Stub axle and hub components include king pin kits, fully built-up reconditioned stub axle assemblies, front hub assemblies for steel and wire wheel cars, wheel bearing kits, oil seals, grease caps, and steering arm bolts with tab washers.
King Pins
The king pin connects the stub axle to the wishbone, allowing the wheel to steer. King pin kits contain the pins, bronze bushes, thrust washers, shims, seals, and a cotter pin. The bushes require reaming after pressing into the stub axle, a specialist operation that demands the correct tooling and experience to achieve the specified running clearance.
For owners who prefer not to undertake this work, fully built-up reconditioned stub axle assemblies are available with new king pins already fitted and reamed, plus a new fulcrum pin, ready to bolt directly to the car.
King Pin Shim Adjustment
The shim pack between the thrust washer and the king pin controls the vertical play. Unlike most shimmed assemblies, shims are added to loosen the king pin and removed to tighten it. The recommended starting point is a 0.008-inch and a 0.012-inch shim over the thrust washer, adjusted until the stub axle turns on the king pin with just-perceptible resistance and no obvious vertical play.
Front Hub Assemblies
Front hub assemblies differ between steel wheel and wire wheel cars. The hub runs on taper roller bearings with a bearing spacer. A wheel bearing kit containing both bearings, the spacer, and an oil seal should always be renewed when the hub is removed. The hub nut is castellated and secured by a split pin, it should be tightened to specification and backed off to the nearest split pin hole, never simply nipped up, as overtightening pre-loads the bearings.