replacing the axle

[dave in australia]

Finally got to look at the axle of the Roadster my dad bought a while ago. We were busy with his tourer(phaeton), and now it's finished, we are paying some attention to the next project. I'm glad I have five good axles that I reconditioned a while ago. I now get to use one. I don't think the previous owner cared about road holding. There were other problems as well. Wrong size bearings on the king pins which held them too high not allowing the lock pin to seat deep enough. Old egg shaped balls which when the cups are tightened to remove play, make the steering a lot stiffer than necessary due to the cups needing to be spread when turning, An extra leaf in the spring, eleven, which was also thicker than the rest. Old Hillman shocks with no dampening whatsoever.

 

[History]

Can the balls you speak of be welded (built up with weld) and then reworked to a full ball? Cheaper to buy new parts? How would you rework the ball if possible to do?

 

[Mike Peters]

If I am seeing your photo correctly, it appears that the front axle on your new roadster is bent rather badly, so it's time to replace the axle.
I was wondering if any of your replacement axles still have the wishbone and spring perches? If so, swapping out axles wouldn't be difficult. Otherwise, you will need to swap out the perches from the old axles and use the existing wishbone. I have never done this, but have heard that those perches are a bear to extract from the old axle.
Comments?

 

[Phil Brown]

Removing spring perches, 4 words.....HEAT, lots of it

 

[dave in australia]

Can the balls you speak of be welded (built up with weld) and then reworked to a full ball? Cheaper to buy new parts? How would you rework the ball if possible to do?

I have new balls, which I run a thread on the shaft. I then cut the old balls off, drill and tap the arms, and then screw the new balls in, with some loctite. The last part is to back drill the thread, half in the ball shaft and half in the arm, and insert a roll pin for mechanical locking.

 

[dave in australia]

Removing spring perches, 4 words.....HEAT, lots of it

Didn't need heat on this one, backed the nuts off two turns and a hefty clout with a hammer and they moved. Previous axles I've done have been between a range of falling out and needing lots of heat in my twenty ton press. Sometimes you get lucky.

 

[dave in australia]

If I am seeing your photo correctly, it appears that the front axle on your new roadster is bent rather badly, so it's time to replace the axle.
I was wondering if any of your replacement axles still have the wishbone and spring perches? If so, swapping out axles wouldn't be difficult. Otherwise, you will need to swap out the perches from the old axles and use the existing wishbone. I have never done this, but have heard that those perches are a bear to extract from the old axle.
Comments?

It came out to be replaced. I am also replacing the radius rod on which I have replaced the ball. The one that came out of the car is badly worn. I was lucky with this axle, spring perches came out with a few hits with a hammer, no heat required. The stub axles and king pins are in excellent condition so will be reused. The steering balls will be replaced, the spring set to correct number of leaves and rust removed from between the leaves. Brake backing plates will have the roller tracks built up and filed flat, and new linings fitted and arced. New spring perches will be fitted as the old ones have worn holes and balls. Also a set of stipe shocks will be fitted.

 

[Joe K]

Since you have it apart - front axle needs to be examined for "co-linear."

You can get the ideal from the Model T picture which is easily found on the 'Net.

The image shows two "indicator rods" placed in two locations. I do this with FOUR identical rods. Simply made, my rods use "wooden cones" to self-center in the kingpin and spring perch holes.

The axle can be quite "bent" between the four stations. As long as the rods are "co-planer" between all four and you have 7 degrees "camber" indicated between the two king-pin holes the axle will perform normally and the steering wheel will "self-center" and the car tend to drift "straight."

The usual defect is the passenger side axle outboard of the right spring perch is bent "back" and "up." I have five spare axles. All but one show the identical defect.

Joe K

 

[dave in australia]

Since you have it apart - front axle needs to be examined for "co-linear."

You can get the ideal from the Model T picture which is easily found on the 'Net.

The image shows two "indicator rods" placed in two locations. I do this with FOUR identical rods. Simply made, my rods use "wooden cones" to self-center in the kingpin and spring perch holes.

The axle can be quite "bent" between the four stations. As long as the rods are "co-planer" between all four and you have 7 degrees "camber" indicated between the two king-pin holes the axle will perform normally and the steering wheel will "self-center" and the car tend to drift "straight."

The usual defect is the passenger side axle outboard of the right spring perch is bent "back" and "up." I have five spare axles. All but one show the identical defect.

Joe K

Done this already with five axles, straight, steel bushes fitted and reamed to size on the worn holes. Going to use one of them.

 

[Mike Peters]

Dave: Glad to hear that your old perches came out without much difficulty.