front perch yay or nay

front perch yay or nay?

Piece of 1/4" plate welded to a rectangular front crossmember.



This is local guy running around my town. I don't think it looks bad, but could use a gusset or two, but I don't see a good spot to add a gusset.

 

I could see that flexing some.......yeah to the gussets

 

I vote No. No gusseting, just a single bead holding up the whole cars weight, and IMHO,,,,fugly.

 

Offered a ride? No thanks, I'd rather observe, way too much horizontal metal...and NO vertical plates! (reinforcement)

 

looks like a problem to me.

 

In time I see a failure,,or at the very least the spring mount will be a few inches higher than it is now,,,,that is if he drives it as much and as hard as most of us drive our hot rods. HRP

 

all i can hope for is when it fails..hes in his own driveway..for his sake and everyone else out there on the roads..


Key word...When

Bring it up to michigan..our roads will fuck it up for sure

 

I'll bet it flexes more than the spring does... Mikey

 

It's welded by a good welder all the way across underneath?
Looks as strong s a '32 frame with a typical Model A front X member with a typical "C" notch that takes out most of the frame rail from the back side of the "X" member forward, maybe stronger.
By the not-very loaded front spring I'd say it's a very light car and would have to bottom out that spring before bending the mount plate.

 

I don't like it. That being said, 18" of 1/4" plate should be strong enough to tow a freight train---and yet, without vertical gusseting, it doesn't "feel" right.---Brian

 

I think the point of failure will be where the bat wings are welded to the axle. Those welds, although hard to see the detail, look kinda cheesy.

 

Looking at his steering arm he obviously got a good deal on 1/4" plate

 

going to be to much flex.

 

I didnt see any stress cracks on the welds when I looked at it, but I'll let him know the comments next time I see him in a parking lot.

 

Nay on that whole front end. Yes, that plate may tow a freight train - in TENSION. That front end is loaded in shear and every time the suspension flexes that plate deflects a little. It must. After enough cycles, the metal will fatigue and a crack will form.

Also, a tube axle with parallel rods and solid clevis's. Not so good.

If that front end works it is because parts are wiggling around. Just MHO.

 

Looks like a Speedway axle to me from the brackets.