Just to clarify, I am sure you know this but here goes the stages are (everything cleaned up)
Fit the stub axle alone (just the stub axle) into the lower lug of the crosshead and let it sit down as low as it can possibly go.
Mount the steering bearing if you’re fitting one and the mainspring on the tube of the stub axle.
Fit the dust cover with the bumps stop into the top of the spring (as an aside I put a smear of grease on the top of the dust cover and on the top of the spring as this helps stop creaking for a while)
Now grabbing the spring in the middle with one hand and using the flat of your other hand near the top of the spring try and banana it and tuck the top edge under the top lug (note the kingpin has not even been fitted yet!)
Once the spring is partly under the top lug use your hand to tap it in (that’s how little spring load there is) to a more central position and place a Philips screwdriver or bolt which ever you prefer down through the top bolthole just for safety to hold it in place (you’re actually putting it down the dust tube of course)
Now fit the lower plate and rebound spring to the new kingpin and insert it up from underneath and feel it up into the dust tube you’ll reach a point where you need to either use a long threaded rod through the top or the two smaller diameter long studs at the bottom to draw the kingpin up into position compressing the mainspring.
The watch point here is as you draw the kingpin and stub axle into position the stub axle needs to be correctly aligned to insert into the dust tube without damaging the lip if it’s the first time you do it spraying one of them with a little paint makes it easier to spot which piece of metal is moving as peering through the coils in the spring they can both look a same colour and it’s hard to spot!
As the lower plate nears position and is about a quarter of an inch away that’s when I replace whatever I’m using at the top for the final fitting top bolt as by then it will reach the threads in the end of the kingpin and enable you to get half a dozen or so threads started.
Finally I use mole grips on one side of the lower plate and lug to hold them in situ whilst I fit the nut and bolt to the opposite side then I use those to draw the plate up even closer to the lug and fit the nut and bolt to the other side.
Then it’s just a case of nipping everything up tight giving it a good grease and moving the stub from lock to lock to ensure nothing is binding and everything is free as it should be.
Job done, cuppa time! Bacon sandwich if your lucky 👍
Hope that helps
BR
Colin
