Whats happening here

[William Kelchner]

Was replacing the battery cables and thought I would take a cursory look under the car and here is what I saw What am I looking at here? It looks like some sort of grease retainer but a piece of whatever it is sticking out the rear and a large piece at the lower front.

[28RPU]

That looks like the wishbone pivot to me. It looks like its just leaking grease out of it. I think there is a rubber or leather retainer in there if I recall. Maybe someone else here knows for sure. I would not worry about it too much. Aren't these old As supposed to leak?
I would fix it though.

[lookin-backtexas]

William:
It looks like a part Model A'ers used to install which fit inside the wishbone retainer cap to take up slack on worn out wishbone balls. It might have shifted inside the holder and is trying to come out. If the radius ball is loose in the ball cup, a shim can be made from a fender washer by using a ball peen hammer to shape the washer to fit the bottom curvature of the ball; maybe someone added one over the years.
Fred

[Tom Bellfoy]

it looks like the rubber and upper cap portion has been squished out and badly in need of replacement.

[RUNNERBUN]

Looks like someone used a replacement neoprene ball under an original Ball Cap to take up wear in the radius ball. It looks like the neoprene ball has failed. Check out Snyders on Line catalog part no A-3440-RE for the replacement style cap and part no. A-3440-S for the original style.

[Patrick L.]

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I agree with some of the others. The radius rod socket needs to come apart and looked at. What does the material that is sticking out from the cap made of ? It looks to be rubber/neoprene. If it is, it doesn't belong there as the socket appears to be the original type.
Just drop the bottom cap and take a look. The radius ball should be round and 1.5" dia. It is common to use a large flat/fender washer to take up years of wear. So, if the material is metal/steel then thats normal except for its being worn out and in need of replacement.
The vendors have all the replacement parts.
Welcome to the world of Model A'ing. You're certainly being introduced thru trial by fire.

[William Kelchner]

Guess I can tackle replacing this thing. It appears to be rubber/neoprene and most of it is hanging out of the cup as you can see. Yes trial by fire is an understatement. One step forward two backward - as I have asked before what horrors and what could possibly go wrong replacing this ball ?? I barely recovered from the dist replacement, valve cover off, disassemble the exhaust clamp to get the valve cover bolt, intermittent battery cable.

My wife checks in on me more than usual - suspects I have a sweety hidden in the garage I spent so much time there the past few weeks.

On the other hand the car starts and runs great now(static) and Purdy Swofts words still ring in my ear "LOOK AT THIS AS FUN"

[redmodelt]

Someone used the replacement rubber ball cover without the correct sockets? Could be why the springs are in the wrong place. If the ball is not real worn, take it apart, clean and reassemble with the springs on the outside like they should be. Also good time to make sure the felt is in place, there should be one just above the hole and under the pin that keeps the bolts from turning.

[William Kelchner]

So let me get this straight - this is the first mention of "felts". Assuming the ball cup in my photos should jive with the breakdown shown in the Mechanics Handbook. From the bottom up nut/cotter pin, springs, spacers, lower cup and upper cup. The felts you mention I presume are to retain oil.

Is my assembly, albeit assembled wrong, original and just assembled or a home brew assembly.....? Thanks

[Bob C]

This is what should be in there.

Bob

[SteveB31]

Your assembly is correct but installed wrong and containing one piece it should not have.

Throw away the rubber piece that is squeezing out.

Remove the bottom cup. Remove the springs and spacers. Reinstall the lower cup, THEN install the springs and spacers UNDER the lower cap, then the two nuts. After this is all together, make sure you cannot move the wishbone ups and down. It should be able to pivot , but not be loose up and down. If it is loose up and down you need a shim.

Make sense?

Steve Becker
Berts Model A Center
www.modelastore.com

[SteveB31]

The felt goes up inside the hole. Usually installed from the inside when the trans is out. The purpose of the felt is to absorb some of the oil that leaks out of the front of the transmission to keep that assemble oiled. Doesn't look like your is lacking in lubrication, so really the felt is not too important since you have lubrication (leaking from above).

[William Kelchner]

Thanks to everybody for their inputs - I'll get this problem fixed and hopefully this will be it.

Don't see how you can own one of these machines without this site. Got to meet a Model A'er who lives close by and has bailed me out at least three times. I can spend the better part of a day timing my machine and he walks in and does it in 5 minutes.

At any rate best of holidays to everybody and again for all the help

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

Originally Posted by SteveB31

Your assembly is correct but installed wrong and containing one piece it should not have.

Throw away the rubber piece that is squeezing out.

Remove the bottom cup. Remove the springs and spacers. Reinstall the lower cup, THEN install the springs and spacers UNDER the lower cap, then the two nuts. After this is all together, make sure you cannot move the wishbone ups and down. It should be able to pivot , but not be loose up and down. If it is loose up and down you need a shim.

Make sense?

Steve Becker
Berts Model A Center
www.modelastore.com

Yo, Steverino, Dog here, I saw yo' shim thingy, some HORRENDOUS price, like $1.78 ur $1.97, ur sumptin' like that! Order 6 & give them to friends fur their BURTHDAY! See if they kin figger out whut their for Buster T.

[700rpm]

Mr. Kelchner, this is a relatively simple procedure. Follow SteveB31's instructions and you should be done in about 20 minutes start to finish.

[tbirdtbird]

you may need to use a bottle jack to jack the wishbone back up into place, just to let you know.

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

Years ago, Chief used 1 or 2 circles of thick leather & greased the ball well. He said oil from the upper felt would gradually soak into the leather & the leather lasted a long time, even with a worn ball. Bill W.

[antiquepa]

Springs our on the wrong side of the nut, cup 1st, over the ball, then springs, nuts.!!

[Mike V. Florida]

Originally Posted by William Kelchner

Thanks to everybody for their inputs - I'll get this problem fixed and hopefully this will be it.

[William Kelchner]

Got me Mike V - got me laughing good... I put a jack under the front. (was this called the wishbone back in the day?? The ball has mucho verticle play. I hope the ball can be fixed with the washer trick......if not, am I doomed ?