46 rear end

makemc

makemc

Senior Member
I have a 46 sup. del. coupe that I have owned for 20 yrs. and for
some reason I have never noticed that the rearend does not nave
trailing or radious arms on it, have never had a problem, but wonder
why there are non on it, there are no signs of ever being on the
rearend, did all rearends during those years come with them
thanks..makemc
 
The wishbones were shorter on the '46 coupe rearead I aquired compared to pre-war, but they were there. They are required for structural integrity. Also had sway bar & covered spring, due to long shackles also had panhard on both ends
 
The rear rods on a '46 bolt on at the lower brake bolts on each side at rear and to a large lug on underside of the tube at the forward end. Removal would leave only the lug as evidence they ever existed...I'd get some in there. The tube is your main suspension locater and could use its braces!
 
I have never seen one without them. I would for sure install them . Does the torque tube have a bracket with a hole through it hanging off the bottom side ?
 
there is a bracket on the bottom of the tube with a triangle shaped
bracket with the T fitting for the brake lines hooked to it, everything
else seems to be right..the coverd springs and the panbar amd sway
bar are all in place. Like I said , I have owned this car for 20 years
and drive it once or twice a month and have never had a problem,
I knew most of these had trailing arms but for some reason, as many
times as I have under the car, just never noticed mine didn't..
I think I better find some and install them...I assume they bolt to
the backing plate flange and to the bracket on the torque tube..
is that right?
 
Here is a diagram of the rear axle with radius rods from the 46-48 service manual.

45063115.jpg


The Green Book shows the same rear radius rods for all cars 42-48. If you want to search for them by part number, the numbers are 21A-4750 for the right one and 21A-4751 for the left one.

The importance of those rods is to take the stress of driving the car and stopping it off of the connection of the rear axle tubes to the differential and transfer it instead throught the radius rods to the front end of the torque tube since the spring shackles are not really made to transfer that force. Installing the radius rods will assure that the rear axle tubes don't break off at the differential from the force of driving and stopping.

What I'm wondering is how your brake lines are routed without the radius rods since with the rods they are run along them?
 
Last edited:
thanks for the diagram and information..I will try to find some and install
them as soon as I can,and not drive it until...The brake lines are
suspended there from the T to the backing plates..
 
did you say the braces are the same on nall rearend for that year.
coupe, 4 door sedan or what ever?
 
The radius rods are the same for passenger cars of all types in that range from 42 thru 48.

That just goes to show how much strength was built into that torque tube and banjo housing.

Kerby
 
makemc said:
The brake lines are
suspended there from the T to the backing plates..
Click to expand...

Well, there you have it - the "smoking gun" showing that there were radius rods on your car at one time right where the brake lines are running. I'd say it's a little risky to have those brake lines just dangling across that space. They could catch on something coming up from the road and tear off. Better try to get the rods back on.
 
You say "springs". Is that one front and one rear or two rear? If the rear suspension has been converted to parallel leaf springs, the radius rods wouldn't be so important. FWIW. Good Luck!
 
no, it is the original,closed drive rearend with one spring, I know the differance, but all the old cars and trucks I've owned in the past
have been late forties and early fifties with open drive,like the 48 ford truck I own now, but for some reason I don't understand,I just never noticed that the radius arms were not on my car. maybe because the car
had been restored to the point of being up and running when I bought
it 20 years ago, I had to finish all the cosmetics, moldings,emblems, new tires new Labarron-Bonny interior ect..I guess I just assumed, since it ran
and drove so well that all was in its proper place.. I was wrong..
 
You know the lower bolts are longer to accomodate the rods. They need to be the right ones, they fit snug so no shuck. Also you will have to do the hub puller thing, might as well lookj over the brakes...
A buck n a quarter! don't do it, I'll let you have the ones I have a lot cheeper than the 'bay.
 
thanks for the offer,but a friend of mine has 2 old junkers and he said
I could have the ones from either of those and he lives close. but you
could help me outby telling me whats envolved in pulling the rear
hubs, I've never pulled them on a closed system,I know from just
changingthe tires that the hubs look differant from regular drums
 
thanks ole henry..but a friend of mine has some, we help each other with
parts or heip when ever we can..thanks again
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top