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Thread: Tube axle location?

  1. #1
    Guest ross@rmrrestorations's Avatar
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    Tube axle location?

    I have a 32 roadster in that I have put a tube axle on. It is mounted on a 4 bar and will have shorty coil overs laid back and mounted off the axle to the frame.
    It also has a rack and pinion steering set up mounted to the back of the axle so space is at a premium.
    No room for a panhard or small Watts so question is this...
    I have seen a pic on here before(one of brizeys?) of a centre mount tuning fork type thing that locates on a lug on the axle.
    Anyone remember what it's called so I can google image it?.....or any other ideas?

  2. #2
    NSRA member chevy2's Avatar
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    A mate had a similar thing on a 32,
    it had a threaded boss welded to the back of the tube axle and an approx 1-1/4" sealed bearing bolted to it,

    the front crossmember had a vertical piece of box section welded to it about 5" long with the back face cut off and a slot in the front, the bearing then ran up and down inside the box section to keep the axle central,

    but what its called ?????

  3. #3
    Guest yjohnb's Avatar
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    Don't know if this helps but looking around found this.
    http://www.ozrodders.com/forum/viewt...=9453&start=15
    Image at the bottom of the thread
    Quote Originally Posted by ross@rmrrestorations View Post
    I have a 32 roadster in that I have put a tube axle on. It is mounted on a 4 bar and will have shorty coil overs laid back and mounted off the axle to the frame.
    It also has a rack and pinion steering set up mounted to the back of the axle so space is at a premium.
    No room for a panhard or small Watts so question is this...
    I have seen a pic on here before(one of brizeys?) of a centre mount tuning fork type thing that locates on a lug on the axle.
    Anyone remember what it's called so I can google image it?.....or any other ideas?
    Last edited by yjohnb; 02-12-13 at 11:51 PM.

  4. #4
    Guest ross@rmrrestorations's Avatar
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    Gary, that's exactly what I was thinking of using(bearing) I assume it worked ok? John that is an interesting pic. Thing is my rack is right behind the axle so location of the "pin" will be tricky but at least I wasn't imagining it!

  5. #5
    NSRA member chevy2's Avatar
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    It had two problems that i remember,

    the first being that the box section should have thicker wall to prevent it flexing and creating a wider gap,
    the other being a minor rattle, due to the way it needs to work the bearing needs to roll on one side when cornering so it cant be a tight fit.

  6. #6
    Moderator Brizey's Avatar
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    I first saw this locator setup about 35 years ago in the states Ross. Simply a bearing mounted on the axle (can be mounted front or back, depending on clearance), which runs up and down inside a channel welded vertically onto the front cross member. It seemed to work pretty well and if memory serves me, Mike Key fitted one onto the front end of his old blue Roadster Pickup ... not on my roadster, as you initially thought!...
    "The older i get, the faster i was".
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  7. #7
    NSRA member langysrodshop's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by chevy2 View Post
    A mate had a similar thing on a 32,
    it had a threaded boss welded to the back of the tube axle and an approx 1-1/4" sealed bearing bolted to it,

    the front crossmember had a vertical piece of box section welded to it about 5" long with the back face cut off and a slot in the front, the bearing then ran up and down inside the box section to keep the axle central,

    but what its called ?????

    Mike key had one on his roaster pickup, it wouldn't be my choice to use
    Any advice or help given is actually based on having done the job, not read about doing it or Googling it.

    www.langysrodshop.co.uk Our parts are air freighted so 5-7 day delivery, The best GRP Willys body available/Rebel Wirings only UK dealer/Speedway Motors authorised dealer/Summit racing/Jegs/Hotrod parts supplied, MAC Autos, We deal with all the US hotrod suppliers even non car related stuff.
    Brake,Oil & Fuel etc plumbing stockist/Totally Stainless fastener dealer/Dolphin Instrument dealer, LMC & Brothers Trucks,
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  8. #8
    Guest ross@rmrrestorations's Avatar
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    I actually thought it was one of the pics you posted Brizey not your car. Definitely seen one which was like a tuning fork.
    I wonder if a nylon roller would be less clunky? There will be very limited movement in the suspension as this car is set up low.

    Cheers all.

  9. #9
    NSRA member langysrodshop's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ross@rmrrestorations View Post
    I actually thought it was one of the pics you posted Brizey not your car. Definitely seen one which was like a tuning fork.
    I wonder if a nylon roller would be less clunky? There will be very limited movement in the suspension as this car is set up low.

    Cheers all.
    Mikes had a stainless tuning fork shape Ross
    Any advice or help given is actually based on having done the job, not read about doing it or Googling it.

    www.langysrodshop.co.uk Our parts are air freighted so 5-7 day delivery, The best GRP Willys body available/Rebel Wirings only UK dealer/Speedway Motors authorised dealer/Summit racing/Jegs/Hotrod parts supplied, MAC Autos, We deal with all the US hotrod suppliers even non car related stuff.
    Brake,Oil & Fuel etc plumbing stockist/Totally Stainless fastener dealer/Dolphin Instrument dealer, LMC & Brothers Trucks,
    Stainless Exhaust tube & mandrel bends stockist

  10. #10
    NSRA member chevy2's Avatar
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    Depending on clearance how about a wishbone mounted to the back of the tube axle with a sliding joint,
    with either the two rod ends on the axle and one at the rear or vice-versa?

  11. #11
    Guest ross@rmrrestorations's Avatar
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    There is no space behind the axle Gary. We did consider a triangulated version of the 4 bar but figured that may get too complicated too.

    The rack is set back from the axle so it lines up nicely with the early Ford steering arms I am adapting to use. It is also at the height it is to keep the arms straight as viewed from the front. Even though it won't matter as it all moves as a unit, it will be more pleasing to the eye.




  12. #12
    Guest Blackjack's Avatar
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    I'm told that the Deuce Factory used to make these;


  13. #13
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    Not currently seeing any forward frame that a fork / bearing arrangement might work on? But can be done i'm sure.

    You could get a watts link in there though - mounted flat with the links picking up on the bottom four bars?

    Chris
    Bumper sticker - This is an historic vehicle and only has three speeds....... if you don't like this one you sure as hell won't like the others.

  14. #14
    NSRA member langysrodshop's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Blackjack View Post
    I'm told that the Deuce Factory used to make these;


    Thats the one that was fitted to Mike Keys RP
    Any advice or help given is actually based on having done the job, not read about doing it or Googling it.

    www.langysrodshop.co.uk Our parts are air freighted so 5-7 day delivery, The best GRP Willys body available/Rebel Wirings only UK dealer/Speedway Motors authorised dealer/Summit racing/Jegs/Hotrod parts supplied, MAC Autos, We deal with all the US hotrod suppliers even non car related stuff.
    Brake,Oil & Fuel etc plumbing stockist/Totally Stainless fastener dealer/Dolphin Instrument dealer, LMC & Brothers Trucks,
    Stainless Exhaust tube & mandrel bends stockist

  15. #15
    Guest ross@rmrrestorations's Avatar
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    Chris, I am having to make a new frame section that will have the shock mounts and the radiator mounts incorporated.
    The coil overs still have to go on between the 4 link brackets and the rack mount so a watts may be just too much hardware in there.

  16. #16
    Guest ross@rmrrestorations's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Blackjack View Post
    I'm told that the Deuce Factory used to make these;

    That's the very thing I have seen before.

  17. #17
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    Ross, I'm envisioning something just forward of the balancer.


    And i've had a rethink on those central fork kind of things. On a trad front end the transverse spring is providing a ton of location, a panhard (or similar) isn't doing much work, and presumably why the commercially available variants eg SoCal aren't particularly beefy.

    In the quite high tech (for a live axle) front end here, there's no transverse spring, so whatever does the lateral location has to do it all, not just help.

    Steve Moals I beam, torsion sprung front ends have a substantial machined block on the frame and a peg on the axle which operates like the pictured fork arrangements. I think i have a pic somewhere but will have to find it.

    Chris
    Bumper sticker - This is an historic vehicle and only has three speeds....... if you don't like this one you sure as hell won't like the others.

  18. #18
    Guest ross@rmrrestorations's Avatar
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    Yeah, I agree. When I looked at the fork pic I realised it was a hairpin/transverse leaf set up. Mocking up today I think I may be able to get a wishbone set up under there somewhere....maybe.
    Fix my plasma cutter then get the front rails finished and go from there.

  19. #19
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    Bumper sticker - This is an historic vehicle and only has three speeds....... if you don't like this one you sure as hell won't like the others.

  20. #20
    Guest ross@rmrrestorations's Avatar
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    Mmmm....looks like alot of expensive machining. What's the springing medium in that set-up? You mentioned torsion bars, What actuates the dampers?

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