Ford Manual/The Running Gear
The Running Gear
| What care should the Running Gear have? | Answer No. 85 |
In the first place it at all times should have proper lubrication (see chapter on Lubrication). Once in every thirty days the front and rear axles should be carefully gone over to see that every moving part, such as the bushings in spring connections, spring hangers, steering knuckles and hub bearings, are thoroughly lubricated, and that all nuts and connections are secured with cotter pins in place. The spring clips, which attach the front spring to the frame, should be inspected frequently to see that everything is in perfect order.
| How is the Front Axle removed? | Answer No. 86 |
Jack up front of car so wheels can be removed (see Answer No. 89), disconnect steering gear ball arm from the spindle connecting rod, disconnect radius rod at ball joint, and remove two cotter pin bolts from spring shackle on each side, so detaching front spring.
To disconnect radius rod from axle, remove cotter-pinned nuts. To remove radius rod entirely, take the two bolts out of the ball joint and remove lower half of cap.
| In case of accident, how is the Front Axle straightend? | Answer No. 87 |
Should the axle or spindle become bent extreme care must be used to straighten the parts accurately. Do not heat the forgings, as this will untemper the steel, but straighten them cold. If convenient it would be better to return such parts to the dealer, where they may be properly straightened in jigs designed for that purpose. It is very essential that the wheels line up properly (see Answer No. 90).
The Ford Spindle and Front Hub Assembly. (Cut No. 16)
The eye is not sufficiently accurate to determine whether the parts have been properly straightened, and excessive wear of the front tires will occur if everything is not in perfect alignment.
| What about the Wheels? | Answer No. 88 |
The wheels should be jacked up periodically and tested, not only for smoothness of running, but for side play as well. If in spinning a front wheel a sharp click occurs now and then and the wheel is momentarily checked, it is probable that there is a chipped or split ball in the bearing which should be removed, otherwise it may necessitate the removal of the entire bearing. A wheel in perfect adjustment should, after spinning, come to rest with the tire valve directly below the hub. Undue wear of the hub bearings is usually caused by lack of lubrication and excessive friction, due to the adjusting cone being screwed up too tight. It is a good plan to clean the bearings frequently and keep the hub well filled with grease.
| How are the Wheels removed? | Answer No. 89 |
Front wheels: Take off hub cap, remove cotter pin and unscrew castle nut and spindle washer. The adjustable bearing cone can then be taken out and the wheel removed. Care should be taken to see that the cones and lock nuts are replaced on the same spindle from which they were removed, otherwise there is a liability of stripping the threads which are left on the left spindle and right on the opposite as you stand facing the car. Rear wheels: They should not be removed unless absolutely necessary—in which case proceed as above, then with a wheel puller remove the wheel from the tapered shaft to which it is locked with a key. In replacing rear wheels be sure that nut on axle shaft is as tight as possible and cotter pin in place. The hub caps of the rear wheels should be removed occasionally and the lock nuts which hold the hub in place tightened up. If these nuts are allowed to work loose, the resulting play on the hub key may eventually twist off the axle shaft.
| How does the setting of the Front Wheels differ from that of the Rear Wheels? | Answer No. 90 |
It will be observed that the front wheels are "dished;" that is, the spokes ore given a slight outward flare to enable them to meet side stresses with less rigid resistance—while the spokes of the rear wheels are straight. The front wheels are also placed at an angle—that is to say, the distance between the tops of the front wheels is about three inches greater than between the bottoms. This is to give perfect steering qualities and to save wear on the tires when turning corners. The front wheels should not, however, "toe-in" at the front—at least not more than a quarter of an inch. Lines drawn along the outside of the wheels when the latter are straight in a forward position should be parallel. All wheels should always be kept in proper alignment, otherwise steering will be difficult and tire wear greatly increased. Adjustment can be made by turning, the yoke at the left end of the spindle connecting rod, to draw the wheels into a parallel position.
| What about installing Roller Bearing Cups? | Answer No. 91 |
Whenever it is necessary to install roller bearing cups, either in changing over from ball bearings to roller bearings or in replacing worn cups, the work should be done by a Dealer or Garage which has the necessary equipment for this work. In order to avoid excessive wear of the bearings it is essential that the cups be fitted absolutely true and this is practically impossible without the use of special equipment.
Sectional view of Hub showing Roller Bearings. (Cut No. 17)
| How are the Roller Bearings installed? | Answer No. 92 |
First, pack the hub full of clean good quality cup grease. Take the inner cone with its rollers and pack it with grease, filling all of the space around and between the rollers. Then place the inner cone in the larger cup. Next, drive the dust ring with felt washer into the inner end of the hub so that it is flush with the end of the hub.
Place the wheel carrying the inner bearings with dust ring on the spindle. The inner cone is a one-thousandth fit, or, in other words, a slip fit on the spindle. (See Cut No. 17.) It is never necessary to force the cone onto the spindle as the cups are forced into the hub. Pack the outer or threaded cone and rollers with cup grease, filling all the space between the rollers, as was done with the inner cone. The cones are made up in right-and left-hand threads to correspond to the threads on the spindles. Care should be taken that a right-hand threaded cone is not forced onto a left-hand threaded spindle. The right-hand thread is on the left-hand side of the car, while the left-hand thread is on the right-hand side of the car. Place the cone on the spindle, running it up tight enough so that the wheel seems to bind; give the wheel a few turns to be sure that all the working parts are in perfect contact; then back off the cone 1⁄4 to 1⁄2 a turn which will be sufficient to allow the wheel to revolve freely without end play, To determine if there is end play, grasp the spokes and shake the wheel. Do not mistake loose spindle bushings for loose bearings. Insert a cold chisel between axle and spindle to take up any play while testing the bearings. Next, put on the spindle washer and nut, drawing the nut to a firm bearing. Make sure that the cone has not been forced out of adjustment. This can be determined by giving the wheel a few turns. Insert the cotter pin which locks the nut on the spindle, fill the hub cap with grease and screw it in place on the hub.
| How often should the Bearings be lubricated? | Answer No. 93 |
Every three or four months the wheels should be removed, the old grease taken out and the hubs and bearings thoroughly cleansed with kerosene. Then repack the hub and bearings with clean grease and readjust the bearings.
| What care do the Springs need? | Answer No. 94 |
The springs should be lubricated frequently with oil or graphite. To do this, pry the leaves apart near the ends and insert the lubricant between them. Whenever a car is given a general overhauling, the springs should be disassembled and the leaves polished with emery cloth, afterwards packing them with graphite when reassembling. Rust can be prevented from accumulating on the springs by painting them when necessary with a quick drying black paint. You will find that these suggestions if carried out will not only improve the riding qualities of the car but prolong the life of the parts as well.
| Should Spring Clips be kept tight? | Answer No. 95 |
Yes. If the spring clips are allowed to work loose the entire strain is put on the tie bolt which extends through the centre of the spring. This may cause the bolt to be sheared off and allow the frame and body to shift a trifle to one side. It is a good plan to frequently inspect the clips which hold the springs to the frame and see that they are kept tight.
| What about the Steering Apparatus? | Answer No. 96 |
It is exceedingly simple and will need little care—except, of course, proper lubrication. The post gears which are arranged in the "sun and planet" form are located at the top of the post just below the hub of the wheel (see Cut No. 1). By loosening the set screw and unscrewing the cap—after having removed the steering wheel—they may readily be inspected and replenished with grease. To remove the steering wheel, unscrew the nut on top of the post and drive the wheel off the shaft with a block of wood and hammer.
| How is Steering tightened? | Answer No. 97 |
Should the steering gear become loose, that is, so that a slight movement of the wheel does not produce immediate results, it may be tightened in the following manner: Disconnect the two halves of the ball sockets which surround the ball arm at the lower end of the steering post and file off the surface until they fit snugly around the ball. If the ball is badly worn it is best to replace it with a new one. Also tighten the ball caps at the other end of the steering gear connecting rod in the same manner. If the bolts in the steering spindle arms appear to he loose, the brass bushings should be replaced with new ones (see Cut No. 16). Excessive play in the front axle may be detected by grasping one of the front wheels by the spokes and jerking the front axle back and forth. After the car has been in service two or three years excessive play in the steering gear may make necessary the renewal of the little pinions, as well as the brass internal gear just underneath the steering wheel spider.
It is also advisable to inspect the front spring and front spring perches occasionally to determine whether or not new bushings are necessary to overcome any excessive vibration. 
Lubrication Chart. (Cut No. 18)