OK, I have had a couple of people here lately that are wanting to see how to convert a spring in front of the axle to a spring over axle. So here is my attempt to put a tech post together. When using a 35-40 Ford axle the spring is mounted out front which causes some grief if you are building a open roadster styled car/truck or fabricating your own frame out of tubing. I am no expert by any means so there maybe easier or better ways to do it. This is just my way. If you plan on retaining the stock axle and plan on building hairpins then here is what you need. You will have to remove the nuts that are on the bottom of the wishbones where they attach to the axle. These will be your biggest obstacle since they have been in place for 70+ years and are more than likely frozen in. The easiest way I have found is to heat the axle right in the area where the pins go through then use a large hyd press to push them out. Make sure you have on gloves and goggles/glasses because 9 times out of 10 they will hit the floor at somewhere around 120 mph and red hot. Once you have the pins out the bones should come off fairly easily with a large mallet or hammer. Now is the time to polish or drill the axle, while it is still manageable. I drilled mine with 3 hardware store holesaws and a drill press. If you are running a hairpin setup then you will have to buy a set of batwings, I looked into fabbing a set, it's easier and cheaper to just buy some. I built my hairpins using DOM tubing and tapped the ends for Heim joints. I used one of those conduit benders that have a 6' handle and a head that kinda reminds me of Zeke. I heated the tubing and stood on the short end,and used the long end for leverage along with the conduit bender. This is the hardest part for me to explain. Now, you can buy a set of aftermarket spring perch pins that are a standard length and they WILL fit the batwings BUT only with hairpins. IF YOU USE THE STOCK BONES, YOU MUST ORDER THE PINS MADE FOR THE LOWER SHOCK MOUNTS. These are about an inch longer and these are the only ones that will fit the stock 35-40 axle with stock bones. You will have to cut the spring hangers off if you plan on using the stock bones. I just radiused mine after cutting them off. On the T used a set of leafs that were set up for the model A. I had to remove about 4-5 leafs to make it soft enough for the T. On the Fly, I had a special main leaf fabbed at a loca spped shop because I wanted a lot of arch. Then I used stock helper leafs out of a 35-40 axle I had laying around. I am going to try and attach some pics to help you visualize what I am talking about.
Dude. Thank Thanks. I'm working on this swap right now. I get my new spring, shackles and perches etc this week. I am a little curious as to removing the old pins but think I may drop my axle off with the local machine shop and have them pressed out. Thanks for the great ref photo's I really dig the friction shock. Jason...
I soaked mine every day for a week with WD-40 etc. before I attempted to remove the pins. One came out with a 8 lb sledge, the other with heat and a 20 ton press.
If you use a 41-8 axle you can use the a F-1 spring. These are the ones with 2 parallel leaf spring. Just have the main leaf's eyes reversed and use it buggy style. They are the correct width for the 41-8 axle.
thanks roothawg, i think ill grab those perches looked like a good price after i looked around. the pics helped. i think i will have to have my spring shortened a little but theirs a spring shop just around the corner. i appreciate the help Bones
[ QUOTE ] If you use a 41-8 axle you can use the a F-1 spring. These are the ones with 2 parallel leaf spring. Just have the main leaf's eyes reversed and use it buggy style. They are the correct width for the 41-8 axle. [/ QUOTE ]yep i have done the same35-36 axles should be the same as 28-34 perch width but the 35-36 carry a 2" perch boss like a 32-34, as far as i know the 37-48 perch widths are the same, i think about 2" wider than the others
Be Careful on those perches. They may be the standard pins. You need the long ones unless you are building your own hairpins.
Root,kill info post.Weld done.The fly sure gets my blood boilin everytime I see pics of it!Like Jason said,those shocks are kill too........Shiny
[ QUOTE ] I am a little curious as to removing the old pins but think I may drop my axle off with the local machine shop and have them pressed out. [/ QUOTE ] I have taken a few apart recently and the best way I know to get the perch pins out is with an air chisel. Use a pin punch style insert that will fit in the small recess in the bottom of the perch. Grind your punch to a slight point if needed. Keep pressure on the tool and pull the trigger. (This keeps the punch from bouncing out of the recess and hitting the threads) Keep hammering on it and alot of time the vibration will break them loose and they will come right out. If this does not get the perch out, try some heat on the axle and then back with the air chisel. It works best to have two people if you need to heat. One person can run the torch and one the air chisel. Just keep trying with the chisel and heat and the perch should slide right out, undamaged. Neal
[ QUOTE ] Root,kill info post.Weld done.The fly sure gets my blood boilin everytime I see pics of it!Like Jason said,those shocks are kill too........Shiny [/ QUOTE ] Thanks....
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