The front suspension on my Model T sedan project is almost complete (pictures by the weekend) and I am starting to think about setting up the rear. I will be running an open drive banjo with a Model A spring. Today I ordered a 20' stick of 7/8-.156 DOM tubing for the ladder bars, drag link, and tie rod (Ouch! Cost more than the two sticks of rectangular tubing I bought for the frame). My roadster has Pete and Jakes ladder bars and the plan is to home build something similar. I have a pair of Total Performance flame cut 3/8" axle brackets, the clevices, and 5/8" Heim ends for the front. So, my question is - "Should I use the heim ends or should I pop for an additional $30-35 and get the same Pete and Jakes rings and bushings that I have on my roadster?" As I see it, the advantage of the Heim joints is that I have them and the advantage of the Pete and Jakes rings and bushings is easier fabrication (only need to tread one end and it all comes together nicely). I'll go with the Heim ends unles the Pete and Jakes parts offer a more distinct benefit. What say you all?
Heim ends transmit road noise. And if they're not the sealed kind with zerk fittings, they wear out faster.
For polyurethane bushing ends a lot of guys run 1" four bars. The bushing rings used with 1" are usually 1 5/8" x .120 wall. 7/8" DOM with the .156 wall should work fine as a ladder bar in your car. Poly bushing rings for this size are usually 1 3/8" x .120 wall when used on front suspensions, but the 1 3/8" stuff ought to work ok here. 7/8" DOM works well for tie rods and drag links. With the .156 wall stuff, you have the right size for threading 11/16-18 which is the size Ford used for passenger car tie rod ends. Panhards made of 7/8" usually run 9/16-NF threads on the adjustable end and also use 1 3/8" bushing ring sizes. Front suspension components - radius rods, four bars - using 7/8" DOM run 5/8-NF thread. You probably know all of this, but thought I'd point out the bushing ring sizes. It's easy to make your own bushing ends if you have access to a lathe. And if not and your saw cuts square, you can make em with that. A good quality bolt with the hex ground/cut round welded to a ring makes a good threaded end bushing ring. Polyurethane bushings are available from Energy Suspension in the proper sizes for all of the abovementioned ring sizes. They come with a steel inner bushing to fit the bolt in use.
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