So I bought new forged spindles for my roadster project, complete with reamed bushings and fitted kingpins. Unfortunately, I was about to install them on the front end when I noticed that one of the bushing grease holes doesn't line up with the hole in the spindle. Only about 10% of the bushing hole lines up with the spindle hole.

I can send the spindle back and have a new bushing fitted, but that will delay the front end build. If this is what I need to do to have it right, then I'll do it. On the other hand, it seems like I could just enlarge the bushing hole (making it a long oval) and it might be fine.

However, all the information I've read about fitting the kingpins and reaming the spindle bushings treat the process like a black art, saying that many machine shops don't even know how to do it. This makes me a little hesitant to go with the 'garage fix'.

What do you think? Should I enlarge the bushing hole, or bite the bullet and send the spindle back to get new bushings?

I think you'll do ok.
Just leave it as is.

Grease flows in to some pretty tight places under high pressure and a small inlet hole isn't going to slow you down too bad.

Just pay attention and make sure it is getting lubed.
Sometimes you gotta get the weight off the wheel and/or cock the wheel at an angle to make sure the upper or lower part of the kingpin is getting grease.

Do yourself a favor too.
Put the zerks in the front.
I know...... they look cool hid out in the back, but they're a cotton picking drag to use back there.
Even with angled zerks.

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C9

Go ahead and ream the opening out a bit......you won't hurt a thing.....unless you do it with a 1/2 inch bit!!!!I have done way more than my fair share of king pin jobs,and yes that includes using the reamer set I have. It ain't rocket science!!!They just want you to THINK it's black magic so they can nick you a little harder on the price. What probably happened is whoever installed the bushing was just a bit off or it turned just bit going in.Just be careful not to mess with any threads that may be in the opening and be sure to clean out any shavings that get inside. Save the shipping and go for it !!!
Jim
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Build it so low,you have to step DOWN to get in !!!

Hi Wayne. I have done kingpins and bushings in little spindles to highway tractors, everything in between. In a lot of the heavy applications there is no grease hole, you have to drill them out before you hone them out. If it bothers you just drill it out then take a fine rattail file or emery tape and clean out any rough edges. Look at the grease zerk and notice the size of the hole that the grease has to go through before it even gets to the bushing? Not a big deal. Good luck.
Ken.
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"Don't let fear and common sense hold you back"
Ken
www.loboys.com

Thanks guys, I was hoping that'd be the answer!

C9 - Your point about zerk access is well taken. The roadster is going to have skinny tires and no fenders though, so I figure I can still get to them if they're in the back...

Even on a highboy there can still be problems.
Tires, narrow or wide are not usually the bone of contention.
It's the caliper that conflicts if you're running disc brakes.

I'm dealing with two highboys, one with Mustang discs and the other with Camaro discs, both on a solid axle.
Taking into account the usual straight lube gun fitting on the business end you'll find you can not get onto the zerk if the zerks are in the back and are the straight ones supplied with most kits.

The critical ones are the upper zerks.
When you do the spindle install for real - as vs. mockup - get yourself 6 or so 45 degree zerks and try them on for size so as to get the proper clocking for the zerk.
The bottom ones are easier to get to with a 45 as well, but it's the top ones that are really important.
Six zerks required because many of them tend to clock the same.

Even with the easy access afforded by the no fenders front end of a highboy, it's still a pain.

Nothing wrong with an honest piece of mechanical design - the zerks - sticking out where everybody can see them.
At least not for a street driven car vs. a slicked up show car.

--
C9

What is a Zerk? What does it look like? What is it's function?
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Your "top-less" cruzn buddy, Denise

Lipstick Run Survivor

http://www.geocities.com/lipstickrun/
www.loboys.com

A zerk is the fitting that you hook the grease gun up to when you lube a part, in this case the spindle bushings. It's sometimes called a grease nipple. (I swear I'm not making this up.)

So it it permanantly attached to the spindle bushing? right? Yeah, I guess it would be. Ok, great, thanks for the info. :)
--
Your "top-less" cruzn buddy, Denise

Lipstick Run Survivor

http://www.geocities.com/lipstickrun/
www.loboys.com

Yes, that's right. The grease nipples plug the spindle holes in between lube sessions.

Hmmm. Say that sentence real slow in a Barry White voice, and it takes on a whole new meaning...

C9 - Thanks for the explanation. I am in fact running disc brakes in front. I'll mock up the front end up with calipers and everything before I pound the kingpins in. I'd still prefer to have the zerks on the backside for cosmetic reasons, but if it looks like it's going to be a pain in the asp to maintain, even with the 45 degree zerks...well then I'll just put them in the front. I'll just tell everyone it's the latest fad--the "utilitarian nipple look".

They look kind of small to me. Are they even noticeable?
--
Your "top-less" cruzn buddy, Denise

Lipstick Run Survivor

http://www.geocities.com/lipstickrun/
www.loboys.com

They're not too terribly obvious, but when you're in the cosmetic detail death spiral...well, you know.

That happens a lot ...as everone says if it makes you feel better open up the hole a touch. best advise when greasing it, jack it up and have the wheel off the ground. Lots of highboys dont get greased well as they dont need to be jacked up cause it so easy to work on. Evrything from a Peterbuilt to your lawn tractor needs to have the weight off the sindle to be greased correctly...i bet most know this but maybe helps someone...
--
Honest officer i aint speeding
I am qualifiying!!!!!!!!!

Denise, the ones in the pic Zonkola posted take a 5/16" wrench on the hex.
Tht ought to give you an idea of their size.

The 45's most times take a 3/8" wrench, but they're not much bigger.

Fwiw - you can get them in 90's as well as extended straight ones if the fittings tapped hole is in a well or you need better access with the grease gun.
Short and extended 45's and 90's are available as well.

Thing to be careful with when clocking the angle ones into position is that the tapped holes are either 1/4-20 or 1/4-28 (forget which), most times tapped straight and the zerks threaded end is tapered like a pipe thread.
Crank em too hard and you just break em off.
Good part is that being a grease fitting they're not usually frozen in place and come out fairly easy.

You'd probably do it, but if you're lubing the car yourself make a point to wipe the dirt and grit off the zerk or you'll just push the grungys into what you're lubing.

Zerks are cheap - carry a few spares and keep some in the garage.

Easily found too.
Parts houses, diesel truck places and even tractor stores.
The local John Deere has an excellent assortment of oddball ones and is where I found some 1/2" extended ones.

Buy American and stay away from the offshore pieces.
They're not even good as plugs in many cases.
--
C9

Most people tap the holes 1/4"by 28, which is the tap they have. The grease fittings actually have a tapered pipe thread, it is nominally 1/8" by 27. You can get the correct tap at a Machine tool supply.
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Anyone can restore an old car, it takes a man to cut one up.

Front is better. Once you bolt on steering arms it is amost impossible to get to the lower fittings if they face to the rear. They are available in stainless steel. Thirty seconds at the buffing wheel and they really sparkle.
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An Old California Rodder
Hiding Out in the Ozarks

Zonk!!! If your worried about being pretty use a plug & screw the zerk in when you lube or use the U-joint adapter on your gun. They also make purty little plastic hats for the zerks. The hats ain't a bad idea as they keep the dirt out o the hole. Like the above post mentions wipe before greasing. B-O-B--------------------DSRA
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Smoke um if ya got um
Burn Out Bob DSRA member