Hi, I'm building a rod and are about to put a tube axle in the front. At the moment i think it will be a super bell. But to plan the built properly and know what to buy i need som info. when it says that the axle is 4inch drop, it that in comparison to a compleate straight axle or to a stock axle already with a dropshape? On the picture: is the meassurement on the axle cente to centre 4inch in a 4inch drop Super bell? a nother question: is there anyone who produces a tube axle that is straight between the dropps ( like this http://image.rodandcustommagazine.com/f/9995029/0808rc_15_z+dropped_i_beam_axle+.jpg ) but have peaches holes like a super bell?
I have a car built in 1995 with a tube chrome axle. Do yourself a favor. Change your mind and do a regular old axle. After you get the car up and going your gonna look at it and say Why did I do that ??????????????? That Is just my opinion........
I will have it black, not much chrome will go on the car. but I will ride with the original leafspring setup, wich does that it will be better with a tube than a I-beam. here is a sketch a did on how it may look. (the springleafs are supose to be mounted in the frame in the front, not levetating like in the picture
Put a straight edge across the top of the kingpin bosses aand measure down to the top of the perchpin bosses. That dim. will be your total drop. The pic. below is a dropped Model A axle that has been dropped to 4 inches...
This question might be better answered by the manufacturer of the axle you are buying. Not many cars actually had a "straight" axle. I would think most manufacturers would try to say how much drop their axle would be over a stock axle....but again it would be best to ask the people who actually make the axle or sell the axle.
thanx for the tips. I sent a mail to Superbell and got a quick respons. However, today I found a 1937 Plymouth axle for sale quite cheap very close to were I live so I hope it's in good shape and then I will use that instead. Can you drop tube axles like you do I-beams? in my mind it seems like it won't work.
4” new = 3” model A 4” new = 2” 32 to 36 The term 4” or 5” total drop that people and manufactures throw around is meaningless …. and makes people that don’t know think it will lower you car that much
Tube axles typically aren't stretch dropped like I Beam axles. If you're going with a tube, I would just get the height you need new.
The original and correct description of a dropped axle is how much the axle is dropped OVER STOCK. That is, how much the spindle end of the axle is raised from the stock location. Only a Model T axle can be correctly measured from the bottom line of the axle since it is straight. All other Ford axles have a smile. Various axles can be dropped various amounts. The maximum drop for a 28-31 Model A Ford axle may be 6" but for a 42-48 Ford may be only 2". This depends on how much axle there is between perch boss and spindle knuckle. That said a fabricated tubular axle could only be measured from the baseline of a straight line since it is the only starting point you have.
The Jalopy Journal
