Go Back   The Ford Barn > General Discussion > Model A (1928-31)

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 11-16-2021, 06:13 PM   #1
ursus
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Oregon
Posts: 1,369
Default Body Shims

While messing with adjusting the body on my coupe this week I discovered an assortment of zinc coated, horseshoe shaped shims for just this purpose at Harbor Freight. Ten bucks gets you an array of 148 shims from 1/64 to 1/8 inches in size that are the right fit for Model A body bolts. These should be much easier to use than the limited sizes of rubber shims that I have struggled to place in the narrow space under the body.
ursus is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-16-2021, 10:39 PM   #2
old ugly
Senior Member
 
old ugly's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2021
Location: alberta canada
Posts: 585
Default Re: Body Shims

1970s gm trucks used a ton of them for shimming their body panels, the model A may reject the transplant.

let us know how you made out.
__________________
old ugly

my old father-in-law told me. "listen close when people tell you how to do stuff they may know something. then do it the way you want."
old ugly is offline   Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)
Old 11-16-2021, 11:05 PM   #3
Mike Peters
Senior Member
 
Mike Peters's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: South East Wisconsin
Posts: 1,279
Default Re: Body Shims

If the body bolts holding these horseshoe shaped shims loosen with time and road vibration, won't the shims fall out one by one? If they go in easy, they could also fall out easy. Wooden body blocks are fairly large and cushion the body to a degree, but these little horseshoe washers won't offer that protection. Ford could have done the same thing a hundred years ago , but they didn't.
Mike Peters is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-17-2021, 06:16 AM   #4
nkaminar
Senior Member
 
nkaminar's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Western North Carolina
Posts: 3,812
Default Re: Body Shims

Those shims are for leveling stationary equipment, like lathes or milling machines. I think Mike Peters has a good point. If you do use them, maybe you could bend the ends over so that they are captured.
__________________
A is for apple, green as the sky.
Step on the gas, for tomorrow I die.
Forget the brakes, they really don't work.
The clutch always sticks, and starts with a jerk.
My car grows red hair, and flies through the air.
Driving's a blast, a blast from the past.
nkaminar is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-17-2021, 06:38 PM   #5
ursus
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Oregon
Posts: 1,369
Default Re: Body Shims

Quote:
Originally Posted by nkaminar View Post
Those shims are for leveling stationary equipment, like lathes or milling machines. I think Mike Peters has a good point. If you do use them, maybe you could bend the ends over so that they are captured.
I make checking the tightness of body bolts - and other chassis fasteners - part of my annual maintenance. The shims I cited are labeled as 'Body Shims' with further text describing them as used for adjusting camber, caster, and toe-in on front and rear suspensions.
ursus is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-17-2021, 06:52 PM   #6
Ruth
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Glide, Oregon
Posts: 1,334
Default Re: Body Shims

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)
Yes, they are used all the time in alignment shops for the adjust caster and camber and align other suspension parts. I have also seen them used in body shops to align front fenders and such.
__________________
Ruth
"Sometimes you really DO need to read the whole thread"
Ruth is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-18-2021, 08:18 AM   #7
77Birdman
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: North Eastern MD
Posts: 486
Default Re: Body Shims

My experience is with 70's cars not A's, these shims are quite common. Used to align sheet metal. Once the bolt is tight I have yet seen one work loose and the shims fall out. Dont know about using them on a Model A but perfectly acceptable for late model stuff.
77Birdman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-18-2021, 11:56 AM   #8
katy
Senior Member
 
katy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Red Deer, Alberta
Posts: 5,004
Default Re: Body Shims

What size opening in the HF shims?
__________________
If you don't hear a rumor by 10 AM, start one!.
Got my education out behind the barn!
katy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-18-2021, 03:49 PM   #9
ursus
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Oregon
Posts: 1,369
Default Re: Body Shims

Quote:
Originally Posted by katy View Post
What size opening in the HF shims?
The shims will just fit a 1/2 inch bolt when installed, with some widening of the gap as it approaches the U-shaped opening.
ursus is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-18-2021, 04:26 PM   #10
LeonardS
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Jamestown, ND
Posts: 651
Default Re: Body Shims

Here they are. They look quite useful.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg 99B73EC8-266B-417F-AA23-15880A4C046D.jpg (41.6 KB, 30 views)
LeonardS is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-19-2021, 09:03 AM   #11
rotorwrench
Senior Member
 
rotorwrench's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Posts: 16,367
Default Re: Body Shims

Ford used frame welt, wood body blocks, and various sizes of rubber pads to prevent fretting and associated noise between the body, aprons, and frame. Putting metal shims in there will work for alignment but I think I would want then to be at least the same size as the rubber pad or a person could just use more rubber pads.

If it takes a lot of shims to correct things then the frame or body is likely bent somewhere.
rotorwrench is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-19-2021, 11:19 AM   #12
katy
Senior Member
 
katy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Red Deer, Alberta
Posts: 5,004
Default Re: Body Shims

Thanks
__________________
If you don't hear a rumor by 10 AM, start one!.
Got my education out behind the barn!
katy is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 03:30 AM.