The front axle is a beam axle, there are no caster/camber adjustments, if they are off its because something is bent. Only adjustment is toe-in. Luckily all the parts are still available, I had no problems getting everything. I purchased new kingpin bushings and new balls joints from the U.K. and got the bearings locally. I do wish I had done the front seal like I did the rear seals but the felt seal looked good so I left alone. I powder coated the front axle. My car had the wrong front leaf springs, I had only 4 leafs and they were different length from left to right, I purchased new leaf springs (actually well worn ones) as I had quite a problem finding out anything on the springs, I had a blacksmith ready to make new ones for me but I had no idea what size, the curve, etc. on the springs, everyone I contacted had no information.
Click on picture to get a larger picture.
The mess I started with, I pulled the brake drum and saw this mess, the spring was not even connected..
All looks good, just dirty/messy.
Remove the cotter pin which was no fun since its deep in the hub but nothing impossible. The hub came off fairly easily, maybe its the right tool for the job 🙂
And yes, the wheels actually turned even with that mess in the bearings.
Here you can see the felt seal and on top of the bearing is the seal retainer. I am not sure how one would put a modern seal in here like I did on the rear axle since the retainer actually “locates” the bearing and keeps it from pressing in too far. I do wish I had spent more time trying to figure it out but for now, its together and fine the way it is.
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Ok, now the hard part, keeping track of the left and right part after you clean and paint the parts. I ended up taking these parts to the machine shop and having the machinist put the new bushings in since I did not have a reamer to do the job. The pin just presses out, it took quite a bit of pressure I am not sure if you can do this without a hydraulic press.
New springs are in, front axle is powder coated so it should look good for a long time. The springs are un-equal lenght front to rear, the distance from is front spring eye to spring centre 13″, and spring centre to rear spring eye 15″ aprox. The spring center has a pin, its actually the bolt that holds the springs together but that “pin” located the axle, if you get it wrong your front-end geometry will be all wrong.
Here are the front spring center pins I told you about up above. As you can see its just a bolt with a “pin” for the head and that pin locates the axle. My “pins” threads were pretty worn and I did not like how sloppy the nuts went on them, so I made new ones on the lathe, I started with a bolt and welded on a nut up against the bolt head, then turned it smooth to make it a pin.
Here is how the whole works goes together, the felt seal, the seal retainer, the large bearing, the spacer and finally the small bearing.
Just another view of how it goes together, this is on the spindle but minus the hub of course just to show the sequence of parts.
Here it is, all put together. Since I had no torque specs on the front axle nut, I used the old fashioned method, I tightened the nut until just snug while spinning the hub, as it snugged up, I could feel the bearings getting tight and not spinning as easily, I then loosened it to get the cotter pin in. Don’t loosen more than 1/8th turn to get the pin in.
Yes, before I drive the car I have to remove the paint from the “shoulder” that the wheel hub will go against, its all painted now but I know that will cause problems within a few miles when the paint rubs off and the wheels loosen. I merely did it since it will be awhile before I drive the car and wanted to protect the metal. Note all that grease 🙂
The finished front suspension all buttoned down and looking ready to go.
