Bought some SoCal spring perches and the nuts are standard nylock. Originals have a nut with a "taper" end to fit into the bones correctly. Is there an insert or similar I need to use with the SoCal ones?
You can buy the tapered nuts, don't remember if socal had them though. I bought a set of bat wings for 4 link and the bat wings were set up for tapered nuts but came with poly locks like yours so I ordered a pair of tapered nuts separately. Don't make since why they send regular poly locks for a tapered base..... ???
Seems crazy that an outfit like SoCal wouldn’t supply the correct nuts with the 60* taper, but nuts are available from some suppliers and also there is this solution from Roadster Supply. Either way this is gonna be like what the monkey said when he pissed in the cash register- “This is gonna run into money.”
Thanks fellas will have to add some nuts to the order, no idea why those and nearly all the other after market ones I can see on multiple websites dont come with the correct nuts.
Vendors probably figure most customers are going to use those street rod lower shock mounts that have the taper built in and use regular nuts on the bottom side.
An easy way to accomplish this: drill the proper size hole thru a regular 5/8-18 nut, thread this nut onto the desired location and jam with another nut, then using the pilot hole drill thru the perch bolt. Best done on a drill press to keep everything square.
I think some one makes lower front shock mounts that have a tapper on one side that would go into the bottom of the wishbone and is flat on the other for the nyloc nut , if you don't have lower mounts yet that would work
True, but it would be nice if a vendor offered an option for those needing the tapered castle nuts. For a few extra bucks offer the nuts, or at least the tapered washers with the kits.
Actually I am helping a newbie try and sort out a recently purchased 36 Coupe that has a spring perch conversion. The original reason for the taper cone is it is an expansion and centering location thingie. For the same reason a lug nut is tapered. If using only a cone and not a taper nut, when removing the nut, the cone keeps the thingie centered. The taper, when bolted down will crimp in and enclose on the bolt shank. So much some times you have to use a hammer to jar the cone to pop out and release. That is a diagonal load on the joint. A bolt and flat nut only make a one dimension compression. If the bolt in the hole is not a perfect, the bolt, even though tight and locked, will walk back and forth in the hole. Springs shift load back and forth with every shift in weight. Who in his right mind would use a ny-clad locking nut in this place ? Tapered castle nut and cotter pin. Or the taper cone and a castle nut with cotter pin.
That picture of the tapered cones reminded me of beating on truck axles to get the centering cones on the studs to pop loose.
Henry Ford was wise, but cheap. Why would he go to the extra expense of the tapered nut if a regular nut would do the job? CM spelled it out above.
The Jalopy Journal
