Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Maintenance & Servicing King pin options

Time is approaching when I need to have my kingpins changed.

I know there is an excellent article by DaveW on how to change them but too big a job for me.

So anyway I just want a better understanding of my options when I have them fitted in terms of pros and cons and relative costs.

First the car is a 2006 Plus 4. 27000 miles

As I understand it there are two options.
1. Stainless Steel
2.Hard Chrome

I had assumed that the "wear" was designed to be in the associated bushes rather than the king pins themselves so what is the advantage of Hard Chrome?

Is there a significant wear/mile benefit relative to cost?

Also I am tempted to change the dampers. Is there a preferred solution.

Sorry if this is all "old hat" to the engineers amongst you and I have done a search to find the answers on TM but not successfully.

So any advice appreciated.

Go with hard chrome; the bronze bushes pick up dirt and this and the grease grind away the kingpin, particularly the lower one.

Use a gaitor over the rebound spring to protect the lower bush and kingpin from road dirt. Dave W sells a solution; I have a different solution but both are probably equally effective.

^^^^ This is the only way forward.
I would also recommend fitting Mulfab steering bearings to replace either the steering dampers, or the factory bearings.
A 2006 car may have either...........

Ring Cain at Wolf Performance, he bought up my stock of parts and kit from my king pin business when I had to stop because of knee issues.

Cain only uses Mulfab products and they are the best available. The pins are Hardchrome and the PB bushes have internal spiral grooves to facilitate grease spread. As Dave says the Mulfab steering bearing is far superior to the rubber booted MMC ones which corrode over time and the rubber top boot deforms and can lead to a notchy feel in extreme cases.

The question you asked about wear, the stainless used by the MMC is very soft grade and as a few on here have seen when I did their pins for them wears at a quite alarming rate, one car in particular (admittedly very high mileage) had wear I would not have believed had I not seen it and in a way that was totally masked when the car is jacked up so hard to spot at the MOT.

I assume by 'dampers' you mean what are commonly (and incorrectly) called shock absorbers. I think the general consensus is for adjustable Rutherford/AVOs from New Elms. I have recently fitted a pair to the front of my Mog and I am pleased with the way the car rides and steers.
http://www.newelms.com/

Hard Chrome Pins definitely but while you are doing all that I suggest you seriously consider the SSL (Suplex) front suspension upgrade. Made my 4/4 much more tolerant of bad road surfaces and as a none racer I really didn't notice the supposed reduction in steering feel.

There are many different attitudes on here towards the mod but IMHO it's worth it if you're already stripping the front end down to replace the Kingpins, bushes and dampers (shock absorbers as opposed to steering damper).

Enjoy the debate.

Had Cain replace the kingpins and bushes on my 2014 4/4 at 25,000 miles...excellent job and very interesting to watch.

As I like a hard/racing feel to my car I had new front springs fitted rated at 145 lbs and -2" in length.

I have adjustable spax fitted and have them set at 2 clicks on front and 10 on rear.
Tyre pressure set at 22 psi on oe Contis

Very much a point and squirt car..I continue to experiment with spax settings.

I now realise that new tyres will be on the cards soon.

I have driven Cains Café Racer...we have similar power/torque at 140 bhp but he has Avon tyres which have better grip than 3 year old Contis !!!..he also has the Ford gearbox (2009 4/4 sport)...I like my MX5 box.

Onwards and upwards!!!

+1
the SSL kit has greatly increased comfort and handling on my 2005 PLUS 4. The kit includes front SPAX adjustable dampers. I also have changed the rear dampers with SPAX provided by SSL. The rear dampers where completly loose after 31000 miles.

The guenuine front dampers were better, surely due to the great stiffness of the front suspension inducing a small stroke. If your rebound spring are not free at static, the suspension works in a reverse way:
. very stiff on small bump
. becoming soft on hight bump

SSL kit makes the suspension working in the right way.

Now, no problem on rough roads and bumps... but it remains a Morgan not a Citroën DS.

I make tourism, not racing.

All Good advice. This the standard I expect from TM.

Just want to say thanks for all the helpful responses. Decision time now !