Model A front axle

G

gacannon

Junior Member
Simple post with a simple question.

Are Model A axles supposed to be straight center line to center line of the king pins? Not talking about the vertical curve that they have, but looking straight down on them from the top.

Mine has a 1" bow in it and its perfectly centered. If you pull a string on its side, from end to end, it has a symmetrical bow in it of about 1" in the center.

If its supposed to be straight, someone hit a stump dead center as its not offset.

If they are supposed to be straight, can it be straightened? Or is this something that can be lived with on a non show car?

Appreciate input from the forum

gacannon
 
They can easily be straightened in a press. I straightened one like that by taking the whole unit off the car with the wishbone and springs, standing it on the axle end and running a chain from the center to the ball and pulling with a small hydraulic bottle jack. It bent pretty easy. That one was bent out in the center from someone pulling the car out of a ditch.
 
I took a close look at it and yes its bent back on the passengers side. Its not bent way out on the end, more to the center. Bolt holes do not align.

I have a 20 Ton press. I will push on it a little to see what happens. If it moves, I will make up some pins to go in the holes and use a straight edge to measure.

I have really had a time with this front end. It was spring perches for two days but finally got them out. Radius rod on the passengers side was loose and it had worn half through the perch. This frame is from an old pickup truck that really saw some abuse for a long time.

Appreciate the input.

will post back after I see what I can do with it.

thanks

Bob Gacannon
 
I think you will find more bends then just the center once you look closer. They are almost always bent from the perch out on both sides.

I used a 10 ton press and had no problem getting the axles straight.

How tight are the king pins in the holes on the axle? If they are real loose then you should consider looking for another axle. They are generally cheap and quite available. The axle is kind of important so I would not settle for one in so so condition.

Here is my link to:Front Axle Straightening
 
Kevin in NJ said:
I think you will find more bends then just the center once you look closer. They are almost always bent from the perch out on both sides.

I used a 10 ton press and had no problem getting the axles straight.

How tight are the king pins in the holes on the axle? If they are real loose then you should consider looking for another axle. They are generally cheap and quite available. The axle is kind of important so I would not settle for one in so so condition.

Here is my link to:Front Axle Straightening
Click to expand...

Kevin,

Have you updated your Front Axle Straightening info?

Nice job...maybe worthy of an article in MAN or TR!???

Pluck
 
Mine had such a nice, gentle curve cauising the axle to "bulge" out about a 1/4 in the center that I thought it must have come from Ford that way. Before assmbly, I wondered about it. "Should that be straight?" I asked myself. Nahh, It looks too good not too be intentional!
Now I find I have to straighten it! And I don't have a ten ton press, but I do have a Case 580E backhoe, which can be mighty useful in these situations. Any suggestions?
Allright, let's just for laughs, say I forego straightening the axle, How bad can it be? Will it throw the steering off much? The toein/toeout is controled by the length of the rod that connects both wheels. However the curvature of the axle will tend to shorten it's overall length and increase the toein. Beyond this, I can see no other effect. I've got juice brakes, so brake rods are not an issue.
TIA Terry
 
I put the axle under my 20 to press this morning. I pulled a string from the center to center of the king pin holes. I could see that there was a bend in the center but also one to the passengers side further out to the end just inside of the radius rod hole.

With remarkably little pressure, the axle would flex. I was surprised at this as it looks massive and one might think it would take 100 tons of force to make a dent in it.

However that was not the case it tool little pressure to bring the center bend out. It took more force over by the radius rod hole. I used steel bar stock under the axle to get the pressure point where I wanted it.

It straightened up beautifully. The axle was bent in the horizontal plane and not the vertical plane. So anyone wanting to correct this kind of defect might be successful if they have access to a press. I would say it took less than 10 tons to get the job done.

Thank you for your assistance.

Bob Gacannon
 
As Barry B. Said you can straighten it with a bottle jack - 5 ton will do it- and a chain. They are very maleable(sp?). I heard, but can't confirm, that Ford considered that a selling point and even tied a front axle into a bow to show how flexible it is.
 
Thanks guys! I'll try it with a jack. As has been said, the thing looks massive. Like it'll take every one of those 20 tons to move it. Now I'm thinking what about a cable pull.(From the sublime to the ridiculous?) from the ball? I thought I was done with the front axle assy. It's all painted up purty and bolted together, the last thing I want to do is take it all apart again.
I don't know about a tying it in a bow, but I have a picture of one twisted like a coil spring with either 7 or 9 turns ( Can't remember which). It's kind of impressive!
Terry
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top