I'm confused by which tie rod is correct for my 16 Coupelet. I read Royce's post on not mixing and matching parts from different years. In it he states that pre 20 cars would have the adjuster on the drivers side with the other end solid. My car has the adjuster on the passenger side and solid on drivers (opposite).
Now reading the publication from the Foothills Model T club on page 9 states that in 1913 the tie rod was changed to the integral left yoke (which I think means driver side). If this is correct the tie rod in my car is correct I think.
Can someone please clear this up for me?
Your drag link should be 31.06231.125
STEERING CONNECTING ROD
(Drag Link)
Factory Number T-289
7-29-12 Riveted rod adopted. Brazing pin holes at various angles.
11-4-12 Pin holes now drilled in the same direction.
1-9-14 Both ends of brazing pins riveted over.
9-19-14 Length of rod changed from 30-11/16 to 30-11/1630-3/4. A month later it was changed again to 31.06231.125
7-14-16 Ford design with forged end adopted. Earlier type continued in use (supplied by outside firms).
5-8-17 Ford design now used exclusively.
10-2-17 Length changed to 30.93831.062.
5-19-19 Length changed to 30.31230.438
Factory Number T-289-B
At the introduction of and for the 1926 models, the length was 31.12531.250.
10-7-25 Length changed to 30.81230.875.
Philip.
The adjuster I was speaking of is on the tie rod, NOT the drag link. Your car should have a fine thread adjuster at the left spindle arm. The ball in your tie rod was integral to the tie rod originally, not removable as happened on the 1918 and later versions. The version with the integral ball has the ball located about 1.5" to the left compared with the later tie rods. That makes it possible for the steering arm on the column to come over center.
Here is the verbage from the encyclopedia front axle section:
The tie rod adjuster is located on the left (driver side) on USA built cars from 1909 - 1918 model year.
Here is the change:
1918
The steering tie rod was changed to the type with the integral left socket; the adjustment was now at the right end and was locked by the ball nut.
By the way, the reason the tie rod ball position and drag link length changed was because the tie rod was now moved upwards, above the wish bone. This effectively moved the drag link closer to the steering column, necessitating the changes to all parts to retain proper geometry.
The left and right verbiage is what is confusing me. Left and right has different meanings when either looking at the front of the car or sitting in the car.
So you are saying my car should have the adjuster on the drivers side?
Standard automotive designation for left and right is seated in the vehicle as driving it in a forward direction. Even works for our friends "down under" where drivers side is different than ours.
Philip -- The tie rod for your '16 should have an adjustable end on the left (driver's) side and a fixed ball on the right. Later ones had a removable ball on the right (passenger's) side, which could be loosened for the adjustment, and a fixed left end. The tie rod ball is what the steering arm (drag link) attaches to.
I have a '15 chassis in my shop now which has all the correct parts on it. Your '16 should be the same. I can take some pics of those parts and email them to you if you like.
Yes I'd like some pictures Mike.
Thanks
Philip,
Click here for pictures:
http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/257047/300409.html
Pay attention to the tie rod in the first post. The one you need is the rusty one with the adjuster near the floor. Pictures 3,4 and 5.
Philip -- Here are some pics of a '15 front end. Your '16 should be the same, with the possible exception of the spring. They changed during the 1916 model year, so your car might have one like this or a different one.
Here is the driver's side tie rod end. Note that it is adjustable. Your tie rod bolts and spindle bolts should have this "manhole" type of oilers. They are different from the later flip-top style.
This is the passenger's side tie rod end and steering arm (drag link) end. Note that the tie rod has the ball permanently attached and no adjustment. Later ones had a removable ball. Those are shown in Royce's pics above.
This is the type of spring perch you should have:
Note that the wishbone is above the axle and there is no hole in the top of the perch. Later ones had a hole there for an oiler.
This is the driver's side perch, showing part of the '15 spring:
Note that the second (from bottom) leaf is "clipped" rather than tapered, and the 4th leaf is curled up on the end to hold the spring clip. Some early 16's probably used this spring.
Some 16's had an odd-looking "pointy-leaf" front spring which has been discussed here some time back. Hopefully someone saved pics of it. Some later 16's probably used the '17-up style of "clipped-leaf" spring.
Let me know if you need any more detail pics.
Thank you for the pictures. I have the correct spring perches and I found the adjuster end of the tie rod, don't have the shackles or spring.
I need the tie rod, spring and shackles if someone would like to sale them.
Here is the discussion of the '16-only "pointy-leaf" front spring. There is a picture of it in John Regan's 11:02 post.
http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/29/5633.html
BTW, the rear spring should be the tapered type for '16.