WTB good spring perches and wishbone

[Jtray26]

This is my first attempt at posting on the new forum...Here goes! We’ve started restoring the ‘16 runabout. I’m going to try to put together a chronical on the other forum when I get time. The front axle appears to be original, and it is in very good condition. But, it has at some point over the years been “converted” to an under mount wishbone. They used the original spindles and spindle arms, so clearance between the tie rod and wishbone was tight! I suppose they broke a spring perch at some point and improvised. Anyway, I’m in need of a good set of over mount spring perches and a proper wishbone. Anybody have a spare they would part with?

[Ruxstel24]

Hi Tyler, welcome !!
I probably have what you need.
You do realize that it's a lot safer to run a later wishbone that mounts under the axle.
Unless you have to have originality, I would keep what you have and make the steering linkage clear.
Some people run the upper mount style and add another underneath...
Dave

[Jtray26]

Dave, thank you! I would like the car to be correct, at least for a little while after it’s finished. I will probably convert it back after we start doing some touring, but it will be comforting to have the correct parts on hand. I would say the weaker “over the axle” arrangement probably caused a failure which ultimately led the folks who owned the car to convert it. Thanks to some other members of the club and forum, I have some good later model spindles and curved spindle arms to use when we start driving it a lot, which should solve the clearance problem.

Please email me at tyler.ray.law@gmail.com so we can get together on the details. Thanks again!

Tyler

[Scott_Conger]

Tyler

The undermount, later style axle is indeed safer. However there are very significant numbers of originally built early axles in use everyday, without failure. I am aware of a number of serious and sometimes fatal accidents in T's, but none that I am aware of in recent history related to a failure of the radius rod on eary cars. A really good read here in fact does list several failures and some work arounds...while there have been accidents with the old design, an internet search will yield far more broken (rear) axles, etc than folded axles: http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/11 ... 1281199176

Our roads and the dynamic forces on the suspension are quite different than what was typically experienced in early days. They are weaker but there is in my mind, no statistically significant risk of failure of this system that exceeds risks associated with other system failures on a T that would preclude my using one. Now, for a reasonable approach toward increasing the safety factor, there are several versions of period reinforcement arms that make over/under attachment. You can also buy the same as new parts from vendors. I think that is a reasonable alternative to wholesale scrapping of early parts. With these accessories put into use there is NO reason to update a nice early car to a later version.

[Jtray26]

Thank you Scott. I want the car to be as correct as possible when it is finished. They cranked out thousands with the “over mount” setup, and I would say most of them worked just fine until the parts wore out and suitable replacements weren’t available. Hopefully I can find some suitable replacements for ours! I have been looking at some methods of bracing the wishbone with under mounted straps...

[Burlingtontguy]

I have a pair of early perches and a wishbone , Dennis

[Jtray26]

Hi Dennis. I sent you a PM. Thanks,

Tyler

[Ruxstel24]

Emailed some pics of the threads to you, Ron.

[Ruxstel24]

Oops, I mean Tyler...