Rolled my 26 T - I am a lucky guy

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Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2014: Rolled my 26 T - I am a lucky guy
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jon Crane on Wednesday, June 18, 2014 - 10:18 am:

Monday afternoon was clear and sunny. I had made some banners advertising a August Cruise in Utica, Mich and mounted them on the T truck. I was driving it from the workshop to display area, making a left turn and lost complete control. Not going fast, but was downshifting, braking and adjusting the gas when the steering wheel went crazy, and T rolled over! I was pinned under it with gas dripping etc. A real mess. A couple of guys stopped and rolled the T off of me, ems, hospital and wrecker services..the whole nine yards. A couple of stitches, lots of scrapes and sore all over, but nothing broken and I was released from the Emergency Room in two hours.

Have a smashed up express delivery, but I am allright. Like I said, I am a lucky guy!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dan Hatch on Wednesday, June 18, 2014 - 10:26 am:

Any idea what happened?? Glad you are OK. Dan


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Charles Linsenbarth on Wednesday, June 18, 2014 - 10:27 am:

So, just what are your thoughts on what went wrong, part failure, driver, or both?
Glad your able to tell us about this.
Charley


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tim Eckensviller on Wednesday, June 18, 2014 - 10:27 am:

Wow, glad to hear you're alright after that. Cars can be fixed or replaced but the people who care for them are a different story.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mike Garrison_Rice Minnesota on Wednesday, June 18, 2014 - 10:29 am:

Oh my God. I'm glad to here your alright. I'm sorry to hear of your accident. Heal quickly.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jon Crane on Wednesday, June 18, 2014 - 10:32 am:

Have not seen the car yet as I am home recovering. I am going to follow up with a report.
I am beginning to think that the 100 year old T driving is more dangerous than Sprint Cup racing!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By James A. Golden on Wednesday, June 18, 2014 - 10:43 am:

Jon, I always said T driving was more dangerous than motorcycle driving.

Trailer towing is equally or more dangerous than both of the above.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Seth from NC on Wednesday, June 18, 2014 - 11:31 am:

Glad you're ok! That's definitely a little too much excitement.

When you get a chance share pictures and let us know what you think went wrong. Sure sounds like something broke - spoke, tire, some front end part.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Roger Karlsson, southern Sweden on Wednesday, June 18, 2014 - 12:18 pm:

That's bad - glad you're OK. I wonder if it was the pitman arm going over center causing reversed action on the steering wheel? It seems to happen on early T's sometimes, but less so on mid 20's cars with a stop in the steering gear case?
A too short drag link could contribute to such a situation - there were several lengths used by Ford for different years.

See this post by Royce for example: http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/257047/300409.html


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Fred Dimock, Newfields NH, USA on Wednesday, June 18, 2014 - 12:26 pm:

Jon
I am glad that your OK.

You have taught us all am important lesson ---
Pay attention when driving a T.
Do one thing at a time!

I almost ran off the road when I tried to blow the horn and was going around a corner at the same time. It got my attention!

I am guessing that it is not a good idea to text or talk on the phone while driving a T either :-)


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jon Crane on Wednesday, June 18, 2014 - 12:54 pm:

That is the first thing I thought of...the steering went over center. I did not know it was possible on a 26, but will certainly check it out. It was only the second time I drove this T, but have been driving others for a couple of decades. Last winter we redid the entire front end, new king pins, tie rod ends, bearings, Stutzman wheels and steering bracket bushings.. After reading Royce's post, everything will be measured and documented. I am going to figure out what happened.
like I said, I am one lucky guy and it will not happen again.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Will Rice on Wednesday, June 18, 2014 - 01:03 pm:

My worst fear, as I'm often riding with my 8 year old daughter and/or 3 year old son. Glad you still had some of your nine lives left.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Keith Gumbinger, Kenosha, WI on Wednesday, June 18, 2014 - 01:04 pm:

Jon - I'm glad you'll be ok, but that sure waas a close call. The truck can be fixed or replaced, but not a life lost.

Keith


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mark Strange on Wednesday, June 18, 2014 - 01:07 pm:

There have been pictures posted before on this forum of steering gearboxes where the internal limiting pin has worn past or jumped out of its slot in the gearbox, like so:

gearbox


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Terry Woods, Richmond, Texas on Wednesday, June 18, 2014 - 01:17 pm:

Jon, What was the terrain like where you had the accident? Level, hilly, uneven road surface? I know a TT doesn't have the center of gravity of a Corvette, but it doesn't have the speed, either. If the accident occurred on smooth, flat, dry surface, with the limited speed of a TT, its hard for me to imagine a scenario where a TT could flip and roll, even if the steering went over center. What were the contributing factors? Glad you're OK.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jerry VanOoteghem on Wednesday, June 18, 2014 - 01:20 pm:

Jon,

It can happen on a '26.

When you use a 26/27 drag link on a pre-26 car the steering can overcenter when turning right.

When you use a pre-26 link on a 26/27, it can overcenter when turning left.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jerry VanOoteghem on Wednesday, June 18, 2014 - 01:21 pm:

Terry,

Jon's car/truck is not a TT.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bob Bishop, San Diego on Wednesday, June 18, 2014 - 02:04 pm:

Jon,
I'm sorry about the accident, but glad you're OK.
I don't mean to hijack the thread, but had the same thing happen. Just bought a fully restored 1914 touring a couple of months ago (in my profile pic). Probably should have checked it out more carefully, but put more faith in the restoration than I should have. Car stopped fine, frontwards and backwards, in test drive and down trailer ramp.
Last week was going up a steep hill (turned out to be 22% grade), full tank gas, car stalled, began to roll backwards. Obviously Rockies didn't help, but car wouldn't stop with Ford brake or parking brake. Cut wheel to the left to back across the hill, up on right wheels, and slammed into the curb backwards on other side of road. Shoved rear axle forward, bending drive shaft, and maybe more. Bumps, bruises, sore, but OK.
Turns out restorer had removed the brake shoes when they installed the Rockies (probably for clearance), but also removed the Ford brake band! So no backward stopping ability.
Lesson to be learned. . . .no matter how reputable the restorer, check out EVERYTHING! Especially the safety features.
Again Jon, glad you are OK.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Terry Woods, Richmond, Texas on Wednesday, June 18, 2014 - 03:19 pm:

Thanks, Jerry, I read where he was talking about a T truck and assumed a TT, not a pickup or T car based "truck" vehicle. Either way, if he was not going fast as he stated, more details would be interesting.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John F. Regan on Wednesday, June 18, 2014 - 03:24 pm:

Jon:

I guess when I read you just redid the entire front end - I guess I have to ask is there any chance that the axle was re-installed backwards so as to give you negative caster on the front end. That can in fact make for a very exciting attempt at driving a wild horse. Since there is no front/back to the T front axle it is an easy mistake to make.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Richard Wolf on Wednesday, June 18, 2014 - 04:55 pm:

John;
I did that exact same thing. As long as I kept the the steering wheel straight, it was OK. Jerked one of the tires off the rim.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Wayne Sheldon, Grass Valley, CA on Wednesday, June 18, 2014 - 06:02 pm:

Oh ouch ouch nasty!

Both Jon C and Bob B, Most importantly, glad that you are both okay. Model T Fords are the most repairable car ever. I have seen several brought back from near total destruction. Parts are tough, repairable, and replaceable.

Bob B, You, very sadly, demonstrated part of why I have said for many years that one should have and maintain two fully independent and separate braking systems. The service brake and the emergency brake should never use any such parts as shafts, rods, shoes, or bands in common. Any part in which any type of failure could result in a failure of the brakes needs to be independent of one system.
It is common practice to use Rocky Mountain brakes exclusively. Leaving the transmission band in place may work, but may also cause problems if the adjustment is not near perfect. I have heard of a couple cases where a drive-line failure resulted in total loss of brakes because the driver did not realize the transmission was doing all the stopping (not the added rear band brakes) and once the drive-line failed, the under-adjusted rear brakes did nothing once the transmission drum was clamped.
Both my boat-tail and my '24 coupe have rear outer-band service brakes and inner drum shoes for the emergency brakes. Both cars have two separate cross shafts and separate rods. The two braking systems have nothing in common until the wheel and drum. If they break or fall off? The rear end would probably be dragging on the ground and stop the car anyway whether I wanted it to or not. The scenario of a drum shearing off could get interesting, but in my case, I would at least still have the other rear wheel.
But I digress too much.

Jon C and Bob B, Both, feel better soon! Thank you for letting us know what has happened so that we may better protect ourselves and our model Ts.
I look forward to further updates from both.
Drive carefully, and enjoy, W2


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Erik Barrett on Wednesday, June 18, 2014 - 06:21 pm:

Jon,
Hope your recovery is going well. I have seen a whole bunch of T's that were reassembled with the axle in backwards. The axles doesn't care, but the spring perches do. If they are in backwards, you will have negative caster as per John Regan's suggestion. This will result in a dangerously ill-handling model T which will dive for the ditch when you let go of the wheel, especially going downhill. Worth checking out.
Erik


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