What is this part called?

[genscripter]

at least you're in the part of kali where the labor rates are somewhat reasonable. you're going to want to start looking around for an alignment shop that can handle your van. that will be the adventure :O

Johnson Alignment ( http://johnsonsalignment.com/ ) in Torrance is my alignment shop. They can handle older stuff like our vans. And they are pretty reasonable on the prices.

 

[MtnHaul]

All previous econoline models had Kingpins and they are a massive PITA to replace.

Sure they aren't fun but like anything they are not too bad if you have proper tools--plus the kingpin itself often stays good a long time unless maintenance has been neglected. With over 200k on my kingpins they still look and feel brand new. A well maintained/greased kingpin setup often only needs the upper spring and bushing replaced, about $30-$40 and maybe 90 minutes of time if you've never done it before. Of course I don't live where they salt the roads so YMMV.

 

[Macrobb]

You can 'rent' the puller from Autozone or O'reillies. Just make sure you get the big kit with a bunch of different spacers for pushing on the ball joint.
Also, you will want to see if you can't get a torch available - at least a propane one, oxy/fuel torch is better. This is for when you can't get the ball joints to pop loose. Big hammer also important.

 

[Christian9112]

I thought the rates here was insane compared elsewhere? lol I will definitely "rent" a puller.
I looked up johnson alignment and they have a picture with Jay Leno on google maps. I will for sure go there now

 

[genscripter]

Sure they aren't fun but like anything they are not too bad if you have proper tools--plus the kingpin itself often stays good a long time unless maintenance has been neglected. With over 200k on my kingpins they still look and feel brand new. A well maintained/greased kingpin setup often only needs the upper spring and bushing replaced, about $30-$40 and maybe 90 minutes of time if you've never done it before. Of course I don't live where they salt the roads so YMMV.

Yeah, in hindsight, i'm glad I replaced my Kingpins because the van needed it. However, the previous owner drove them into the ground and likely never greased them. So they were a pain to get out and get all the brass bushings out. Eventually I got it cleaned up and I pressed in new ones with a new-to-me used 20-ton press, that I bought just for that project. Now I have a press, so it was a motivational project to get myself to justify owning a shop press.

 

[genscripter]

I looked up johnson alignment and they have a picture with Jay Leno on google maps. I will for sure go there now

Johnson is great. They take in a lot of older cars that don't do well with the digital alignments of today. I learned about this when I was getting an expensive alignment from some spiffy new shop, and in the end, they said they "couldn't align it properly." I was confused and asked if they had any other recommendations. They said they send any work they "can't figure out to Johnson Alignment." I drove over there and Johnson did my front alignment right away and it was something like $40. I told them about how the digital guy couldn't figure it out, and the crew at Johnson just laughed and said something like "The new kids can't do anything unless the computer tells them what to do."

Their business is in a cluster of other older auto shops, including some place that restores old classics and sells them for tens of thousands of dollars. I can understand why someone like Jay Leno would be there. It's kind of a neighborhood of classic car guys. When i get my alignment, I usually stroll over to the classic car shop and check out their showroom. I don't want to lollygag cuz they can tell the guy driving the 31-year old Econoline Diesel doesn't have the dough to buy a restored Cuda or Thunderbird.