I searched the forum but could only find limited info mostly designated at much earlier models. My 25 has lower oil caps, but nothing on the top of the perches, is this typical of this model year, or has someone replaced them somewhere down the line?..I just placed oil at the joints, what else can you do?
Rear perches on a 1925 should have holes for oilers on top, just like the front perches. If your perches don't have the holes, they're from an earlier car that had oilers in the shackles. Press-in oilers are available from all the parts dealers, and are 70¢.
Steve is right. It is also possible that not just the perches are earlier but that they may be original to the rear end halves they are bolted to. In that case the rear end housings would be 1915-1916. Are there ridges on the back of the flanges or are they smooth (15-16)?
Make bushings in a lathe out of some machinable plastic like Delrin - they won't be seen and don't need oiling. Best part is that you can use good old original shackles without wearing them out
Thanks guys, i never noticed it until the other day and was scratching my head wondering why there was no way to oil the top of the shackle. What year did they start putting an oil cap on top of the spring perch? ...Dennis, what do you mean by "flanges"?..i thought my rear end was original, now not so sure.
That looks like a '15 housing. The 16's I've seen had the reinforcing ribs like the other later ones.
1915-1916 shackles had oilers, and the perches didn't. About 1917 perches with oilers were introduced. The L-style shackles introduced in 1917 had no oilers.
John -- I'd be glad to trade you a good perch with the oiler hole for yours. Please don't drill a hole in your early one.
Wow, really? Mike, sorry to sound so clueless, but what do you mean by "housing" ?...And Steve, thank you like usual for the great info. Here's a few more pics.
John -- The rear end housings are the major parts in your new pics. They are the "big" pieces of the rear end. Yours appear to have been powder-coated. The '16 and later housings have reinforcing ribs spaced around the backing plates to add some stiffness. The 15's didn't have those. Sorry, I don't have any pics of the later ones.
The perches are the same from fairly early in Model T production through 1925, but the ones from 1916 back had no hole for an oiler, and good ones are harder to find than the ones with the hole. The ones from 1917 on did have the hole. Those of us working with the earlier cars often fill the oiler hole to make a later perch appear to be an earlier perch, but that usually shows. So I'll trade you ones with the holes for yours without the holes if you want to, and I'll pay for the mailing costs.
BTW, you would have many of your questions answered by buying (and reading) a copy of Bruce McCalley's book, "Model T Ford, The Car that Changed the World." It's available from the MTFCA via the home page, or from most of the T parts vendors. It's about $30, and worth every penny.
Any tips on getting oil in the lower oiler? The perch blocks me from opening the lid much, as it appears to be the same way in the picture above.
Thanks Mike, seems i learn something new here on a daily basis. I plan on removing the rear end and rebuilding it this winter because i know it has not been gone through since at least 1987, and i have a slightly wobbly axle. So if you can use them to make your car more correct, they are yours.
Dan, it is indeed a tight space and my cap doesn't open up completely like yours. I just packed a rag around the fitting and pumped away till full, sometimes the messiest option is the only one.
Backing plates: 1915 (without ribs) and later (with ribs).
I agree with Mike about Bruce's book, and I have a paper copy. But the disk for $20 more is even better. It has a lot more information.
http://dauntlessgeezer.com/DG80.html
Thank you Steve, to be honest i never noticed the ribbing in any of the photos of any members cars i have seen here, so it surprises me that i have such an early unit. I'm not a complete purist, but is there any negatives to having this in my 25?
I guess the ribs make the thing a little stronger, but that's the only practical difference I know about. If you want to be correct, it will be easy. There are jillions of housings with ribbed plates. If you were here I'd give you a pair.
I appreciate that Steve, i really do. I plan on tearing it down this winter, so maybe i should start looking now and see what i can come up with. Thanks for all the great advice.