Thread: Broken tie bar on my '29 Ford..... What are my options?

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Rick,

By tie bar do you mean the radius rod that connects the axle to the frame? If so it must have been pretty hard hit to break it and I would be looking for other damage in addition to the tie bar. If this is a after market front suspension find out whose and buy a replacement. If this was fabed from a original radius rod, have another fabed to match your busted one. If the tie bar is not a radius rod you will have to explain better or show pics of your problem.

Jack.

P.S. Just looked at your pics again and it looks like you have 4 bar or hair pin rods. Find out whose and get a replacement.

He may mean the front spreader bar that ties the frame horns together.

If that's the case, try Mac's, C.W. Moss, Sacremento Vintage Ford or any early ford parts store, they will also have grille shells.

Mick

Do you mean the tie rod that goes between the two spindle arms and keeps both wheels in line?

Don

Sorry guys, I don't know the correct name

It's a chrome bar that goes between the frame rails at the very front of the chassis...

You can see in the pix above where it broke off and rust marks from where it was mounted.




Rick

Yep, Mick is right, spreader bar. I don't know if anyone has a chrome or stainless one for a model A frame like yours. I had to make my own out of a stainless tube. Grille shells are available lots of places though.

Don

Here's an old pic of what it used to looks like.....




It doesn't seem to have any bolts to hold it in place though

That is the trouble with buying someone else's car, you never know how they did things or what parts they used. I think he custom made that spreader bar, like I had to do. Are there any holes on the outside of the frame horns, like a bolt went through there to secure the bar?


Don

Hi Rick,

Sorry about the mix up, I should have thought of the spreader bar. Anyway, should be an easy remake. If you don't have a welder or have a friend with one you could buy some SS tubing and make some threaded plugs to tightly fit in the tube and use J B weld or Gorilla Glue to keep the plugs from spinning and bolt it on that way. The plugs need to only keep the bar in place.

Jack.