Anti-Chatter Rods Purpose

[PeterC]

Is the function of the anti-chatter rods to stop the drive-train (transmission and engine) from moving forward as the torque tube pushes the car forward, or ... to act to stop clutch chatter ... or both?

[Clem Clement]

Best I can tell, it is to annoy the owner. Back in the day I was removing the motor from My '40MERC. We were using a bucket to lift it out and it would not budge. Finally found the rods...

[DavidG]

With respect, their purpose is described in their name, namely to provide a stable state between the clutch pedal and the clutch pressure plate under both acceleration and deceleration.

[Drbrown]

The anti-chatter rods were eliminated about production year 1941-42 when thereafter Ford changed the design of the tranny support mounts to stabilize the engine. Although my'47 production year did not come off the line with them, some mechanic later added them perhaps trying to solve a clutch problem.

If I can more or less sum up a long-time bunch of threads: it has been said that because these cars have a single rear spring mounted longitudinally (cross-ways), when the drive system tries to accelerate it creates a rotational movement in the rear axle housing and banjo, and thus (1) a "lurching" stress on the enclosed drive tube which is transferred to the tranny, and as noted, which in-turn affects the clutch linkage and its operation, and (2) stress to the tranny mount(s) and to a lessor degree stress to the two front engine mounts resulting in some effort to displace how the engine sits in the frame.

On their own, one would think that the two front engine mounts, if in good condition, would prevent the engine from "rotating" as well as any back and forth movement. Who knows ...

[Ian NZ]

Those Anti Chatter rods were fitted to all Export from Canada Ford V8's up to 1948.

[JM 35 Sedan]

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Originally Posted by PeterC

Is the function of the anti-chatter rods to stop the drive-train (transmission and engine) from moving forward as the torque tube pushes the car forward, or ... to act to stop clutch chatter ... or both?

Peter, I know you have these rods on your 35 3w coupe, and I don't think you would consider removing those, so is this question more related to your new project?

[deuce_roadster]

I believe Ford called them "engine stay rods" as they keep the engine from being pushed forward as post #1 said. Any "anti chatter reduction was probably coincidental.

[Fortunateson]

I have a '32 that I'm going to put a 8BA into. Are these rods reproduced? Can they be easily fabricated?

[Fortunateson]

I have a '32 that I'm putting a 8BA engine into. Are he chatter rods reproduced? Are they easily fabbed?

[RalphM]

They come up for sale from time to time, but are also easily fabricated. My AV8 with 32 chassis and 8BA/37 trans w/32 mount & K member does not have them. Never had any clutch/ vibration issues. Maybe just lucky?

[fortyonerag]

My 41 has the chatter rods mounted forward from the trans to the front of the car

[Jack E/NJ]

Small anti-chatter angle brackets were, and probably still are, available that attach to the front mount bolts and adjustably wedge against the frame to accomodate engines with or without rod holes. Jack E/NJ

[PeterC]

Originally Posted by JM 35 Sedan

Peter, I know you have these rods on your 35 3w coupe, and I don't think you would consider removing those, so is this question more related to your new project?

John - I was just thinking about how important they are on my Coupe to keep the engine from any fore/aft movement as the fan clearance to the radiator and the passenger side head to firewall is very tight. The set up works perfectly with no issues - was not sure how they worked for anti-chatter and now understand.

[A bones]

An oily damp, or wet clutch, REGARDLESS of suspension, will chatter and grab, instead of slipping and sliding until the point of lock-up. HMMMM.

[PeterC]

Originally Posted by JM 35 Sedan

Peter, I know you have these rods on your 35 3w coupe, and I don't think you would consider removing those, so is this question more related to your new project?

My anti -chatter rods as installed (click to enlarge photo)

[PeteVS]

If you push the clutch to the floor, the rod between the pedal and the clutch release arm is all the way to the front. If you then slowly lift your foot, the rod will come back a small distance and the clutch will start to engage. If, when the clutch engages, the rear wheels will push the rear end forward and through the torque tube, the transmission and engine forward as well. This will have the same effect on the clutch as a further rearward movement of the clutch release rod. This will result in a further engagement of the clutch possibly resulting in more engagement than the driver desires. The opposite effect would take place in reverse. For this reason, anti chatter rods are in place to keep the engine and transmission locked in forward / reverse position to minimize the effect. I guess that after '39, the link to the clutch release mechanism was through a torsional effect allowing the engine to move back and forth with minimal change in clutch engagement.

[Ford whisperer]

I've had a nos pair in their original carton in storage for prolly more than twenty years now. Never gave much thought about 'em but thanks for confirming my suspicions that these are pre-war items. I'll never have any use for these rods on my '51 f1, so how come I even acquired 'em in the first place? Never had a pre-war ford.

[Drbrown]

Something doesn't make sense to me. The front of an engine is attached to the frame with two rubber washer/cushioned bolts, and the transmission is likewise anchored to the frame at its rear. How can the engine/transmission assembly move fore and aft ? Any external force applied to the engine/transmission assembly would only produce only a very fraction degree of movement. Are the rubber washer/cushions thru which the anchor bolts pass deteriorated to the extent that too much movement is being allowed ?

[JSeery]

Originally Posted by Drbrown

Are the rubber washer/cushions thru which the anchor bolts pass deteriorated to the extent that too much movement is being allowed ?

The stay rods were installed at the factory when there were all new components. Sure there will be more movement with age of the mounting components, but they were considered necessary when new. Fords were not engineered with "extra" parts that were not considered important by engineering. And the stay rods took a lot of effort and expense to install.

[Drbrown]

I certainly agree Ford would not add extra un-needed production parts. What doesn't make sense to me is that the rods were intended to prevent forward movement of the engine. In college, one of the first things we were taught in engineering design was that steel, as a material, works best when used in tension, and less so in compression.

To amend my earlier comment .... TomO once noted that prior to the 1946 models, when anti-chatter rods were being installed, the back of the tranny had two separate anchor bolts similar to the front anchor bolts (I have not seen that installation). Then when after-war production re-started in 1946 Ford changed the tranny support to a rubber saddle bonded to a steel yoke (see photo - abt 10 inches wide)) which is what my'47 has, thus eliminating the need (they believed) for anti-chatter rods.

Anti-chatter rods, which are 3/8 inch diameter, were added to my '47 by welding them to the bell housing (clearly not a factory weld), angling/spreading them outwards/apart and forward, and bolting them thru an eye formed at the end, to the frame.