The Ford Barn

Gino · 04-25-2015, 08:28 PM

Hi I'll try to keep this short. I own a five window coupe and a pickup. I wanted to change the belt on the coupe. Turns out there was not enough clearance between the front u- bolts and the pulley to remove the belt. Hmmmm. Took a look at the pickup and there was ample clearance. After much measuring and observance I found the front cross member and the middle cross member is 3/8" shorter on the coupe. Frame appears to be riveted in the proper place. Can't see any sign of a front end collision. Drives great. Any ideas on how this is possible or anyone see this before? Thanks

Mike V. Florida · 04-25-2015, 10:26 PM

Different size pulley, different front motor mount, different rear motor mount, different front spring block clamp, come to mind right away.

Gino · 04-26-2015, 04:59 AM

Hi Mike, thanks for thinking about this problem. Are you referring to the clamp that holds the leaf spring? I have to say all the related parts look and measure the same except the distance in the frames front to middle cross members. I believe this to be the reason for the smaller gap between the clamp and the pulley. I just can't figure out how this could be. If some one replaced the front cross member it sure looks like a job well done. my concern is that I to force the new belt in and risk compromising the integrity of the belt. Thanks

Tom Wesenberg · 04-26-2015, 05:26 AM

Does the hand crank line up to the crankshaft, as slide right into place in a straight line?

akroflyer · 04-26-2015, 08:14 AM

I had the same problem with mine, I put a floor jack under the front of the motor and raised the motor slightly and the belt slid off with no problems.

Gino · 04-26-2015, 04:49 PM

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No, the hand crank goes in at an upward angle. I did not think the engine would raise without removing at least one mount bolt on each side? But why the discrepancy in the frame I wonder. Well ill get the new belt on her. There's probably a good joke there. Thanks

Henry1953 · 04-26-2015, 05:12 PM

Mine also has the original front cross member with no past damage and I have you jack up the front of the engine slightly to get a new belt on. I haven't had any experience with any other car so I thought this was normal.

BILL WILLIAMSON · 04-26-2015, 05:47 PM

Sometimes the belts are a BITCH to change, you just have to do whatever you have to do, to change it. I just CRANK them through, the cogged belts are easier to crank through.
Bill W.

Gino · 04-27-2015, 07:19 PM

Hhmmmmm

jax55 · 04-27-2015, 11:32 PM

If the hand crank goes in at a down word angle, sounds like the motor is pulled down too far. I had the same problem until I replaced the front motor mount with the original style. Mine had the mount that used a thick rubber bumper on the frame bolt and was tightened too much. Problem was a combination of the motor being too low and the rubber bumper was squeezed so tight it balooned out causing no space for the belt to get past them.
Just a thought.

04-25-2015, 08:28 PM	#1
Gino Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Falmouth, Ma. Posts: 313	Frame's affect on belt change Hi I'll try to keep this short. I own a five window coupe and a pickup. I wanted to change the belt on the coupe. Turns out there was not enough clearance between the front u- bolts and the pulley to remove the belt. Hmmmm. Took a look at the pickup and there was ample clearance. After much measuring and observance I found the front cross member and the middle cross member is 3/8" shorter on the coupe. Frame appears to be riveted in the proper place. Can't see any sign of a front end collision. Drives great. Any ideas on how this is possible or anyone see this before? Thanks

04-25-2015, 10:26 PM	#2
Mike V. Florida Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Florida between Sarasota and TampaSouth Florida Posts: 14,054	Re: Frame's affect on belt change Different size pulley, different front motor mount, different rear motor mount, different front spring block clamp, come to mind right away. __________________ What's right about America is that although we have a mess of problems, we have great capacity - intellect and resources - to do some thing about them. - Henry Ford II

04-26-2015, 04:59 AM	#3
Gino Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Falmouth, Ma. Posts: 313	Re: Frame's affect on belt change Hi Mike, thanks for thinking about this problem. Are you referring to the clamp that holds the leaf spring? I have to say all the related parts look and measure the same except the distance in the frames front to middle cross members. I believe this to be the reason for the smaller gap between the clamp and the pulley. I just can't figure out how this could be. If some one replaced the front cross member it sure looks like a job well done. my concern is that I to force the new belt in and risk compromising the integrity of the belt. Thanks

04-26-2015, 05:26 AM	#4
Tom Wesenberg Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mpls, MN Posts: 27,582	Re: Frame's affect on belt change Does the hand crank line up to the crankshaft, as slide right into place in a straight line?

04-26-2015, 08:14 AM	#5
akroflyer Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Posts: 19	Re: Frame's affect on belt change I had the same problem with mine, I put a floor jack under the front of the motor and raised the motor slightly and the belt slid off with no problems.

04-26-2015, 04:49 PM	#6
Gino Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Falmouth, Ma. Posts: 313	Re: Frame's affect on belt change Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) No, the hand crank goes in at an upward angle. I did not think the engine would raise without removing at least one mount bolt on each side? But why the discrepancy in the frame I wonder. Well ill get the new belt on her. There's probably a good joke there. Thanks

04-26-2015, 05:12 PM	#7
Henry1953 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2014 Location: Laurel, MS Posts: 126	Re: Frame's affect on belt change Mine also has the original front cross member with no past damage and I have you jack up the front of the engine slightly to get a new belt on. I haven't had any experience with any other car so I thought this was normal.

04-26-2015, 05:47 PM	#8
BILL WILLIAMSON Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: FRESNO, CA Posts: 12,560	Re: Frame's affect on belt change Sometimes the belts are a BITCH to change, you just have to do whatever you have to do, to change it. I just CRANK them through, the cogged belts are easier to crank through. Bill W. __________________ "THE ASSISTANT GURU OF STUFF"

04-27-2015, 07:19 PM	#9
Gino Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Falmouth, Ma. Posts: 313	Re: Frame's affect on belt change Hhmmmmm

04-27-2015, 11:32 PM	#10
jax55 Senior Member Join Date: May 2014 Location: Santa Barbara, Ca Posts: 329	Re: Frame's affect on belt change If the hand crank goes in at a down word angle, sounds like the motor is pulled down too far. I had the same problem until I replaced the front motor mount with the original style. Mine had the mount that used a thick rubber bumper on the frame bolt and was tightened too much. Problem was a combination of the motor being too low and the rubber bumper was squeezed so tight it balooned out causing no space for the belt to get past them. Just a thought.