http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/70 ... 1493409015
As for what is available from 2 vendors, that is listed below:
Langs sells 3 sets:
2710SB 1917-1927 0.500” diameter
2710SA 1909-1916 0.500” diameter
2710SAOR 1909-1914 0.502” diameter “These spindle bolts have been made from the original Ford prints”
2317RM Reamer 0.500” diameter, yet here on their webpage they say the spindle bolt is 0.4995” in diameter
Snyders sells 2 sets:
T-2710-AS 1909-1916 No mention of bolt diameter, I would guess it is the same as the later set
T-2710-BS 1917-1927 0.500” bolt diameter, ream bushings to 0.504”
T-2713-R 1909-1927 Reamer, 0.504” diameter
So Langs sells 2 different diameter spindle bolts and one reamer (that is too small for their original style bolts) and Snyders sells 2 different sets (year/oiler) with one diameter and a reamer that is 0.004” oversize.
After reading through the previously mentioned Forum thread, looking at the vendors websites and the tooling that I have on hand, I must admit that I am a bit confused. According to Mr. Anderson in the previous Forum discussion, from late 1909 until January of 1920 the spindle bolt diameter was 0.502” – 0.504” (+/- 0.002”). And after January 1920, the dimension changed to 0.500” – 0.504” (+/- 0.004”). The Ford Service Manual in paragraph 687 (page 167) states that the newly installed spindle bushings should be “line reamed to .504"/.504"” If indeed the bolt dimension was now 0.500" instead of the earlier 0.502" they are telling the mechanics to still ream them for the larger diameter bolts.
As for the reamers, I have 2 reamers (both bought from Snyders) one labeled 0.500” (measures out at 0.501” and bought some 10 years ago) and a newer production reamer labeled as 0.504” (it measures 0.504”). The reamers that are sold by Langs are labeled as being 0.500” but I do not have one on hand to check. I also have 2 original combination spindle/tie rod bolt reamers (one by Western Auto and the other by Reiff & Nestor) and both of these reamers measure 0.504” for the spindle bolt and 0.565” for the tie rod bolt. The Snyders reamer at 0.504” and the original Western Auto and Reiff & Nestor reamers would work for Langs original style spindle bolts, 2710SAOR with their larger diameter.
In the earlier 2017 Forum thread, Mr. Dewey brings up a very good point and question: “OK, maybe I'm wrong here, but if the original spec is for .503, I would think a . 500 or .499 bolt would be sloppy in the upper AXLE hole, and the threads loose in the lower threaded AXLE hole. Maybe this is why so many axles nowadays are worn, both top and bottom”.
So, I guess my questions are these:
Were there 2 different diameter spindle bolts during production?
In connection to the above question, did Ford Change the bolt dimension but not the clearance dimension?
Was there originally only one size/dimension reamer (0.504” vs 0.500”)?
Is the 0.500” reamer that is being sold/made today just “modern” to reduce the loose/sloppy fit of the original Ford 0.504” specification (0.004” is not huge but seems excessive)?
In reference to Mr. Deweys question from the earlier thread about worn axles, a more loose/sloppy fit between the spindle bolt and spindle bushings would create an added stress and wear on the axle: Is the problem of worn spindle bolt holes in the axle more common/prevalent on axles/cars made after January 1920 versus the earlier pre-1920 cars/axles?
Now I will quietly go back to cleaning out the tool cabinet.