[technician_a]

Hey everyone,
I'm building a '28 Model A, and I want to drop the hell out of it. I am building it as a promotional tool for my shop. I don't want to modify the frame too much. I want to build rods for a living some day, so buying aftermarket parts and installing them is not in the cards for me. I want people to see what I've built. Not what I've bolted on.

So I need to build a tubular axle that will be dropped 8 or 9 inches. The reason I need so much is because I will be using 20" spoked wheels, so that alone will raise the car a couple of inches.

Anyone know of some tubular axle schematics or anything?

In case anyone is curious, I am putting a '50 flathead V8 in it with an s10 5 speed. I'm hopin to cruise this thing down the highway at speed.

Eli

[timothale]

California Custom Roadsters sells plans, parts and completed assemblies for T buckets, The plans show how to build a tube front axle and you can also buy the pieces and weld up your own.

[MARTINSR]

Making your axle from scratch is a large undertaking, as you well know. Not impossible and you can do it. The thing is as a car builder not many people expect you to, nor do they expect you to cast your own motor. So don't be so concerned about being a bolt on parts guy, you can build all the mounting and what not while buying the axle.

Now, there is a reason why there aren't 8 and 9 inch dropped axles out there. The leverage created by that deep of a drop when you apply the brakes is much higher than with the lower drop, the axle wants to roll and it is putting a lot of stress on everything.

To make that deep of a drop on the short distance between the spring perch and the spindle is calling for some seriously tight bends, again, there is a reason why you can't buy one with that deep of a drop.

Just thoughts, don't want to kill your dream but you need to think why is it no one makes such a deep dropped axle? There are lots of new things out there to be discovered and created by a guy like you, just like there are a zillion songs yet someone will release one tomorrow that is new and fresh. There are lots of things not yet done on cars but that deep of an axle has been done and it hasn't been that successful which is why they don't make them, at least I have never seen one.

Brian

[OneMoreTime]

You will need 2 pieces of 2 inch solid round bar cut to length fro the axles end bosses and a piece of 2 inch 1/4 wall structural tube to make an axle..I prefer a straight tube with no drop and mount it high enough in the chassis t get the ride height desired. Look at a sprint car for the design..I know hot rod guys like the drop but they are a PITA when setting up the tie rod and drag link on a dropped axle..

Sam

[BOBCRMAN@aol.com]

I have built several for T bucket type cars. Using a stock Ford or Chevy axle for the base of a king pin angle welding jig.

Heavy wall, 5/16-3/8", 17/8-2" tubing and bent with a pipe bender. Used bar stock, cut to length and bored/reamed on my lathe to kingpin size. Set the mill up at king pin angle and angle cut tubing ends. Chamfer the edges and use stock axle to set up the weld angles of the bar stock to tube.

Deepest drop was six inch. That one had some minor steering arm issues.

Not something an average guy coud do I suppose. But with ambition, fabrication sense and some machine tools. Very do able.

[MARTINSR]

Sure it can be done but is it the best thing to do? You guys are awesome, good start at getting it done. But how can you bend the tube or solid stock in the six inches between the spring perch and king pin boss into an 8 or 9 inch drop? "Can" it be done sure, but how is it done in your average shop? And is it a good idea?

Brian

[OneMoreTime]

Not too many shops have a bender capable of making those kind of bends..the solid stock is for making the kingpin boss..

Sam

[timothale]

someone is making dropped axles for model t speedster that have more space between the king pin and spring perch. And you end up with wider tread space. My speedster I beam was dropped years ago and it narrowed the tread width. One of My roadsters used an old dirt car straight tube CAE axle. I just had to design the spring perch mount to get the ride height I wanted. If you look at the time and materials to build an accurate fixture, and then build axles it's hard to make the numbers come out right. at one time I was thinking about using 70's F 100 spindles, disc brakes etc and bosses to make a couple tube axles but found a couple old I beams , Lincoln brakes. buick fins etc .

[NEW INTERIORS]

Don't know about a 8'' or 9'' drop, To easy to do it with the frame... As far as making axles,,, Someone makes dropped axles,, Why can't you.. They are just another man making axles.. Make a jig and build them.... Don't let all the BS stop you if that's what you want to do... ''set no limit's on yourself''

I look at things like this....I have this rule I live by.. If another man can do it... I can too..

I really don't see where anyone needs a 8'' over a 6'' dropped axle... I build custom frames and can set the frame on the ground with a 6'' drop...

[boatbob2]

Hi,i built the 6 inch dropped axle for the 23 T roadster,that i built in the auto craft shop in Okinawa. i used a piece of 2 inch,1/4 wall chrome moly.i used a hydraulic bender to make the bends,i used a solid piece of 2 inch stock to make the king pin part.it came out great,would i make one again ? NO,it was way too much trouble,and you can buy one now for less than $250.00...

[NEW INTERIORS]

Originally Posted by boatbob2

Hi,i built the 6 inch dropped axle for the 23 T roadster,that i built in the auto craft shop in Okinawa. i used a piece of 2 inch,1/4 wall chrome moly.i used a hydraulic bender to make the bends,i used a solid piece of 2 inch stock to make the king pin part.it came out great,would i make one again ? NO,it was way too much trouble,and you can buy one now for less than $250.00...

Very good answer,, One thing to remember,, When your building cars for a living,, Sometimes it's better time wise to buy somethings.. I have a lot of people ask me why I don't make my own axles and a-arms,, I like putting that time into other things on the build,, Can I do it.. Sure can... But why waste your time on that...... Now if your building some wild one off axle,, Go for it.. If it's just another dropped axle.. Doesn't pay to build it,They are to cheap to just buy one..

[technician_a]

I wanted to build something different. So... what can I do about the leverage during braking issue? I don't want to change the frame, is my deal. But if I have to in order to scrape the ground a little, maybe I will...

[NEW INTERIORS]

That's where your top and bottom radius rods come into play...

[timothale]

One of the Car Clubs in San Jose Calif built a model T speedster, using a rotelieb speedster body with fenders and a donated 2.3 crashed pinto for the donor. They reamed the Pinto spindles for King pins then built a tube axle, It looked different with 5 in King pin bosses, A guy I worked with bought the T from the guy that bought the winning raffle ticket.

[MARTINSR]

Originally Posted by timothale

One of the Car Clubs in San Jose Calif built a model T speedster, using a rotelieb speedster body with fenders and a donated 2.3 crashed pinto for the donor. They reamed the Pinto spindles for King pins then built a tube axle, It looked different with 5 in King pin bosses, A guy I worked with bought the T from the guy that bought the winning raffle ticket.

That was a club I was in (almost), NorCal Early Iron. Believe it or not one of the members was Gary Meadors owner of Goodguys. That T was built before I was was in the group (never did become a full fledged member) and was just a kid going over to one of the members houses (and shop) which was my God fathers son right down the street from me just two houses away. I saw it as it was being built but not much and don't remember a thing about it.

Gary wanted to have a bigger show than what we were doing every year at the local park and devised the "Pleasure faire" which I was a part of the first few years, it quickly became the largest single day rod event in California, and paved the way for Gary's "Goodguys". And in fact the Goodguys is held in the same Alameda fairgrounds as the Pleasure Faire was.

I don't remember anything about the build other than the details you gave and that it was a very cool little car, I wonder where it is now?

Brian