I have a '48 ford rear axle and the spring hangers are offset. I'd like to know if there are any axle bells from other years that I could use so my spring perches are centered (like the stock Model A) What other options are there besides cutting off the ones on the 48? This axle will be going under a stock 28-31 frame. I did try the search button, but didn't really get an answer. Thanks!
Model a axle bells will not interchange with the 48 bells. Only way to go spring over on the 48 would be to weld mounts on, either aftermarket or using pieces off of stock a bells. Sent from my DROID device using the TJJ mobile app
I'd like to retain the stock A model x-member, just want to do what someone would have done in the 1950's
You could cut the 48 mounts off. Get a pair of Model A bells and cut the spring perches off, trim them and bolt them to the thru the backing plate bolts then weld them on. There was an older post by Chris with pictures where he did this to an A V-8 roadster he was building at the time. (He might have used the narrower 35-40 rear).
I was just directed to that post by a friendly HAMBer, and it’s exactly like you say. Now I just need to find a pair of 28-31 axle bells…
If you extend the A rails by 7.5" you can bolt in a stock, spring-behind V8 banjo. I've used off-the-shelf channel iron and I've had channel made to match the rails exactly for the splice. It's an easier mod than welding A hangars on the later banjos- takes about two hours including boxing plates - and you get a 3 - 4 inches of drop for free, depending on what kind of spring you use. I use a Posies spring made for the A crossmember and later banjo; not sure if other springs will work; later banjo springs may be too fat to fit inside the A crossmember. You could also step the frame by the height of the frame rail where you add the 7.5", thus picking up another approximately 3.5" of drop. Be sure to consider what effect the relocated crossmember will have on your body style.
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