Attn New Zealand Barners: 1941 Pickup Front Axle

[FlatheadEric]

A car friend of mine who does not use computers is working on a 1941 pickup that has been imported from USA, so Left Hand Drive.
It has had a lot of work done on it in the USA to make it into a 4 inch dropped front with disc brakes, chopped cab and a later model OHV V8 engine.
He wants to put the front back to standard height, or at minimum have a 2 inch drop (maybe to reduce road kill or just to void bottoming out all of the time). He wants to put it back to work rather than having a show pony.
Is there anyone in NZ that has a standard front end axle with stubs laying about suitable for the 1941 pickup Left Hand Drive?
I am not schooled in this equipment but understand that 1937 through to 1941 would do the job.

[Phil Gillespie]

Originally Posted by FlatheadEric

A car friend of mine who does not use computers is working on a 1941 pickup that has been imported from USA, so Left Hand Drive.
It has had a lot of work done on it in the USA to make it into a 4 inch dropped front with disc brakes, chopped cab and a later model OHV V8 engine.
He wants to put the front back to standard height, or at minimum have a 2 inch drop (maybe to reduce road kill or just to void bottoming out all of the time). He wants to put it back to work rather than having a show pony.
Is there anyone in NZ that has a standard front end axle with stubs laying about suitable for the 1941 pickup Left Hand Drive?
I am not schooled in this equipment but understand that 1937 through to 1941 would do the job.

Give Ajays a call they should be able to assist. also sometimes these come up for sale on Trade Me.
Phil NZ

[FlatheadEric]

Hello Phil,
I am working in Paeroa soon so will call into Ajays. There was a set on Trademe last week but it was RHD.

[51woodie]

I may be out of my lane here, but looking at the front axle on my "46 Coupe the axle itself would be the same right or left. Looking in my "Green Book", the difference is with the spindles, base numbers 3105 and 3106 in the book. Could be wrong.

[V8COOPMAN]

Originally Posted by FlatheadEric

Hello Phil,
I am working in Paeroa soon so will call into Ajays. There was a set on Trademe last week but it was RHD.

The AXLE itself doesn't know the difference between LHD or RHD. DD

[Brian]

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As the stub axles have no doubt been modified to accept the disc brakes etc, why not just transfer them onto another stock axle?

[FlatheadEric]

The axle looks reversable but the stubs (if that is the correct name) have the steering arms cast into them. The stub on the steering box side has only one hole for the tie rod between the two wheels but the stub on the opposite side has two holes, one for the tie rod and one for the steering rod back to the steering box. These are not reversable.
The cast steering arms on the stubs also look to be a dropped version to match the axle drop and allow the tie rod and steering rod to sit down at the level of the axle. If the axle is changed back to stock the stubs also need to be changed back to raise the steering gear as well.
Someone has machined adaptor plates to mount between the existing stubs and disc brakes.
This is why we are thinking that we need to source the LHD version of the front end parts.

[V8COOPMAN]

Originally Posted by FlatheadEric

The axle looks reversable but the stubs (if that is the correct name) have the steering arms cast into them. The stub on the steering box side has only one hole for the tie rod between the two wheels but the stub on the opposite side has two holes, one for the tie rod and one for the steering rod back to the steering box. These are not reversable.
The cast steering arms on the stubs also look to be a dropped version to match the axle drop and allow the tie rod and steering rod to sit down at the level of the axle. If the axle is changed back to stock the stubs also need to be changed back to raise the steering gear as well.
Someone has machined adaptor plates to mount between the existing stubs and disc brakes.
This is why we are thinking that we need to source the LHD version of the front end parts.

Then what you want are a pair of '37-'40 LHD "roundback" spindles just like come on a '37-'40 passenger car. I didn't include 1941 roundback spindles because SOME 1941 passenger-side spindles have the drag link hole in the steering arm tapered from the top. You want BOTH holes (tie rod AND drag link) in that arm tapered such that the tie rod AND drag link attach to the BOTTOM of the arm. If the drag link hole is tapered from the top, the drag link will hit the bottom of the wishbone. Hope this helps.


Below is a link to a guy that just happened to have a pair of spindles for sale here on the 'Barn yesterday. Click the link! DD


https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=275934

[FlatheadEric]

Thanks V8Coopman, excellent information. I will pass on to the owner.

[my4dv8]

You could get the shallow drop type bolt on steering arms . Of course that means cutting off the factory arms. You can also get a tie rod end with two holes , a hole for drag link and one for tie rod.

[Brian]

Correct; the steering arms were dropped to suit the axle...so, you 'undrop' them to suit the new axle. No need to buy replacements.

[cas3]

Brian's got it right again as usual. bend em back to where you want. also, 42-48 spindles would work too if you have any laying around. same bolt pattern, same steering arms, same king pin size.

[V8COOPMAN]

Originally Posted by cas3

Brian's got it right again as usual. bend em back to where you want. also, 42-48 spindles would work too if you have any laying around. same bolt pattern, same steering arms, same king pin size.

You should note that '42-'48 king pins ARE the same DIAMETER (making it possible to substitute on this axle), but of a different length. You always use king pins made for the year of the spindles, as the king pin LENGTHS vary accordingly. DD

[FlatheadEric]

Thanks for the information everyone, I have passed it all on to the computer hating owner.
So would the original arms have been heated and bent rather than being replaced the some after market dropped arms? Would heat and bend have been the usual method of modification when the drop axle was fitted?

[Brian]

Would heat and bend have been the usual method of modification when the drop axle was fitted?


Yes Eric, that is correct

[JSeery]

Might research dropping spindle arms, but basically get the area you want to bend red hot and bend it. Allow it to cool slowly. They are normally bent in at least two ares.

[FlatheadEric]

Great, that makes the undoing process much easier. Only have to change the axle back to standard and bend the steering arms to suit.
Job sorted - thanks everyone.

[kustoman]

I think you will find that heating and bending steering arms is illegal in New Zealand.
Check on the LVVTA website.

[Brian]

Bureaucracy; Honestly, if they were put back to stock location, painted, how would anyone know?

[FlatheadTed]

Kustoman I am not surprised that this would be illegal in Nz since most of them making the rules for the rest of us don't know the difference between a drop forged part and a casting , In my USA 5' Shop book from the 40s specifies to bend the drop arm by heating it to centre the wheels ,