Does this radius ball look ok?

A

AlanD

Senior Member
I was up under the putt-putt and noticed the radius ball assembly. I can't remember if this gap is supposed to be there, or does this look correct?
 

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It looks as if the castellated nuts are drawn up too far. The holes in the bolts are for cotter pins and the springs should have some slack. other wise it might be OK there should not be a rubber ball on an original assembly if that is original Ford.
 
Yes, the gap should be there. If the gap is gone it means the round ball is VERY worn and needs to be repaired. Grease the ball all over and tighten the castle nuts just enough to install the cotters.
 
The spacers are missing. No way you could compress the springs that much with the spacers installed. I'm with Steve, get a new kit. They are easy to install.
 
Listen to tom, it looks like you have the nuts drawn down too far, I see what looks like the sleeves in place, (original are not spacers) but it might just be grease.
 
It kinda looks to me like the spacers are there,, but,, maybe the cups are installed wrong/ backwards.. If the ball is worn a fender washer can be bent to fit the cup,, the old fix..
 
Thanks for all the responses. I was mainly concerned that it was somehow loosening up and should not have the gap. I checked and the nuts are tight.

I think when I assembled this that the sleeves are on the bolts.

I'll get under there again and see that all the components are present, and get a better picture.
Thanks again for all the help!

Alan
in Louisiana
 
How do you tell if you need the rubber ball or the fender washer in there ? If every thing is taken apart I assume there's no tension on anything is there ? Mine is always very oily.
 
It appears to me that the seats under the bolt heads in the clutch hsg are worn,allowing the bolts to drop down to far so that the cotter holes in bolts are to low.When the nuts are tightened to touch the sleeves,the nuts should line up with the cotter holes & the springs should not be coil bound.
 
A-Jay said:
How do you tell if you need the rubber ball or the fender washer in there ? If every thing is taken apart I assume there's no tension on anything is there ? Mine is always very oily.
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the rubber ball cups are much larger and cast iron. It should be greasy as its designed to wick leaking transmission fluid onto the ball as lubricant. That grease destroys the rubber ball, which is one reason I always take them out and replace them with the original style. The other reason is that they do not usually work as well as the original design.

The space is about right if the nuts are tightened against the sleeves and backed off one cotter slot and there is about 1/8th inch gap. If the cups touch when tightened then either the ball or cups or both are worn. The first thing I would do in that instance is replace the cups, bolts, nuts spacers and springs. Then if the cups still touch, that means the ball is worn.

There is a lot of steering instability associated with a worn ball. The best way is to weld the ball and file it round back to the original size. That usually means pulling the axle. I do that if I have the axle out already for a spring replacement or if the front end is so bad it needs a total rebuild, which I prefer to do on a bench instead of the floor under a car. In a pinch where you do not want to pull the axle, then a hammered washer will help shim it. But on a badly worn ball, a shim will not always add the stability a rebuilt ball will and in some extreme cases one will not be enough to create the desired tension on the ball and give the gap between cups that indicates that tension. I think using 2 shims is not desirable as it will not take up the side movement from such a worn ball. In that case, replacing the radius arms or welding the ball is a better choice
 
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columbiA said:
It appears to me that the seats under the bolt heads in the clutch hsg are worn,allowing the bolts to drop down to far so that the cotter holes in bolts are to low.When the nuts are tightened to touch the sleeves,the nuts should line up with the cotter holes & the springs should not be coil bound.
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If they were that worn would the bolts not spin as it would be too low for the retaining pin to hold them?:confused:
 
Mike V -Ive seen bolts badly worn into the clutch hsg & the pin that stops them from turning had been bent downwards to catch the slots in bolt heads.Ive raised the bolts by taking 7/16" lock washers & twisting them until flat& grinding them them a bit on the OD & putting them under the bolt heads.Sometimes it takes a couple under each bolt.
 
I've had to use my lathe to make spacers to raise the bolt heads up when the pockets become too worn.

That would be a good new product to be offered.
Someone the other day was looking for a needed product to make.
 
I'll say it again, thank you guys for all your input.

This is a fundamental question but just humor me (ya never stop learning, right): Why is the radius ball not rigidly bolted but rather held by spring tension? It would seem that when you hit something like a railroad track or speed bump, the force would tend to push the radius ball back.. I'm just trying to think it through.
 
columbiA said:
It appears to me that the seats under the bolt heads in the clutch hsg are worn,allowing the bolts to drop down to far so that the cotter holes in bolts are to low.When the nuts are tightened to touch the sleeves,the nuts should line up with the cotter holes & the springs should not be coil bound.
Click to expand...

I agree 100%.
 
As the spring moves the wishbone ball also needs to pivot. Hitting potholes might be what cracked so many of the flywheel covers.
 
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