It appears that most after-market '32 Ford I-beam front axles are advertised with a "4 inch drop." Question: How much is the drop on a stock/original '32 Ford "heavy" front axle? Also, what points on the axle are used to get this measurement? Thanks.
4 inch drop means simply that the dropped axle ends are 4" higher than stock. Stock varies with what axle you started with.
The measurement is the height from top of the spring perch boss to the top of the kingpin boss. A 4 inch beam is not 4" lower than stock. The 4" is the total drop so if an axle already has a factory 2-1/4" drop then the 4" beam is 1-3/4" lower than stock
This should be noted that on this occasion we have one of the rare times when Pasadenahotrod is wrong. Frank
This is a terminology that has changed with time. Up at least into the '60's, "drop" referred to the additional drop over stock. Most '32 axles in the catalogs were 2 1/2" drop, which I'd say came to about 4 or so in Streetrodspeak. This made sense, since almost all axles were real Ford and rodders were putting them onto actual running or at least intact Henry Fords, so the 2 1/2 let you know your nose would be 2 1/2" closer to the pavement if you won the war with the perch pins.. Terminology since the '70's has been to list total drop, which again makes sense since streetrods mostly have aftermarket axles and very few streetrodders are starting with a running Ford.
Yes. I just measured a gennie 32 that Greg Haynes dropped 2" for me. From the the top of the kingpin bosses (inboard edges) to the top of the perch bosses now measures 4 1/2 inches.
Bruce, I missed the change in definition of a drop back in the 60s. I could never imagine that anyone would even think of a drop from an imaginary line. My bad. Kind of like the confusion about how wide perches should be to mount a Model A rear or even front spring, same as a stock Model A...duh?
I think the vocabulary changed maybe around 1970...streetrodding revived interest in old stuff around then, and real dropped axles vanished from the mainstream speed catalogs around then...
I remember back in the early 70's, Joe Mac' at " Ford Parts Obsolete " in Long Beach would let me know when the new shippments of dropped axles would come in from Mor-Drop. I'd rush over and go through the 32's & cherry pick the best ones for my stash !!
When I was 14, I WORSHIPPED my Ford Parts Obsolete catalog. Read it to pieces, made out long hypothetical orders. Occasionally I could come up with like $5, persuade my Father to write a check in exchange for my cash, and order something small and pathetic... Later, his Model A in R&C, and the expedition to Baja with another A and a '33 pickup...
Ditto. That was like a candy store, and I never had any money. His Cragar powered A was the magic that got me adicted to all things four banger.
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