21-02-2025, 12:19 AM
(This post was last modified: 21-02-2025, 12:26 AM by Dennis Nicholas.)
1. Hope you checked front axle for twist? Axle in vice and 3 foot long 1/2 inch rods in king pin eyes. Measure distance between rods at eyes and at top of rods (maths required using camber angle to determine distances or measure from centre of axle to same height up each rod to see if both the same. Look along axle to see that rods line up top to bottom.
2. Did you check that the top and bottom surfaces of the king pin eyes were parallel...often wear a bit bad so thrusts and spacers are not parallel thus only small areas in contact and more rapid wear. Same applies to the 2 stub axle inner faces.
Blueing on face of cylinders on pilot will show high areas on eyes then grinding paste on faces and keep grinding till good blueing all over so all 4 faces now parallel and accurate feeler gauge readings can be taken to determine spacer washer thickness.
3. When re-assembling front axle, with weight on and trying to line up rear ends of radius arms with brackets on chassis cross member DO NOT FOLLOW SOME OF THE EARLY ADVICE TO TWIST THE ARMS WITH A BIG STILSON TILL THE HOLES/PIN LINE UP. That puts a twist on the spring shackles and the spring so more rapid wear. The only way to line up is a thin wedge between axle and chassis mounting point. Other much moded specials sometimes need a plate bolted/welded to cross member to provide lower radius arm pivot.
Sorry big7 axle shown, dont have figures for 7.
2. Did you check that the top and bottom surfaces of the king pin eyes were parallel...often wear a bit bad so thrusts and spacers are not parallel thus only small areas in contact and more rapid wear. Same applies to the 2 stub axle inner faces.
Blueing on face of cylinders on pilot will show high areas on eyes then grinding paste on faces and keep grinding till good blueing all over so all 4 faces now parallel and accurate feeler gauge readings can be taken to determine spacer washer thickness.
3. When re-assembling front axle, with weight on and trying to line up rear ends of radius arms with brackets on chassis cross member DO NOT FOLLOW SOME OF THE EARLY ADVICE TO TWIST THE ARMS WITH A BIG STILSON TILL THE HOLES/PIN LINE UP. That puts a twist on the spring shackles and the spring so more rapid wear. The only way to line up is a thin wedge between axle and chassis mounting point. Other much moded specials sometimes need a plate bolted/welded to cross member to provide lower radius arm pivot.
Sorry big7 axle shown, dont have figures for 7.