centering the rear axle

[sidcharles]

using a conventional banjo rear axle for the chassis of the '96 released Revell 1932 Ford w coupe.

i have a crossmember, axle, and related parts, so that's the easy task done.

Q: to locate the axle [front to back] is it as simple as using the highest arch in the frame as the axle centerline?

there is a row of holes for some kind of Revellian spring/ bars rear end.  could they be used as a centerline reference?

it's heading toward the jalopy hall of fame, so i don't need restoration precision, but i would like the center of the wheel to 

be close the center of the wheel well arch for a fairly believable appearance.

 

thanx

[stitchdup]

why not just dry assemble with the body and mark the centre on the chassis relative to the body. a simple scratch on top of the chassis rails should be enough and will be hidden when its built

[fiatboy]

I might suggest "graph paper" at the offc. supp.  This way you don't have to 'eyeball'it.  Put the figure for the body, then the frame or chassis, then you can line up the drive train pieces.

[DJMar]

6 hours ago, sidcharles said:

there is a row of holes for some kind of Revellian spring/ bars rear end.  could they be used as a centerline reference?

The holes circled in red are for locating the kit axle via the molded in airbags. You can use them as a general reference to center your new rear axle, assuming you're going to use the stock body in the stock position. I've channeled a few of these '32 kits, and depending on the depth of the channel and what wheels and tires you're using, the rear axle location might need a bit of tweaking.

The black arrows point to holes used to locate the exhaust. I usually fill these when I'm not using the stock pipes.

[Ace-Garageguy]

Few things make a model or a real car look so bad at first glance (to people who notice these things) as wheels not centered in wheel openings.

So I applaud your desire to get it right.

Just like in real life, when you use suspension that didn't come as stock, it usually takes some effort to get everything in the right place.

Which is why I do mockups tacked together to determine exactly where control arms or springs or whatever need to go, early in the game.

Edited Friday at 12:33 PM by Ace-Garageguy

[sidcharles]

so i've slotted the rear floorpan so a model A rear cross member will center on the suspension holes [thanks DJ Mar] and fit between the rails.

now i have to do the suggested mock up so when i glue the cross member it will allow the frame to side level with the front axle.

 

this might be why i took up model railroadin'

[NOBLNG]

There are no rails to keep you going in one direction in this hobby.🙂

[bill-e-boy]

You are on the right track. Mockup, mock up and repeat when kit rodding

[sidcharles]

n'yuk n'yuk; you guys . . . .

 

but - i dug through the parts box [aka well of lost souls] and the physically largest bajo rear end i have is the Revell '37 Ford pickup butt. but as keen observers will no doubt point out, that unit has the spring mounted behind the axle . . . . . grrr

so the easiest way i saw out of the problem was to snip the spring off and fabricate the buggy sit on top of the axle spring with some evergreen. which i did. and now need to mount it all together.

since the center spring pack arch is both high & hidden under the frame crossmember (i think it's from an AMT '29 Ford frame from years ago) i can shim or trim it to suit the front end. which is the next hurdle.

 

"... no rails ..."  "... right track . . . "   oh man; what have i gotten into???

[Ace-Garageguy]

^^^  Welcome to the trials and tribulations of building real cars, but in miniature...which is exactly what we do when we step beyond building what's in the box.