Rear spring perch shock ball

[JayJay]

According to the Snyder's catalog, "Ford started making the rear spring perch (shock mount) ball (A-4024) as a separate piece in February of 1930." Does anyone know when in February 1930 this happened? My engine has a build date number in late January (28th I think, it's at the shop) and the "old" style integral shock mount ball, so I'm hoping this might help me narrow down the actual build date of the car. Thanks, all.

 

[Joe K]

I have four rear axles including one I know from a 1930 Roadster.

Three of these, including my truck's (avatar) original axle the shock link balls are made "integral" with the spring perch. No inserted landing ball.

The 4th, now under the truck and from the '30 roadster has riveted shock link balls. The rivet shows between the spring/shock perch and the backing plate - almost touching the backing plate and not easy to see.

I can't give you more on the '30 roadster axle being as it was left over and found in a pile of parts from someone who had just completed a '30 Roadster restoration - in 1976 Vermont.

So, still there may be some credence to their statement.

Oh, and axles expand to fill available space.

Joe K

 

[JayJay]

I have four rear axles including one I know from a 1930 Roadster.

Three of these, including my truck's (avatar) original axle the shock link balls are made "integral" with the spring perch. No inserted landing ball.

The 4th, now under the truck and from the '30 roadster has riveted shock link balls. The rivet shows between the spring/shock perch and the backing plate - almost touching the backing plate and not easy to see.

I can't give you more on the '30 roadster axle being as it was left over and found in a pile of parts from someone who had just completed a '30 Roadster restoration - in 1976 Vermont.

So, still there may be some credence to their statement.

Oh, and axles expand to fill available space.

Joe K

Thanks, Joe. When I got the car the shocks were frozen, and had apparently been for some time. Three of the four shock balls are trashed from having the link banging on them. So I will need to replace them. The fronts will be relatively straightforward to mount to drill, I'm still thinking out how to do the one rear I need to do. Would be straightforward if I had a horizontal boring mill but I don't.

 

[Joe K]

Page 419 February 1930 Service Bulletins.

Including repair of a worn or damaged earlier perch ball which includes cutting off, drilling and "reaming" with the special KRW taper reamer.

Snyders A-4024 appears "tapered." You'll need more information as to the proper modern taper reamer to use. Snyders I expect will help.

This very much a "trumpet housing" out of the car and in a vise on one's workbench sort of job. Be sure to reference Santa Anita Model A "setting up a rear axle" publication.

https://www.santaanitaas.org/wp-con...rential-Rear-End-Restoration-Revised-2014.pdf


Joe K

 

[8EL]

Just did that on mine, posted as "Shock Ball Replacement". They sell a tapered, and a square (straight) replacement ball part. I used the square type. You are talking about a boring mill, then I assume in your contemplations you would be removing the axle housing to machine with such. You can do this with a drill press in that case. Bore a round hole, insert new ball and plug weld from behind. There are pictures on my post showing this procedure.

 

[JayJay]

Yes, I will have the axle housings off the car and on the workbench. Looking at it a bit more, I suspect I can set it up in my drill press. I was planning to use the straight shank version of the replacement ball and plug weld it from behind.

Thanks for all the input, folks.