Running Board Brackets

Dan Partain

Dan Partain

Well-known member
I need to find the correct measurements for my running board brackets and am wondering if anyone can provide them. I created a document and was going to post this a few years ago but didn't get around to it. I'm now to the point where I can use it. All of my brackets were bent to some extent so I don't have a point of reference.

I did level them at one point but that's not working out. I used an aluminum straight edge with a framing square clamped on it to take some measurements. I laid the straight edge on top of the frame and let the framing square hang next to the brackets for measurements. If anyone can fill in the A, B and C it would be a great help.

Here's a link to the pdf
http://www.cdan4it.com/temp/rbbracket.pdf
 

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The brackets are close to self aligning. I worried about all sorts of dimensions, but unless they are royally messed up, they will align with straight edges.

They need to be parallel L and R and level to each other and the top of the frame. So if you line up the holes from side to side and you make the tops in line from side to side you are pretty close. The 4 holes on each side must form a perfect rectangle. Or to put it better. Take a decent running board and put the 4 special bolts in place and it should come close to dropping into the holes on the brackets.

Now one could talk about taking all kinds of measurements. But after playing with mine for a while I decided that they were fairly self aligning. Pretty much if the tops were parallel with the top of the frame, they are inline from side to side, and the running board came real close to just dropping in the holes then you are good to go.

I bent mine cold using long pipes.
 
Kevin, all of your ideas are good for brackets that are in basically good shape with a little fore or aft bending, or a slight bend up or down. Also, while I'm at it I want to thank you for your website, it's full of good info, I reference it quite often lately.

I am talking about brackets that are sound but have been abnormally bent but not to the point of kinking, definitely "Royally Messed Up," ha ha. These are the stamped type. It's always a guess to determine what may have caused the damage, but in this case I am thinking that the running board took a direct hit from the side. The brackets on the other side were bent also so I don't trust a measurement from them.

Besides the edge of the front fender to rear fender being out of alignment, the rear of the running board splash apron is touching the brake rods on the drivers side. That running board bracket is level with all of the others and at the same height after bending with a pipe a few years ago. I know it has to be pulled out away from the frame, but I don't know how much.

I can't be the only one with severely bent brackets. I am thinking that a diagram with these measurements will be helpful for anyone in the future to check when they are down to the bare frame. The diagram could be a good reference before you start mounting the splash aprons, running boards, fenders and body and find out they are way off.

I think there is an exact measurement for the running board brackets within a tolerence of 1/16" to 1/8" and all Model A's will be the same.

I also measured center to center between the bolts on my inside running board bolts while mounted to the frame. The rear measurement center to center is 48 1/8". The front measurement is 49 1/8". I would say that anyone with a "straight" Model A will have different measurements than this. Again, I don't know if any of my running board brackets are in the right place. Also, that measurement alone isn't worth much since both brackets could be bent to the left or right.

It's a simple enough measurement to take if there are some folks who have good frames to measure. The more measurements we get, the more likely we are to get it right.
 
I wouldn't look forward to drilling and riveting on brackets when I could just bend the ones I have that look like they just came off of the assembly line.

I can do it without a measurement by trial and error, but it would be easier if I had the measurements.
 
dan
I got a surprise when i removed the tarp covering my frame
the yellowjackets were also interested in the dimensions
I checked two frames i thought were correct
and got some differences
A was generally around 9 in
B was 7 in
C was from 8 3/8 to 9 in,most were 9 in
one frame had never had the brackets removed,the other were replaced ,but with excellent brackets
guess ill have to tweek them when the R/Bs go on
tom
 

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Hey Tom, thanks for risking life and limb to get those measurements for me! I'm going to check mine against your measurements and see what I have to do.
 
Thanks for your contribution. I'm going to log all of the measurements I get and at some point there should be an obvious dimension for the brackets.
 
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