before i ask the question about the model a axle. Yes I have searched and also have The bishop tardel book. Here goes. Since the Model A 28-31 axle was designed for A 4 cyl engines, I wonder about the use of this axle with say a Hemi, Nailhead, etc... How much can it take?
There are so many of those original axles around still. With every engine imaginable powering them. They are pretty strong. I would take an original axle any day over an aftermarket one!
There weak, just like everything else that is model A...I would toss it and buy a nice cast superbell. It's new, so it's gotta be better!!!!
Model A, of course Seriously, all the early Ford axles are forged steel and are super strong. It does not matter what engine the car had, the early Ford axles are for the most part the same thickness, so that would not really matter. My pal has a big block hangin over his orriginal dropped axle, not problem.
I thought Kirk! was the only one around here that was allowed to use that many exclamation points... where are the HAMB police?!
Just to clarify, Im not questioning if Im using original Ford vs Superbell or another catalog axle, Im just picking some knowledge up on how strong the Model A Axle is.
You are the man Dread. Simple and to the point., Kind of like your Coupe. Chris, Thanks for the advice.....
RattyRod, Do a search and find a picture of the twisted "A" axle. I've seen the picture here 5-6 times in a month. I also read a very long thread here on Ford I beam axles. Drilled ones, dropped ones, everything, and there was not a single do***ented failure. Lucky667
It is about the same cross section as all others except '32 heavy and is made of the same EE steel with same heat treat, I believe. Stock it would be slightly stronger in terms of torsion because of smaller drop, but of course that is going to change, I'd expect. A axles have routinely survived all hotrod uses, and I think one was on an Indy winner in the fifties...
i dont personally know but they were designed to bomb down gnarly *** dirt roads and rip through cow pastures i would say farmer john put more stress running his wife to the hospital down a dirt road in a blizzard in 1941 than most hot rodders ever will as long as your not setting down 4 foot wheelies with a blown 426 up front you should be fine
It was built to take more than you are ever going to beat it. Watch a video of a baja offroad race, a Model A was designed for that type of abuse. In the 1920/30s the roads were unimproved, rougher than any you will ever encounter, unless offroad. My brother and I used a model A to chase rabbits in sagebrush pastures. After a few years of that, the axle wasn't hurt a bit but the front crossmembefr was trashed!
Interesting that nobody ever questioned whether RattyRod! was asking about the front or rear axle.......
Hunh? You've obviously never seen the abuse a Baja racer takes... Yeah the A axle wouldn't break, it's forged, but it would bend under that kind of abuse. An A was not capable of the speeds that the Baja racers go, nor would the suspension take it. On second hand an A wouldn't make it through a pre-run. Though the guy is safe running an A axle with a big V8. And stay away from cast axles, they snap, a forged axle will take abuse and maybe bend, but they don't snap.
yeah..your not going to want to use that 'ol POS..just box it up and send it to me..Hell I'll even pay the shipping..PM me...lol
hell for shipping I'll take all the A axles out there..Ive only got 2 so far..gee..I wonder why no one is PMing me?....lol really I think anyone would want to use the old A axle VS what is being built today...80 years of testing just cant be beat...but those axles sure can be
No I understand the point you were trying to make. You picked a bad way to try and make it. There is no comaprison. 25mph on an old dirt road vs. 100mph+ flying across the desert. As for cast axles, they were made in the aftermarket, they may still be, I think Superbell still does it. Hell Bell used cast ends in their tube axles as well.
I wasn't talking about aftermarket axles. As far as the wrong comparison? obviously you haven't chased jackrabbits across sage brush in a Model A! Having been exposed to both scenarios, I would choose driving Bajha in a car designed for that over the other!
Think of it this way... the '28-29 AA model trucks used the same front axle as the p***enger cars and light duty trucks used. The only difference was the outer hub ***embly. I'm not sure - but I'll bet someone here knows - but I'm thinking even the spindle was the same with a different drum/bearing housing. The '28-29 front axle used 14 leaves up front to support the loads on the AA trucks, so think about how much weight that'd translate to. Will it hold up a loaded big block? You bet yer *** it will.
My uncle has an axle from an A that jumped a pressure crack out on Lake Erie. The car went 30-40 feet in distance with approx. 10' of air under the car. It landed on the front end, broke the spring and lets say changed the camber about an inch. It could be straightened and used, but I've left it next to the barn just so I can hear the story again some day. You'll be fine with an A axle.
this picture is trully do***ented evidence....... Model A it is You guys all make good points. Bruce your data is always appreciated. Especially for us novices. This post was intended for the Front Axle not the rear. Additionally, this post was intended to educate myself on reasons to not use anything other than Ford Forged Steel not Cast Catalog Steel.
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