Good Day! I'm building a 33 ford 5w. boxed stock rails.Tube dropped axle, buick brakes. I need to split the wishbones because of header clearance. I'm told the tube axle doesn't bend, so while hitting bumps, Etc. and will brake something? The way to go is a 4 bar, which i don't really want to use because of the look! What will break and what are my options? Thanks for the input!
50k miles on the tube axle, split radius rods , spherical rod ends , all the " wrong stuff" has worked just fine for 22 years . Sometimes it's ok to thumb your nose at science
I used Magnum Axle hair pins. They have poly bushed ends on both the batwings and the frame anchor. It will allow enough deflection to prevent bind and still have the correct look.
I'd get an original '33-'36 I beam axle and have it dropped. Looks better than a tube axle any day. Model A axle will work too; but you would have to cut the perch bolt bosses down to 2" to match your '33 bones.
Is the rear suspension such that the rearend can articulate through dips and things like pulling into a sloped driveway at an angle? If it's also located with wishbones/ladder bars too the only thing left to twist is the frame. But, as deucemac mentioned poly bushings would offer at least some flexibility. My T roadster was built with a tube front axle and wishbones front and rear. After driving it that way for a number of years I finally blew it apart for paint and converted the rear to a variation of tringulated 4-bar. Not only did it improve going through dips etc. I think the ride was better overall. Rich B's suggestion to go to an I-beam axle is also a very good idea since they can more easily twist. Lynn
Another shop finished one of my builds with bones and a tube axle, instead of the intended beam. It rode and handled miserably. The customer tracked me down and had me put a proper beam axle in it. It is a joy to drive now.
The Jalopy Journal
