Frame Sag

W

whizzstank

Junior Member
I am new to the Model A scene . I do a lot of reading on the Barn as well as search. I am having hood alignment problems on the side . A man was talking with me on the phone said I probably have a sagging frame! What is it , how do I correct this , is there a danger to driving this car ? The car is a 1931 Tudor. Thank you for all your help
 
Whizzstank ;

Do a search, there is a ton of info on frame sag and many different approaches on how to correct it . Acouple of days ago there was a post showing pictures of the hood of a car with sag and one with no sag ,
 
whizzstank said:
I am new to the Model A scene . I do a lot of reading on the Barn as well as search. I am having hood alignment problems on the side . A man was talking with me on the phone said I probably have a sagging frame! What is it , how do I correct this , is there a danger to driving this car ? The car is a 1931 Tudor. Thank you for all your help
Click to expand...

Frame sags on an A frame are quite common. Correcting it properly generally involved shrinking the stretch however other methods of repairs have been discussed. I prefer to use heat to shrink the stretch. Without seeing the sag firsthand, I would feel uncomfortable assuring you the bent frame is not a danger to drive. If you are unsure, I would suggest you seek guidance from an experienced Model-A mechanic who is familiar with proper restoration in this area. If you can post your area, we may be able to recommend someone in your area if you decide this is right for you.

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How bad is the hood mis-alignment?? Before you get all excited and want to 'straighten" the frame, is this a newly acquired car, your restoration or refurbishment?? How long has it been misaligned?? It might be a simple fix like just a few shims on 1st and/or 2nd body mounting bolt. FWIW
Paul in CT
 
you could also have the wrong front cross member on the frame
but for a temp fix until a full resto you could shim the cowl up
put spacers under the mounts
it is a bit more involved than it sounds because you have to loosen an tighten everything, but it will achieve the desired effect
tk
 
Have you read the "Hood Alignment" section in Les Andrews, Model A Ford Mechanic's Handbook, Vol 2? (the green book) Page 4-108.

There are ten reasons for hood misalignment listed there. Frame sag is the most common. But if you follow the steps, with tape measure and carpenter's square, you might find that it's caused by something else.
 
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