For those of you who have owned Model T's for years and years, I'm sure that you have an annual checklist of items that you go over on your car, things outside of the normal grease/oil maintenance. I know that the clubs have their safety checklist, especially when it comes to cotter pins and safety wire, but what about common places where things work their way loose. My car now has over 1000 miles on the rebuilt engine and I'm thinking it's time to do a thorough safety inspection. Any recommendations? Thanks.
Jim
The usual time is prior to every big tour, checking all the regular stuff.
For all the T's in the garage, annually is the radiator drain and front wheel bearings clean, examine and grease re-pack, and check over all nuts and bolts, cleaning up excess grease and road dirt on the undercarriage too.
Semi-annual is the battery re-fill to be sure the plates are covered.
Here is some good info to follow, for a regular driven Model T, its from 'Ford Motor Car' R.P. Manley, 1917.
Most of these I do on semi-annual and annual.
These are all good items to check, but some should be checked far more often, according to other check lists, especially the tire pressure and commutator.
Dan Trease, that's a nice list. Thanks for posting it I now have it in my files. I am also going to post it in our Long Beach Model T Club news letter The "Magneto News", thanks again . . . Frank
Dan, very seasonal correct, our first club tour is only about ten days away now. Thanks!
Our club made it mandatory to have turned in a very complete self inspection sheet to the tour chair person before going on any tours.
A good idea and I was surprised at a few of the bolts I had tightened only the year before had gotten very loose. Funny but true. I should have checked sooner and will from now on.
I find I am very "into it" at the first of the season, but may have let the ongoing maintenance get lax as the season goes on. I am sure nobody else does that.
Here's a link to a great article on going through your T for durable touring.
http://s290.photobucket.com/albums/ll242/fordmodelt/taking%20a%20T%20out%20of%20 mothballs/
dratttt, Jay that link didn't work.
For those who would like a copy & paste version of the Manley list, here it is.
UPKEEP AND CARE
Every Fifty Miles:
Look for oil, water and fuel leaks.
Shake rear wheels to see that they are tight.
Shake front wheels to test bearings for looseness.
Every Two Hundred Miles:
Oil the front spring shackles.
Oil steering spindle bolts.
Oil ball and socket joints on steering rods.
Oil rear wheel brake cams.
Oil rear spring shackles.
Put vaseline in the commutator.
Turn grease cup on fan hub.
Turn grease cups on rear axle.
Test steering gear ball and socket joints for looseness.
Put kerosene in engine cylinders while hot.
Every Four Hundred Miles:
Oil brake rod brackets and support.
Oil hood lacing.
Oil the starting crank.
Oil the door hinges and locks.
Turn grease cup at bottom of steering column.
Turn grease cup on universal joint.
Turn grease cup at forward end of drive shaft.
Put grease or vaseline in front wheel bearings.
Examine wiring for loose connections.
Examine ball joint under engine for looseness.
Test the compression of each cylinder with starting crank.
Test inflation pressure of each tire.
Every Twelve Hundred Miles:
Clean spark plugs and set gaps to 1/32 inch.
Clean inside of commutator.
Flush the cooling system.
Test the fan belt adjustment.
Examine engine bolts for looseness.
Test the spring shackle bolts for looseness.
Test the spring clip nuts for looseness.
Test the front wheel alignment.
Repair cuts in tires.
Every Five Thousand Miles:
Test body bolts for looseness.
Put grease in gear case under steering wheel.
Lubricate spring leaves.
If the above outline is followed it will mean that the items under the fifty mile heading will be cared for every time the speedometer shows that this distance has been traveled. At two hundred miles it will be necessary to go over the points under the two hundred mile heading and also those under the fifty mile heading, because two hundred is a multiple of fifty. For a similar reason it will be necessary, when the four hundred mile list is cared for, to take care of those specified at two hundred miles as well as those called for at fifty. At twelve hundred miles the lists for four hundred, for two hundred and for fifty will be called for. At five thousand miles all lists need to be followed.
From Ford Motor Car by R.P Manley, 1917.
Why would I want to "Put kerosene in engine cylinders while hot" ??
schuh
bump
Maybe that was R.P. Manley's idea in 1917 on how to postpone taking the cylinder head off for decarbonizing - they had to do that often back then given the oils, oil rings and fuel of the day. Noone had more than about a dozen years of experience with cars - just about all of us at the forum has more experience with cars than the experts of 1917, so it's understandable they sometimes had some seemingly strange advice to give. Use their advice today with caution
Thanks Roger