VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1937-1945 1938 knee action

I have recently started installation of rebuilt dubonnets. I followed printed instructions from internet and the Chevrolet service manual. everything i read said to install the bushings "after" the king pins. whilst this works after much struggle with the heavy dubonnet unit i used the following aproach on the second side: installed the bottom bush first, marked the king pin "flat side" with a punch mark on top( first side turned and had no idea which way so naturally went the wrong way and then its trial and error till you find it again after driving pin down a bit,turning a bit then back into place to see if the flat is where you need it) after the pin is about half way into the axle casting its easy to check your punch mark and the place the top bush after eyeballing to see that you are centered. sounds like a lot of bother but is pretty easy when done this way. Now for my question! the dust caps dont seem to be of sufficient diameter to become an interference fit in the axle. any ideas on obtaining new ones or making the old ones work?????????? have thought about epoxy or black silicone gasket stuff...
I have made new cork seals for the spindle but would prefer to obtain something a little better if anyone knows of a solution to that?

Steven!
This month`s G & D has an article about rebuilding dubonnets with pictures!

Steven, There are two "plugs" used.First the expansion plug with a lock ring on top of that.Then a thin stamped hat shaped dust plug.I am sure that is the one you are refering to as they never seem to fit tight.Try to expand the hat area a little and tap in with a small socket that fits just in the center....they never fit tight from new - thats why the shop manual mentions not to use a high pressure grease gun on the king pin fittings.
When I grease mine they sometime push out a little - I just push it back in and the grease seems to hold them in place OK.They were probably more necessary when these cars were driven on dirt roads a lot.The grease alone shoud keep the dirt out.My have been this way for amny years and miles with no problems.

The G&D article pertains only to resealing the knees while on the car.....Jim did an excellant job of writing and illustrating with the info. that I passed on to him.Proves what a degree in journalism can do.

sorry i didnt get this months GD my membership renewal was late(effective as of november. which months issue is it in? maybe i can get one from the club as a back issue? does the article mention the seals or king pins?
My dust caps are only about 1/8" maximum depth, i think if they moved at all they would pop out. i had thought about trying to expand the diameter with the correct size socket but i really didnt have much hope that it would work either. will give it a try. you dont think i would have success with gluing them or sticking with gasket compound? guess this is a "weak area"in chev engineering
thanks

The article only pertains to installing a rope type seal to prevent leaking.Removing the unit it not required to do this so is not mentioned.

The plugs generally stayed in when new unless poped out by too much grease gun pressure.They were used even on the later open knee-action cars.Something about being reused-they don't like to stay in.They could be "cemented" in but may not stay due to the grease presrnt and pressure pushing them out when being greased.

thanaks gene, i am going to the shop today to give that socket trick a try. I am not sure if i am using new ones, that may have come with king pins, or the old ones that i cleaned. I had a major surgery last october and another in december and only now working on the car again. blurred memory, but i havent found any extras yet so i am thing its the old ones. i never throw anything away when it comes to old stuff that may be reusuable.
any thoughts on the cork spindle seals, i.e the packing on either side of brake backing plate. i dont believe anyone sells them.

My apologies to the 1912-28 owners. i am not sure what i did wrong to get in your section, i will be more carefull next time. might get a broader response too? The socket expansion worked on one of four so i will need some dust caps if anyone knows where i can find them????
thank you,

To post in the correct forum, just click on "1937-1942" and then when it opens, click on "new topic" in the lower left hand corner, and you are ready to go with more postings on your 1938. And, you will probably get more response too.

Good luck with your project!

Steven
I just did this job recently on my 34 Master, I bought a NOS set of pins and bushes on ebay and two of the dust caps were missing. I found curved welsh plugs that were the right size and they worked well. The dust caps have a slighly curved surface and when you put them in you give the top of the curve a hit with a hammer and they jam into place nice and tight
Chris

Steve,
have some of the old cork seals but as they are over 50 years old are shrunk and very brittle.They used to come with aftermarket radius rod kits,
For the price they get for rebuilding the knees you would think they would furnish the corks.Every job needs them and I can't think of a good substitute.


Chris,
What you are refering to is the expansion plugs that noemally come in a kit.What Steve is refering to is the little "tin hats" that fit in (or on) after the thicker plugs are in place.Often missing on those old cars today and really not that important as long as kept greased.

Here's a web page on Knee Action <http://la.znet.com/~r1937/Knees.htm>.