FRONT RADIUS RODS

[vso737]

Hi,

I just want to confirm that the front radius rods (split wishbone), on a MODEL A with a 4" drop "I" beam axle, should be 6-8 degrees.

The hangers will be welded to the frame.  I assume several holes should be available on the hanger for the axle caster adjustment.

This is a new build..................

Thank you in advance,

LG,
Mike

[oj]

I don't set the bones for a paricular degree, they are what they are kinda thing.  I set the rear attachment point so that the bones are level front to rear, then they travel is a consistant arc - equal up and down - this minimizes the travel.
Once level to get the castor right i make a piecut where the casting joins the tube and with the axle attached you bolt the axle to the spring and the spring up inside the crossmember - make everything wrenchtite.  YOur caster at that point should be about 5degrees.  
Caster is set with the crossmember - have a look up in it, you'll see that it has an angle made into it from ford.  
Anyway, once you have the whole mess up where it is supposed to be and you are sure that you have no binding you can weld up the piecut - it'll spread slightly at the top.
The attachment point of the bones (clevis end at the axle) might rotate a little as well.  I assemble and then take apart a couple times to be sure i don't have things bound up, you kinda have to force this stuff into position so it is best to have a looksee that the changes have 'set' and it don't try to shift back when you take it apart because when you weld it won't shift any more.  This stuff isn't delicate and mostly out of whack anyway esp with a dropped axle, so liberal use of a ballpeen hammer is acceptable just remember to leave the hammer out of the pictures when you post them and eveybody will think you are a master assembler, ok?

[oj]

Hi,

The hangers will be welded to the frame.  I assume several holes should be available on the hanger for the axle caster adjustment.

The frame attachment point should have just the one hole, there may be 'kits' out there with holes at every concievable location but the cleanest looking is the simplist.
Do you have the Bishop-Tardel book, 'How to build a Hot Rod Ford'?  Vern Tardell is an old school master and he explains the 'why' behind the 'how its' done'.  It'd be a good read for you, its considered to be the bible.

[vso737]

First of all, I want to thank the great guys that took the time to respond to my question.
I do have the Bishop & Tardel book. I have also found the answer to my question, other than the 6-8° recommendation in the book, I did NOT get a satisfied answer.  Had to do a lot more research..........thank GOD for the internet.

I will be setting my radius rods at 7° measuring on top of the KING PIN.  I will attach the end of the rod at a fixed position, one hole, in a bracket which will be welded to the frame. At 7° the tie rod bolt is exactly 4" below the bottom of the frame rail.  I could "pie cut" the radius rod and center the tie rod bolt in the frame rail but I do NOT want to butcher up the radius rod.
I'm also running full fenders .....................

Thanks again for all the help,
LG,
Mike

[oj]

It is my experience that 7deg is difficult to turn the steering wheel.  Befor you set it at 7 you should check what ford has the crossmember set at.  If the spring is setting in the crossmember at 5 and you set the bones for 7 then you will have the front spring in a 2 degree bind.
I cut and weld them often enough, they are not butchered and you cannot see where they have been rewelded.  
4" below the frame is lower than i would expect with a 4" drop.
I'm a big fan of full fendered model 'a' but have yet to build one, will the skirt cause issues?
How about a pic or two?

[GPster]

Measuring caster from the radius rod will not give you the right reading . Caster is the position of the king pin and the radius rod is tapered from the axel toward the rear so that measurement is probabby not 90 degree fro the kingpin. and if the axel has been dropped it might be different from stock. Model "A" radius rod is going to keep you having tp use an "A" axel because of the axel width. GPster

[vso737]

I measured the degrees last night.  I was very pleasantly surprised to find it at EXACTLY 7° by placing the reader on TOP of the KING PIN.

The end of the RADIUS ROD is exactly 4" below the bottom of the frame rail and that is where I will place the hanger.  Spent some time today building them and will be installing them soon.

You can view hundreds of pictures (4 albums) on my website.  If you view it, click on SLIDESHOW and FULL SCREEN to get the music.

I keep it pretty much up to date.  Let me know if you have any problems viewing it.

http://myks30.webs.com

Thanks again for all the input.
LG,
Mike