If you just removed the parts to troubleshoot the hard steering, then the same poor maintainance theory applies. Have you tried forcing some grease up in there with the grease gun? You might be able to free it up by greasing it as much as possible, (which might not be much) and then working the spindle back and forth, then repeat as necessary. Maybe applying a moderate amount of heat to the kingpin area (don't go overboard) would loosen up the caked grease enough to allow you to squirt in some good stuff.

If you just replaced the parts and it's hard to turn, then the machine shop who reamed your bushings (assuming you used bronze) didn't do a good enough job. It's their fault and they should correct it by reaming them out a tad bit more.

[FoMoCo]

I took it apart to diagnose. Ill try to force grease into it this weekend(springbreak!). I might be buying the lowering kit with new I beams, so it'll have to last till then.

Thanks
Nick Wilson