Newbie. Hello. '70 W200

[pnwoods]

Howdy, folks. Late to this forum. .. Been Mopar since early 70's.
First post. So, please correct/direct if in wrong topic area.
Retired. CalPers. (State of California)
A number of past/present Dodge trucks. The one applicable to this forum is presented in the .jpg's. a '70 W200.
Recent issue developed with left/driver's side 'kingpin'. Please advise to which area this query should be directed.
Am unable to locate a source for '70 kings, .. anywhere.
Regards,
Woody

[PwrWgnDrvr]

Welcome Woody.
Good looking rig. Looks like one I saw on 29 near Calistoga yrs ago.
What exactly are you needing? The 70 W200 doesn't use king pins per se, but rather it will have bronze cone bushings and/or roller bearings top and bottom.
Vintage Power Wagons may have what you need. They're in Iowa.

[Wildergarten]

Please advise to which area this query should be directed. Am unable to locate a source for '70 kings, .. anywhere.

Hi Woody, and welcome to the forum!

I have a Dana 44 with drum brakes from a '69 W200 for sale sitting on pallets ready to go. It has less than 10,000 miles on a set of rebuilt top bushings and bottom bearings, but it does need new hemispheric seals. I'm in the Santa Cruz Mountains, but I do have dealings in Sonoma to avoid the trucking cost. $700 FOB here. Let me know if you are interested by PM.

[pnwoods]

PwrWgnDrvr... Obliged for your knowledge/reply. ... Local Napa Auto Parts has a 'Kingpin Repair Kit' in stock, .. & will be acquired.
All (my) earlier Dodge's were kingpins. The sloppy play in left/driver's side wheel remained even after new set(s) of wheel bearings. Similar symptoms with previous trucks suggested kingpin/bushing exaggerated wear. ... Truck manual diagrams/replacement procedure, here, left me a bit bewildered that this application/design provides no similar replacement. Your validation of the design/repair kit is most welcome.
Is this repair possible where the truck sits, .. without special tools? Willing to tackle this after my mechanic charged almost $1100 for front wheel bearing replacement. (both wheels) ... Manual's not clear on the repair instructions, .. but, will work with it.
Might well be the truck you saw in Calistoga. Got it from salesman in Ukiah, who said the previous owner worked out of Clear Lake. Used the truck for his firewood business.
Again, thanks for your help.


@Wildergarten: ... Your offer is generous, and of interest. ... My issue is storage/space, as you can see from the .jpgs. Will work on it, ... & pm you.
Thanks.

[PwrWgnDrvr]

Not all the Factory Service Manuals (FSM) include the 4x4 supplement. It will be specifically listed on the cover and is a section in the back. That is where you will find the detailed info to service the front drive axle. No particular special tools needed, but does take decent mechanical abilities.
$1100 for front wheel bearings is a shock! That's just a few hr job in the driveway....

[pnwoods]

Thank you. ... Yes, mechanic cost, unexpected. .. But, received as a cheap lesson. .. No critical economic impact, but, revised business conduct is in order.. Father/Son mechanic business for 30 years conducted w/handshake. ...
Written estimates, parts/work performed, will be updated standard.

[Wildergarten]

Not all the Factory Service Manuals (FSM) include the 4x4 supplement. It will be specifically listed on the cover and is a section in the back.

The 1967 reprint reprint I got from ebay does have it, the cover reading at the top, "CONVENTIONAL 4X4 FORWARD CONTROL MODELS 100-800." In that reprint, the description of the process for preloading the bushing/bearing set in the knuckle is on p2-16. As I said, I did the job on my old '69 and it appears to be no different. The only difference of which I'm aware between that '67 axle in the book I have and the one for a 1969-71 closed knuckle W200 is that the more recent flavor has a 30-spline pinion shaft. I may have the front shaft from that truck, but the yoke on it wasn't up to snuff.

Thank you. ... Yes, mechanic cost, unexpected.

Start thinking of mechanic time at $250 an hour. Preloading the bearing and top bronze bushing is not for everybody. The cones have to be set tightly into the housing or if they move later under load, it will loosen the fit between the top bushing and bottom bearing (it has tapered rollers). The process involves getting the squeeze on the bearing and bushing correct by adding or removing shims. If whatever kit you find doesn't have a shim pack and the squeeze ends up on the tight side, you'll be making paper dolls out of shim stock. That's time-consuming. PM me an email address or smart phone number, and I'll send you photographs of the applicable pages.

[pnwoods]

Very good.
Couple ??, please. Picked up the repair 'kit', and the driver/left U joint. Is the 'yoke' you speak of what the manual diagram refers to as the 'bushing' fit between the outer axle spindle and the 'hub knuckle'?
The manual also mentions bushings at/in the U joint inner/outer axle housings to be drift punched out. ... My U joint from NAPA Auto Parts was without bushings. & the parts catalogue lists none/either application. ..
No disassembly, yet, but, physics suggests bushing/s.
Any suggestions where to check? ..
Again, thanks for assistance.

Woody