VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1937-1945 37 Front axel bushing

I was having the king pins replaced in the 37 GB but I had the wrong pins and have to re-order . The mechanic doing the work thinks there should be a bushing in the hole in the axel where the king pins go thru it . I have the 29-50 master parts catalog but don't see a bushing . Is there a bushing there ? If so , where can I find it ?
Thanks for your help .
Michael

YES, there are brass bushings. They come with the king pin replacent set..They are pressed into the steering knuckle. require reaming after they are pressed in p;ace to fit king pin. The bushing is not in the axle because theey are locked into place in the axle but they are in the knuckle (spindle).

Maybe I am confused but I thought the GB kingpins used floating bushings. That is what I had on my '37 Master coupe. I think that the truck bushings are a press fit and require reaming to fit the king pin.

My 1940 Master Parts book lists the 1937-40 bushing as 593044.

There are problems if the holes in the axle are worn oversize.

This older post might help.

Floating/Non-FLoating Kingpin Bushings

The 1937 GB is a half ton truck and uses the same old king pin set as a 1929 car or truck sso the bushings are not full floating.

My confusion. I thought the GB designation was for the Masters and the sedan delivery. My Master Parts list indicates that GC is the designation for the 1/2 ton truck with 112' wheelbase.

Rusty, That is what I have always believed. GB = Master.

Thanks for the replies . I told my mechanic there were no bushings in the axel and he just shuck his head . What to do ?

" I told my mechanic there were no bushings in the axel and he just shuck his head . What to do ?"

Kfnut, why did he shake his head?

If the new standard sized king oin is loose in the axle shaft an oversized king pin is used. There again the king pin is locked into the axle shaft (I beam) and DOES NOT TURN......The bushing are in the spindle (knuckle) and that is what turns.....probably time to find a person that knows what king pins are.

Let's make sure we are talking about the correct parts here.

I agree with Gene that there are no bushings in the axle itself. The kingpin is fixed in the hole bored in the forged I-beam axle. There is a tapered lock bolt which fixes the kingpin to the axle. When you steer the wheels on the car the kingpin does not move in the axle.

The relative motion when you steer is between the spindle and the kingpin. The kingpin does not rotate because it is fixed in the axle. The spindle turns on the kingpin with bushings between the outside diameter of the kingpin and the inside diameter of the holes in the spindle.

I also agree with Gene that you can have situations where the bore in the axle is worn because the kingpin did not stay tight in the axle. This wear could actually be only at the ends of the long bored hole.

There are a couple of ways to fix this problem. If the wear is not too extreme and you can find oversize kingpins, the hole in the axle is bored to fit the oversize kingpins. If you cannot find oversize kingpins or the wear is so great that the oversize kingpin will still not fit tightly, you will need to have the holes bored large enough that a sleeve can be pressed in and then bored to size to fit standard kingpins.

In some situations there can be excessive wear in the holes in the spindles. Use a similar approach to address that problem. You might be able to find bushings oversize on the outside diameter or need to sleeve the spindle to use a standard bushing.

And to make it more confusing, remember that if the kingpins are oversize the inside diameter of the bushings needs to be oversize. Unless of course someone makes you stepped kingpins! Which I would not recommend. Kingpins are hardened and plated parts.

I was a little unsure about how it worked but now I see . looking at the pictures in the parts book , I see the bolt/nut that tightens the king pin in the axel . I will show it to the mechanic so he will understand . He is very good on the more modern stuff but has not had much experience with old stuff . When I took the 37 in to get the work done they were laughing and wanted to know what else I would bring in .