The Ford Barn

GerryAllen · 08-22-2020, 11:44 AM

Folks, not good at searching previous threads.
My question is, what type of fan blade do you recommend, standard blade, 4 blade, plastic 6 blade, aluminium type blade. I have a steel blade and am worried about it going through the rad / hood.
Thank you in advance for your responses.
Gerry Birch Bay WA

springerpete · 08-22-2020, 11:49 AM

You will get lots of responses but my guess is most of them will be to stick with what was original, the two blade fan. I think that the aluminum 2 blade is what most suppliers offer now. I've had mine since 2011. Bill

Patrick L. · 08-22-2020, 11:53 AM

The new 2 blade.

There were some problems with the older 2 blades.

WHN · 08-22-2020, 11:57 AM

You don’t want the old blade to break while the engine is running. Been there, done that.

I replaced with the two blade aluminum and also replaced the water pump with a leakless.

No problems since.

Enjoy.

Purdy Swoft · 08-22-2020, 12:24 PM

I've had both the original two blade fan and the later four blade fans to break . I now only use the balanced aluminum two blade fan that is offered by most model A parts vendors .

Tom Endy · 08-22-2020, 01:41 PM

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We just received a two-blade aluminum fan from Bratton's for my grandson's 30 Tudor. I have a precision static balance checker and it was dead on. It also fit over the font of the pump without contacting the casting.

On the balancer you give it a spin and it should come to rest with the blades straight across and it does it every time.

Tom Endy

David R. · 08-22-2020, 02:08 PM

My AA has a stamped steel 4 blade that except for some rust patina looks real sturdy. Did Ford use these on trucks or is it a replacement?

Patrick L. · 08-22-2020, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David R.

My AA has a stamped steel 4 blade that except for some rust patina looks real sturdy. Did Ford use these on trucks or is it a replacement?

The original [?] 2 blade cracked as did the 4 blade [ which I liked].
The older 2 blade aluminum repo's had some contact and taper issues.
The new ones seem to be fine.
I believe the 4 blades are old replacements.

Mulletwagon · 08-22-2020, 03:19 PM

Aluminum 2-blade is the way to go. May have to do some minor filing on the water pump snout to eliminate slight interference - no biggie.

Charlie Stephens · 08-22-2020, 04:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David R.

My AA has a stamped steel 4 blade that except for some rust patina looks real sturdy. Did Ford use these on trucks or is it a replacement?

The four blade was introduced in 1933 for the 4 cylinder. It became the dealer replacement for 1928-1934 Fords. The part number is 46-8600 and you can find it in the Green Bible.

Charlie Stephens

Werner · 08-22-2020, 04:19 PM

Balanced 2-blade alu-prop.

Bob Bidonde · 08-23-2020, 07:49 AM

I use these fans, an aluminum reproduction 2-blade, and a Dave Wilton plastic 6-blade. Both work very well.

McMimmcs · 08-23-2020, 08:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mulletwagon

Aluminum 2-blade is the way to go. May have to do some minor filing on the water pump snout to eliminate slight interference - no biggie.

I totally agree. If you Research previous posts you will see this is the choice of most !

Hoogah · 08-23-2020, 09:37 AM

Well, that was resolved much easier than the "oil" question!!

David R. · 08-23-2020, 01:43 PM

Thanks Charlie, I’ll look it up.

GerryAllen · 08-23-2020, 04:50 PM

If I were to ask "So whats the oil question?" Would it start something :>)))

rotorwrench · 08-23-2020, 05:21 PM

I've got a long history with balancing rotors of all types and would like to add that a rotor that is properly balanced can be placed in any position of the clock and it should not move when static balancing on knife edges or rollers with a mandrel. If it stops only in one position every time then the bottom edges are heavier than the top. Gravity will not lie to you. There can be both span wise imbalance and chord wise imbalance.

shew01 · 08-23-2020, 07:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GerryAllen

If I were to ask "So whats the oil question?" Would it start something :>)))

Lots of folks have very strong opinions about the weight of oil, brand of oil, type of oil (conventional versus synthetic), oil change intervals, etc.

Oil threads tend to be long winded....

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

McMimmcs · 08-23-2020, 07:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shew01

Lots of folks have very strong opinions about the weight of oil, brand of oil, type of oil (conventional versus synthetic), oil change intervals, etc.

Oil threads tend to be long winded....

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

And nothing ever gets resolved!

Synchro909 · 08-23-2020, 07:58 PM

Seems to me the oil question will never be resolved so will remain a contested topic while some try to convince themselves they are right by loudly telling everyone else what they use. The other issue (and this is from someone who lives in a country where cars don't have titles) is what seems to me to be a horribly convoluted and difficult to negotiate bureaucratic nightmare.
How did we get here from fan blades???

08-22-2020, 11:44 AM	#1
GerryAllen Senior Member Join Date: May 2018 Location: Birch Bay WA Posts: 190	What type of Fan Blade do you recommend Folks, not good at searching previous threads. My question is, what type of fan blade do you recommend, standard blade, 4 blade, plastic 6 blade, aluminium type blade. I have a steel blade and am worried about it going through the rad / hood. Thank you in advance for your responses. Gerry Birch Bay WA

08-22-2020, 11:49 AM	#2
springerpete Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Central Maine Posts: 681	Re: What type of Fan Blade do you recommend You will get lots of responses but my guess is most of them will be to stick with what was original, the two blade fan. I think that the aluminum 2 blade is what most suppliers offer now. I've had mine since 2011. Bill

08-22-2020, 11:53 AM	#3
Patrick L. Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Largo Florida Posts: 7,225	Re: What type of Fan Blade do you recommend The new 2 blade. There were some problems with the older 2 blades.

08-22-2020, 11:57 AM	#4
WHN Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2017 Location: Connecticut Shoreline Posts: 1,977	Re: What type of Fan Blade do you recommend You don’t want the old blade to break while the engine is running. Been there, done that. I replaced with the two blade aluminum and also replaced the water pump with a leakless. No problems since. Enjoy.

08-22-2020, 12:24 PM	#5
Purdy Swoft Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Alabama Posts: 8,099	Re: What type of Fan Blade do you recommend I've had both the original two blade fan and the later four blade fans to break . I now only use the balanced aluminum two blade fan that is offered by most model A parts vendors .

08-22-2020, 02:08 PM	#7
David R. Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: West Virginia Posts: 434	Re: What type of Fan Blade do you recommend My AA has a stamped steel 4 blade that except for some rust patina looks real sturdy. Did Ford use these on trucks or is it a replacement?

08-22-2020, 03:19 PM	#9
Mulletwagon Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2019 Location: Florida Panhandle Posts: 626	Re: What type of Fan Blade do you recommend Aluminum 2-blade is the way to go. May have to do some minor filing on the water pump snout to eliminate slight interference - no biggie.

08-22-2020, 04:19 PM	#11
Werner Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2019 Location: Germany, near Aachen Posts: 1,194	Re: What type of Fan Blade do you recommend Balanced 2-blade alu-prop. __________________ Beste Gruesse aus Deutschland, Werner Ford Model A, Roadster, 1928 Citroen 11 CV, 1947 Hercules W 2000, 1976; (with NSU-Wankel Rotary Engine), Canadian version

08-23-2020, 09:37 AM	#14
Hoogah Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Warrnambool, Victoria, Australia Posts: 800	Re: What type of Fan Blade do you recommend Well, that was resolved much easier than the "oil" question!!

08-23-2020, 01:43 PM	#15
David R. Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: West Virginia Posts: 434	Re: What type of Fan Blade do you recommend Thanks Charlie, I’ll look it up.

08-23-2020, 04:50 PM	#16
GerryAllen Senior Member Join Date: May 2018 Location: Birch Bay WA Posts: 190	Re: What type of Fan Blade do you recommend If I were to ask "So whats the oil question?" Would it start something :>)))

08-23-2020, 05:21 PM	#17
rotorwrench Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 17,410	Re: What type of Fan Blade do you recommend I've got a long history with balancing rotors of all types and would like to add that a rotor that is properly balanced can be placed in any position of the clock and it should not move when static balancing on knife edges or rollers with a mandrel. If it stops only in one position every time then the bottom edges are heavier than the top. Gravity will not lie to you. There can be both span wise imbalance and chord wise imbalance.

08-23-2020, 07:58 PM	#20
Synchro909 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 8,041	Re: What type of Fan Blade do you recommend Seems to me the oil question will never be resolved so will remain a contested topic while some try to convince themselves they are right by loudly telling everyone else what they use. The other issue (and this is from someone who lives in a country where cars don't have titles) is what seems to me to be a horribly convoluted and difficult to negotiate bureaucratic nightmare. How did we get here from fan blades??? __________________ I sometimes wonder what happened to the people who asked me for directions. Even at my age, I still like to look at a young, attractive woman but I can't really remember why.