radius ball felt pad installation in bellhousing.
 

Working on a 1928 Model A with a later transmission. About to put the rebuilt transmission back in. Is the felt oiler pad in the bell housing held in place by the radius ball bolt locking pin? Seems too thick a pad and there was no pad when I pulled the transmission to go by. Thanks

Re: radius ball felt pad installation in bellhousing.
 

Yes, that is what holds it in.

I cheated and drilled a hole through the pad and put the pin through it. Will probably get scolded for that, but it works.

Re: radius ball felt pad installation in bellhousing.
 

P.S. Is right. I've done that too. Remember to put a bit of oil or gear oil on it for lubrication of the radius ball. Jeff

Re: radius ball felt pad installation in bellhousing.
 

I also put the pin through the felt on my first one years ago, but most of the time I bend the felt to form a V, then the pin fits the center over the V.
As JD said, put lots of oil in the felt after installing it.

Re: radius ball felt pad installation in bellhousing.
 

It squeezes in tightly under the pin

Re: radius ball felt pad installation in bellhousing.
 

The pin holds the felt in place. Photo shows how I position it. The way to install it is to slide the pin in and use a large screw driver to push it down to compress the felt. Tap the pin the rest of the way in with a small hammer.

Tom Endy

Re: radius ball felt pad installation in bellhousing.
 

Tom Endy's word is gospel. Go with that.

Re: radius ball felt pad installation in bellhousing.
 

On one of my cars, the heads of those bolts have receded so far into the housing that the pin does nothing. I have had to make new bolts with higher heads to catch the pin. Where do I get a new bell housing????:confused:
I can see that sometime in the future, I will have to drill out the bolt holes and sleeve them get back to standard.

Re: radius ball felt pad installation in bellhousing.
 

http://www.snydersantiqueauto.com/radius-ball-kit

You may be able to find this down under as well.

Re: radius ball felt pad installation in bellhousing.
 

I've had to make small diameter spacers to lift the bolts up. It will outlast me and the owner.:)

Re: radius ball felt pad installation in bellhousing.
 

same - some are really bad some not so much - not a great design... vibrations from the road and the fact they are spring loaded act like miniature air hammers just hammering away at the cast iron. Might not be a bad idea to check the tightness of them every 2-4 years...

Re: radius ball felt pad installation in bellhousing.
 

Carl, Thanks but I made a typo. Should be "Where do I get a new BELL housing"
Next time the motor is out, I'll have to do something about this.

Re: radius ball felt pad installation in bellhousing.
 

Bell housing or flywheel housing?

Re: radius ball felt pad installation in bellhousing.
 

If you notice in post #9. in the upper corner you'll see the felt from Snyders. Thick enough to be for 2 pads. Must be drilled out or somehow modified to not bend the long pin. Good material but a printed note with suggestions would be welcome. Even if the 2 bolts are shimmed up to engage the pin, the felt is way too thick. Tough stuff to cut.

Re: radius ball felt pad installation in bellhousing.
 

A good used Bell housing or Flywheel Housing, either one could be had at Bert's or Arizona Model A. Just make sure you specify that it has to be crack free. Snyders carries a "new" aluminum Flywheel Housing.

Re: radius ball felt pad installation in bellhousing.
 

About a year ago one of the national club's magazine had an article that said to cut a small coil spring into rings and insert the ring in the recess to raise the bolts to a proper height. I did the repair and it worked very well. I don't remember the size of the spring but I bought it at ACE. It works well because it is thin enough to fit right in the hole without any grinding.

TerryO

Re: radius ball felt pad installation in bellhousing.
 

I think i used a piece of 1/4-1/8" pipe nipple... or an old bushing out of something... something i had laying around was used and fit nice snug fit on the bolt and no bigger than the diameter of the head.

Re: radius ball felt pad installation in bellhousing.
 

Thanks again, Carl but no chance at either place. We need RHD and I have yet to come across any supplier over there who even knows there is such a thing (except Arizona Model A)

Katy,
Bell housing or flywheel housing?
The bell housing is where the bolts and felt are located and that's what I need.

Re: radius ball felt pad installation in bellhousing.
 

I sliced the thickness of the felt pad in two, plenty of material to fit tight under the pin.

Re: radius ball felt pad installation in bellhousing.
 

Thanks for all the helpful comments guys!