Hot Rods How to take apart a 40 Ford wiper tower

It looks as if the 40 Ford Closed Car windshield wiper TOWER has joined the 40 Deluxe Hood Ornament - will NO LONGER be made. SOMEONE out there has taken one apart - would that person please share with us how to do it = as in removing the shaft in the top end of the tower so it can be chrome plated? Thanks in advance for sharing !!

 

You might try to speak with someone at Bob Drake. I sent one of mine there for repair a few years back.
Hopefully @olscrounger will chip in with some of his knowledge about everything 40 Ford.

 

PB Blaster, use a small puller to pull it apart, it's a press fit

 

Have taken apart many and had rechromed-have done several sets for the last 40's we did. Helped a guy yesterday via phone who had a broken chain--led him thru it and he got it fixed. A stack of washers or a small spacer (1/4 drive socket too) over the shaft-screw nut on and tighten a bit should come right out--easy to reassemble as well PM me and I can lead you thru it-just be gentle with it.
After chroming the shaft may be too tight. I used a small drill bit same size as shaft carefully then put some polishing compound on the shaft and spun it in the housing--done maybe 6 sets this way. Have two sets hanging on the wall for next project. Only issue is it is not cheap to rechrome the towers.

 

Are pickup towers the same?

Sent from my SM-G965U using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

I am using the convertible towers. Other have mentioned the same. May not be historically correct but they seem to be ok?

 

So you tighten the nut to take it apart?

 

yep--very carefully or tighten nut some with washers or pry between two of the washers-both ways work-just take it easy as to not break the tower where the shaft goes--never had an issue taking one apart-done many-the guy I helped via phone yesterday was a bit cautious about taking it apart. Led him thru it--he did it just fine with no major issues and reassembled

 

Thanks for the outstanding instructions - I followed your advice, got six towers apart without any issues. This issue with not being able to just pickup the phone or use the computer to order "new ones" should be a "wake-up call" to all those who are into 40's no matter what body style. Most know this = there will NOT be any more 40 VENT window levers just like the Deluxe hood ornament! Start looking in your stash boxes!

 

Convertible/Station Wagon (they share the exact same cowl) wiper towers are slightly narrower than the closed car ones, the issue with using them on a closed car, due to the width difference, (I have not tried to use them, don't know, maybe you could comment) could be you run into issues with the closed car tower "hole" being to big or ?? I'm sure as folks realize the closed car towers are no longer available they would appreciate your experience using the convertible towers and what (if any) issues you encountered along with what you did to solve them.

 

Tim, was that Dennis?

 

Yep,Tim walked me thru it ,took a few times to get broken chain back together and properly reinstalled back in housing expect to reinstall in the " ol girl next couple days . Tim's keen eye saw in the pictures I sent him what I was doing not quite right , but got it ! Found the only way I could get chains back on was mount loose ends of chain to ears on bracket on wiper arm that goes under dash then I marked center of small roller in tower ,keeping it centered slid pin back in then pressed back carefully in a vise ( lined both sides of vise to keep from scratching ) looks right ,think it will be fine , but if not ,you all will probably not hear about it!!!!

 

Those towers were made by Trico, who made towers for many other makes. You can use the chains and some other parts from different makes to repair the Ford towers.

 

Send me all you got I'll fix em! Just kidding of course ,I was sweatin,squintin,talking ,, to myself and Tim,praying,scratchen my head ,shaken my head, quit and started over about 5 times ,then got it .Twernt nothin to it ! Don't drive in the rain unless I'm caught, and no I would rather not discuss how I broke it !!!!

 

I was concerned about the width as well, but they dropped right in and fit right. Covered up the hole with no issues.

Again, they are not "correct", but I doubt most would notice...

 

Good thread guys ! Believe my 1940 came with some NOS or maybe early reproduction's in it's extra parts.....guess I'll be looking to replace the original factory Ford's !

 

Yep-- alot of stuff no longer available. Have a few vent wings and maybe 6-8 old ventwing handles may have to redo those?

 

FYI--my friend bought a whole box of wiper stuff at Paso today--there are 5 sets of wiper towers. He is sending them up for me to redo

 

Got mine all back together in the car today , everthing worked as it should ! In correctly defroster vent and hose reinstalled, glove box liner and door done . Took a while and " hotter then a three dollar pistol" but finished her up . Thanks Tim ,Dale .

 

Tim is the man!

 

Where does it ‘split’, hard to see in the pics. Still unclear how tightening the nut on the spindle splits the castings, guess I’ll have to give it a go...

 

Here's some wiper towers in the classifieds: https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/1940ford-car-parts-lot.1204328/

 

Depressing. Repro part's availability seemed like they would keep expanding for years. Feels like they are dropping off rapidly now.

 

So I pulled my towers out, thanks to oldscrounger, I was waiting for something to pop, but no trouble at all.

Now they’re apart, I’ve noticed that the shaft in the bottom chain wheel is either incredibly worn, or it’s The wheel is slotted, anyone know which it is?

When you reassemble, I assume the links need to be opposite each other, so the links on the top wheel are at the top, and the bottom wheel at the bottom?

 

links on top wheel on top-bottom piece as it came out--bottom is adjustable in the slot.

 

Man,You have BALL'S ! I am still squirming at the thought of it !

 

As the towers are no longer produced a lot of stuff is showing up on various site for sale. Look closely before you buy. The convert and woody towers will fit the cowl but there is difference in the linkage etc. On the dr side coupe tower the bottom wheel has a hook in it and the link is about 4 1/4 hole to hole. On the convert.woody one the bottom wheel has a straigth piece like the pass side and the link is about a 1/2" shorter hole to hole. There are some out here that look incorrect--be aware-also some mixed sets.
If you have some old sedan/coupe towers pull the linkage and put in the convert/woody towers. I just took apart about a half dozen towers here-will send out towers for rechrome along with a couple of sets of vent handles for something to do.

 

Just to let you know , Drakes is remaking them, $189 which seems pretty good. They’re also doing the 40 deluxe grill centers, $1300 ish

 

Thanks for updating us.......