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Technical dropping steering arms 1936 Ford

Discussion in 'Traditional Hot Rods' started by Conrad*Hamburg, Jan 12, 2021.

  1. Conrad*Hamburg
    Joined: Jul 4, 2012
    Posts: 18

    Conrad*Hamburg
    Member

    Hello from Germany,
    my 36 Cabriolet has the wide fives with Lincoln brakes. So I have the stock 36 spindles. The steering arms have to be dropped to fit the 4" axle I have. Is there an old shop out there you can recommend that does that job? Therefore I am also looking for a set of spindles.
    Thanks a lot
    Conrad 20201224_124510.jpeg

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    Baumi likes this.
  2. 19Eddy30
    Joined: Mar 27, 2011
    Posts: 2,314

    19Eddy30
    Member
    from VA

    They are Forged ,Heat up with rose bud to pop sickle orange, bend both sides same to desired angles to clear , Let cool own its own
     
    Last edited: Jan 12, 2021
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  3. FlatJan
    Joined: Dec 13, 2013
    Posts: 306

    FlatJan

    Mark angle of steering arm end on backing plate and keep parallel. Pay attention to Ackermann
     
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  4. Budget36
    Joined: Nov 29, 2014
    Posts: 13,173

    Budget36
    Member

    Pete and Jakes (I assume others) sell forged dropped steering arms, you cut yours off and bolt these on. No experience with them, I just recall looking into it some time ago.
     
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  5. 19Eddy30
    Joined: Mar 27, 2011
    Posts: 2,314

    19Eddy30
    Member
    from VA

    If arms not long enough to get your bends ,you will have to change spindles to 40 style and use longer arms ( Pete Jakes ) Forged
     
  6. Happydaze
    Joined: Aug 21, 2009
    Posts: 1,903

    Happydaze
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Need more pics of the garage please. It looks wonderful from what can be seen!!

    Chris

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  7. Fordors
    Joined: Sep 22, 2016
    Posts: 5,372

    Fordors
    Member

    Conrad, you mention having the stock ‘36 spindles, there are no bolt on dropped arms available for those as has been suggested. If you have access to a welding torch you can do the job in your garage, I know of no shop that would do the job for you.
    You would have to jack the car up to a good working height, remove the brakes so you could use the stub axle for leverage and heat and bend the arms for the desired clearance. If you do attempt this use a plumb bob (lotleine) to plot points on the floor to check and adjust the Ackerman. A length of pipe on the stub axle and even a large pipe wrench on the steering arm will give you the leverage necessary.
    I assume you have already purchased an axle, but if not I believe it is Sid’s dropped axles that will adjust steering arms to suit, but that would only be with the purchase of an axle as far as I know.
     
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  8. I know several who have just dropped their own. Pretty sure @cvstl made a simple jig to do his on his 37 with wide fives if I remember right.

    And, Sid does them regularly, but that may not be as feasible as doing them yourself considering your location.
     
  9. cvstl
    Joined: Apr 15, 2009
    Posts: 1,499

    cvstl
    Member
    from StL MO
    1. H.A.M.B. Chapel

    If you have a torch with a rosebud (or cutting head, if you are careful), it's not hard. But I would not even consider doing it on the car.... you are going to have the spindles off and axle out anyway, do it all and reassemble the whole thing, set your toe-in, etc. before you slide it back under the car.

    I made a jig out of a piece of C channel. Cut a hole the same side as the backing plate shoulder on the spindle. drop the spindle thru the hole, align the flat of the steering arm eye to be parallel with the edge of the C channel and drill the holes thru the C channel to bolt the spindle to the jig.

    Now, find a good way to hold the jig assembly so that you can heat it up and bend. It takes quite a bit of leverage, so secure it good. Secured so that you can pull hard and not turn over the bench? Now you are ready...... put a kingpin in the hole to keep it from deforming (I have been successful in saving the bushings in the last 2 sets that I have done) heat it up cherry red and put a pipe over it and bend it down. Use the edge of the jig as a reference and bend it down so that the eye of the steering arm is 2" lower than it was. Also, make sure that the eye is the same "height" above the face of the jig as it was. Let it cool a little and then heat the arm at the eye, and bend it with a big adjustable wrench so that it is parallel with the jig edge, and 2" lower. Let it cool slowly and you are done.

    The above assumes that this is a 32 - 36 axle. If it is 37 - 41, you have to do a little more bending up by the kingpin boss to get clearance.
     
  10. Bursonaw
    Joined: Jun 19, 2011
    Posts: 175

    Bursonaw
    Member

    Joe’s Speed shop did my spindles on my 36 and even fixed one of the tie Rod tapers all for a reasonable price.
    He has the jigs for your setup and will drop the arms and then will do a Magnaflux check for any cracks. I know he has done thousands of axles and has been doing this for a long time. It’s worth a call.

    http://www.joesspeedshop.com/joesproducts.htm


    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
     
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  11. Conrad*Hamburg
    Joined: Jul 4, 2012
    Posts: 18

    Conrad*Hamburg
    Member

    Cool, I am impressed of all your answers.
    I know that there are no aftermarket dropped spindles for a 36 :-(
    But I am not able to do this on my own ;-)
    So that is why I am searching for a shop to do.
    @Bursonaw and Fordors: I will give Joe's Speed Shop and Sid a message.
    And will not change to a later spindle, because then I can not use my wide fives anymore...
     
  12. If I recall right 1939 was a wide 5 type wheel,and juice brake. Use 37-41 spindles,and 39 hubs,and drums and backing plates.You can bend those spindles,or install bolt on.
     
  13. Conrad*Hamburg
    Joined: Jul 4, 2012
    Posts: 18

    Conrad*Hamburg
    Member

    Hey Steve,
    the 37-41 spindles don't fit the 36
     
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  14. Conrad*Hamburg
    Joined: Jul 4, 2012
    Posts: 18

    Conrad*Hamburg
    Member

    My family and the 36 live in an old thatched house. 200 years ago sheep used to live in it.
    Behind the garage is our living room. 20210112_201912.jpg 20180730_203016.jpg
     
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  15. nobby
    Joined: Jan 8, 2006
    Posts: 1,206

    nobby
    Member

    when you buy the axle, do you need to get one that has the early narrow 2'' perch
    BUT
    is 48'' wide at the king pins?

    [​IMG]
    Top Axle: Stock Original Axle 50-1/2" Kp to Kp
    Bottom Dropped Axle: 4" Total Drop Non Stretch 48-1/2" Kp to Kp

    so you lower the car from stock 2''
    you bring the wheels in 1'' per side
    you have to narrow the tie rod 2''
    can you still squeeze in those dropped tie rods ?
    still having to bend the upper arm

    I think what was throwing everyone was you have lincoln back-plates, so they must have already been modified for the 36 spindle
     
    Last edited: Jan 12, 2021
  16. Conrad*Hamburg
    Joined: Jul 4, 2012
    Posts: 18

    Conrad*Hamburg
    Member

    Yes, I have this one.
    Last year I had a nice conversation with posies, and they recommended this axle. I already had the axle in the car,
    but then recognized that it would not fit without dropped arms ...:-(
     
  17. Baumi
    Joined: Jan 28, 2003
    Posts: 3,043

    Baumi
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Conrad , I have a couple friends that dropped their own steering arms here in Germany. I´ll have to do it myself on my 51 Chevy truck that´ll get a 4" dropped axle, so I´m in the same boat. I´ll pm you my cell number, just give me a call.
     
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  18. Just my opinion, I would send Joe or Sid you spindles AND axle (and have the axle dropped). That way they can make sure the arms will clear AND you'll still have a factory Ford forged axle under the '36. You can always sell the aftermarket axle.
     
  19. tubman
    Joined: May 16, 2007
    Posts: 6,913

    tubman
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Sounds expensive, since the O/P says he is in Hamburg. Of course, that might be Hamburg, Minnesota, but I've been there several times and haven't seen that particular house.
     
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  20. nobby
    Joined: Jan 8, 2006
    Posts: 1,206

    nobby
    Member

    /\ this is true in as much as
    If you do have a stock axle that has been both dropped 2'' and narrowed 1'' either side
    the steering arms will need bending to correct the steering geometry
    so , source an axle and spindles and tie rod in the usa
    ship it to them,
    have the axle done and the spindles
    have them fit new king pins and ream
    get them to narrow a tie rod and fit with new tie rod ends

    get the whole lot - throw it in, no hassle.

    then, when you realise the wheels hit the tube shock shackle on full lock, you can put the stock stuff back in...............
     
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  21. Baumi
    Joined: Jan 28, 2003
    Posts: 3,043

    Baumi
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    hahahaha, good advice!^
     
    Last edited: Jan 12, 2021
  22. Fordors
    Joined: Sep 22, 2016
    Posts: 5,372

    Fordors
    Member

    Conrad’s Lincoln brakes may be ‘39-‘40’s which are a direct bolt on to his original spindles, no modifications necessary.
     
  23. nobby
    Joined: Jan 8, 2006
    Posts: 1,206

    nobby
    Member

    /\ ahh groovy! every days a school day

    -what is doing my swede in at the moment is
    35/6 axle are 50.5 to king pin
    37 axles are 48.5
    BUT the 36 and 37 pick up uses the same front fender
     
  24. Budget36
    Joined: Nov 29, 2014
    Posts: 13,173

    Budget36
    Member

    Heck, shipping would be a killer. When I looked into shipping an axle to be dropped, it was less expensive to pay the core charge.
     
  25. Bursonaw
    Joined: Jun 19, 2011
    Posts: 175

    Bursonaw
    Member

    Just to clarify, to my knowledge 1936 spindles fit only 1936 brake wide five drums. (One year only) Wide 5 brake drums were used on Fords from 1936 to 1939. You can use later year spindles (1937 to 1948) on a 36 axle, but will have to use 37 to 39 wide brake drums if you want wide five drums.
     
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  26. Dont tell my 32 that.Its been sitting on 41 spindles on a 36 axle for 35 years.
     
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  27. The difference between the three types of early Lincoln Backing Plates.
    39 to 48 Lincoln Front Brakes.jpg
     
    Last edited: Jan 14, 2021
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  28. F-head
    Joined: Oct 20, 2007
    Posts: 1,171

    F-head
    Member

    Contact Andy Koehler Thunderbirdesq on here
    He drops axles and steering arms
    He probably even has a pair of 36 spindles feet could drop and ship to you if he had a tracing of your axle
    Super nice guy and does excellent work
    Check out his photo dump thread
    Cheers
    Bruce
     
  29. I did ship mine a few years ago and it was under $50. No box, I just wrapped the axle in cardboard and used a crap load of packing tape.
     
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  30. Deuce Lover
    Joined: Feb 15, 2009
    Posts: 1,047

    Deuce Lover
    Member

    I used 37 spindles on my '36 with dropped arms from Speedway and had '37 Drums /39 brakes. I had 36 wide 5 wheels on the car.
     
    irishsteve likes this.

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