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Ford I beam Truck Axle ID.. Hot Rod Fodder???

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Iceberg460, May 26, 2013.

  1. Iceberg460
    Joined: Jun 6, 2007
    Posts: 880

    Iceberg460
    Member

    So I was out on the family property in eastern Co the other day helping with some mowing, and found this guy attached to an old 21 stud flathead in a pile of scrap iron that's been there long before we bought the land.

    Its obviously from a heavy truck, the 20" rim and huge (14"+) drums that were on it were a dead giveaway, but I snagged it anyway thinking it would make good wall art if not anything else..

    But being the cheap bastard that I am, I'm wondering if this could be used on my model A project... Let me know what you guys think.. And what my options are for brakes if it is useable...

    Thanks in advance,
    Justin

    Masurements (all are approximate)
    King pin to king pin bore: 51"
    Perch bolt to Perch bolt: 37 1/2"
    Perch bolt boss height: 2 1/2"
    King pin boss height: 2 3/4"
    King pin bore dia.: 1"
     

    Attached Files:

  2. Iceberg460
    Joined: Jun 6, 2007
    Posts: 880

    Iceberg460
    Member

    So I've been searching the HAMB and the internet for a few hours trying to find some info on this thing... Not much luck so far. From what I can tell it might be from a 1 1/2 ton truck, but very little info on these... Kinda thinkin this may end up as "wall art" after all...
     
  3. NortonG
    Joined: Dec 26, 2003
    Posts: 2,117

    NortonG
    Member Emeritus

  4. Iceberg460
    Joined: Jun 6, 2007
    Posts: 880

    Iceberg460
    Member

    Thanks NortonG! but the link you posted isn't working.. Got another way to get there?
     

  5. NortonG
    Joined: Dec 26, 2003
    Posts: 2,117

    NortonG
    Member Emeritus

  6. YES! Great Hot Rod Axle. It looks to be a 32 heavy axle.
     
  7. Iceberg460
    Joined: Jun 6, 2007
    Posts: 880

    Iceberg460
    Member

    Right on, many thanks fellas!
     
  8. No, it isnt. The 32 Heavy has a slight drop to them, not just a smile like the As.
     
  9. This is what a 32 heavy looks like.
     

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  10. pasadenahotrod
    Joined: Feb 13, 2007
    Posts: 11,775

    pasadenahotrod
    Member
    from Texas

    That is a one ton axle from a late 29-31 Model AA truck. 28-early 29 AAs used the regular passenger car axle and kingpins but had the big spindles etc. Not much good for anything but what it came from or to hang the axle on the wall.
     
  11. Iceberg460
    Joined: Jun 6, 2007
    Posts: 880

    Iceberg460
    Member

    Yeah it's definitely not a '32 heavy (I wish it was!)...

    But don't think it's AA either, when I found this the wishbone was still attached to part of a trans cross member that was bolted to a V8 (my understanding was '32 was the first year for V8's, even for the trucks...?). Unless someone swaped it long ago....

    I double checked some masurements and the king pins are 1.000", so still wondering if it's useable... Nothing I've found so far matches that...
     
  12. Maybe someone drilled out a bad axle to put bushings in, or adapt something? I thought the one tons used a .814" kingpin.
     
  13. Regardless, its an A axle, not a 32 or later.
     
  14. NortonG
    Joined: Dec 26, 2003
    Posts: 2,117

    NortonG
    Member Emeritus

    Yep. Good HotRod parts.
     
  15. I stand corrected, still a nice useable piece. And, the price was right!
     
  16. 296 V8
    Joined: Sep 17, 2003
    Posts: 4,666

    296 V8
    BANNED
    from Nor~Cal

    Defenetly heavy truck axle …. People try to pass them off as 32’s

    The one time I didn’t ask for a photo I got sent one for my $390.oo dollars. :mad:
     
    IMO
    The work it would take to get reg hot rod hubs and brakes on would negate any savings of just getting the standard pass - pickup stuff commonly used in the first place.
     
    I do pick them up at swap meets (for cheap only) when I see them.
    I plan to use the center beam from them with CNCed dropped ends on one of my someday axle projects.
     
  17. Iceberg460
    Joined: Jun 6, 2007
    Posts: 880

    Iceberg460
    Member

    Thanks for all the input guys, really appreciated...

    296 V8, from what I've seen so far, the hub/brake issue would be the only real hurdle to overcome..?

    My thoughts were that I might be able to get the spindles turned down to fit the standard passenger car bearings and hubs. Then either drill backing plates to fit the 6 bolt pattern (if I run drums) or, make my own caliper mounting brackets (for disc)... Then the only issue would be finding new 1" kingpins (the old ones are showing some wear).

    Though, Ford I beams front ends are something I haven't worked with before, so there may be (probably is) something I'm overloking...
     
  18. Iceberg460
    Joined: Jun 6, 2007
    Posts: 880

    Iceberg460
    Member

    So does anybody know a sorce for 1928-1948 Ford Spindle dimensions? Need to know what the diameter of the spindle shaft is, where the inner and outer bearings ride. And distance between bearing surfaces would be helpful as well..
     
  19. If I was going to turn down the spindles (lot of effort for whats there IMO) I would find the brakes I want to run ad turn them down to match those, that way there are no adaptors or anything.
     
  20. Why even mess with it, everything about it is oversize, and no matter you do it will never look "right".

    There is no shortage of Model A or early V-8 axles, why not start with a real hot rod axle.
     
  21. Iceberg460
    Joined: Jun 6, 2007
    Posts: 880

    Iceberg460
    Member

    Good point, something to keep in mind. I was asking because the bearings that were on it are Ford BB 1201's and BB 1216's, and some sites list AB 1201 and AB 1216 (aka Timken 15118 and 09074) for '32-34 Ford cars, so I was hoping I might get lucky and there would be an interchange, but no dice there..

    I have been looking through the Timken catalog for the last few hours, and found a few options to make early car hubs work with minimal machine work. Might need to take a few thousands off the hub ID if that. Providing the distance from inner bearing to outter is close to that of the car spindle..
     
    kidcampbell71 likes this.
  22. No one is saying you cant MAKE it work, just saying that TO US, its more effort to make that stuff work, than to just get the right stuff.
     
  23. Iceberg460
    Joined: Jun 6, 2007
    Posts: 880

    Iceberg460
    Member

    I understand you, not trying to start an argument. Sorry if it seemed that way. My heads still swimming with part numbers and bearing specs.

    But, IMHO, it doesn't seem like that much work compared to dropping 3-400 bucks on an axle, spindles, spring and bones... Unless I'm missing something, and if I am please let me know.

    Anyway it's long pass time for me to turn in.. Ya'll have a good night.
     
  24. Didnt take it that way, we have just seen a lot of people trip over a dollar to pick up a dime.

    If you insist on machinig the spindles and making it work, the very first thing I would do is make sure you can find a kingpin set for it.
     
  25. 55 Mercury
    Joined: Mar 18, 2006
    Posts: 888

    55 Mercury
    Member

    It's a model AA truck axle. I've dropped a few of them. I bored out the kingpin holes to about 1-1/8" and changed the inclination to fit the late 70's early 80's F350 spindles with disc brakes. There are a few guys building hot rod 1 ton trucks.
     
  26. Guys, so is it worth taking spindles from a 49 truck?



    Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
     
  27. rottenleonard
    Joined: Nov 7, 2008
    Posts: 1,993

    rottenleonard
    Member

    I was told that later ford f150 spindles(twin I-beam) would fit on the AA axles without modification. Can anyone back this up? Although it sounds like an awful heavy setup.
     
    kidcampbell71 likes this.
  28. 55 Mercury
    Joined: Mar 18, 2006
    Posts: 888

    55 Mercury
    Member

    49 Ford spindles have .8125 dia kingpin dia. The modelAA is around 1" dia kingpins. The F150 twin I-beam kingpins are .859 dia. What guys are doing is using the F350 twin I-beam spindles on the Model AA axle. This gives them a 8 lug disc brake for the 1 ton wheels. If a guy wants to do machining you can make about anything work. It would be cheaper to get a car axle. Usually you can pickup a Model A car axle for $50 to $75. Bones for $50 to $75
     

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