Spring Perch repair on rear axle?

TBone69

TBone69

Senior Member
Hi all,

Though not my first post this is my first technical question.

First a little background I am realtively new to Model A's I picked up a 29 RHD chassis at the end of last year. My plan is drop a Tudor body on it, keep the banger and make a Father Son project out of it. It was missing the RHD steering column and I plan on converting to LHD, I have the steerring column, belhousing and pedals and in process of hunting down the correct steering arms.

Now for the question.

In my intial going over making a list of needs I noticed the rear spring perches are pretty much worn thru. How would one handle repairing this, weld redrill and rebush, weld on new perches? New axle tubes?

Thanks
TBone
 
I'm pretty new to "A"s as well, but have passed that stage of restoration. I found a few techniques in my research. First, as you have stated, weld, redrill and rebush. Except, a carbon rod the bushing size was passed thru the perch and weld built up around it. I also saw the cutoff and replace approach, which I felt was beyond my interest level. New housing I suppose is a solution if they are plentiful in your area, but I doubt you would find any in as new condition, which is what you want in a restoration.
 
All three of your choices are acceptable. My order of preference would be;

1. Find good axle housings at swaps etc.

2. Weld up and re-drill. Don't use a normal drill, it will not stay in the centre, take it to a machine shop and have it done on a mill with a slot drill.

3. Weld on new perches. This will require the manufacture of new perches. I'm not aware of any after market perches for sale.

Others may have different ideas.
 
Is your rear apart?

First take apart and see if it is worth doing anything to it. You may find you have to have a new race put on the outside or find the diff race area is bad.

Using a copper or carbon rod of the correct diameter you can build the area out. I tried it on a bad axle and it was fairly easy to do if you have some welding skills. Then you have to get the ID close to round and be sure there is support for the bushing.
 
Weld it best you can then file to an under size(about .010-.015) then use a reamer to put it on size. That should keep the Father-son thing going for a few nights. Dudley
PS... besides the carbon rod, brass, bronze and aluminum also works
 
If just the ends are fixed with weld the worn space in the center can be filled with epoxy, the hole for the new bushing can be fitted with a rat tail file ---the seam in the bushing goes up away from the wear area.

I have also used the worn slivers of an old bushing to fill the wear spot in the perch, then brazed of tack welded the parts in place.

These bushings do not need to be precision fitted like a wrist pin, or steering sector shaft --if the shackle fits in and doesn't bind it will work.
 
Would it be possible to cut out the worn portion and weld in a portion of a piece of tube?
 
If u can;t find good used axel housings u can buy new/rebuilt from snyders with exchange , I was lucky and found used good ones, befor I found out that snyders does rebuild them. As far as rebuilt perch.. not sure if u can buy them to weld on, besur if u weld they are done by a good weld shop,they carry a lot of stress..
 
the spring perch is a forging take a steel round rod the right size to go in place of the bushing heat the perch red hot and reforge it to the rod now remove the steel rod and replace it with a brass rod and weld it up on the outside with a wire feed welder it works real well
 
All great ideas I think I like the heat the perch beat it into shape and weld the outside idea the best.

I have two rears, to make one good. The orignal has shot axle keyways and brake assemblies. The second rear has good axles and brake but a hole in the axle tube form I guess someone riding it with a broken shackle and the spring riding on the tube.

So I have a have way decent axle tube on the original rear to replace the one with the hole. Both have marginal spring perch holes. I plan on rebuilding anyways as I dont think I would trust 80 year old bearings.

Thanks again and I hope to get the chassis disassembled in the next couple weeks and will post my progress.

TBone
 
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