misdiagnosis based on assumptions

[d.j. moordigian]

Just some food for thought, since I purchased a Magnaflux crack detection machine, I have learned that there are a bunch of items on our Model-As that failed a 'mag test' yet the owner had no idea. Items like axles, spindles, steering arms in the threads, etc. can have fatigue cracks that could potentially cause a part to fail on a restored car.

Brent,
I said / posted that same thought years ago (maybe on the old Barn?) and I
got shot down by the group,...which I think is bs.....on a safety item..

 

[Bud]

Would a worn axle housing race have caused additional bending stress on the axle, promoting a fatigue failure?

 

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Brent,
I said / posted that same thought years ago (maybe on the old Barn?) and I got shot down by the group,...which I think is bs.....on a safety item..

Gosh Dudley, I don't really remember that but I don't doubt that. My guess is folks don't really think about it unless they have the equipment to do it and it becomes more prevalent to think about doing it.

Would a worn axle housing race have caused additional bending stress on the axle, promoting a fatigue failure?

I'm sure it could Bud, -or maybe it could be from a sheared axle key that nicked the edge of the keyway which ultimately set up a stress riser.

 

[Synchro909]

Has any one else ever suffered a fracture axle shaft? I thought Model A axles were practically indestructible ( until now!)

Breaking an axle is not so uncommon. It has never happened to me but I know of two people who have had their cars delivered home over the issue. I haven't seen them for a while now but the vendors used to carry a bracket that was supposed to stop the wheel departing for its own destination when the axle broke. They wouldn't do that if the failure wasn't fairly common, IMO

 

[Tom Wesenberg]

Your parking brake stop tab also needs some serious straightening out. Normally only the end that takes the forward thrust (from pulling the parking brake while the car is in motion) gets bent, but yours is bent on both ends.

 

[Mike Peters]

Thanks Tom. I didn't notice that. Will do. When I bought the car 35 years ago, it ran, but had no brakes to speak of, so the previous owner must have used the emergency brake to stop?

 

[Tom Wesenberg]

Thanks Tom. I didn't notice that. Will do. When I bought the car 35 years ago, it ran, but had no brakes to speak of, so the previous owner must have used the emergency brake to stop?

Ford found out it was a problem, and later added a second thickness to strengthen it. This shows the later version.

 

[160B]

Mike,

Also note the pins holding your emergency brake shoe are not installed correctly. The link pins are installed so the cotter pins are inboard like the Tom Wesenberg photo above. The way you have them installed can result in the pins hitting the brake drum.

 

[Mike Peters]

OK. Will do. I already straightened out the stop tabs for the parking brake. It took some serious heating and hammering, etc.

 

[miff]

The A's can take on a life of there own. I have a stuck clutch on my 30 roadster. I could not get it loose. Did all the things , putting in high gear rocking it , no luck. Got out my probe camera, looked inside the bell housing saw what it I though was a broken spring . Pulled motor, check clutch , no broken spring. Reassembled and installed motor . Started her up engaged clutch pedal, put it in gear and away we went, I still to this day have no idea what went wrong. Have not had any clutch problems since .There is more . It would hardly run on a short trip. Made it home ,saw black stuff in sediment bowl.When I restored the car , I had the gas tank professionally cleaned and the inside coated.That's the problem , coating failed. Clean the tank , no failed coating . It was the neoprene gasket on the sediment bowel. So yes I have had many fun times Model A ing .It's a great hobby at times. But is very rewarding .When you can take pieces of rusty parts and restore them and they work. Miff
,

 

[History]

Breaking an axle is not so uncommon. It has never happened to me but I know of two people who have had their cars delivered home over the issue. I haven't seen them for a while now but the vendors used to carry a bracket that was supposed to stop the wheel departing for its own destination when the axle broke. They wouldn't do that if the failure wasn't fairly common, IMO

I've broken three axles, two were on a 2 ton truck hauling silage. We had a trench silo instead of an upright. It had concrete sides and was on flat ground so when we would dump we had to eventually back up a ramp made out of chopped up corn silage. You get a run at it but those trucks were slow in reverse so you didn't carry much momentum. When you slipped the tire you had to immediately hit the clutch as it hopped when it spun. It was tricky and I was young, thirteen maybe. My dad would preach to me how to do it (preach isn't the right word ) but when you're that young and inexperienced you break an axle now and then. .

The next and last axle I broke,, I was on a gravel road late one night just joy riding and it was really cold. Water had ran across the road and froze. I spun when I hit the ice and gassed it a little never thinking about the traction being so good on a frozen dirt road. It was just like asphalt with maybe better traction because of the gravel and grit of the dirt being frozen in place. As I left the ice and hit the dirt, snap. It was a long cold walk out of that mountain and I learned another lesson.