MTFCA Forum

Do any of the Vendors sell solid hood rods ? I just got a set of SS rods from Snyder's that are hollow like original. I know I got a set of solid rods for my Model A several yrs back and they are easier to install without risking bending. The catalogs I have doesn't say if they're solid or hollow.

A tube cross-section is actually stronger than a solid bar given an appropriate wall thickness. Obviously a tube with a straw's wall thickness would collapse easily. Not sure what your looking for Steel, SS, bar or tube but I have ordered from these guys before and they are very reasonable in material cost and shipping. https://www.discountsteel.com/items/303 ... _no=2#skus

A tube cross-section is actually stronger than a solid bar...

by weight...not by diameter

assuming identical material, for any given diameter, steel bars are stronger than steel tubes

As far as installing the 3 hood rods I found that if the hood panels are pretty straight and the hood panel hinge holes are cleaned up they got back together fairly easy. Also greasing the panels and hinge rods also helps.
I used a gun barrel cleaning rod with a wire brush end in a cordless drill which helped a lot in cleaning up the panel hinge holes. I had original repainted panels.
New panels should go together without much trouble.

John

the gun cleaning idea is genius!

I had actually thought about a gun cleaning brush earlier today ! Great minds I guess !

I generally replace all three rods with brass rod from a good welding supplies shop. I doesn't rust, needs no lubrication other than a little on installation. If you are fussy about looking absolutely correct, The ends of the centre rod can be drilled a mite to simulate tubing

Allan from down under.

you can also use a dowel rod. slice it down the center and insert your choice of sand paper. slide the paper all the way in then rubberband the dowel end back together.

I got some SS rods for the coupe and they were solid. Not sure where I got them, but probably Langs. That was about 8 years ago though. Dave

Thanks Dave. I check Langs catalog but it doesn't say if they are solid. I'll give them a call.

Our local Ace Hardware stocks round bar stock in stainless steel, and in brass. I used stainless on our Fordor.

RE the A hood rods, the early cars used hollow tube the later cars were solid.
Hint for removing or installing. If you can get them part way out, use a drill to slowly spin and pull at the same time. Should work the same for install.

Mark

what is "early"? I've never seen a hollow rod and have worked on as early as '11. Am wondering what the cut-off date is?

thanks.

When did the solid rods appear in the later cars. My 24 Coupe has the tubular rods in it along with the other high hoods I have. I used them to make a nice straight and clean hood for it.
I always thought all T’s came from the factory with tubular rods. Or so I thought. Might be wrong.
I also have the remains of low cowl hoods that I aquired to make one good hood for my 21 Touring. They had tubular rods in them also.

Holy Mackerel!

I just remembered seeing hollow rods in the side panels of my dad's '19. Center one was solid.

Now I need to run out and study a part that I've never given a 2nd thought to.

thanks everyone...I think my question is moot.

On our Canadian sourced cars, the centre hinge pins are tubular and split like electrical conduit used to be. Perhaps earlier cars were solid, but I have no idea if/when a change may have been made. The side panel rods have always been solid. It is hard to imagine 1/4" tubing being up to the job.

Allan from down under.

The hood rod on my 24 Coupe is hollow and the rod on the 09 is solid. Incidentally the hood on the 09 is steel

Sorry I was thinking of the radiator support rods, the Model A rods, I think (My Model A Judging and Restoration guide does not say) were all hollow from the factory. I was talking about the1928-1931 Model A rods as was brought up in the opening post anyway.

I was going to go out and measure...

The brass radiator/aluminum hood on the 15 I'd have to drive a side hinge rod out to measure and I can't get into the rolled bore with ID calipers as someone apparently dressed off the ends to match the edge of the rolled channel. Factory or someone did it before 1962? Who knows.

The 19 is down in Florida...So that left the low black hood and the high black hood up in the 2nd story loft here. I haven't been up in the loft since I mis-stepped and tried to fly resulting in a kneecap shattered in over 50 pieces and two years of rehab therapy...so that ain't gonna happen, in this lifetime.

I'd like to add that when you are talking big diameters with thin cylinder walls then the stiffness between the two could be within 10% and that part is true. However, when you get tiny, the spread between solid and hollow can be huge when it comes to stiffness and deflection comparisons.

If the rods are 1/4 OD and the tube wall but .020" then I reckon that the solid would be near twice as stiff as the hollow. Since deflection is the inverse, that means deflection of the hollow would be twice as much. Since its a hinge pin with close span pitch with opening places, deflection can matter when it comes time to lift and close.

Just my .02 in spite of what Ford may have actually done.

I have found a real easy way to remover and replace rods. Lubrication and a drill motor. Apply lube. Clamp the end of the rod in the drill motor and slowly spin it. At the same time either pull out or push in to remove or reinstall.