1916 Front Axle Questions

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Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2012: 1916 Front Axle Questions
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Philip Berg on Saturday, September 01, 2012 - 07:45 pm:

Should the axle have a radius to it when looking at it from the top as it would be installed in the car?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Thomas Mullin on Saturday, September 01, 2012 - 08:25 pm:

No,

The axle should be straight. They often get bent by towing with a rope tied to the middle (bad idea), or from running Into something like a tree or hydrant (worse idea).

The Service book and Murray Fahnstock's book tell how to check this.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Hap Tucker on Saturday, September 01, 2012 - 09:07 pm:

Philip,

For additional details, drawings, pictures etc. please see:

Front Axle measurements
http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/257047/282868.html?1334690461

Also if you took the parts off the front axle be sure you put them back together correctly. The parts will fit easily more than one way. For the axle itself, the later cars do not have a front or back. But once you add either a spindle or a spring perch the assembly now has a front and back and the rest needs to be assembled to match.


See also http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/29/20557.html?1163256403 and the cautions about putting the wrong spindle on the wrong side.

Front Axle / Crossmember tilt
Be sure to put the correct spring perches on the correct side of the car.
http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/80257/80333.html?1233523419

Front axle adjustments

http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/29/40382.html

Respectfully submitted,

Hap l9l5 cut off


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Philip Berg on Saturday, September 01, 2012 - 09:26 pm:

I'll get a picture up tomorrow to show the issue.

Thanks


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Philip Berg on Sunday, September 02, 2012 - 02:47 am:

Here is a picture of the axle.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Philip Berg on Sunday, September 02, 2012 - 02:51 am:

More pictures.




Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Hal Davis-SE Georgia on Sunday, September 02, 2012 - 04:43 am:

I'd get that straightened before I installed it. Like mentioned above, it has either been pulled from the center or hit something (or used as a pry bar? Who knows?) , but it is not supposed to be bent like that.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mike Walker, NW AR on Sunday, September 02, 2012 - 11:11 am:

Philip -- You (or someone else) can put that axle into a press and straighten it. I have a 20-ton press and have done a few. It's not a big deal, and it takes only a few minutes to get it right again. Put some pieces of rod where the spindle bolts go, and make sure they're parallel with each other in all directions when you're finished.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jerry Ostbye on Sunday, September 02, 2012 - 11:33 am:

Easy fix


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Philip Berg on Monday, September 03, 2012 - 04:29 pm:

Good news. I checked my parts inventory when I got home today and I have a nice straight axle along with all the steering rods and ends. They show minimal wear so grandpa must have bought them knowing the ones on the coupelet needed replacement.

So it looks like I'm good for now.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mike Walker, NW AR on Monday, September 03, 2012 - 06:16 pm:

Philip -- If you care about the car's having the correct parts on it, refer to Bruce's book or Encyclopedia to see which ones are right for your car. Those front end parts changed quite a bit through the years. Now is the time to find the right ones, since it's all apart. Not being critical, but I noticed that your car has a later front spring, so some of the other front suspension parts may have been changed as well. That's not at all unusual, since those parts saw more use than lubrication on most cars.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jon Crane on Monday, September 03, 2012 - 07:06 pm:

How much arch should be in a front '27 spring?
Thank you


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John Danuser on Monday, September 03, 2012 - 07:16 pm:

No arch until 27


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Hap Tucker on Monday, September 03, 2012 - 08:24 pm:

Philip,

You also need to ensure that if you do not use the actual period parts, that you use parts that are compatible and safe. See Royce's excellent posting on the different parts and how the wrong combination can allow your car to go "over center" with the steering posted at: http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/257047/300409.html

Note one of the items that can fool us is the way many of the Ford parts will appear to fit fine (and they do) but not function properly. The ring gear will fit on either side of the pinion just fine. One way gives you two speeds forward and one reverse and on the other side it give you two speeds in reverse and one forward. That is similar to many of the other parts – especially the front axle parts.

Be intentional and informed about your work and you should not have any issues. Go with the flow and you may still not have any issues – but one “rework” usually costs all the time it would have taken to read up/check into how it was originally done as well as what still works fine. Bruce’s (RIP) book is out-of-print but his Model T Comprehensive Encyclopedia on CD is available – see the posting at: http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/257047/303050.html


Good luck and keep us posted.

Respectfully submitted,

Hap l9l5 cut off


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Philip Berg on Monday, September 03, 2012 - 11:26 pm:

Okay thanks for the info.


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