King Pin Question

[Khurram Darugar]

Hi All,
       Im having some problems with the King Pin Removal.  I cant get the lower control arm bolt loosened.  And im using an impact wrench.  And yes i removed the pin on the bolt.  And i tried a spring compressor without much success too.  I really do not want to let the king pin win sooo ....

Is it possible to cut of the upper portion of the kingpin??  Where the bolt goes through horizontally. ..... and release the control arms this way?? Am i looking at a potentially very dangerous ricochet.  

Any ideas would be appreciated.  

Many Thanks
Kay

[waltklatt]

Kay,
I had to go through the same thing with my 1967 230SL on the right front kingpin.  I had removed-destroyed the two rubber gaskets between the arm and the kingpin.  Then the nut end of the bolt had sheared off while I was trying to loosen it.  Then I inserted a wedge in between the fork and kingpin to give me some room to insert a sawzall with a metal blade and cut it off flush to the kingpin head.  Please put a floor jack under the bottom a arm to relieve the tension put on it by the spring.  It will drop a bit, but not much because of the shock absorber.  Also make sure the car is on level ground and secured by two tripod stands under the crossmember(where the lower arm bracket is held to)  THat way you can be assured that the subframe mounts wont tear like mine did.
Walter Klatt
1967 230SL-diesel
1963 230SL-gas being stripped

[Khurram Darugar]

Thanks Walter!  
              Thats pretty much where i am except nothings sheared off.  Im going to try and cut the king pin head off.  
One thing i did'nt get was your subframe mount breaking off.  Did you have no support underneath it??  I have a plank of wood and two tripods should be ok i think.
Thanks
K

[waltklatt]

That should be fine.  The subframe mounts are what isolates the entire front carrier assembly that holds the motor and suspension together.  If you leaft the front hanging in the air with nothing under the tires or the carrier assembly the subframe mounts will seperate as the carrier will go down.  These are two big rubber cushions that have no tensile strength but loads of compressive strength.  When you jack up the car the compression turns into tension when the wheel goes off the ground.
Wlater Klatt
1967 230SL-diesel
1963 230SL-gas being stripped

[waqas]

I'm resurrecting this thread, as I'm about to re-do my kingpins (plus (upper and lower outer trunions/link pins).

Reading Walter's comment below, is it true I can do this without having to remove the springs or the shocks? (thus allowing one to cancel out the effect of other?)

quote:Originally posted by waltklatt

Kay,
Please put a floor jack under the bottom a arm to relieve the tension put on it by the spring.  It will drop a bit, but not much because of the shock absorber.  Also make sure the car is on level ground and secured by two tripod stands under the crossmember(where the lower arm bracket is held to)  THat way you can be assured that the subframe mounts wont tear like mine did.
Walter Klatt
1967 230SL-diesel
1963 230SL-gas being stripped

The BBB describes attaching a fixed rod in place of the shock... is this necessary? Won't leaving the shock connected achieve the same effect? (albeit with a little movement in the lower control arm)

If so, would the recommended procedure (assuming all parties involved cooperate nicely) be the following:

(1) jack up car, support on chassis and underneath subframe
(2) place jack under lower control arm, just in case
(3) disconnect upper control arm from kingpin
(4) disconnect kingpin from lower control arm

What am I missing?

WAQAS in Austin, Texas

[glennard]

Soak em all in 'Deep Creep'/ 'PB Blaster'(by the gallon at Advanced Auto).  Put some in your grease gun and PB the fittings.  RUST- a better adhesive than Super Glue!

[waqas]

Thanks... I should buy stock in that stuff!

WAQAS in Austin, Texas

[waqas]

So, any objections to not removing the shocks and springs for kingpin removal?

WAQAS in Austin, Texas

[RBurg]

Just finished removing  king pin - Place car on jack stand.
Jack under the lower A frame - take out the lower bolts for shock - remove the two bolt from the sub frame (lower) let down the jack and the spring will drop out and then remove king pin.
As long you have the parts out - clean with degreser and then when the wife is a sleep PUT IN DISH WASHER and put on deep clean.
Prime with none sanding primer and paint with black paint.
Good Luck


Ron - Minnesota
71 280SL Tobacco "O GIGI"
97 E420 Silver Mist

[glennard]

The old 'hacksaw/Sazall' solution!  Na Na Naa.