Radius Ball Service
 

I have just finished doing a service on my 1930. One of the things I did was to tighten up the two radius ball nuts. I checked a lot of the books and previous post about the proper procedure and found a bunch of ways to do it.. The reason for this was I had a slight steering wheel shake between 50-55 mph. I tightened the nuts until they hit the sleeve and then backed them off until I could insert the cotter pin. I drove the car and the shake was gone. My question, is the procedure that I used the normal one that is used?
Thanks, Steve

Re: Radius Ball Service
 

If it worked I wouldn't worry about it...............
Paul in CT

Re: Radius Ball Service
 

Until it cracks/breaks the bottom of the clutch housing case. :eek:

There is a lot that is assumed in this area. If the radius rod ball is worn out of the 1.500" diameter, tightening seems the prudent thing to do however the fall grows in diameter as the radius rod is rotated. Overtightening allows the radius rod ball to potentially bind during the front-end travel arc. Hit a drastic bump with the cap overtightened and I have seen it where the housing was crack damaged.

Re: Radius Ball Service
 

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Re: Radius Ball Service
 

If the rubber ball is such a poor fix, how come Ford used in the later models?

Re: Radius Ball Service
 

Because in the thirties they had real rubber which lasted much longer when soaked in oil.

All I know is that the ones I tried in the 60's turned to mush in short order.

And all of the restoration shops that I worked at refused to install the rubber ball ... too many "comebacks" don't ya know?

Re: Radius Ball Service
 

Yes, there are two major differences. Natural rubber and the durometer of the Ford manufactured ball versus the off-shore based rubber.

Re: Radius Ball Service
 

The offshore people who made the rubber balls in the 60s 70s and 80s were most likely using the same rubber that they later used to make the inner tubes of 10 -15 years ago and some of us know how that turned out!

Re: Radius Ball Service
 

Why does no one make a polyurethane ball with an engineered durometer?

Re: Radius Ball Service
 

Brent's tip is a very valuable bit of information!

Re: Radius Ball Service
 

I forgot to mention that my setup does not have a rubber ball and it does have the springs. Steve

Re: Radius Ball Service
 

Her is a video I did with a camer under the car. It's rough, but it shows a little of what goes on under there.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ry29...cz4R0&index=56