Where to buy: Radius Arm

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Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2012: Where to buy: Radius Arm
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Raymond Chester on Tuesday, July 31, 2012 - 12:08 am:

Without going into great detail, I've found myself in a situation where the radius arm on my 1927 Model T is bent slightly. I've searched the vendors on MTFCA's site, but it seems no one sells the actual radius arm. Does anyone know where a guy could buy a new one or specs needed to have a machinist straighten the original one...if that's even possible? Much thanks!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Steve Jelf, Parkerfield KS on Tuesday, July 31, 2012 - 12:27 am:

Wishbone, or rear? Not that it matters. Shipping is the killer. Many of the parts dealers have used parts not listed in their catalogues. If none of the local T guys have one they can part with, call some dealers, starting with the closest.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jim Patrick on Tuesday, July 31, 2012 - 12:27 am:

A "slightly bent" radius arm, which goes from each rear axle housing end to the drive shaft bell housing and provides stability between the drive shaft housing and differential, is relatively easy to straighten. Sometimes new owners mistakenly call the wishbone arms, radius arms, which are difficult to straighten. Whichever one you need, you can probably get from Mike Peterson, who buys and parts out 1926-27 Model T's and sells the parts on ebay. He post here and is a real good guy. Jim Patrick


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Russell Day on Tuesday, July 31, 2012 - 03:31 am:

Most items made from mild steel and slightly bent can be bent back with some ease. Unless of course it has a crease in it. A machinist could put it on two 2x4 blocks to remove the error with foot pressure or you could do it yourself, choice is yours. If you are limber enough to crawl under the car and can position yourself right, bend it back without removing from the car. Used parts can have issues worse than a slight bend. Spec sheet not needed, if it has to be straight and you can get very close to straight, call it good. Just be sure to loosen the nuts where it connects to the universal joint end. Finger tighten when the repair is made and then cinch down on the nuts. Fur the tough stuff like Vanadium steel, the Vintage Ford had a nice tinkerin tips story in using a hydraulic log splitter an issue or two back.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Raymond Chester on Thursday, August 02, 2012 - 11:03 am:

Gentlemen, Thanks for the quick replies. Moving has kept me off the forum for a few days. It's actually in the front...the 1927 service manual I have calls it the radius arm which goes from the front axle and attaches at the radius ball joint to the flywheel casing. It does look like a wishbone, though...interesting. Thanks for all the tips. The ball joint end is bent upward about 5-10 degrees. I'll see if I can't straighten it or find a machine shop in our new town. I did find a seller on the MTFCA Classifieds page (Larry Ciuffo)who said he had a few that he had cleaned and painted and are ready to go...$60 +shipping sounds very reasonable. After reading about the Meeks' accident, should I be worried about buying suspension parts from individuals? Any endorsements for/against Mr Ciuffo? Jim, I'll also check with Mike Peterson since you singled him out. I greatly appreciate the input to the new guy.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Seth from NC on Thursday, August 02, 2012 - 11:26 am:

The issue with Mr. Meek's accident had to do with aftermarket accessories that failed. I don't think there's any problem with buying a stock suspension part from someone that just cleaned and painted.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ricks - Surf City on Thursday, August 02, 2012 - 11:30 am:

Wishbone is just more descriptive than radius arm, and easily distinguishes it from the two rear radius arms.

I would inspect it carefully for cracks at the bend, then straighten it cold, and check for cracks again. I would not expect it to crack: "Trust, but verify."

Before trying to straighten it, I would bolt it to something like a piece of angle iron to keep the front hole spacing correct. Maybe somebody has already has a jig for the job.

rdr


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John Danuser on Thursday, August 02, 2012 - 11:32 am:

Besides Meeks early car had the wishbone above the axle, w/out a helper under it. The only way you are going to find the wishbones is thru dealers or individuals as NO one makes them NEW


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Norman T. Kling on Thursday, August 02, 2012 - 11:45 am:

I don't think you have to worry about having an accident like Mr. Meeks. You have a 27 which has the wishbone mount under the axle giving it much more stability than that of the earlier Model T's. Main thing to check is the condition of the ball joint and how it fits into the socket. The nuts on the studs should be tightened on the springs and the studs wired with safety wire. Do not use cotter pins here. The nuts on the spring perches under the front axle are tapered and fit into a tapered hole on the bottom side of the wishbone. They should be tightened about 75 ft lbs and cotter pinned. The wishbone should be tight at the nuts. After bolting everything up, check your caster. The bottom of the axle should lean forward and the top back. To measure, use a square on a level floor. Place the square against the lower spindle bushing in front of the axle. The top spindle bushing should be between 1/4" and 5/16" behind the square.

I know Larry personally and I don't think Larry would knowingly sell you a defective part.
Norm


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ricks - Surf City on Thursday, August 02, 2012 - 12:09 pm:

Good write-up, Norman. Did the 4-dip pans use studs originally? The top side of the ball mount is open, so I use bolts from the bottom and jam nuts on top. That is quicker and more secure than studs and safety wire.

rdr


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Wayne Sheldon, Grass Valley, CA on Thursday, August 02, 2012 - 02:03 pm:

Is the ball straight from side to side? If it is, and it is in good condition otherwise, it may be that someone in the past bent it up to add a little caster. That sometimes makes a model T drive a little better. You should check it over carefully to be sure there are no kinks or cracks forming around that bend. But most model T parts are pretty tough and as others said can be bent cold.
If the bend is the result of a recent happenstance, check the pan very carefully. The pan is far more likely to bend than the ball of the wishbone.
Drive carefully, and enjoy, W2


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Norman T. Kling on Thursday, August 02, 2012 - 02:51 pm:

The 4 dip pans did use studs. The pan can be bent at the ball joint if the front axle is hit hard. If the castor is within limits, it should be OK.
Norm


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Harold Schwendeman - Sumner,WA on Thursday, August 02, 2012 - 04:25 pm:

Ralph - I'm sure your method with bolts instead of studs is every bit as safe and secure as the conventional studs and safety wire. Only thing I think might be a problem is that to participate in some club tours, events, etc., a club "safety check" is sometimes conducted (and should be) and the absence of safety wire might cause a problem to the "inspector" and perhaps precipitate and rather "heated" discussion.....(???) Maybe to avoid this, you could just drill through your bolt heads and install the safety wire anyway and keep everybody happy,.......just a thought,......harold


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Raymond Chester on Thursday, August 02, 2012 - 05:46 pm:

Ah, Wayne, I hadn't thought about that. I hadn't really checked it out before it was driven off the end of an auto-transport and the ball joint bolts snapped. Oops, guess the cats out of the bag. I'll check the caster and if all good, I may be concerned over nothing. My wife's granddad owned it before us and he was pretty "crafty" with the T. I have given a good going over for cracks/dents in the block, frame, supports, etc. All that looks good.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Royce in Dallas TX on Thursday, August 02, 2012 - 05:49 pm:

I think Mr Meeks was simply going too fast when the tire went flat, leading to loss of control and flipping the car. The fact that a component failed is not unreasonable given the situation.

I doubt the fact that the part that failed was aftermarket was relative to the chances of Ken dying, and I don't think the fact that the wishbone was an early stye - it didn't fail - had anything to do with his death.

A Model T is not designed to travel at freeway speeds. If you deive that fast you or your passengers will likely have a severe incident or death one day. If you drive at Model T era speeds you won't likely have anything except an inconvenience should a tire go flat unexpectedly.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Raymond Chester on Thursday, August 02, 2012 - 05:50 pm:

Thanks Norm. Those details help a lot!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Norman T. Kling on Thursday, August 02, 2012 - 09:47 pm:

I would also like to add this. My measurements came out of the black book. This assumes the body and engine are all in place. Without the body, your angles could vary because with less weight, the wishbone will be higher in back and could give you negative castor. That is it would pull the bottom of the axle back. So make your measurements with the body in place.
Norm


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