Replacement and repair of KAMAZ pivots

Device and principle of operation

Structurally, the king pin is made in the form of an alloy steel rod. A flat is made on the body of the part to install a wedge that prevents shift in the axial direction. The king pin diameter is 45 mm and the length is 232 mm. Installation is carried out "cold" using a hydraulic press.

The role of plain bearings is performed by bronze bushings installed in the lugs of the steering knuckle. The part is lubricated with grease through the existing oiler and the hole in the bushing. The top and bottom of the eyelets are closed with covers that protect the assembly from dirt. The top has a safety valve designed to release excess grease. To unload the unit from axial forces, a roller support bearing is installed in the lower eye.

The diagram of the pin device is shown in the figure below.

1 - fixing bolt; 2, 30 - washer fastening on a spring basis; 3 - the lower part of the rotary assembly; 4 - sealant of the upper part; 5 - pivot sleeve; 6 - detail of the front part, providing rotation; 7, 27, 29 - wrench bolts; 8 - adjustable nut; 9 - oil mount; 10 - kingpin panel; 11 - protective valve; 12 - the upper part of the rotary assembly; 13 - sealing sleeve; 14 - gland mount; 15 - device washer; 16, 21, 23 - washer to ensure mobility; 17 — a part of fastening of an epiploon; 18, 20 - main mount; 19 - pin base; 22 - regulated device; 24 - pin front; 25.28 - rotary device; 31 - kingpin beam.

A description of each part is presented on the official website of KamAZ.

Removing the front beam Gazelle

If you can’t knock out the pivots in place, you have to remove the entire beam. We do it like this:

in the same way as in the variant considered above, we remove the wheels, hang out the front axle of the car;
disconnect the brake hoses from the calipers on both sides;
remove the brake calipers;
dismantle the front shock absorbers;
disconnect the tie rod together with the lever from the long beam;
on each of the two sides, we disconnect four nuts securing the beam to the springs;
roll out the beam, remove the steering knuckles from it.

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Next, we produce ZSH. On the removed suspension, even with a heavy hammer, it is very convenient to knock out the kingpins, and with a very sharp strong blow and a large sledgehammer, almost any most “dead” kingpin can be moved.

Factors contributing to node failure

Often malfunctions are caused by the fact that Kamaz did not undergo timely maintenance or due to the high mileage without control of spare parts that cannot withstand heavy loads.

First of all, malfunctions occur due to wear of the bronze bushing. For this reason, play occurs in the part. This situation requires replacement of the spare part with a new one.

It is necessary to replace the spare part immediately after any defects are found in it.

The first signs of a king pin malfunction:

turning the steering wheel is harder than usual;
tires wear unevenly;
there are gaps in the bushings;
knocking sounds are observed during the trip;
vibration starts in the steering wheel;
the car starts creaking when accelerating or cornering.

If one of the signs described above is noticed, then it is urgent to contact a service station for diagnostics.

Conclusion

Typically, motorists lubricate the pivots at least once a season. In order not to spend money in a car service, you can perform this operation yourself. If you do not monitor the condition of this unit, as a result of clogging of the lubrication channels, the suspension will start to work dry. Already after 5 thousand kilometers an unpleasant creak will appear and the wear of rubbing elements will accelerate. It is not so difficult to choose a lubricant from the list of recommended ones, because each has specific features that determine the scope.

What and how to lubricate the king pin, how often to inject
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Rules for operation and maintenance

Below are the main recommendations for servicing the pivot assembly of a Kamaz vehicle:

Technology for replacing pivots on a Gazelle

To repair the pivot suspension on the Gazelle, it is necessary to prepare the following parts and tools:

Repair kit that contains all the necessary parts, including new kingpins.
Reamer for Gazelle 25 mm, as well as a holder.
Set of heads, keys.
Wheel bearing puller.
CV joint grease, carburetor cleaner and VD-40 fluid.
Pivot lube and thread locker.

See in the video: replacing the pivot on the Gazelle.

After studying the roads, it is required to replace the pivots with gazelles with your own hands. Motorists carry out all this business without outside help, in their own garage. Thanks to this, you will have the confidence that nothing will be lost. Of course, you can contact a specialized service so that the masters can replace it for money. But not every motorist trusts such workers, even professionals. There are times when new troubles arise after repairs, you have to spend even more money and nerves.

Do-it-yourself replacement of pivots with gazelles is not a very complicated process; each driver can perform it in his own garage. The main thing is to have a tool and free space. It is worth noting that many motorists have studied their vehicle up and down, they know all the features, what to look for. The first symptom of trouble is a characteristic shaking during movement. To verify all this, you need to hang out the problematic wheel, grab the base and shake it in different directions. When observing the backlash, you will have to change the kingpins and wheel bearings.

If nothing is done, then in a short period of time the wheels will fail, you can get into a traffic accident. It is also necessary to unscrew the wheel and inspect the steering knuckle, continuing to swing. Experts note that the service life of the pivots is affected not only by the quality of the roadway, but also by the driving style. If the driver makes a sharp acceleration and braking, then the parts will quickly fail.

As for the replacement itself, there is nothing complicated here. The main thing is to have a special tool and free space in the garage. To simplify the work, you can call your friend to help with the work:

Be vigilant before buying a repair kit. The fact is that there are pins with a smaller cross section. Because of this, they simply do not enter the base of the suspension. Also pay attention to the bearings. They should have special lubrication and turn without any problems. Replacing pivots with gazelles with your own hands is not a very difficult task. The main thing is to have free space in the garage, time and tools.

The front suspension of Gazelle cars is spring, a massive cast beam is installed on the front axle.

The connection of the beam with the steering knuckles is pivot, the pivots turn together with the fists in bronze bushings, which are pressed into the fists. The suspension itself is highly reliable, but on condition that it is regularly lubricated. Replacing the pivots on a Gazelle with normal care is required after 70-120 thousand kilometers, but if the suspension is not injected, a large backlash in the joints may appear even after 20 thousand km.

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How to change

The pivots are replaced when there is play in the steering knuckle. At the same time, the wheels of the car behave unstably, and while driving, knocks are heard in the front beam. These works can be done in a car service, however, most drivers replace the part with their own hands.

For dismantling, it is necessary to raise the cab to the extreme position, remove the wheel and caliper. After that, the steering knuckle covers are removed. You can replace the pivots using a special tool and a 50-ton hydraulic jack, but most often a sledgehammer and bits are used.

How to knock out

Before removing the kingpin, you need to knock out the locking wedge. It is located in the body of the eye of the fist. Having unscrewed the retaining nut and using a set, with sharp blows of a sledgehammer they try to move it from its place. If this succeeds, then the part continues to be knocked out. Otherwise, a hole with a diameter of 8 mm is drilled in the wedge for about 2/3 of the length. After that, it is removed by hitting it with a sledgehammer.

It will be easier to knock out the kingpin if the beam is heated with a cutter. This operation must be carried out quickly so that the kingpin itself does not heat up. Some specialists use liquid nitrogen to cool the part - the effect is the same, but the probability of damaging the beam is reduced.

Assembly

Experts recommend changing the bushings along with the pivot. In most cases, they are included in the kit along with shims. They must be installed so that the hole on the sleeve coincides with the grease fitting, otherwise it will be impossible to lubricate the parts. To prevent the sleeve from turning and moving during the landing of the king pin, it is seated using a reamer.

Apply a thin layer of grease to all parts prior to assembly. Adjusting washers are installed between the upper eye and the beam, while the gap between them should be no more than 0.2 mm. The thrust bearing is placed in the seat on the lower eye of the steering knuckle.

The assembly of the kingpin is carried out with a hydraulic jack, but some use a sledgehammer.

When planting it, you need to remember that the slot at the end of the part should be on top. After the king pin has taken its place, a locking wedge is installed. It is fastened with a nut. The free play is selected by simultaneously tapping on the wedge and tightening the fasteners.

In a properly assembled assembly, no play is allowed between the parts, and a little effort is required to turn the fist. During operation, the connection must be periodically lubricated - this will extend its service life and ensure the safety of the car.

Installation of needle bearings

Before proceeding with the replacement of the kingpin on a Kamaz car, it is necessary to study in detail the needle bearing adjustment scheme, which is shown in the figure above. The washers are mounted in such a way that they are between the fixing beam and the upper lug. In this case, the distance between them should not exceed 0.2 mm. In this position, the support needle bearings are fixed.

Have you ever had to deal with broken pivots? Have you contacted the service station or did the replacement or repair yourself?

How to lubricate the kingpin - step by step instructions

When carrying out manipulations, you can use Janet's syringe. But many motorists take the usual medical. The following is a method of lubricating by squeezing without removing the grease fittings:

First remove the wheel and hang the car.

Next, you need to get close to the oilers - upper, middle and lower. To do this, turn the wheel by turning the steering wheel to the right. It is not necessary to remove the wheel.

It is necessary to clean the oilers from dust and sand with an iron brush.

Then you need to unscrew the three nuts. The top is unscrewed with a 7 mm head, for the middle and bottom you need to take 8 mm.

For douching, take a regular hose from a bicycle pump. One of its ends, which is put on the wheel nipple, is cut off. There is a thread on the other side of the hose, it is screwed into the hole where the nut was.

The next step is to draw lubricant into a syringe with a volume of 15-20 ml.

A syringe without a needle is connected to a hose. Then you need to squeeze out the contents, holding the junction.

If the assembly is sufficiently lubricated, oil should flow from adjacent joints.

Then alternately lubricate the other two oilers.

After lubrication, assembly is carried out in the reverse order, the nuts are tightened back.

The second method is performed with the removal of oilers. Before injection, both wheels are raised with jacks. The bridge is being lifted in its entirety. Thus, both kingpins are unloaded.

The grease fitting is unscrewed from the cover, the metal elements are cleaned. Next, they take a hose for injection, unscrew the nozzle from the gun. The hose on one side is screwed to the gun instead of the spout. Its other side is screwed in place of the removed oiler.

Old grease will leak out at the joints. After injection, scroll the wheels in the other direction and repeat the operation again. This must be done several times so that contaminated oil comes out, mixed with water and sand. When clean grease begins to come out of the slots, you can move on to the next grease gun.

Sometimes there are problems due to the tightness of the grease gun. When a spout is put on it, some of the lubricant flows out. Another common problem is when squirting it pierces the lid gasket. In this case, it is important to immediately change the gasket.

You can also watch useful videos that clearly show the process of lubricating the pivots: