Joined: May 2018 Posts: 2,109 Threads: 110
Reputation:
22
Location: Llandrindod Wells
Car type: 29 Special, 30 RK, 28 C Cab
Hi All
I’ve acquired a bowed axle and am now thinking about dropping the radius arms. Chris Gould shows a good diagram in his book on reproduction Ulster’s but the plate thickness (1/4”) seems a bit heavy to me.
Particularly as I intend incorporating shackle immobilising in the same plate.
Is 1/4” plate normally used and how do you prevent this plate and the radius arms from rotating about the axle. Is it down to friction alone?
Cheers
Howard
Joined: Aug 2017 Posts: 1,462 Threads: 26
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Location: North Yorkshire
Yes and yes. Mine have been tested to extreme (landing on one front wheel as the car exited a roll) and survived, in place, to tell the tale. Just ordered the metal to make another pair for another, long term, project.
Steve
Joined: Aug 2017 Posts: 1,337 Threads: 34
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Location: Cheshire
Car type: Race Ulster, 1926 Special, 1927 Chummy, 1930 Box
05-04-2020, 12:45 PM
(This post was last modified: 05-04-2020, 12:48 PM by Alan.)
It doesn’t have to be friction alone- mine has ties between the lower hole where the radius arm fits and the damper mounting. If they are going to move it tends to be outwards so a bit of 16SWG sheet in tension has worked for over 40 years. On the other hand, another car I have doesn’t have ties and that’s been ok for a similar length of time. Depends if you wear belts with your braces.
Alan Fairless
Joined: May 2018 Posts: 2,109 Threads: 110
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Location: Llandrindod Wells
Car type: 29 Special, 30 RK, 28 C Cab
Excellent help guys
I’ll order up some plate. I’ve decided to extend the plates up to the spring eye on the axle. On one side this will allow me to immobilise one end of the spring as well as positively locating the radius arm.
On the other I will need to make up longer shackle pins to fit the shackles outside the plates and spacing washers between the spring eye and shackle. Comments please!
Thanks again for the help
Cheers
Howard
Joined: May 2018 Posts: 2,109 Threads: 110
Reputation:
22
Location: Llandrindod Wells
Car type: 29 Special, 30 RK, 28 C Cab
Hi Zeto
Yes I realise that on the fixed end but on the other free end I had also intended to extend the drop plates up to the spring eye on the axle to locate the radius arm. It may be easier to use a strap to the shock mounting.
Cheers Howard
Joined: Aug 2017 Posts: 116 Threads: 6
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Hi Howard,
Ithink Tony Leslie at Holmesdale Sevens still does the gun metal castings of the original ends for sports axles which you can hold on with high tensile bolts if you don't fancy hot riveting
Joined: Aug 2017 Posts: 628 Threads: 19
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Location: Sheffield South Yorks
Car type: 1932 RN saloon
It’s possible to reproduce the original rad arm ends by fabricating and welding up from mild steel plate. I made some for my Ulster rep 27 years ago. Still ok after a fair amount of miles. Road miles, not racing or trials. Shouldn’t take much longer to make than the 1/4” steel drop plates.
Dave.
Joined: Aug 2017 Posts: 952 Threads: 38
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Compound Curvatures used to do fabricated ones that looked good.
Are they still going?