| 46coupe | -- 09-13-2021 @ 3:53 PM |
|
Does anyone have a picture of the rear sway bar for a 42-48 Ford? I can't find one in the green book or the 41-48 restoration book. I might have to have one. Thanks
|
|
| 42wagon | -- 09-14-2021 @ 3:17 AM |
|
Ford called them Track Bars and they appear on page 4-5 of the 41-48 Ford book. For 42 the rear track bar was only installed on station wagons and sedan deliveries. If you have an early 46 coupe perhaps it didn't get one.
|
|
| 46coupe | -- 09-14-2021 @ 5:20 AM |
|
Thanks for replying. I had not used that term in my search. I plan on posting a picture of what I have on the car later today.
|
|
| 46coupe | -- 09-14-2021 @ 7:14 AM |
|
I had seen the picture in the resto book, and the Green book, but the sources I checked used the term sway bar, etc. As you can see the bar doesn't look like the one in the books. It was on the car when I bought it and had no trouble with the links, shackles, spring, etc. I'll try to load various angles so you can see where the spring eye flipped upside down and how the bar fastens to the car. The car is fairly early so maybe it didn't come with a track bar. However in the write up in the resto book it says they started to install them on all passenger cars. There's no date provided when the changed occurred though. This message was edited by 46coupe on 9-14-21 @ 7:21 AM
|
|
| carcrazy | -- 09-14-2021 @ 7:57 AM |
|
That looks like a Panhard bar to me, the purpose of which is to keep the axle properly located laterally under the car.
|
|
| 46coupe | -- 09-14-2021 @ 8:50 AM |
|
Well that's part of the problem. It hasn't. The rear end has shifted to the passenger side so that the tire rubs on the fender. The leaf spring has flipped around on the driver side so that the broken shock link can't be removed. I had a mechanic look at it yesterday who has built several cars over the years and he said that possibly the bar is bent because the way it is now it won't keep the spring from flipping again after we correct it's placement. I thought I remembered someone saying in an earlier post that the rear end was held centered by some kind of a pin. I'll have to look that up later when I have time. Do you have a picture or does someone on the forum have a picture of the track bar on their car?
|
|
| 40cpe | -- 09-14-2021 @ 6:34 PM |
|
The pin referred to as locating the rear axle is the spring tie bolt. You can see the bottom of it under the center of the spring. You should be able to feel the top of it in the hole on top of the crossmember. It appears to me that your shackles are not factory, but home made. To check for bent track rod, I would disconnect it at the bracket on the crossmember, place the shackles in the correct positions, and see if the track bar lines up with the bracket after you ascertain that the tie bolt is in the correct position. Be sure that the rubber bushings on each end are good.
|
|
| zeke3 | -- 09-14-2021 @ 7:28 PM |
|
I am not familiar with a 1946 model frame, but that rear crossmember doesn't look right to me. On the earlier frames, 1937 for instance, the crossmember had a flange on both the front and rear sides and there were holes that the large spring u-bolts went through. I don't see a rear flange on your crossmember, which may be the way your model was made. One of your pictures makes it look like the spring is way out of alignment with the center of the rear axle. I suggest removing the spring u bolts and dropping the whole assembly down a couple of inches to get a better look at what is going on up there.
|
|
| 40 Coupe | -- 09-15-2021 @ 5:06 AM |
|
Have you looked on page 130 of the Ford green chassis parts book from Nov. 1950? The same bar was used for all the 46-48 passenger cars. Your bar does appear bent and the spring shackle bars are too . The bar part number is 51A-4264-A with the prefix indicating it was first available in 1945. The Sedan Delivery and Station Wagon of 42 would have originally used the 21A-4264 bar that became obsolete sometime after 42 and replaced by the part number 51A- bar.
|
|
| 46coupe | -- 09-15-2021 @ 12:20 PM |
|
Yes I saw the bar in the Green Book which looks pretty straight compared to mine. I'm pretty sure that my bar was on the car when purchased and didn't get bent since then. The shackles and bolt were just ordered and will pick them up tomorrow. I'm hoping we can get the car fixed in the next week or so. A traction bar seems to be pretty scarce so the one I have might need to be straightened to fit. Thanks to everyone for your help and suggestions. I'll post an update when I have one. Oh BTW for those reading this post Dennis Carpenter has just installed a new phone system and there are problems with wait times, etc. Just be patient and you will get to talk to someone. They also have moved to a new building down the street in case you go to visit. I'll be there tomorrow and will get more info on details.
|
|
| 46coupe | -- 09-16-2021 @ 12:07 PM |
|
I just picked up the shackles and spring bolt from Carpenters. we'll try to get those mounted in the next few days. The mechanic helping me can only work on it when he has some time. In case the new shackles don't allow the use of the track bar I have, does anyone have one they would sell or can anyone point me to some vendor who might have one? Thanks again for all your help
|
|
| 46coupe | -- 09-16-2021 @ 4:31 PM |
|
Does anyone have the center to center measurement for this rear track bar on page 130 in the green book?? I sure would appreciate it since we are going to straighten the one I have while I try to find one for sale or a vendor has one for sale. Those who have an original one on the car could you get the measurement for me of the bar, not the measurement from mounting point to mounting point. I need to have the measurement so it includes the bend. Thanks everyone Brad
|
|
| 46coupe | -- 09-17-2021 @ 3:48 PM |
|
I hope someone has a measurement for the track bar or can tell me where I might find the information on one. While I was under the car I thought I would check the through bolt location on the rear spring since I just bought a new bolt yesterday. I found that there was no bolt , no hole for a bolt and where the bolt comes out at the bottom of the spring there is a grease fitting. Interesting. Does anyone have any thoughts about this? I didn't feel any indication that there ever was a hole there. Hopefully the mystery will get solved.
|
|
| 51woodie | -- 09-17-2021 @ 7:27 PM |
|
46Coupe. I’m a little puzzled with your post, saying there is no spring through bolt, but there is a grease fitting. The fourth of your pictures shows the bolt through the spring. The grease fitting screws into the end of the bolt. Maybe I just read the posts too quick.
|
|
| 40cpe | -- 09-17-2021 @ 8:00 PM |
|
46 coupe, the tie bolt has a square head at the top end. It fits in a square hole in the cross member. If you don't feel it, there is a good chance the bolt is in the proper position. Maybe there is grease, dirt, grime around the bolt head so you don't feel it. Have you tried cleaning the area and looking with an inspection mirror?
|
|
| 42wagon | -- 09-18-2021 @ 3:39 AM |
|
There is something terribly wrong with the spring setup for your car. Its those homemade spring shackles. From the pictures the spring is properly centered and has not shifted sideways. You will probably find the square bolt head in the square hole in the frame. The top of it will be flush with the top of the frame Yet it appears that the shackles are long enough for the car to have bounced and the shackle reversed itself. As shown in the picture the car should be leaning to one side if you look at it from the rear. I doubt anything is wrong with the track bar. Replace the shackles with the correct ones and your problem should be solved.
|
|
| 46coupe | -- 09-18-2021 @ 4:29 AM |
|
Thanks so much for the responses. I'll recheck for the thru bolt again. However I did push down on the mount for any type of bolt head that might be flush. Doesn't hurt to check again. I hope you are correct about the bent shackles as my mechanic feels that putting in the correct ones will only help a little. He thinks the bar that is mounted right now might have bent further because it doesn't match the pic on page 130 in the green book. IF I do need a track bar do any of you know where I might check to buy one? Or do any of you have one that you can measure for me?
|
|
| TomO | -- 09-18-2021 @ 9:03 AM |
|
You should not rely on the drawings in the Chassis Parts Catalog for a good description of a part. They are just put in the catalog to help identify a part. You may be able to get the engineering drawing that has the specifications for the part from The Henry Ford archives. Tom
|
|
| 46coupe | -- 09-19-2021 @ 1:17 PM |
|
Finally had time to get under the car and take a couple of pics of the top of the spring assy. They aren't too good as it was difficult trying to align the camera. It looks like a hole is there in one of the shots and the other shot just shows the same texture across the flat. I could not feel any depression in the metal. I also don't see where it would have mounted on the body. If the bolt is missing could not the grease fitting on the bottom been threaded into the hole? I'll try to call the archives tomorrow for help on the track bar. This message was edited by 46coupe on 9-20-21 @ 2:43 AM
|
|
| TomO | -- 09-20-2021 @ 7:52 AM |
|
I would not worry too much about the spring tie bolt being in the center hole in the frame until you remove the shackle bars and let the spring and rear axle assembly resume their normal position. From the photos that you have posted, it is unlikely that the spring is not in position, the tie bolt looks like it is centered between the U-bolts. Once you have the rear end in position, you can get a better idea about the spring being shifted. Your situation seems to have been caused by the long and incorrectly made shackle bars and the car driven at a high speed over a large pothole or curb like surface that forced the rear end out of position. You don't need the sway bar to drive the car, so after you replace the shackle bars and the broken shock arm you will be able to tell if the sway bar is bent. Then you can search for a good used one from one of the antique car recyclers. Tom
|
|
| 46coupe | -- 09-20-2021 @ 3:17 PM |
|
I've sent your post to the mechanic helping me with the car. I've had the car 6 years this next month and never have driven it over 50. I have driven over some rough patches on the highway however but never over any curbs. I don't know if all this happened prior to my owning the car or not. We'll do as you've suggested and see what happens. Thanks for the response and guidance.
|
|
| 51woodie | -- 09-28-2021 @ 5:51 PM |
|
46coupe. I’ll be in the garage tomorrow, so I’ll take the measurement you asked for and a picture or two of the rear suspension.
|
|
| 51woodie | -- 09-29-2021 @ 3:09 PM |
|
Made it to the garage, and took these pics of my '46 Super Deluxe Coupe rear axle. I also measured the track bar, and it is 35 5/8" c/c. I hope the pics help clarify the position of the shackles. I guess I should have measure the c/c on the shackles while I was under the car, but I'm sure that info is out there somewhere.
|
|
| wmsteed | -- 09-30-2021 @ 11:08 AM |
|
Attached is a pix of the '47-48 Columbia under my 36 Ford coupe. The Columbia was is attached to the original 36 center section and torque tube utilizing 37 radius bars. Nothing was modified, The bar is a stock Ford sway/panhard bar attached to a custom made bracket on the rear cross member. Bill 36 5 win delx cpe
|
|
| wmsteed | -- 09-30-2021 @ 12:18 PM |
|
Reviewing 46 Coupe' original pix of the spring under his car I can not fathom the force that caused the axle to flex/shift enough without shearing the U-bolts and or head of the spring center bolt, to flip the left side shackle, resulting in the spring being above the mounting point in lieu of below. Of course the home made shackles could have had a bearing on the problem. I wonder? If a previous owner had trouble installing the home made shackles, so he installed them with the spring above in lieu of below the shackle hanger on one side. Could be the spring is not the correct spring for a 46, a shorter '41 or earlier. I know I had to use a '46-47 rear spring under my '36 to match up with the wider '42-48 axle housings that the later model Columbia has. Bill 36 5 win delx cpe This message was edited by wmsteed on 10-1-21 @ 7:46 AM
|
|
| 51woodie | -- 10-03-2021 @ 3:53 AM |
|
46coupe. How are you making out with your rear axle/suspension repairs?
|
|
| 51woodie | -- 10-07-2021 @ 4:33 AM |
|
46coupe. How are you progressing with the rear suspension repair?
|
|
| 46coupe | -- 10-08-2021 @ 4:43 PM |
|
Many many thanks to both of you. The pics are very helpful, as well as the follow up. The project has stalled due to my trips out of town. I'm hoping we will be able to begin repairs in the next week or so. I'll be posting updates then.
|
|
| 46coupe | -- 10-18-2021 @ 8:48 AM |
|
Well I'll wrap this up. The new rear shackles were installed and the bushings replaced. Everything fit and I'll be trying the car later today. The front end is now lower than it was. i assume it's because the shackles were changed and the fronts have not been changed. We'll see how it goes and hopefully there won't be any issues. BTW the broken rear shock link was removed very easily after the shackle was changed. Once again thanks to everyone for your help.
|
|
| EFV-8 Club Forum : | https://www.earlyfordv8.org/forum |
| Topic: | https://www.earlyfordv8.org/forum/viewmessages.cfm?Forum=18&Topic=15145 |