Beware!!! newbie q's.. Bought a model A 31 tudor a few months ago. Have taken springs out and have a minimum of clearance. Would like it lower and this guy has a 35 axle with spindles for sale in Norway. It's about 300 dollars. Will it fit ? If not what will need modification? (It's without spring perches so I will need those) How much will it lower my car and how much narrower are they? I'll be running firestones 6.00 x 16 in front on a 35 wire wheel. Would like to be able to run with fenders, but that's not a deal breaker.
Can you post more info on the car build? Is it split front bones? Is it still stock side-steer? (35 spindles are cross steer, with no arm for the side drag link) How much drop do you want?
The car is stock, except for the springs I've taken out. I'm limited by running mechanicals. I guess 2-3" down from where I am now would be about max without going to hydraulics. I'm gonna lengthen stock spring perches or use stock 35's if that will work?
You might as well keep the stock model a axle there is no gain in this swap. To keep the mechanical brakes you must keep the relationship between the perch pin and the king pin in the same plain so you can not drop the axle. That means the only way to lower the car is reverse eye springs or sectioning the cross member up to the bottom of the radiator to drop the stance and raising the cross member in the rear.
Not to confuse anyone.....but I run a 3in dropped A axle with my mechanical brakes....I just had the ball and pivot area raised on the perch the same amount as my drop. Works great and nothing rubs or binds. I am also running a reversed eye spring on the front. In the rear I am running a Model T spring...couple inch drop there, no mods to the brakes either. Hard to see in the picture, but you can catch the showdow of the raised brake perch area. I am 1600 miles from home or I would get better shots. Heres an idea of overall ride height.
Yes Nailhead dodge you can extend the linkage mount for the brake actuator on top of the perch pin however this creates a long lever arm on the perch. The addition of an extension welded on top of the original perch pin, unless it is exceptionally heavy duty, is more susceptible to flexing because of the increased length and leverage applied to the actuator lever during heavy braking. Any flex in the actuator mount is cutting down the efficiency of the front brakes. Can it be done , yes, are there potential issues, yes, therefore not a good idea in my opinion.
My extension involved cutting everything off above where the shackle attached, making a 5/16th steel extension, about 2 1/2 inches wide by about 3 inches tall. All area were propperly chaffered and welded. I can say the braking efficency is as good as before and I have verified that there is zero flex with someone stading on the pedal. The whole drop and brake mod was covered in one of the hotrod mags some time between 2007-2009. I am still looking for copy of it if anyone remembers a magazine doing this article at some point. The shop that did all the actual work was Hotrods by Dean in Phoenix Az. And I am not arguing the point that this may not be the best choise since I had pro builders do the actual work with equipment and skills that most people may not have, just that fact that this has been done and works as well as a stock setup for me on this specific truck. To each their own as the saying goes. Also, off this topic, those are some great looking quickchange setups you sell. I will have to get with you when I blow my A apart this winter for its Av8 upgrade.
32-36 front axles are the same functionally and dimensionally - those axles will give you 1 3/4" drop over a stock A axle. You'll also need 32-34 perch pins - they're taller than the A pins and locate the actuators appropriately. Can't, to my knowledge, use 35 spindles, as they are set up for cross steer - find 32-34 spindles or use your stock A spindles (might have to heat & bend the steering arm a little). You'll also need a spacer (1/8" I believe) to go between the axle & wishbone as the A axle is slightly taller thru the perch boss than the 32-36. 32-36 axle - 1 3/4" drop Reverse eye spring - 1" drop Remove a couple leaves - 3/4" drop Total drop - 3.5" Here's what I'm using on my build (with the addition of 33 spindles, backing plates, drums, and spring)
I agree with Nailhead Dodge it can be done successfully. We did it on our '30 AV8 by fabricating extensions out of 3/8" plate which were coped and welded to the top of aftermarket perches from Speedway. We put some shape into them to look a little more period correct. They work fine with zero flex under braking.
I knew I get shot at posting negatively about this this, however butt welding brake parts on the perch pin is not the best scenario so that why I say its a no go. Back to the beginning the original poster had been offered a pricey stripped out axle and spindles of which only the axle could be used,Doing it Gwhites way now he has to find an expensive set of 32-4 perches and a set of brake actuators that will match the perch to spindle spacing, might as well just find a complete 32-4 front end for the axle and components and it becomes less complicated but an expensive parts hunt project especially when he lives outside the US.
No worries Dick, like I said, im not saying you are wrong at all.....I tell most people to look for a juice brake setup over the mechanicals. I chose to keep the mechanical set up because they still work. once i move onto the Av8 build, my mechanicals are going into a box somewhere. As for the original post......Keep everything original, run your stock spring with the 2nd leaf removed and possibly reverse the main leaf. For the rear track down a T-spring for a quick 2 inch drop. You'll come out ahead in the long run and be able to put the money you save from piecing together the other front end into something else....The 35 wires will give you a couple inches drop also just from the smaller size.
Will the A brake actuators work if using a '32-'35 axle with '32-'34 perches? Or are the later brake actuators needed also? Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Yes, they will work. I am running a 32 axle, spindles, wishbone, perches and brakes with A kingpins and actuators.
A actuators will work just fine with stock A brakes. If you're uprading to 32-34 brakes, you'll need to do a little finessing to get it all to work - I believe you'd have to use the A actuators & kingpins.
I have done similar in my sons A coupe ,,32 heavy axle ,,32 perches ,,but i fell for the trap of getting 32 kingpins because i also had 32 brakes,,wrong angle so the A pins went back in ,,my perches had the shock mounts cut off but used tube shocks,,,
Thanks for all the advise. Let's see if I got this right. The axle will give a 1 3/4 drop over the A axle. If I extend the perche's the same amount of drop I can use the brakes. However some feel messing with brake parts is a bad thing, and others have done it with professional help, and it works good. Other than that I have to make a spacer for the kingpins and maybe bend the steering linkage. Have I forgotten anything ? The seller offer it for 200, think I'm gonna go for it. Unless there some major issues I've missed.
The kingpins need no spacer, the wishbone to perch area will. The biggest obstacle to overcome if using the 35 spindles will be the cross steer. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
My A spindles are in good condition with new wheel bearings so I`ll be using them if they are bolt on, or easily modified to go on the 35 axle. So then I don´t have to worry about any spacer either ? That´s good news, if I understood it correctly.
The spacers will be necessary between the perch boss and wishbone as the A wishbone is 2.25" at the perch and the 32-36 axles are 2". Are you planning on using the A brakes or the 35 stuff, or? Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Your A spindle arms will likely need to be heated & bent for clearance. 32-34 spindles are a 'bolt on' and will give you all the clearance you'd need.
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