The Ford Barn

Will N · 05-15-2023, 10:03 AM

I was installing U-Joint clam shells yesterday on a bare chassis. I've done it before while the body was on the chassis and it was a miserable job. I thought it would be easier with the body off. It's not! The two vertical bolts are a piece of cake, but the 6 horizontal ones are agonizing. The reason it's such a p.i.t.a. job is that you can't get a socket wrench on either the bolt head or nut. There's not enough clearance between the nut and the bearing retainer for even a thin walled socket to fit, and no room for a socket wrench to fit on the bolt head because its too close to the tranny case. So you have to use crescent wrenches on both the nut and bolt and you can only get about a 1/6 of a turn at a time before the need to reset the wrench. So it takes forever to snug up 1 nut, and then you have 5 more to go! And then you have to install the 6 cotter pins!

That got me thinking, how did Henry do this job on the assembly line? Speed was of the essence, and you couldn't have this one step take up too much time on the line. Did Henry have special wrenches for this?

Tim Ayers · 05-15-2023, 11:21 AM

I'm not a Model A guy, but on V8's, Ford used special castle nuts with smaller diameter heads. Using those, you can get a socket on them.

Is that not the case for Model A's?

Will N · 05-15-2023, 01:31 PM

Perhaps that's it. Maybe the repro castle nuts are too thick? The nuts that the vendors sell are 9/16". Maybe a 1/2" nut was used?

Tim Ayers · 05-15-2023, 01:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Will N

Perhaps that's it. Maybe the repro castle nuts are too thick? The nuts that the vendors sell are 9/16". Maybe a 1/2" nut was used?

I don't have one at work with me, but yeah. You really need the smaller diameter nuts for these for the reason you are running into.

Tim Ayers · 05-15-2023, 01:38 PM

Duplicate post

bobbader · 05-15-2023, 04:32 PM

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I have a few sets of original nuts & bolts. Both have 9/16 heads. For jobs like these, whether using originals or repro hardware, I take the time to chase the threads on both the bolts and nuts using tapping fluid as well. This way, when assembling, you can pretty much spin the nuts in place (even with fat fingers, which I have). Yes, it's still a pain not being able to use a socket/ratchet to do final tightening, but at least this will speed some of the process.

Will N · 05-16-2023, 10:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobbader

I have a few sets of original nuts & bolts. Both have 9/16 heads. For jobs like these, whether using originals or repro hardware, I take the time to chase the threads on both the bolts and nuts using tapping fluid as well. This way, when assembling, you can pretty much spin the nuts in place (even with fat fingers, which I have). Yes, it's still a pain not being able to use a socket/ratchet to do final tightening, but at least this will speed some of the process.

I still wonder how Ford did it quickly on the assembly line.

Flathead · 05-16-2023, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Will N

I still wonder how Ford did it quickly on the assembly line.

I wonder that about many aspects of Model A assembly. I just put the rear window in my '30 closed cab pickup.

05-15-2023, 10:03 AM	#1
Will N Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 1,117	Universal Joint Clam Shells I was installing U-Joint clam shells yesterday on a bare chassis. I've done it before while the body was on the chassis and it was a miserable job. I thought it would be easier with the body off. It's not! The two vertical bolts are a piece of cake, but the 6 horizontal ones are agonizing. The reason it's such a p.i.t.a. job is that you can't get a socket wrench on either the bolt head or nut. There's not enough clearance between the nut and the bearing retainer for even a thin walled socket to fit, and no room for a socket wrench to fit on the bolt head because its too close to the tranny case. So you have to use crescent wrenches on both the nut and bolt and you can only get about a 1/6 of a turn at a time before the need to reset the wrench. So it takes forever to snug up 1 nut, and then you have 5 more to go! And then you have to install the 6 cotter pins! That got me thinking, how did Henry do this job on the assembly line? Speed was of the essence, and you couldn't have this one step take up too much time on the line. Did Henry have special wrenches for this?

05-15-2023, 11:21 AM	#2
Tim Ayers Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: NJ Posts: 6,280	Re: Universal Joint Clam Shells I'm not a Model A guy, but on V8's, Ford used special castle nuts with smaller diameter heads. Using those, you can get a socket on them. Is that not the case for Model A's?

05-15-2023, 01:31 PM	#3
Will N Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 1,117	Re: Universal Joint Clam Shells Perhaps that's it. Maybe the repro castle nuts are too thick? The nuts that the vendors sell are 9/16". Maybe a 1/2" nut was used?

05-15-2023, 01:38 PM	#5
Tim Ayers Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: NJ Posts: 6,280	Re: Universal Joint Clam Shells Duplicate post Last edited by Tim Ayers; 05-15-2023 at 01:38 PM. Reason: duplicate post

05-15-2023, 04:32 PM	#6
bobbader Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Huntington, NY Posts: 277	Re: Universal Joint Clam Shells Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) I have a few sets of original nuts & bolts. Both have 9/16 heads. For jobs like these, whether using originals or repro hardware, I take the time to chase the threads on both the bolts and nuts using tapping fluid as well. This way, when assembling, you can pretty much spin the nuts in place (even with fat fingers, which I have). Yes, it's still a pain not being able to use a socket/ratchet to do final tightening, but at least this will speed some of the process.