Splitting Wishbones for a Dropped Axle

Published by majac on

In our ongoing series dedicated to resurrecting one 1936 Ford Phaeton (which admittedly has a 1935 body and frame with 1936 front sheetmetal) we have stayed the course of keeping things simple. How simple? Well, we decided to build the car without removing the body. It seems the body has never been separated from the frame and far be it from us to break an 83-year bond. We converted the rear to an open 9-inch Ford with leaf springs, hopped up the 59AB Flathead, and adapted an S-10 five-speed to the motor. Now it was time to attach the front suspension, and in keeping with the simple approach we opted to use one of Super Bell’s new forged, 4-inch dropped axles.

Suspension decisions are a critical part of building any hot rod and we gave ample thought before deciding the buggy spring and bones would work just fine for us. First thought was theme. This car is going to be a very traditional, late-’50s tub with Flathead motor between the rails. This seemed to call for a straight axle suspension. The next consideration was performance. Yes, IFS (independent front suspension) will out- perform a straight axle in ride and handling, and disc brakes are most certainly superior to their drum counterparts. Our final consideration was simplicity of installation, and, frankly, this one was a toss-up. Today, quality Mustang II IFS kits are chassis-designed units and quite simple to install, as is the dropped axle. Having said all that, continuity of theme won out. We opted for the new forged I-beam dropped axle from Super Bell Axle, buggy spring, and 1939 Lincoln-style drum brakes, along with a Morfab Customs wishbone-splitting kit. All parts were sourced through Pete & Jakes Hot Rod Parts.

In keeping with the traditional theme of our 1936 Ford Phaeton, we decided to use the time-tested dropped axle and “buggy spring” front suspension. Pete and Jakes’ forged dropped axle was the perfect choice.

Regardless of your suspension choice you can’t install new suspension until the old pieces are removed. Prior to suspension removal we spent some time cleaning the framerails. Rolling the old suspension out from under the tub was a simple matter of disconnecting the brake hoses, hydraulic lever arm shocks, the drag link from the steering box, and unbolting the spring U-bolts. Two bolts hold the ball end of the wishbones to the frame and after removing them the entire front suspension rolls out. Before we did this we took some time to heat and dislodge the wishbone mounting pins in the axle. We did this while the axle was still clamped in place. Obviously these pins cannot be removed (which also provide the early Ford shock mount) but we wanted to be certain they were free to move as they can be stubborn. Bear in mind just the pressure exerted by the transverse spring is enough to make them stiff, but over 80 years of rust and grime can make things extra tough. With the pins raised up about 1/2 inch, we rolled the suspension out from under the car.

After removing our hopped-up Flathead motor we were ready to remove the original front suspension from the car. Before removing the old suspension, we spent some time cleaning up the framerails to get them ready for paint.

Next up would be spring removal. If you have a spring spreader this is fairly simple; if you don’t have a spring spreader, the spring can be disassembled using four heavy-duty C-clamps. We have also disassembled the springs with a long grade 8 bolt. After securely clamping all the spring leaves with four C-clamps, carefully remove the center bolt and replace it with a long grade 8 bolt. Run the nut and washers down to hold the spring together. Remove the two top C-clamps and slowly loosen the nut, decompressing a few spring leaves at a time. Work very carefully as springs store a lot of energy, and should the spring leaves suddenly come apart, serious injury or worse could occur. Work slowly and carefully.

With the spring disassembled down to just the main leaf we removed the shackles and spring leaf. Next we drove out the wishbone perch pins and separated the wishbones from the axle. The old axle was rolled off in the corner slated for a future swap meet.

After a thorough cleaning of the chassis from the X-member forward we prepped the rails with SEM Rust Mort, a rust conversation compound sourced through Summit Racing.

In order to use the wishbone splitting plate from Morfab Customs, the centersection of the chassis X-member must be removed. To do this we had to unbolt the floorpans and we also cut a piece of the floor toward the rear of the X-member for access. As for removing the rivets and the centerpiece itself, all we can say is be prepared for a battle. Air chisels, drills, punch, and a Sawzall were all called into active duty, but when the dust settled we had removed the centersection. You can feel good knowing the worst is now behind you. Of course all of this would be easier with the body off the frame.

Splitting the wishbones is very straightforward, with directions telling you exactly where to cut the bones. Nicely machined threaded bungs were then tapped into the wishbone and TIG-welded in place. We stripped everything to bare metal prior to priming and painting all the suspension pieces with semigloss black paint from Summit Racing. The new combination wishbone splitting plate and transmission plate aligned perfectly with the rivet holes and was bolted in place. Supplied rod ends mount the wishbones to the wishbone splitting plate.

Since we were going to disassemble the old suspension we used a torch and a hydraulic jack to put pressure on the wishbone perch pins. We had removed the original shocks earlier.

We removed the wishbone perch pins without damage and then modified the perches by removing the early Ford shock mount eyelets for a cleaner look. If you damaged these pins during removal, fear not, Pete and Jakes has new ones on the shelf.

We mounted the wishbones to the axle and then bolted the assembly to the splitting plate at the center of the chassis. With the spring hanger portion of the wishbones perfectly centered on the front crossmember we were ready to bend some steel. This is required because as you spread the rear of the wishbones the front spring hangers come slightly together. This changes the shackle angle, making it impossible to mount the front spring. To correct this, you must heat the spring hanger. Using a long lever, gently bend the spring hanger outward until the shackle boss is perfectly perpendicular to the face of the axle. Heating the spring hanger just above the shackle boss until it is dull red should be enough to bend the hanger. We used a long piece of 3/4-inch steel rod as a lever. Allow the heated metal to cool slowly and naturally; do not quench it with water.

Next we disassembled the new transverse leaf and mounted the main leaf to the spring hangers using the new Pete and Jakes shackles. These shackles also incorporate the lower mounts for the new tube shocks included in the kit. We carefully reassembled the new spring and after securing the center spring bolt we raised the assembly into the crossmember and secured it with the two U-bolts.

After heating the area with the torch a couple of whacks with a heavy hammer moved the perch pin up about 1/2 inch. Bear in mind the side load exerted by the spring makes these pins stiff. We just wanted to move the pins a bit to be sure they were free in the axle.

We spent some time measuring and adjusting the wishbones to ensure the axle was square in the frame. Then we took the new kingpins and dropped them through the new spindles. With the spindles mounted we greased the supplied wheel bearings and installed them into the new hubs. With the 1939 Lincoln backing plates mounted to the spindles we slipped the wheelhubs in place, followed by our brand-new brake drums.

The tube shocks were suspended from the Pete and Jakes chassis brackets and bolted in place. The drag link and tie rod came next. With everything bolted in place we installed our Coker Tire chrome reverse rims and wide whitewall tires and lowered the tub to the ground. A little time with a trusty tape measure took care of the wheel alignment and the front suspension swap was done. We put new hydraulic hoses from the frame to the backing plates and suddenly we had four-wheel suspension, brakes, and steering all in a very traditional manner. SRM

Next we removed the hydraulic brake lines, the two bolts holding the wishbone pivot ball along with the U-bolts over the front crossmember. We lowered the jack and rolled the old suspension out.
We carefully disassembled the front spring by double clamping the leaves and removing one leaf at a time. Be extremely careful as these spring store tremendous energy and will fly apart. A longer safety bolt is recommended through the spring during disassembly.

Prior to beginning the installation of our new Super Bell forged I-beam axle we spent the better part of a day cleaning and prepping the frame. We then used Summit Racing primer and chassis paint for the final finish.
After removing the original shackles and main spring leaf we removed the wishbone perch pins. We then cut the shock absorber mount off the top of the pin (foreground) for a cleaner look. They were painted and set aside.
Our shackle bushings were long gone and when we pushed the rubber out of the main leaf spring the steel sleeve remained in the spring. We ground down a large Allen cap bolt to use as a driver to remove the sleeve from the spring. The socket served as the receiver.

 

Following the Pete and Jakes directions to the letter we measure and mark the proper location to cut the wishbone. A piece of tape marks the cut line.
A port-a-band makes quick work of cutting the ends of the wishbones. Work carefully to make good, straight cuts.
A half-round file makes quick work of deburring the inside of the wishbones.
The threaded bungs fit perfectly in the wishbones. Since the wishbones are tapered tubing it is important to make accurate measurements before cutting. The threaded bungs should gently tap into the tubing.
First we tack-welded in the end in several places and then TIG-welded between the tacks. Allow the welds to cool slowly.
The rod ends are assembled in the vise with two urethane bushings and a sleeve pressed into place.
Now for the hard part. The centersection of the 1936 Ford chassis must be removed. This involves removing the rivets from the chassis X-member using an air chisel, drill, and various other means. Be prepared to work.
After removing the rivets, we used a Sawzall to cut the centersection in half. This made it a bit simpler to remove. Of course if the body was off the frame this operation would have been much easier.
With the centersection out we have a clear view back to our John’s 9-inch Ford rear axle. We did not weld the spring pads in place when we installed the axle so we can adjust for the final driveshaft angle.
This is the wishbone splitting plate from Morfab Customs. It bolts into the X-member of the 1935-1940 frame and mounts the split wishbones and provides a mounting surface for out T5 tranny bolted to our Flathead.
We used grade 8 hardware to bolt the plate into our crossmember. The plate was a perfect bolt-in.
Splitting the wishbones affects the angle of the front spring hanger. The hanger is now pointed in toward the axle. We must bend the hanger so it is perfectly perpendicular to the axle.
I had to call in reinforcements for this project so while brother Lou puts the heat to the hanger I will do some bending. Heat the hangers to a dull red close to the shackle housing.
We used a long piece of 3/4-inch steel rod through the shackle loop to provide leverage. The shackle must swing perfectly perpendicular to the axle.
Our new shackles from Pete and Jakes ride on urethane bushings for a tighter suspension feel. The stud is the lower shock absorber mount.
With just the main spring leaf clamped in the front crossmember a floor jack is used to raise the spring up to the height of the spring hanger.
With the floor jack supporting just the main leaf a C-clamp was used to bring the spring the proper distance so the shackle could be inserted in the main leaf and the spring hanger.
With the main leaf not installed between two wishbone hangers we carefully assembled the spring.
The spring and axle assembly are now ready to be raised up into the front crossmember and be clamped in place.
You will notice the spring shackles are almost parallel with the floor at this point. Once the weight of the car is on the spring the shackle will come down to approximately a 45-degree angle.
With the forged Super Bell axle clamped in place we spent some time measuring and adjusting the axle to ensure it was perfectly square in the chassis. Be careful making adjustments as the spring puts pressure on the wishbone.
Certain we had proper alignment it was time to install the Super Bell spindles and steering arms, complete with new kingpins.
Assembling the 1939 Lincoln brakes and Coker wide whites on the spindles is just plain fun.
We purchased everything through Pete and Jakes, including the tie rod and draglink. Purchasing everything from one shop ensures the parts will mate up properly and provides a tech source should it be needed.
We slipped our 59AB Flathead/T5 combination (adapted with a Speedway Motors adapter) in between the framerails and the Morfab wishbone splitting plate and transmission mount worked perfectly. The tranny will actually be about 1 inch lower after we drill the hole for the transmission mount. And now we are ready to roll!

 

The post Splitting Wishbones for a Dropped Axle appeared first on Hot Rod Network.

Categories: Hemmings Auto Blog

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