You need to read the whole thread. Don't even need that, just look at the perch pin bosses. Dead giveaway.
If I was you I would get in touch with Jerry denning from Bristol. Plus he drops axles. He may have what you need to do the job and make it safe and an enjoyable driver. Sent from my KOB-L09 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
My two pence worth...it's all pretty simple....all the above are good suggestions. What is left out, I'd first establish a centerline of the frame, front to back, left to right obviously equal. Then establish several perpendicular to center line reference points left and right on frame. Masking tape works great. What is nice and easy about the old car frames is that whatever you measure on the left should be the same on the right and vice versa. No compromises. That means everything...king pins, wish bones, brakes, steering arms, shackles etc. Only odd one out will be the steering drag link. After all else is "squared", then the drag link will be adjusted to fit. Check the following: Spring centered in frame Wishbones equal length Axle not bent King pin angles the same Everything left to right, front to rear the same measurement. (Same goes for the rear). In your case, assuming all is squared, something looks jabberwocky with the axle: axle bent???? king pin angles not right wrong spindles..king pin angles not right Numbers: Caster: 6-9 degrees Camber: 1 degree negative but more like 1-2 degrees positive Toe: 1/16 to 1/8" in or same out, but out will stiffin steering and you need to drive it. Split wishbones..panhard control of left to right movement of axle is a must!!!! Oh, if a cast axle, don't even think about bending or heating it to straighten, throw it away and get another. Sent from my XT1710-02 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Replace the front axle with all compatable parts. In my opinion the car is dangerous. You should have had a experienced person that builds these cars inspect it before you purchased it. Bring it to a qualified shop and get it reevaluated .
Thanks for all the info people, I’m getting the front axel replaced at a reputable hotrod shop. Having bought this from a hotrod dealer I didn’t expect it to be dangerous, but lesson learned. Onwards and upwards for the Rascal Sent from my iPad using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
It hard to pin the bent axle on the dealer as you don't know for sure it left the dealer with a bent axle. If you bought the car from the US and had it shipped overseas, you can almost bet it got bent in transport. Yours would not be the first car that got dropped unloading from a ship or was tied down incorrectly. And, if that is a Johnny Law axle, it would take much to fuck it up. -Abone.
Horse46 wishing you well. The pain felt in the wallet will be for the best to have a safe driving hot rod. Sent from my KOB-L09 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
It was bent before leaving, all pictures are what we sent to me, I just didn’t know any better. I’m not going to dish the dirt either, I will give them a chance to redeem themselves. Sent from my iPad using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Jimmy at valley gas speed shop. There's Zane llewellyn at Shepton mallet. Sent from my KOB-L09 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
These are just two examples of what Jerry denning can build Lee's Street strip roadster. And another that went off to Spain. And the orange one is Zane's brothers. Sent from my KOB-L09 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Straighten the axle with a press or a jack and chain or put it between 2 railroad ties and hit it with a big sledge hammer. They bend pretty easy. Then undo the drag link from the pitman arm, turn the steering wheel both ways lock to lock and count the turns, divide by 2 (4 1/2 turns would be 2 1/4) turns to the center of travel, line up the steering wheel so it's straight, line up the front wheels so they are going straight down the road. Lengthen or shorten the drag link so it drops in the pitman arm and drive it around, it should be real close, if it needs a slight adjustment, drop the drag link, lengthen or shorten the drag link to match the pitman arm with the wheel going straight down the road and you should be all set. Wheels straight on the axle and Steering wheel straight down the road. If it's a cast axle don't use it, get a forged axle and bend away. If you want a shop to do it go to a semi truck repair shop, they straighten those big truck axles all the time and will see yours as a breeze to do. JW
all good advise ^^^^, i was gonna say basically the same. if you dont have access to heavy stuff needed to get violent with heavy steel, big truck shops regularly bend I beam axles, and any car place will just give you a funny look. here's how i do the toe in, tape around the tire, set a marker on a block or something stable, make a true line on each wheel. i made a simple pair of pointers that slide on a piece of pipe, with a thumb screw, so i can do it my self. two guys and a tape measure works fine too. 1/16- 1/8" toe in should do it
Take note of earlier posts: it has been established that it is a cast Chinese axle...jacks and sledge hammers will not help...other than to break it.
I hope you tilt and load that to the shop...I also believe and hope that Axle Company has their license taken away for that and any other inferior products they market...
License? to build crap? Caveat emptor! China has such high quality control standards. "tilt and load"?? regional colloquialism?
Find a piece of chalk. Mark the tires in about the middle. Put the car up on jackstands (I set them under the axle someone will tell you that is wrong) roll both wheels so that the chalk marks are on the back measure the distance. Now roll the wheels around so that the chalk marks are on the front (180 degrees from the back) measure again. you want the distance to be 1/16 to 1/8 narrower when the chalk marks are on the front.
What I am saying is that car is not fit to drive...I sure as heck wouldn't drive it like that...I mean it's bad enough you have to replace an axle why 'F' up your pricey Bias plys driving the cock eyed Jalopy not to mention it could fail with unknown outcome on the way there...Sounds as if more fine components under that Brand also were used... In my opinion if the quality is inferior All connections to this garbage should be stopped and again have the rights to produce automotive components taken away indefinitely...Being allowed to market this should be illegal around the world.. Offshore finger pointing may not be the only connection to these garbage products that wouldn't pass anything less than scrap...In fact I blame those that are allowed to produce the products...they should verify parts are compliant BEFORE they sell them...and if it's the manufacturing is producing garbage not to spec they should move production elsewhere where it can be made to spec... They should be under the same scrutiny as Car Manufacturers...just my opinion and I'm sure they are protected by the Laws that are Ass...how else can you describe this any other way... https://www.dnb.com/business-direct...oup_llc.f0b5c7037ccfdd16c74cc04bc741b886.html ...I don't see China on the Address above...
Exactly my point...Inferior Product is being passed into the Market by a Company that continues to flood the world with it...Now in a Utopian World Ole Hoffman would suck it up and recall the garbage that has been produced under their umbrella, sever the contract with said garbage provider and find a new supplier that can smelter metal to perform as it should and meet any applicable standards. I don't know if this company even makes this garbage at all anymore...perhaps it's the Hotrod shops and Private recipients of this crap still making bucks selling it Knowing it's crap...Hey they got suckered too...but are still willing to pass it on because they are going to lose money with inventory they have... I guess you have to give the Hambers credit for their part in Flagging and making it quite clear LLC/Hoffman anything is unacceptable on anything with wheels.
Horse46. Did you get anywhere with this problem? Would like to no your progress. That's a shit start to you hot rodding but it can be put right I'm sure. How's the rest of the car, hopefully it's just the front end that needs sorting out. All the best and good luck. Sent from my KOB-L09 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Update: nothing to report on the front end yet but I do have a local hotrod shop which is great news. Unfortunately the head ache continues, and like a bad smell has spread a little to the rear end. However, I'm taking a positive approach because even if I wanted out I couldn't sell it on like it is, but it's not for sale, I think its still really cool and will be great when done properly. Not to spread this all over the net I'm keeping the other issues to one forum. I will update how I go along though. Thanks for the offer but I'm staying with the traditional dropped beam.
Thanks for the up date. Keep at it, all the best. Tim. Sent from my KOB-L09 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app