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A kingpin assembly for heavy duty vehicles having upper and lower yokes of a steering spindle knuckle straddling upper and lower sides of an end portion of an axle. The upper and lower steering spindle yokes have respective bores in registration with a bore in the axle end portion. A kingpin has a c

A kingpin assembly for heavy duty vehicles having upper and lower yokes of a steering spindle knuckle straddling upper and lower sides of an end portion of an axle. The upper and lower steering spindle yokes have respective bores in registration with a bore in the axle end portion. A kingpin has a central portion fixedly secured within the axle bore, and has opposite, accurately machined and polished end portions disposed within respective upper and lower steering spindle yoke apertures. There is an annular gap between the peripheries of the kingpin end portions and the interior surfaces of the steering spindle yoke bores. An annular sleeve resides within the gap. A pair of roller bearings are mounted in spaced relation internally of the sleeve, with a grease reservoir being defined in the space between adjacent roller bearings. The roller bearings have an outer race mounted in a stationary position on the internal wall of the sleeve. Rolling elements are disposed between the kingpin end peripheries and the respective races for rolling surface contact with the peripheries of respective kingpin ends and races to provide low friction oscillatory movement of the steering spindle knuckle with respect to the axle end.

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[ What is claimed is:] [1.] A kingpin assembly, comprising:an axle having an upper side and a lower side, and an end portion with a generally vertically extending bore;a steering spindle having integral upper and lower yokes positioned at said axle end portion and adjacent respective said upper and

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] A kingpin assembly, comprising:an axle having an upper side and a lower side, and an end portion with a generally vertically extending bore;a steering spindle having integral upper and lower yokes positioned at said axle end portion and adjacent respective said upper and lower sides of the axle, the upper and lower yokes of the steering spindle having internal surfaces defining respective upper and lower steering spindle bores in registration with said axle bore;a substantially cylindrical kingpin having a central portion disposed within the axle bore, and a pair of opposite, cylindrical end portions received within said respective upper and lower steering spindle bores, the end portions having peripheral surfaces in spaced relation from the internal surfaces of the respective upper and lower steering spindle bores to define an annular gap between the peripheries of the kingpin end portions and the internal surfaces of the respective upper and lower steering spindle bores;a pair of keepers engaged with the axle and the central portion of the kingpin to secure the central portion of the kingpin in substantially stationary position within the axle bore;a tapered thrust washer disposed between the lower side of the axle end portion and the lower yoke;first and second annular sleeves each having an interior wall defining a cylindrical hollow internal sleeve bore and being secured within the respective steering spindle bore, with each of said first and second sleeves being secured within a respective one of said upper and lower steering spindle bores and received in said annular gaps between the peripheries of the kingpin end portions and the internal surfaces defining the respective steering spindle bores;a pair of metal roller bearings mounted in the sleeve bores of each of the first and second sleeves in spaced relation with respect to one another, with the metal roller bearings having internal metal rolling elements;a grease reservoir in each of said first and second sleeves in a region between said pair of metal roller bearings for receiving grease and retaining grease for lubrication of the rolling elements;precisely machined and highly polished, cylindrical surfaces on the peripheries of the kingpin end portions machined to predetermined tolerances to have a close fit with the respective said internal metal rolling elements to reduce road pounding motion therebetween and being highly polished to provide smooth rolling engagement with the internal metal rolling elements; andprecisely machined and highly polished, inner cylindrical surfaces on said first and second sleeves with the internal metal rolling elements rolling with respect to the highly polished, cylindrical surfaces on the kingpin end portions and sleeve inner surfaces for low friction oscillatory movement of the steering spindle with respect to the end portion of the axle.