I really like to switch the bolt like this, could I know what’s the bolt and nut size and probably where to get them?
Thank u!
You can bring your existing kingpin and nut to a screw or hardware shop and tell them you want the exact bolt and nut, in stainless steel.
But the size for the kingpin is 9.3mm in diameter, and 65mm in length. You can go for M9 or M10. M10 might be a bit too tight so you’ll have to test.
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No no, kingpins do break, and it’s a nasty fall. In the US we upgrade to grade 8 if swapping out – not sure what the metric equivalent is.
Also if you can stay imperial you can use standard skate tools.
BTW love this thread!
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So far i’ve been using stainless kingpins cus of the rust, but i’ve not experienced any bending or snapping of the kingpin yet. I’ll probably change it eventually yea, or get titanium ones, if they exist!
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Man what did you use as filler for the sanding?
Thst exactly my same thought 
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I used this filler that i can get locally called Mipa.
Do note that i made my enclosure really thick, like 5mm thick, so i had room to sand down that mess after the fiberglass lay up. If you use automotive body filler on fiberglass, do make sure that your fiberglass surface is sanded, and has no glossy low spots if not the filler won’t stick as well.
If in the US, there is a similar product which goes by the name Bondo. Bondo is the brand, and they have body filler as well. If you really want strength, go for the fiberglass body filler.
Body filler usually goes by the ratio of 98/2. I am lazy to weigh/calculate so what i do is i scoop a golf ball size amount of filler, and squeeze two drops of the hardener. Divide accordingly if you plan to use smaller batches. After filling, it can be sanded down with an orbital sander or a palm sander, i like to use the orbital.
Repeat till it’s smooth! Then prime, spray and all that jazz.
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Perfect! I got a body filler 2 components as well. I will try to make it this weekend. I already know won’t look as good as yours. So you didn’t use any vacuum bag. Interesting.
How many layers ended up to be 5mm thick enclosure? And which grain did you use? Like 225g/m2…
Yea, i just lay the fiberglass on my mold with a brush, resin, and cloth. All the shaping is done from sanding and filling. Good luck!
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https://elginfasteners.com/resources/metric-bolt-conversion-metric-to-standard-bolt-conversion/
Grade 8 is 10.9. Grade 8 is the strongest commonly available grade for this bolt. I believe stock kingpins tend to be grade 5, but Caliber 2 and Paris 2 are grade 8 stock.
And, titanium is probably weaker and more expensive, but lighter and corrosion resistant. The thing to worry about is cycle fatigue.
3/8" bolt (24 TPI). The nut is I believe 9/16".
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Interesting! I’ll have a read, thanks for the link!
That’s a good question… I don’t remember what kind of fiberglass cloth i use. It’s one of those cross weave ones, here’s a pic.
I don’t have the exact numbers but this is a fairly fine weave, and not too thick as well.
Hence, i think i used a good 8~9 layers to get about 5mm of thickness.
Do note that this kind of cloth does not bend on corners very well, so keep a pair of scissors or craft knife beside when doing it, as you may need to cut on the corner of your enclosure if you have any when doing it. Instead of one big sheet rolled over the enclosure, i do the laying in small pieces, measuring 10cm x 10cm. For the sides of the enclosure i use thinner strips, around 5cm x 10cm. Smaller pieces of fiberglass make it easier to work with, just brush a layer on, lay the cloth, dab it with the brush, do not brush the cloth, it may cause stuff to shift.
Since the fiberglassing can take awhile, the first layer may start to set and cure, assuming you take more than 30mins~1 hr to work on laying it, depending on the resin you use as well. Once it starts to get thick, it might be tricky to work with since the layers below are still ‘soft’, so you might find stuff start to shift a bit.
Try to finish everything in one sitting, because if you do a few coats and then when it’s fully hardened, you need to sand the surface before adding a new layer, because the new layer you apply, will not stick to the glossy cured surface. Also, pour your resin in batches, than in one big cup, trust me the whole cup will start to harden up and you will waste your resin. Start a new pour on a new cup when you run out.
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I see you used a Matt sheet. Better finish but indeed more difficult to work with. I bought the classical one. Looks ugly but should be esier to lay down. I will see. Thanks for the help
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Hi! I am in the process. So far seems ok.
Now I will let it cures for 24h. It’s already hard but that what the datasheet says.
So I got the body filler process with sanding ecc…
My question is did you also apply at the end primer and sand it too? Or once you reach the primer step then it is followed by paint only?
Thx
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Wow, that looks way better than my mess!
After this cures, hit it with the orbital sander and then apply the body filler. Proceed to sand and fill till it looks smooth, then spray primer on it.
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Here’s a more in depth steps on how to do it. This is a helmet I made for a friend years ago for a costume.
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This video are gold I will have a look. Thanks. BTW your rings are amazing!
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