I found this yesterday. I wanted to believe that the less expensive reproduction shackle had failed and that I had oiled it recently but found neither to be the case. Upon driving the remains out of the bushings I found that they had rusted tightly and the serrations in the pins that hold them in the end plate had acted like a cutter and wore through.
I will now buy the proper shackles. These shackles should work very well if oiled properly. I must have gone all winter and summer without oiling them. We have a lot of salt or whatever on the roads in the winter and I drive the car to breakfast a couple of times a week.
I should mention I only noticed this because I was adjusting the clutch "by the danged book" and it said to jack up one wheel. Thanks Steve J. It might have gone all winter or until it started making some noise.
Rich
It's better to use genuine Ford shackles. NOS ones are relatively easy to find, and good used ones are easier. Ford would have called your shackle a spurrious part.
Richard:
Thanks for the heads up on those spurrious shackles.
The '26 has those front and rear, aware of loose pins , will check more often. Thanks.
Figure eight shackles (1913-1917) are mighty pricy if they're NOS, new, or in really good shape, so I've been rebuilding some worn out ones. That's old hat to some of you, but it's new fun for me. Here's one Before. I'll show an After when I have some finished.
A frugal person like myself or Steve J. would rebuild that.
I could repair them with a new end plate but never liked the looks of them. I will be happy to pay the $100 a set for the good repros. It's a little tougher to rebuild the U-shaped ones than the L-shaped ones.
Rich
I've welded them up and turned them down on a lathe but its a ton of work. Think about it, getting a good weld all around the shaft, positioning it in a lathe using a dog and centers with a face plate, then turning it down to the right diameter. If you are doing a full set, you have 8 operations to perform. Too much work for this old man.
I would be very concerned regarding the integrity of any shackle that worn and required to be built back up ! Not worth my time or "risk of life or limb" ! Too important of a chassis component to risk it.
New figure eights are $240 a set. I'll do the work.
I agree with Steve on Richard's broken shackle. Better to replace it.
I have had the same design of shackle on my Model A do the same thing and it was well greased and moving freely. It's just plain a bad design because you have two pieces that are depending on a knurl to hold tight, which it won't in that application. Mine failed in about 6,000 miles. I noticed it leaning to one side when approaching it from behind one day.