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Technical Do I need to bend the wishbone?

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by topher5150, Nov 14, 2020.

  1. topher5150
    Joined: Feb 10, 2017
    Posts: 3,678

    topher5150
    Member

    I was talking to someone yesterday about my wishbone and he said all I needed to do was to loosen the perch bolts, push bones outward instead of heating them and bending them. Anyone else try this?

    Sent from my moto z4 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
     
  2. Budget36
    Joined: Nov 29, 2014
    Posts: 15,042

    Budget36
    Member

    Wouldn’t that shorten them? Assuming they are straight now
     
  3. 19Fordy
    Joined: May 17, 2003
    Posts: 8,319

    19Fordy
    Member

    Bad idea.
     
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  4. Lloyd's paint & glass
    Joined: Nov 16, 2019
    Posts: 10,467

    Lloyd's paint & glass
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Depends on the axle. I have always used the later 40's axles which are spring in front. That keeps you from just loosening them and moving them. You've gotta heat the spring perches and relocate them. I just cut them off. But yeah, if you're splitting the bones, you should be able to loosen the perch bolts and swing them around
     
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  5. gimpyshotrods
    Joined: May 20, 2009
    Posts: 24,414

    gimpyshotrods
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Yes, as long as they are not spring-in-front, you can loosen them and swing them out.

    Before you commit to mounting them, though, assess that you will be able to fully turn the wheels without hitting the bones. Stuffing a tire into one, in-motion, can make for a less-than-desirable situation.
     
  6. topher5150
    Joined: Feb 10, 2017
    Posts: 3,678

    topher5150
    Member

    -It is spring in front, it's for my 47 Ford.
    -Correction they need to move in about two inches.

    Sent from my moto z4 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
     
  7. gimpyshotrods
    Joined: May 20, 2009
    Posts: 24,414

    gimpyshotrods
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Heat and bend is the only way. Allow to air cool, as slowly as possible. Never quench a forging (as that end is one).
     
  8. BamaMav
    Joined: Jun 19, 2011
    Posts: 6,969

    BamaMav
    Member Emeritus
    from Berry, AL

    Some people pie cut them, then weld them back. I thought about doing mine, but decided it was better to just lower the ball end 2". Gave me more caster, car drove smooth down the road and most importantly, the bone cleared the trans pan. The original "builder", I say that loosely because hack might be a better term, had the trans sitting ON the wishbone! And drove it that way, there is nice V dents in the trans pan! That engine and trans is no longer in the car, the new Ford AOD combo has plenty of clearance.
     
  9. Mike VV
    Joined: Sep 28, 2010
    Posts: 3,329

    Mike VV
    Member
    from SoCal

    DO NOT...force bend the bars.
    If they can be rotated (spring !?), fine.
    You say that they are part of the spring perch, then NO, do not force them. Parts do not like being bound up.

    Mike
     
  10. evintho
    Joined: May 28, 2007
    Posts: 2,545

    evintho
    Member

    I split and piecut my 'bones. '38 front suspension in the roadster. Gave me plenty of tire clearance lock to lock and no spring binding. The bend is hidden behind the shock and you don't see it.

    PC040097.jpg

    PC040099.jpg

    PC040101.jpg
     
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  11. Mr48chev
    Joined: Dec 28, 2007
    Posts: 35,648

    Mr48chev
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    You friend is thinking 34 or earlier that has the spring on top of the axle. As the others said and showed you can't do that with the spring in front of the axle.
    There are kits to drop the bones down to clear the pan on a transmission That either don't require splitting the bones or don't require much if any bending of the bones. Check page 20 on this PFD http://www.heinzmanstreetrods.com/catalogsections/Heinzman2018pages/HeinzCat2018_20-24.pdf
    The AS-2083 Drops the bone at the back without splitting it if you are running a C-4 trans. With the kit above it you can clear most other transmissions.
     
  12. My '41 P/U was done that way in the early 70's. To me heating and bending is easier.
     
  13. alanp561
    Joined: Oct 1, 2017
    Posts: 5,340

    alanp561
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I asked @dana barlow how he did his on his roadster with the '48 spring in front since I wanted to use something very closely resembling his. His suggestion was to pie cut the wishbone approximately 15" back from the axle and bring it to the outside of the frame. Finish by fishplating the backside of the weld Gives plenty of room for tire clearance. Pic is of the one I did. I used the stock shackles so the stud sticking out the back of the axle is for the panhard bar 20200913_173817.jpg
     
    dana barlow likes this.
  14. BamaMav
    Joined: Jun 19, 2011
    Posts: 6,969

    BamaMav
    Member Emeritus
    from Berry, AL

    That kit Mr48chev linked to was what I based mine on. The Linc was a bit different as the cross member was a solid unit, and not a x member like the Ford has. I used a rectangular piece of thick steel, don't remember how thick it was, and notched it for the ball, and then used a ball socket I got off of eBay for the top of the mount, with the original bottom socket underneath. The whole piece bolts up in the stock holes, and I added angle pieces to the front and back to straddle the crossmember to help keep excess stress on the now longer ball mount bolts, grade 8 of course. I was going to drill the outboard ends for two more mounting bolts, but my wimpy ass drill wouldn't drill the thick plate or the crossmember. It seems to work fine as is though.
     

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