inner fender structural questions
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Roast em' if you got 'em
Joined: Mar 2005
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From: Rio Rancho, NM
inner fender structural questions
It came to light recently that there is a difference in how the front clips, specifically the rear of the inner fenders, mount between 48-50 trucks and the 51-52 trucks. (I have pics of the inner fenders and lower mounts in my gallery labeled "spare parts")
On the 48-50 trucks the inner fenders bolt to the cab at the forward strut of the front cab mount and they bolt to the frame at the bottom rear of the inner fender.
On the 51-52 trucks the inner fenders just bolt to the cab at the forward strut of the front cab mount and they do not bolt to the frame.
The front of the clip mounts to the radiator support which in turn bolts to the frame in a semi rigid mount. The cabs are rubber mounted and again are semi rigid but then they hard bolt the lower inner fender to the frame? Doesn't make sense.
Was there perhaps a rubber bushing at the lower inner fender mount?
Are these lower mounts necessary since they eleminated them on the 51-52 models?
What do you think gentlemen? any thoughts, ideas, opinions, weird and wacky ramblings, smart aleck comments, etc ,etc, etc???
Thanks
Bobby
On the 48-50 trucks the inner fenders bolt to the cab at the forward strut of the front cab mount and they bolt to the frame at the bottom rear of the inner fender.
On the 51-52 trucks the inner fenders just bolt to the cab at the forward strut of the front cab mount and they do not bolt to the frame.
The front of the clip mounts to the radiator support which in turn bolts to the frame in a semi rigid mount. The cabs are rubber mounted and again are semi rigid but then they hard bolt the lower inner fender to the frame? Doesn't make sense.
Was there perhaps a rubber bushing at the lower inner fender mount?
Are these lower mounts necessary since they eleminated them on the 51-52 models?
What do you think gentlemen? any thoughts, ideas, opinions, weird and wacky ramblings, smart aleck comments, etc ,etc, etc???
Thanks
Bobby
Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2002
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From: Michigan
Looking at the 51 clip I just recently aquired for my project, I still have the tabs on the lower edges of the inner fenders (well on one side, the others rusted off). The tabs line right up with a hole in each side of the frame, no stud, but I can easily run a bolt through it, and plan to do so. Not sure if this helps or hinders the question.
Post Fiend
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 5,231
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From: Near Fresno, California
I agree, seems like a design flaw that was corrected on the later models. As you drive through dips and across washboards your frame flexes, and, without some rubber isolation, will transmit this flex to your cab and front fenders. In addition, they advertised the rubber mounts as isolating the cab from road vibration and noise - yet in your case the hard mount would transmit both.
We will know it is true if a lot of 48 and 49 owners report cracks and other fatigue failures with that part.
We will know it is true if a lot of 48 and 49 owners report cracks and other fatigue failures with that part.
Senior User
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 218
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From: Highwood, Montana
My '51 also had its inner fenders bolted to the frame....weird. Now I'm thinking I should at least try to put some type of rubber mount on this frame attachment point? I hadn't thought about it transferring vibration.
Gary
Gary
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Roast em' if you got 'em
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From: Rio Rancho, NM
***** B,
Yes, there are stress cracks around the mounting tabs. On my original front clip the left side (behind the battery, it was a 6cyl) was rotted off, the right side mounting hole was very elongated and had stress cracks around it. A spare set of inner fenders tat I have also have stress cracks all around the mounting tabs.
I installed my spare front clip (the one from my spare parts gallery) onto my truck this afternoon. One mounting tab has been repaired and the othe has a seriously elongated hole.
I think what I will do is modify the mounting tabs and see if I can put some kind of rubber isolator there.
From what everyone has said, it sounds like only year trucks without the lower mounting tab is the 52 model year.
Thanks everyone
Bobby
Yes, there are stress cracks around the mounting tabs. On my original front clip the left side (behind the battery, it was a 6cyl) was rotted off, the right side mounting hole was very elongated and had stress cracks around it. A spare set of inner fenders tat I have also have stress cracks all around the mounting tabs.
I installed my spare front clip (the one from my spare parts gallery) onto my truck this afternoon. One mounting tab has been repaired and the othe has a seriously elongated hole.
I think what I will do is modify the mounting tabs and see if I can put some kind of rubber isolator there.
From what everyone has said, it sounds like only year trucks without the lower mounting tab is the 52 model year.
Thanks everyone
Bobby
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 27,294
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From: NM
All this talk made me doubt my memory (I do forget things now and then 
), so I went out and looked again. My '52's got no holes in the frame anywhere near there (just the holes for steering boxes), and I can't see where someone could have taken off the brace.
I also have a spare set of '51 inner fenders, and there is the bracket! (the starter access panel is missing on the pass. side panel) The one that's there is all cracked and the holes are torn. I think that validates the theory -- I wouldn't bolt them down there.
My '52 has three bolts along the strut -- how many are on the early style (not including the one to the frame)?
), so I went out and looked again. My '52's got no holes in the frame anywhere near there (just the holes for steering boxes), and I can't see where someone could have taken off the brace. I also have a spare set of '51 inner fenders, and there is the bracket! (the starter access panel is missing on the pass. side panel) The one that's there is all cracked and the holes are torn. I think that validates the theory -- I wouldn't bolt them down there.
My '52 has three bolts along the strut -- how many are on the early style (not including the one to the frame)?
Thread Starter
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Roast em' if you got 'em
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From: Rio Rancho, NM
Ross,
My inner fenders only have one bolt at the strut. Its starting to look like Ford made a change for 1952 and put some extra mounting bolts in the cab mount strut and abandoned the frame attachment.
Since my inner fenders only have one attachment point at the cab mount strut I think that the lower part my vibrate and flop around if it werent bolted down. I'm going to try to adapt a rubber mount.
Thanks for checking your truck. I should be able to update my photos on Monday to show the clip installed.
Bobby
My inner fenders only have one bolt at the strut. Its starting to look like Ford made a change for 1952 and put some extra mounting bolts in the cab mount strut and abandoned the frame attachment.
Since my inner fenders only have one attachment point at the cab mount strut I think that the lower part my vibrate and flop around if it werent bolted down. I'm going to try to adapt a rubber mount.
Thanks for checking your truck. I should be able to update my photos on Monday to show the clip installed.
Bobby
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Post Fiend
Joined: Sep 2004
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From: Near Fresno, California
You might try some rubber cording - like the sidewall from a tire. They you cuold either move the mounting to the cab brace, or relocate the exising holes to give you room the the rubber. That is all my 59 has -
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Fleet Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
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From: NM
I wouldn't give up on converting to the later style mounting -- it would be easy to weld some tabs onto the strut (provided your cab isn't already painted?). You could more or less duplicate the '52 arrangement. Need pictures?
Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2002
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From: Michigan
After hearing this discussion, I think I may end up doing something similar to what I had on my 79 F-150. For the inner panels on that, they used a strip of rubber (similar to the tire sidewall WillB mentioned). Just bolt one end to the fender, one to the frame
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2003
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From: ishpeming usa
Albuq F-1
I would really like a picture of your mounts. My 51 also has the pass. side but the drivers side was cracked off. The mount was removed from the frame in the past. If I'm gonna build a new mount this winter maybe fitting it to the cab mount would make more sense (transfering less torsional load)
Later..Randy
I would really like a picture of your mounts. My 51 also has the pass. side but the drivers side was cracked off. The mount was removed from the frame in the past. If I'm gonna build a new mount this winter maybe fitting it to the cab mount would make more sense (transfering less torsional load)
Later..Randy
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
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From: NM
Well, I looked again, and I only have two bolts to the strut. The third one I saw is the rearmost bolt on the starter access panel -- sorry about that. The lower bolt goes to a tab that is simply welded to the strut just above the point where the strut angles down to the cab mount. The tab sticks forward and has a nut welded to it. I put fender welting between the tab and the inner fender to allow it to move smoothly.
Here's a pic that shows the tab and the hole in the edge of the strut. (look closely) this and a shot of the inner assembled to the cab are in my Gallery "Misc".
Here's a pic that shows the tab and the hole in the edge of the strut. (look closely) this and a shot of the inner assembled to the cab are in my Gallery "Misc".
Last edited by ALBUQ F-1; Oct 8, 2005 at 09:32 PM.
Thread Starter
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Roast em' if you got 'em
Joined: Mar 2005
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From: Rio Rancho, NM
Ross,
Gorgeous truck!!! Very nice, thanks for the pic, I had to just sit and stare at the pic for awhile before wiping away the drool and actually focusing on the mounting tabs.
Yea, mine looks the same way. I posted some more pics in my "spare parts" gallery of my spare clip installed and the lower inner fender mounting tab. You can see in the pics that the lower tab has been repaired (if thats what you want to call it).
I didn't get a chance to do anything about the missing stud, life sort of happened to me all weekend long
Bobby
Gorgeous truck!!! Very nice, thanks for the pic, I had to just sit and stare at the pic for awhile before wiping away the drool and actually focusing on the mounting tabs.
Yea, mine looks the same way. I posted some more pics in my "spare parts" gallery of my spare clip installed and the lower inner fender mounting tab. You can see in the pics that the lower tab has been repaired (if thats what you want to call it).
I didn't get a chance to do anything about the missing stud, life sort of happened to me all weekend long
Bobby