Building an Av8 using a 32 front axle, wishbone and brake component's. Using a speedway front lowering spring. Which I think has caused the brake rods to come very close to hitting shock mount of the spring perch. My question is can I put a gentle sweep or bend in the rod to make room. I bought a set of rod's with a gentle bend and they have enough room. Picture with gentle bend and straight.
no, pedal force will straighten the rods a bit before applying full pressure to the brake mechanisms, they are straight for a reason
Also why is that brake shaft mounted forward of the perch and up side down ? It will hit the perch the way it is now. The shock is mounted higher than the stock location. Bob
I knew setting myself up for that one. When brake applied I have enough room with straight rod. when in relaxed position it rubs. Back to the drawing board.
I'm no expert on this stuff. Think your thinking of model a brakes. Every picture I have seen of 32 brakes look's like I have it assembled correctly.
With a bend in it you will have a spongy pedal, like air in a hydraulic system. The brake with the bend in it will not get full force until the bend is straightened out each time you push the pedal.
I did. The 1932 ford book, by David G Rehor. And hour's of searching the internet for original 32 chassis picture's. The shock's are still mounting in the original holes just switched left to right to mount upside down to provide more travel room for the brake rod's. Had a rebuilder make all the necessary changes.
Make a custom rod with a stout 'Z' bend in it. A sweeping bend will want to straighten out 1st. It wouldn't hurt to go up a size if you make custom rods. Or, going way off the reservation here, take a page from the Packard way and use heavy cables. I think some of the later V8s used em too. Skin that cat...
First off motorcycles of the era have had bent brake rods for years. So it is possible although I would recommend straight ones. I did this swap on my roadster using 32 stuff in an A and I swapped king pins side to side. Then acuators were swapped also so they worked correctly. Then the acuator arms were reversed so they pulled from the top like on an A. My shocks are Delco Lovejoys and the rods are very close. There should be photos somewhere here on the Hamb or Fordbarn of my swap. You can also use Model A kingpins and acuators and not need to do all the swapping from side to side. I used 32 stuff because that is what I had.
The closer you put the bend to the pivot the better off you are. Without ever seeing the parts involved assuming its a threaded piece on the end and the pivot hole centered, what if you made another end but with the pivot hole offset or make a pie slice in the old one,bend and weld it back solid? that will give you the clearence needed without causing flex in the rod by bending it.
Let me preface this as I am no expert but what I am thinking is as follows. From the pic of the 32 you posted yes the rods go under and actuators point down but that is with a 32 frame and 32 brake shaft which is of different design and most likely the rods are at a different angle so the rods clear. From your build it looks like you are using an A frame, A brakes, A brake actuators up front and an A brake cross shaft with 32 axle, wishbone and perches. I bet if you flip the A front actuators so the level is up so the lever pulls back to activate the brakes everything will clear nicely. I am building something similar, A frame, 34 front axle, 32 perches, 36 wide 5 mechanical brakes with A front actuators pointing up and A brake cross shaft. . I am in the process of ordering brake rods but this looks like the way it should go. Good luck and keep us posted on your findings
Thank you for all the replies,help and idea's. Flipping the actuator's would create different problem's. I got it to work. I installed the brake rod anti rattle bracket on the wishbone and with some filing on the shock mount spring perch it work's. I'm using an A frame, Tardell k member, 32 heavy axle, 32 wishbone, 32 cross shaft, complete 32 brakes and actuator's.
Cool, one thing I have learned building my chassis is everything needs to be tweaked and just when you think you have it back together for good it needs to come apart one more time to be put back together a different way.
I'm just curious as why you are messing with mechanical brakes in the first place. Definitely inferior to begin with.
What's wrong with mechanical brake's? I use the car as every day transportation a few year's back and never had a problem. Fenderless, banger with 11 inch Model A brakes. As long as all the pin's fit good, bushing's are good and brakes are adjusted properly they stop just fine. So with the 32-34 12 inch mechanical it should stop even better .Same size the 40 juice brakes everyone is using. So same stopping power.....right? Difference being hydraulic pressure compared to your foot pressure. 1940 ford brakes use a single reservoir master cylinder so if you blow a brake hose or hydraulic failure you loose brakes. (I know use a later 2 reservoir master cylinder) Mechanical brakes loose a pin or rod there is still 3 more stopping the car. I had 1940 brakes on the car at one point but change direction with the build. I thought the mechanical brakes just look so cool....why not do it?