I was hoping to put the front end of my '13 together today when I discovered this. Please bear with me because it is difficult to photograph the problem.
I was carefully positioning the perches to set the proper castor when I discovered that the radius rod has vastly differing castor on each end. If you lay it flat on the floor one end seems straight and the other dives down to the deck! I think that what I want is the straight end as the other end (closest in the photo) seems to show a little signs of having been bent.
Right now I can't find a replacement set of rods so i am planing on straightening these... just want advice as to which end is correct!
TH
I don't let no steenkin' moss grow under my feet. Whilst awaiting the solution of the rod dilemma, I went down and looked closer. You know if I just... so the rod goes into the press and gets about 500 lbs just to hold it in place and then I could easily twist the offending (the one I think was offending) side and voila! the ends line up!!! I Sure am glad that these parts need to be resistant to bending and compression only... not twisting!
Next problem... which perches to use... An idea... stack them up and compare:
It may be an illusion, but it looks as if the length difference is only in the threaded parts. I think I would use whichever perches have the best tight fit in the axle, even if that means using one of each! However, the nut must tighten against the axle before it reaches the end of the thread, and the split pin must fit into the castellations. You may have to fit a washer.
As for the radius rods, you have to get the correct caster angle - the axle leaning back by about 5 degrees. Bending the rods is the only means of adjustment you have. I think I would fit one side at a time, on the car, to see how much each one needs bending. The other side can rest on top of its perch while you check.
Then do your bending. This will ensure it all goes together without inbuilt stresses.
Terry, I don't know a thing about 1913 radius rods but it strikes me that it's far less likely for the straight side of that rod to be as straight as it is, as it is for the bent side of that rod to be as bent as it is. I think the bent side of that radius rod took a good hit sometime in it's life. Might be a good idea to check out the front axle too.
The shape of the radius rod is a lot less critical when you use a good reinforcement.
rdr
Terry: I'm no expert..... I think, however, that the wishbone can go on either way. That is, upside down of the "correct" way. This could drastically throw off the correct caster. If the axle performed well before you took the front end apart, I'd put it back together and check before I started bending things, You may have a slightly bent axle on one side, which was put right long ago by one of the wishbone ends being aligned (bent). Just my uneducated two cents worth...
My '13 is an old incomplete speedster project I acquired from another hobbyist. I have no idea if the parts were ever in the vicinity of each other before the previous owner acquired them. It was plain that the various parts had not been in functioning conditon in my lifetime.
I do have a quite nice set of "auxiliary radius rods" which I am fitting up to this front end. I really won't know if I have done well until it is together and I can measure castor. Then it's not too tough to tear down and adjust the geometry. I do know now that the front end fits up much better with the radius rod spuds parallel to each other! I also end up with ample thread for the auxiliary rods.
Right now I'm taking a break from cleaning up the aux rods getting ready for paint. This whole front end will dry quickly in out weather! My goal is front end together and engine installed today or tomorrow!
Ralph, what is an "axle brabe"?
TH
Wiktionary doesn't have it, so I guess it was a typo for brace? I've always wondered about it, too, but didn't care enough to look it up.
^ <snicker> .......