King Pin Shim question

OK, another front end suspension question for the group. I took the king pin off the driver's side to double-check the shimming that I had done. I put in shims until I couldn't turn it at all (torquing to 60 ft/lbs each time), then took out one shim. At the end, when I torqued to 60ft lbs, I could not feel any up/down play, and the king pin rotated, but was pretty tight.

So far, so good. However on the passenger side, the stub arm swings much more freely. I can't recall exactly how I assembled it, as it was a few months ago, but I'm pretty sure that I did the same as for the driver's side. I've torqued the top nut to 60, and can't feel any up/down play. Is it possible that one side would turn more freely than the other and be shimmed correctly, or should I disassemble and re-check the shims?

There should be no resistance to "turning". The spacers at the top of the steering knuckle should be in order...thin steel shim, thick distance washer, thin steel shim.

Try backing the big nut off on "groove" if you are using a castle nut or perhaps an eighth of a turn if you are using a nylock nut.

You did install the rubber o-ring water shield at the bottom of the steering knuckle, right?

Jack

Jonathan, you want them to have the same easy turn feeling.
You could back off the nut a tad like Jack said,
or take one shim out of the driver's side and replace it with the next thinnest shim you have on hand. Have a set of calipers? It may take as little as 0.002 to get the desired results and still have zero end float. When doing shim work its a good idea to have all shims measured and marked w/sharpie.
RS

Jack -

By steering knuckle, do you mean the top part of the kingpin assembly, the part that attaches to the hydrolic damper arms? It's marked #59 on page k.4 of the workshop manual and labeled trunion-suspension link. And, no they are not in that order. I think (am back in Brooklyn so will not be in front of the car for another two weeks) that I assembled with two shims, then the thicker distance washer. I will double-check for the water shield but think I did. I only get to work on the car now and then and I assembled the king pins several weeks ago. Are you talking about part marked #53 on k.5 - ring swivel axle pin (cork)??

It's a nylock nut, Rob, so I'll back off a bit and see what happens. I've read the advice about marking with a sharpie before, but didn't remember before now. All my shims are def. different thicknesses, some by only a tiny bit.

Again, many thanks.

Yes, top nut, shock link.
Jack made a good point about order of washers. The distance piece (thick) is softer than the steel washers. Sandwich the thick one between 2 steelies.
The lower seal may be a rubber "O" ring or cork and fits in the groove before Kingpin is inserted.
RS