| parrish | -- 05-18-2010 @ 10:33 AM |
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I'm still trying to make some progress on the front tube shocks. I have the stock lower shock mount pictured on page 5-25 of the 38-39 Early Ford book. Bill mentioned that there was a special bolt for the lower shock mount eyelet. Apparently the axle/wishbone eyelet is tapered and requires a special sleeve. My passenger side has an insert of some kind shown in photo, but the driver's side does not. Will the Bob Drake PJ-1068 mounting stud work if the passenger side insert is removed? Or can I buy another insert for the driver side? Thanks everyone!
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| supereal | -- 05-18-2010 @ 2:27 PM |
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The holes in the front spring perches were used to mount the ball studs for the lever type shocks, and are tapered. The Drake studs you mention appear to be straight, with 1/2 inch threaded ends to fit the perch eyes. It may necessary to drill out the holes to accept those studs if the large end of opening isn't bigger than 1/2". We have made tapered studs for that purpose in the past, but I don't recall the size of the hole. If it is larger than 1/2", a bushing would be required.
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| wmsteed | -- 05-20-2010 @ 9:38 AM |
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The hole through the axle/wishbone bolt is tapered similar to the holes for the tie rods. As Super has already pointed out, the original lever shock stud was tapered to fit the tapered hole. The stud supplied with the tube shock conversion is of very special design.. Usually one open end has a very large head to backup the inner rubber bushing, the lower shock eye is then placed over the bushing,then the outer bushing is placed over the stud, a dish shaped washer is placed over the outer bushing then the cone shaped sleeve, which fits into the axle bolt shock mounting hole... Everything is secured in place with a lock washer and a nut. The cone shaped sleeve has to be loose sliding over the bolt after the dish shaped washer. I have attached a picture showing the whole affair in place on a '36 Ford. There are probably variations of the shock mounting bolt which have a large nut on the bushing end, the one shown in Drakes book is of that design, however, I would caution the use of this type of bolt because it may hit the frame rail when the axle spring is compressed. I will attach a picture later showing the special bolt/sleeve assy. Bill 36 5 win delx cpe
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| parrish | -- 05-20-2010 @ 1:07 PM |
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Thanks guys...if I use the Drake mounting stud, can I simply drill out the original axle/wishbone eyelet to 1/2 inch or would a bushing be required as well?
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| trjford8 | -- 05-20-2010 @ 6:46 PM |
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I would check with Drake to see if the lower mounting stud is tapered or straight(hopefully you will get someone who can give you an answer).Drilling the pin to 1/2' may weaken the mounting hole.You might call C and G Parts (1-760-740-2400). They sell a tube shock kit for your car and the people who work there can give you a straight answer.
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| parrish | -- 05-23-2010 @ 9:44 AM |
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thanks trjford8. I found a short 1/2 threaded bolt and I placed in on both sides of the eyelet that doesn't have the bushing (driver). It inserted from the engine side a little easier than the wheel side. This surprised me as I figured the eyelet would be a constant diameter and only the bushing would be tapered? Maybe the eyelet diameter difference (it was very slight...maybe 1/32) was a simple wear result? Anyway, the bolt seemed snug enough once I wiggled it in from the engine side. So if the C&G mounting studs are the same 1/2 inch diameter, is there any reason I would need a bushing? Thanks for your help!
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| supereal | -- 05-23-2010 @ 10:25 AM |
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If the hole is tapered (likely), the straight stud will eventually work loose. I haven't seen any tapered bushings for that purpose. If you drill out the perch eye. a straight bushing will be required. Replacing the perch bolt opens a whole new set of problems, as most are extremely difficult to remove from the axle.
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| parrish | -- 05-24-2010 @ 9:04 AM |
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I looked at kits with a different perch bolt as a possible replacement and thought it looked like a nasty job. So then I then looked at kits with a spring shackle replacement approach and assumed I'd need a spring spreader to do the job, so that went on the back burner too. I think I will drill out the original eyelet as little as possible to accomodate a bushing and shock mounting bolt and see how it goes. I guess I could get buy 39 front Houdailles and remove the old conversion upper bracket (I have some levers that are the '42 or so, but with the 4 1/2 bolt pattern), but holy cow, what a pain!
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| supereal | -- 05-24-2010 @ 10:20 AM |
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Don't sweat it. Those perch bolts are very tough, and we have seem where the eyes were badly worn, but never broken. I'd go ahead and drill them for the studs. The worst thing that could happen is to have one eventually break, but that isn't fatal, and waiting beats trying to get the perch bolts out any day.
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| parrish | -- 05-25-2010 @ 7:56 PM |
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Sounds like a good approach. By the way, if I go conservative and drill out the eyelet as little as possible...say to 1/2 inch (which seems to be the common shock bushing size), can I run a bare mounting bolt through the eyelet? Or will the eyelet require a bushing? Thanks for the help!
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| trjford8 | -- 05-26-2010 @ 7:27 AM |
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You shouldn't need a bushing. Just run the bare bolt through it.
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| parrish | -- 05-26-2010 @ 8:45 PM |
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thanks, trjford8! any particular grade or is grade 5 good enough?
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| trjford8 | -- 05-31-2010 @ 7:24 AM |
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Grade 5 is fine.
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