I've been dismantling my '41 and everything has been going swimmingly until I got to the castle nuts holding the wish bone to the front axle. I have the axle and wishbone off the truck, friction shocks, tie rod and drag link all removed so it's just the axle and wishbone. Now I cant budge the 15/16" nut holding the perch bolt through the wishbone. (Yes, I removed the cotter pin). I have a new dropped axle I'll be using, and new perch pins, but I need to separate the wishbone from the old axle so I can split it and re use it.
I've got the nuts soaking in P B Blaster right now, but I'm stumped. My next move will be an oxy/acetalyne "Heat Wrench" but I hate to do that.
Heating the nuts to break them loose won't hurt anything just heat them until red, don't melt them. It should expand them and allow them to come loose. I saw a guy one time heat the nuts and then spray BP on the hot metal he said it would suck the oil up into the threads as it cools and then come off fairly easy. If you have a tourch try it.
WHEW !!!......Propane torch wasn't nearly enough to heat the nuts hot enough....finally broke the Oxy/Act torch and heated the crap out of it, then slipped a 4 foot pipe over the handle of my breaker bar and it still took two of us to get it loose.
So I went ahead a spilt the wishbone while I was at it. Feels so much like a victory, I might have to rest for a couple months now
In my aging process I have resorted to using my Grinders more often in situations such as yours. I have found it doesn't take a lot of time to grind through a nut on opposite sides and knock it off with a chisel. I also may use a zip wheel to cut through the nut. It just depends on the situation.
I was nearly to that point, but wanted to preserve the casting around the nut seat and was afraid I'd destroy the whole thing. Was quite a frustrating experience.
Well the main thing is you were persistent about it. Use that perseverance to work on the rest of your project and you should finish with a great truck.
Thanks loholland.......my big decision now is whether to rebuild the Flathead myself or have a shop do it. I've never build a Flathead so in a way I'd like to try it. I've done some 350 (my '34 Chebby runs a 350) but never a flattie. Only problem is they're so expensive (parts) and I'd hate to screw it up.
Its probably been 40+ years since I've been inside a flathead however they work similar to any other engine, getting the machine work done might be a problem. Pull the heads and look at the ridge where the pistons wear. If its not too bad you might just get away with rings and bearings. Those flatheads would really take a beating and keep on running. You can pull the intake and pull that U clip on each valve and remove each valve and spring in one individual unit generally you have to grind the valve stem to set the clearance. Go to the library and check, you might find a book on the flathead.
Ebay has a lot of books for rebuilding and hopping up a flathead. The last one I did I found that the parts were cheaper to go into the local NAPA and have them get them as opposed to trying to order them through a flathead specialty shop. Still got everything I wanted, flattops, felpro gaskets, sealed power bearings and rings, not a problem. There's also I guy in Lawrence, KS who has a lot of parts really resonable. and I've never has a problem.
Nothing to the falthead, the pistons still go up and down to turn the crank.
Let me know how you come out.
Howard
Thanks for the encouragement folks. I'm getting my Chebby ready for a run to the NSRA Southern Nationals in Knoxville this week, So it'll be when I get back from there that I attack the Flattie. I have several Flathead books, Oddo, Huntington Ceridono, Smith etc.
My local Engine shop does Flatties, the owner of the shop is almost ninety, so he's seen a few. Ive already talked to them about magnafluxing the block, machine work I may need and balancing etc. I have a new flywheel for it since I'm putting the C-4 automatic behind it, so it's just the middle part......I've got to decide on.
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