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-   -   Les Andrews books concerning errors within... (https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=176535)

Steve Plucker 08-24-2015 10:21 AM

Les Andrews books concerning errors within...
 

Les Andrews Books have been out for a few LONG years now. There have been reported of a few to many mistakes within each of the three volumns.

There have been reports to "throw the book away"...NO WAY...These books are to valuable of an asset to the Model A community...This is not my intention...My intention is that there is a lot of complaining about them because of mistakes...OK THEN...lets list them and get Les's opinion on them and settle this once and for all so the newbies coming into the hobby won't, for a better word, screw up on their intitial restoration.

If this is the case, then I will start a thread concerning these mistakes and let's see just how many of us respond and let's see if Les can comment on them and issue out an eratta sheet correcting the errors.

Some of you have made lists of them...let's see them.

You are right, nothing will get done about this issue if we as a group don't step up to the plate and do something about it...complaining is not going to get us anywhere.

So with that, let's step up to the plate, quit complaining, and post your found error or errors if any at all and quit complaining.

Anybody?????

I will run this for a week...you know..."bttt" (back to the top)...and see just where it get's us.


Pluck

Fullraceflathead 08-24-2015 10:35 AM

Re: Les Andrews books concerning errors within...
 

The Oil Pan Torque says 20 Ft LBS!
20 inch pounds maybe at best is more realistic.
I prefer to tighten just snug. One handed with short ratchet.

bunnyc 08-24-2015 10:37 AM

Re: Les Andrews books concerning errors within...
 

Good idea. I hope this thread gets a lot of responses.

Steve Plucker 08-24-2015 10:40 AM

Re: Les Andrews books concerning errors within...
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by bunnyc (Post 1144368)
Good idea. I hope this thread gets a lot of responses.

We will see...A lot of guys are really afarid to say anything at all and will not comment for fear that someone else will rag on them. That is not what this thread, I hope, is about...It is about the bonified errors within his books that some have complained about over the past few years.

One down...How many more?

Pluck

katy 08-24-2015 10:41 AM

Re: Les Andrews books concerning errors within...
 

Don' have the book handy, it's out in the shop, but there's the oft quoted one about the wrong torque on the oil pan bolts. IIRC Les says 20 ft-lbs and I understand that it should be 20 in-lbs.

Y-Blockhead 08-24-2015 10:49 AM

Re: Les Andrews books concerning errors within...
 

Thanks for starting this thread Steve. It will really help the New guys (ME) and the Old (ME again, but not to Model A's). I am going to make notations in my book as members post the errors.

There are a couple of things in the book that I questioned, I just can't remember what they are right now... :confused::confused:

Rowdy 08-24-2015 11:34 AM

Re: Les Andrews books concerning errors within...
 

Cutting off the motor mount at the angle and only using the section for the frame. I know that some of the repops are/were too thick in that area, but they can still be used without cutting them off. Better choice would be to buy the repop that is made close to the correct thickness. Rod

Steve Plucker 08-24-2015 11:43 AM

Re: Les Andrews books concerning errors within...
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rowdy (Post 1144417)
Cutting off the motor mount at the angle and only using the section for the frame. I know that some of the repops are/were too thick in that area, but they can still be used without cutting them off. Better choice would be to buy the repop that is made close to the correct thickness. Rod

And I believe that is the one from Snyders...It is somewhat softer and slightly thinner than that of Brattons.

Two down...

Pluck

Mitch//pa 08-24-2015 12:07 PM

Re: Les Andrews books concerning errors within...
 

i dont have the book in front of me right now but wasnt there a discrepancy about the lengths of the brake rods?

Y-Blockhead 08-24-2015 12:08 PM

Re: Les Andrews books concerning errors within...
 

Would it help to mention the page the error is on also?

Kevin in NJ 08-24-2015 12:09 PM

Re: Les Andrews books concerning errors within...
 

Steering sector shaft size is wrong.

The number has moved over in to the Bratton's catalog.

I think the biggest weakness of his book is a lack of dimensions. For example, determining the fit of a tranny gear to the spline shaft. As I recall he states put some oil on the shaft and let it slide down. If it goes down fast then it is worn too much. I had a shaft and a gear where it went down fast but it only had about .001 or .002" of wear total when measured.

I know there were some other things. I started writing details as I found them at one point. The problem is I do not need to reference the book much these days. I have other sources.

His illustrations are wonderful and it is absolutely a must have for your library, but as with all the books you need to check the numbers.

Steve Plucker 08-24-2015 12:38 PM

Re: Les Andrews books concerning errors within...
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevin in NJ (Post 1144437)
Steering sector shaft size is wrong.

The number has moved over in to the Bratton's catalog.

I think the biggest weakness of his book is a lack of dimensions. For example, determining the fit of a tranny gear to the spline shaft. As I recall he states put some oil on the shaft and let it slide down. If it goes down fast then it is worn too much. I had a shaft and a gear where it went down fast but it only had about .001 or .002" of wear total when measured.

I know there were some other things. I started writing details as I found them at one point. The problem is I do not need to reference the book much these days. I have other sources.

His illustrations are wonderful and it is absolutely a must have for your library, but as with all the books you need to check the numbers.

So point them out Kevin...That is what this is all about...Heck, we do not know what "details" you are talking about!

Pluck

Steve Plucker 08-24-2015 12:39 PM

Re: Les Andrews books concerning errors within...
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mitch//pa (Post 1144434)
i dont have the book in front of me right now but wasnt there a discrepancy about the lengths of the brake rods?

I do not know Mitch...Was there? Point it out to us.

Pluck

Steve Plucker 08-24-2015 12:40 PM

Re: Les Andrews books concerning errors within...
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Y-Blockhead (Post 1144380)
Thanks for starting this thread Steve. It will really help the New guys (ME) and the Old (ME again, but not to Model A's). I am going to make notations in my book as members post the errors.

There are a couple of things in the book that I questioned, I just can't remember what they are right now... :confused::confused:

Can you post them for us?

Pluck

Jerry Kzoo 08-24-2015 01:45 PM

Re: Les Andrews books concerning errors within...
 

Steve,
Les's book has really helped me in working on my Model A and others in our club as has this forum. I have tried to follow the cotter pin usage chart in Appendix A-3 and I think the Front Brake Plate Assembly should take 8 cotter pins(4 each side) even though my copy of the book says 3.

I am so glad Les took the time to make this manual for guys like me.

Jerry

Y-Blockhead 08-24-2015 01:54 PM

Re: Les Andrews books concerning errors within...
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve Plucker (Post 1144456)
Can you post them for us?

Pluck

I will... when I recall WHAT they were... :o:o

160B 08-24-2015 02:39 PM

Re: Les Andrews books concerning errors within...
 

This thread can be very useful, but if you post an error include the Title of the Manual, and which printing the error is in and the page.

Les Andrews has published the following manuals:

Model A Ford Mechanics Manual Volume 1

Model A Ford Mechanics Manual Volume 2

Model A Ford Trouble Shooting and Diagnostics



The Service Bulletin for April 1928 page 239 notes the toe in should be set at 3/16" to 1/4" and was changed in the Service Bulletin for Sept 1928 page 282 to 1/16" + or - 1/32".

I have a First printing Model A Ford Mechanics Manual Volume 1 and on page 2-19 the toe in is noted at 3/16 + or - 1/16.

I also have a 2nd printing Model A Ford Mechanics Manual Volume 1 and on page 2-19 the toe in is noted 1/16 + or - 1/32 which is correct per the Service bulletins for Sept 1928 page 282.

Rowdy 08-24-2015 03:10 PM

Re: Les Andrews books concerning errors within...
 

Jerry, I do not take this as a chance to beat up on the book or Les personally. Almost every technical book has an error or two, most way more than two. Even the Crown and Barrett books I use every day there are errors and as they are found by someone and reported to the companies we get updates to our manuals. Even I have found errors and reported them and they went up the chain and were corrected. Info is forever changing that is one thing that is constant. We received a shipment of 15 new forklifts last week and although they are the same as the 5 we received last year we have encountered new problems over the weekend. I am sure new info will be generated from whatever we find the problem to be. So far it is eluding us. Rod

Tom Endy 08-24-2015 04:17 PM

Re: Les Andrews books concerning errors within...
 

Les Andrews has written the most comprehensive and definitive book ever written about the Model A Ford. His mechanics handbook has aided many Model A enthusiasts. The few errors in the book that I have noticed are so minor that they will not lead anyone down the wrong path. There are some areas where he could have provided more detail. This is where others can contribute, rather than detract. Rather than pick Les’ work apart, time could be better spent writing technical articles that compliment and add more information to his articles.

Tom Endy

Larry Jenkins 08-24-2015 04:32 PM

Re: Les Andrews books concerning errors within...
 

Well said, Tom.

I think it's a bad idea to critique Les' books. There are sections that are purposely left a little ambiguous because there are things that are just common sense.

I find many areas in the book that are well detailed.

Larry


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