To the OP: I think the message is that the original non-power system can work quite well if it's brought back to correct condition. Mine has run tens of thousands of miles at speeds of 70mph or more. My only issue was that as the tread blocks wore down on my 31-10.50 x 15 front tires, it became harder and harder to jockey around in paved parking lots. The 10.50 tires on 7-inch rims and the rear 32-11.50 x 15 tires on 8" rims were more for looks. My vanity gave my upper body a workout as I used the truck as daily driver.

Looking through my on-line parts library (rockauto) I came upon something new to me. The washer bearing in the kingpin set. Every kingpin set I have ever bought has had a ball thrust bearing. The original kingpins in my '64Dog had the ball bearing. Now I see that you have to pick and choose to get a real ball bearing instead of the so-called washer bearing. I guess I've been lucky all this time!

Re: Sizing the bushings...I never worried about honed or reamed. I'd take the stuff into my local machine shop and get it back the next day. I don't know what procedure they used. I do know that the old books talk about reaming to size. This process uses a reamer specially made for kingpin bushings. It's long and makes sure the bushings are coaxial (in line with each other). I can see a hone doing one at a time and having the centerlines skewed. I can also see a hone bellmouthing the bushings. It's likely that this procedure takes a special kind of hone so all my worries are for naught. But I've never had an issue with a reamed kingpin bushing.

R.