Front End Adjustments

[markp213]

Forgive me in advance for not knowing the correct terminology of the following…

My 1931 AA had the death wobble going on and I discovered the front bearings were both loose. I tightened them both and it corrected the problem for the most part, until I drive over a rough patch of road. The bearings both seem to be seated properly (no wobble top to bottom of the wheels), but I noticed there is play in the steering spindle at the castle nut in the picture. I pulled the cotter pin and tightened the nut, which fixed the play, but now I can’t get the pin back in. When I try to back the nut off, the whole spindle rotates with the nut.

Am I possibly screwing up the toe-in by the spindle rotating? If I back the nut off to fit the cotter pin, the wheel wobbles left to right. If I tighten the nut it fixes the wobble, but then I can’t get the pin in the hole.

I hope that made sense. Any suggestions/recommendations would be appreciated!

Mark P.

[Bob C]

The steering arm has a flat side that should fit into the spindle to keep it from rotating.
You could sand or grind a little off of the back side of nut so it will turn a little more to install the cotter pin.

[markp213]

Thank you Bob. I did not know that about the flat edge. I will check into this - and sand down the nut a bit.