Original Trucks - My Kingpin Modification

[LTRS]

Seismic Trucks use an e-clip at the end of their kingpin bolt. This assures that even when the kingpin comes loose, it is impossible for it to fall out.

This past weekend, the rear kingpin bolt on my Original S6 trucks had come loose on my Torpedo 40. It didn't fall out, but the trucks started to rattle. I tightened it up a half turn and everything was fine again.

But I got to thinking, "Wouldn't it be cool/smart if Original also used an e-clip to secure their kingpin bolts?"

Then I looked more closely at the Original kingpins and I saw something I never would have expected... AN E-CLIP GROOVE IS ALREADY THERE!

Were my eyes decieving me?

Nope. It's real.


So, I got out a box of e-clips.....


And my e-clip installation tool......


Installed a 1/4" e-clip on each kingpin.....


Now my kingpins can never fall off my Original trucks. Sweet!


Why don't Original kingpins already include an e-clip since the groove is already cut for one?

I have no idea.

I'm just stoked that the e-clip groove is there!

[cougrs84]

that's a good idea

[RobEx47]

Whoa whoa whoa! That is pretty sick dude. I'm about to do the same to my S8's! Lemme ask you, does this mean when you ride your trucks won't loosen up anymore?
-Rob

[southshorelocal]

how do you add one of those grooves on your kingpin? a dremel?

[grimble]

clippety clop!

[stridey]

Seismic Trucks use an e-clip at the end of their kingpin bolt.

Storytime...
Dan Gesmer sourced the clips from near me in the UK for the Seismics....asked if I would pick them up and ship them on to his truck maker. (Not in the UK...).

I got my estate car ready. He told me they ordered 20,000 or so. So I put the seats down in the back. I was ready for a load.

Man at the factory passes me a shoebox.

[Barf]

Whoa whoa whoa! That is pretty sick dude. I'm about to do the same to my S8's! Lemme ask you, does this mean when you ride your trucks won't loosen up anymore?
-Rob

The e-clip will keep the kingpin nut from unscrewing past the groove, so they won't loosen more than that. However, if you have your nut tightened any more than that, they can still loosen up.

I fixed the loosening problem completely by installing a star washer:



Put it right under the head of the kingpin and make sure there's no lube in this area. The trucks will stay tightened exactly where you set them, you won't even need the e-clip, although you can still add it for peace of mind if you like.

[LTRS]

Lemme ask you, does this mean when you ride your trucks won't loosen up anymore?

The e-clip will keep the kingpin nut from unscrewing past the groove, so they won't loosen more than that. However, if you have your nut tightened any more than that, they can still loosen up.

Correct. The kingpin CAN still become a little loose. It just can't get so loose that it falls out. It will only get loose to the e-clip, then stop.

how do you add one of those grooves on your kingpin? a dremel?

NO! Don't try that! The groove must be the exact-right depth around the entire circumference and machined into the bolt when the kingpin is created. If you try to make your own slot with a Dremel, you'll cut too deep or too shallow and the e-clip will never snap into place correctly. You'll just end up screwing up your kingpin. The Original kingpin bolt already has the groove. That is why I was so shocked. I did not Dremel the groove on my own.

[MJKam11]

With the star washer, you can still remove the kingpin nut, but it won't come off unless you do it? I don't get how it works.

[LTRS]

With the star washer, you can still remove the kingpin nut, but it won't come off unless you do it? I don't get how it works.

A starwasher is similar to a lockwasher. You completely remove the kingpin, slide the starwasher all the way onto the kingpin, then reinstall the kingpin. The little teeth of the starwasher dig into the surfaces and provide counterpressure to secure the bolt - same as a lockwasher does. Lockwashers and starwashers are intended to do the same thing, they just do it in different ways - the lockwasher with the pressure of the split-ring and the starwasher with the pressure of the teeth.

Installing the e-clip means you don't even remove the kingpin. All you do is snap the e-clip in place and you're finished.

[Barf]

With the star washer, you can still remove the kingpin nut, but it won't come off unless you do it? I don't get how it works.

The teeth just keep the kingpin from rotating. The nut is already held in place by the hexagon shaped indentation on the cam/flange assembly. If nothing rotates, nothing unscrews and nothing comes off.

I'm several months in on this starwasher thing and still zero loosening. But I can adjust it anytime I like, same as always. It's perfect.

[Ferrarimk13]

are you sure you can't put the e-clip on any of the threads? usually you are able too, unless the e clip is abnormally thick. Sounds good though, you went all out on those e-clips haha. I'm looking into it as well.

[LTRS]

are you sure you can't put the e-clip on any of the threads? usually you are able too, unless the e clip is abnormally thick. Sounds good though, you went all out on those e-clips haha. I'm looking into it as well.

Excellent suggestion. Unfortunately, putting an e-clip on the threads of a bolt is useless, because it can just vibrate loose like a nut - that defeats the whole reason to use one. Having a routed groove, separate from the threads, prevents any chance of that happening.

Yeah, my box of e-clips is WAY overkill. I'll never use half those sizes! But I couldn't find any small individual clips in the hardware store and that box was only like $6.00. So, I figured why not?

[Ferrarimk13]

ahh, that makes sense, sorry i wasn't thinking completely strait. As for the e-clips, you can get a bunch of them at hobby shops in different sizes, but im not sure if they come so large. Thanks for the info though, ill definitely look for some e-clips and do it myself.

[LTRS]

POTENTIAL BAD NEWS UPDATE:

I bought some Original S10 trucks for my Surf One Classic and the kingpins DO NOT have the e-clip groove. The S6 trucks which came on my Torpedo 40 had the grooves. The S10 trucks that I bought as standalone trucks do not.

So, on my S6 trucks, I followed the tip about the starwashers AND my own e-clip technique.

On my S10 trucks, I used a 5/16" Grade 8 lockwasher, since the e-clips wouldn't work. I also figured the lockwasher would give more leverage than the starwasher. (The reason I didn't use the lockwaser on the S6 trucks is because it was too thick and would have prevented me from using the e-clip anymore.)

Now you know - your Original kingpin may or may not have the e-clip groove. Look for it first. Don't just assume it is there.

The tip about the starwashers will work too.

The Original Trucks kingpin bolt is metric - a M8 with 1.00 threadpitch, I'm pretty sure. This is close enough to 5/16" that both a 5/16" lockwasher or a 5/16" starwasher will work fine. Just don't go trying to put a 5/16" bolt on the end - the threads will never fit.

[HerBDerb]

I had always wondered why there was that small gap between the threads.

Now I know.

[BlackRider]

I ordered some S6's from Switchback and they don't appear to have the E-Clip groove. I've got some star washers and I understand that it goes under the kingpin, but I'm curious how tightly it should go on. Do they screw on like a nut or just kind of hang out there? There's a bit of room if I slide one over the bolt, will this do or have I gotten a size too large?

[Barf]

I ordered some S6's from Switchback and they don't appear to have the E-Clip groove. I've got some star washers and I understand that it goes under the kingpin, but I'm curious how tightly it should go on. Do they screw on like a nut or just kind of hang out there? There's a bit of room if I slide one over the bolt, will this do or have I gotten a size too large?

re: e-clip groove-
You can make your own with a dremel tool if you want. I've never needed it, though.. the star washer has been enough. You mileage may vary.

re: star washer-
It goes at the other end of the kingpin from where the e-clip would be. Remove the kingpin completely from the truck, slip the star washer on and slide it all the way to the top of the kingpin. Now re-install the kingpin- the washer will end up down inside the round pocket that the head of the kingpin sits in.

Also, be aware that the star washer needs to be facing the right way. The little pointy bits will dig in when the kingpin rotates in one direction, and they will slip when rotating the other direction. Be sure you install the star washer so that the points are making in difficult for the kingpin to rotate in the direction that loosens the trucks.

[superomid121]

brian bishop says you can just put 2 nuts at the end of the kingpin, 1 gets pressed to the deck meaning it cant get loose

[alaskagoldman]

Yes, a second nut will be better anyway. You can also just drill a hole all the way through the kingpin and put a cotter pin if yours has no groove.