The Ford Barn

gdmn852 · 02-03-2024, 04:16 PM

Hello, regarding the original fan breakage , shortly after getting my first Model A , around 1970 , an“old timer “told me about fan problem when driving a AA milk truck, he was pulling a long hill on US 19 , and heard a loud bang and lots of shaking, fan blade broke, this was pre WW2 so though not common, occurred when in every day usage, but then again how well maintained was the truck?

mass A man · 02-03-2024, 05:03 PM

Breaking fan blades is not just a Model A Ford problem. Any old car similar to our Fords age is liable to throw a blade. I also have a '25 Dodge Brothers and on the AACA website whereas a man just finished a beautiful restoration on an early Dodge and threw a fan blade, right through the hood, took out water pump, radiator core and front fender was damaged also. What a heart-breaker the photos were! Luckily, nobody was standing in the line of "fire".

Joe K · 02-03-2024, 05:05 PM

Quote:

but then again how well maintained was the truck?

The Service Bulletins don't address issues with the fan. And fan maintenance likely was never addressed in the life of the truck.

Ford himself STARTED to address the developing questionable fan design with a NEW design late in 1931. These "two part" semi-airplane fans are more resistant to penetration by water BETWEEN the fan layers - although not entirely rust free.

This last version Ford Model A fan pattern is highly sought after and considered "more reliable."

The typical "get home repair" was to cut off the remaining side of the fan and then "drive fast" to assure sufficient air flow through the radiator to prevent boiling over.

That if the fan blade didn't take out the fenders or the hose connections in the process of flight.

JC Whitney had their "single blade" fan (pressed out of a single piece of steel) which many adopted before today's aluminum "airplane" fan. The JC Whitney's are good, but prone to failure at either the four bolts holding the blade to the pulley, or simply breaking in half at the bolt holes.

And Ford Model B had a "four blade" fan, a doubled up version similar in concept to the later JC Whitney fan - but subject to the same failure modes.

The weakness of the aluminum "airplane fan" is primarily quality of construction. I've never heard of one failing "disastrously" by centrifugal force, but the issue more the proper taper and the fit of the water pump shaft taper. Issues can be either fan OR taper. The aluminum fan starts "oscillating" and cuts a half circle into the cooling fins of your radiator.

Joe K

Keith True · 02-03-2024, 07:02 PM

I lost an aluminum fan around 1998.I was heading to the Barrington truck show.When I got on the highway a couple miles from my house I had a few seconds of rumble then a big rumble.I shut it down and rolled to the side.My engine was so tired that I thought it had finally given up.Opened the hood and was looking at half of a fan.That thing was so porous it looked like a sea sponge near the hub.We had an awful time trying to break the other blade off with a couple pair of vise grips.There were no voids in that side.I'd had that fan since I was a kid,so it most likely came from J.C.Whitney,if I bought it new.I think I ran it that way for close to a year before I redid my engine and changed it at that time.

02-03-2024, 04:16 PM	#21
gdmn852 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2019 Location: Erie Pa Posts: 689	Re: Fan catastrophe avoided Hello, regarding the original fan breakage , shortly after getting my first Model A , around 1970 , an“old timer “told me about fan problem when driving a AA milk truck, he was pulling a long hill on US 19 , and heard a loud bang and lots of shaking, fan blade broke, this was pre WW2 so though not common, occurred when in every day usage, but then again how well maintained was the truck?

02-03-2024, 05:03 PM	#22
mass A man Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Danvers, Ma. Posts: 712	Re: Fan catastrophe avoided Breaking fan blades is not just a Model A Ford problem. Any old car similar to our Fords age is liable to throw a blade. I also have a '25 Dodge Brothers and on the AACA website whereas a man just finished a beautiful restoration on an early Dodge and threw a fan blade, right through the hood, took out water pump, radiator core and front fender was damaged also. What a heart-breaker the photos were! Luckily, nobody was standing in the line of "fire".

02-03-2024, 07:02 PM	#24
Keith True Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Epping N.H. Posts: 2,990	Re: Fan catastrophe avoided I lost an aluminum fan around 1998.I was heading to the Barrington truck show.When I got on the highway a couple miles from my house I had a few seconds of rumble then a big rumble.I shut it down and rolled to the side.My engine was so tired that I thought it had finally given up.Opened the hood and was looking at half of a fan.That thing was so porous it looked like a sea sponge near the hub.We had an awful time trying to break the other blade off with a couple pair of vise grips.There were no voids in that side.I'd had that fan since I was a kid,so it most likely came from J.C.Whitney,if I bought it new.I think I ran it that way for close to a year before I redid my engine and changed it at that time.