D30 kingpin bearing race installation, other questions

I'm extremely frustrated, hope someone out there can provide some advice!

I'm rebuilding the steering knuckles on my D30. Got the king pins, races etc. out on on side... and am having a heck of a time getting the lower bearing race seated. (haven't even tried the top yet!)

So far, I've tried the following:

* Hammering upside down with my lisle race driver
* Try to drive in with 6" c clamp (ended up bending the screw on the clamp)
* putting end of said driver on a hydraulic bottle jack, lifting up front axle with this, whacking with big hammer
* Loop ratchet strap under hydraulic jack and attach to pivot, jack up to apply tension, whack with hammer.
* Use harbor freight ball joint tool with lisle race driver to try and drive in - no go.

I've got the race driven in so it's about flush with the bottom of the pivot point, meaning it has at least another 1/4" to go. I also put a little grease along the edge of the bushing before driving it in, but it won't budge. What am I missing, any suggestions on tools to use? This isn't my first race replacement, but I believe it's the most difficult one so far.

Other question I have - I have my original kingpins, but also some other ones that have a zerk fitting so grease can be injected. This is probably a really good idea, was this an option on later model D30's (My build date was October 1969 if I recall correctly)? Does a hole or other means need to be created to allow dirty grease to escape, or will the metal axle plug allow some old grease to escape?

Thank you guys!

Help?

Anybody? I can really use the help, guys.

Bueller? Bueller?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NP0mQeLWCCo

I don't have any grease fitting on my king pins that I can think of. If I do I have never greased them or even looked for them..

The race seems rediclusly tight to me. Id get a micrometer and compare what you got to what you had. Might wana use some sandpaper and clean up the surface to get a tad bit more wiggle room. Something is wrong!

Freeze the race before you put it in? Sometimes shrinks the metal enough that it'll drop in.

Jdgephar said:

Freeze the race before you put it in? Sometimes shrinks the metal enough that it'll drop in.

Click to expand...

That, or hit it with a CO2 fire extinguisher. Or if you have some dry ice around.

how did this ever turn out? I just had an alignment shop tell me my left side king pin was loose so he couldn't align things. I'm looking to do the same...

Hey Soyen,

The project got placed on hold for a bit, as I came up with some more time to work on this.

I had started on one side, trying to drive in the race at the bottom. Just couldn't get it to go in, no matter how hard I tried. However, I did get the race in the top installed by driving it in, it wasn't too bad.

Old timers and more experienced mechanics will probably laugh at me... But for those of us in a shop with limited resources, I think flipping the axle over so I can drive it in with hammer and race driver is going to be the secret to getting it to go. That, and making sure things are clean, etc.

I'm going to try this again in a couple of weeks... Man I really wish I had the cash for a D44, but maybe I'll feel a little better if I can get this squared away...

Okay excuse my ignorance...

What exactly is the Kingpins job? I have a Dana 30 as well and would just like to know.

AndyT said:

Okay excuse my ignorance...

What exactly is the Kingpins job? I have a Dana 30 as well and would just like to know.

Click to expand...

It is the pivot so you can turn. It does the same job as a ball joint.

If you can get it back out, try emery cloth to the inside where the race goes and throw the race in the freezer over night and heat the knuckle before installing it.

Thanks to all for suggestions. I'm in the process of moving from my house, so this is something I have to have done by Sunday evening.

What is working (have one more to do):

* Put bearing races on dry ice
* Using 220 grit sandpaper, make a couple of passes inside where race sits.
* Pound like crazy on bearing race driver / impact socket

I just did mine two weeks ago. The bottom ones are a complete pita because you're hitting up. I put the races in the freezer over night then filled a bag with ice cubes and put them on that in the garage so they wouldn't heat back up. I used a socket that was just smaller outside diameter then the race and a 3 pound sledge. Not a job I ever want to do again. On the plus side, the first side took 1.5 days the second 1.5 hours