The Ford Barn

PeteCruz2715 · 07-29-2023, 11:00 AM

Does anyone have any information on replacing the wishbone ball?

rotorwrench · 07-29-2023, 11:36 AM

The ones available from part sources have instructions but the instuctions are somewhat vague. The old ball has to cut in a specific location then prep the stub and then the new one is welded on to the stub.
https://www.snydersantiqueauto.com/p...7756&cat=41738

If a person can fabricate a flat piece of sheet metal with an accurate 1.5-inch hole in the middle then they would have a gauge to work from in order to build up the old ball with steel or brass and file it down to fit. After brazzing, the ball would have nearly the same resistance to wear as a steel ball would.

mcgarrett · 07-29-2023, 03:08 PM

rotorwrench,
I like your idea about building up the original ball by brazing. Seems that would be a good, safe repair that would last as long as the original.

chrs1961815 · 07-29-2023, 07:40 PM

I like mig welding them up when worn and filing back to balk shape. For this application, a perfectly round ball isn't going to make much a difference versus one that's properly welded a filed closely.

Pete · 07-30-2023, 12:14 AM

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History · 07-30-2023, 08:26 AM

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Quote:

Originally Posted by chrs1961815

I like mig welding them up when worn and filing back to balk shape. For this application, a perfectly round ball isn't going to make much a difference versus one that's properly welded a filed closely.

This what I did and works great!!

BRENT in 10-uh-C · 07-30-2023, 08:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rotorwrench

The ones available from part sources have instructions but the instuctions are somewhat vague. The old ball has to cut in a specific location then prep the stub and then the new one is welded on to the stub.
https://www.snydersantiqueauto.com/p...7756&cat=41738

If a person can fabricate a flat piece of sheet metal with an accurate 1.5-inch hole in the middle then they would have a gauge to work from in order to build up the old ball with steel or brass and file it down to fit. After brazzing, the ball would have nearly the same resistance to wear as a steel ball would.

IMO there is an easier way. Just order a bronze bushing (-like in the link below) to slide over the weld-filled area.

https://www.mcmaster.com/6381K291/

For all concerned, remember that this ball must rotate within the cap, so the repaired ball needs to be ground spherical to prevent excess binding or wear.

rotorwrench · 07-30-2023, 10:34 AM

There is a certain amount of artistic work in restoring a sphere to it's original shape. A gauge, whether a radius type of gauge or a hole size gauge, is only an aid to a restoration but it is a quick way to check progress. Fortunately, the wear pattern is somewhat predictable due to the design of the socket that the ball rides in. This leaves some of the original shape with which to work from. I have seen some that were in rough service so long without any repair, other than cupped washers, that the ball looks more like a prune than a sphere.

I start with restoring the surfaces that are closest to being the original size & shape to keep some form of accuracy for centering. The replacement ball ends are for those that are too far gone to restore. I use a hand held belt sander with course abrasive to rough them out and do the rest with finer abrasives. My gauge is round but has a cut out on the bottom to fit the attachment stub. This also helps for centering checks. My gauge was made using a wish bone that had almost no wear on it.

JayJay · 07-30-2023, 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrs1961815

I like mig welding them up when worn and filing back to balk shape. For this application, a perfectly round ball isn't going to make much a difference versus one that's properly welded a filed closely.

This is the way I restored the worn ball at the bottom of my shift lever although in this case round is required. I made a gauge from 3/16" steel bored with a 1/2" end mill.

rotorwrench · 07-30-2023, 12:49 PM

I remember seeing where one fellow reprofiled a vitrified grinder wheel face to have a cup shape in the wheel that was about the size of the spherical part of a shift lever end. He made an adjustable clamp to hold the rod on axis and then slowly fed the end of the welded up shift rod into the grinding wheel while carefully rotating the shift lever. It ground in a nice spherical shape in relatively short order. I think it's may be on this forum somewhere but I don't remember where I saw it.

That would be a lot more difficult on a wish bone radius rod since there is no good place to capture the axis of the ball end plus it would take a very large grinding wheel to do the shaping.

07-29-2023, 11:00 AM	#1
PeteCruz2715 Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Orange, CA Posts: 43	Replacing the Wishbone ball Does anyone have any information on replacing the wishbone ball? __________________ Pete - Orange County Model A Ford Club "If I asked people what they wanted they would have said faster horses." -Henry Ford

07-29-2023, 11:36 AM	#2
rotorwrench Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 16,436	Re: Replacing the Wishbone ball The ones available from part sources have instructions but the instuctions are somewhat vague. The old ball has to cut in a specific location then prep the stub and then the new one is welded on to the stub. https://www.snydersantiqueauto.com/p...7756&cat=41738 If a person can fabricate a flat piece of sheet metal with an accurate 1.5-inch hole in the middle then they would have a gauge to work from in order to build up the old ball with steel or brass and file it down to fit. After brazzing, the ball would have nearly the same resistance to wear as a steel ball would. Last edited by rotorwrench; 07-29-2023 at 11:51 AM.

07-29-2023, 03:08 PM	#3
mcgarrett Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Waxahachie, Texas Posts: 949	Re: Replacing the Wishbone ball rotorwrench, I like your idea about building up the original ball by brazing. Seems that would be a good, safe repair that would last as long as the original.

07-29-2023, 07:40 PM	#4
chrs1961815 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2018 Location: Spring Grove, Illinois Posts: 1,371	Re: Replacing the Wishbone ball I like mig welding them up when worn and filing back to balk shape. For this application, a perfectly round ball isn't going to make much a difference versus one that's properly welded a filed closely. __________________ "The more things change, the more they stay the same."

07-30-2023, 10:34 AM	#8
rotorwrench Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 16,436	Re: Replacing the Wishbone ball There is a certain amount of artistic work in restoring a sphere to it's original shape. A gauge, whether a radius type of gauge or a hole size gauge, is only an aid to a restoration but it is a quick way to check progress. Fortunately, the wear pattern is somewhat predictable due to the design of the socket that the ball rides in. This leaves some of the original shape with which to work from. I have seen some that were in rough service so long without any repair, other than cupped washers, that the ball looks more like a prune than a sphere. I start with restoring the surfaces that are closest to being the original size & shape to keep some form of accuracy for centering. The replacement ball ends are for those that are too far gone to restore. I use a hand held belt sander with course abrasive to rough them out and do the rest with finer abrasives. My gauge is round but has a cut out on the bottom to fit the attachment stub. This also helps for centering checks. My gauge was made using a wish bone that had almost no wear on it. Last edited by rotorwrench; 07-30-2023 at 10:40 AM.

07-30-2023, 12:49 PM	#10
rotorwrench Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 16,436	Re: Replacing the Wishbone ball I remember seeing where one fellow reprofiled a vitrified grinder wheel face to have a cup shape in the wheel that was about the size of the spherical part of a shift lever end. He made an adjustable clamp to hold the rod on axis and then slowly fed the end of the welded up shift rod into the grinding wheel while carefully rotating the shift lever. It ground in a nice spherical shape in relatively short order. I think it's may be on this forum somewhere but I don't remember where I saw it. That would be a lot more difficult on a wish bone radius rod since there is no good place to capture the axis of the ball end plus it would take a very large grinding wheel to do the shaping.