'Bout time for a Knox update, don't ya think?

[Art Anderson]

The Knox front axle looks quite simple, being of a plain, square cross-section forging, with "knuckles" at the top and bottom of each end, arranged as a "yoke" to capture the spindles in between them, with a simple triangular reinforcing web to add strength to the knuckle at both top and bottom of the axle. Like most very early cars and light trucks, this is exactly backward to Ford's 1928-48 beam front axles, in fact the entire industry's practice, beginning about 1920. The spindles were a very simple design, forged steel, with the obligatory round stub axle, the inner portion being a square section, with a hole bored vertically through it to acommodate the kingpin, a round flange separating the two sections, giving a thrust bearing surface for the wheel to run up against, without the hub making contact with the axle end. Simple in design, but a bear to build.

The axle itself is done with 1/8" K&S square brass tubing (now discontinued, BTW), into which holes were drilled to hold the spring perches (not yet made in this pic), fishmouthed at the ends to capture 3/32" K&S brass tubing, then slit vertically so that a "web" of 1/32" thick K&S brass strip could be placed inboard of the steering knuckles. The knuckles themselves were made with a single, extra long piece of K&S 3/32" brass tubing, the whole ensemble silver soldered together with a miniature butane torch; after which the "webs" were cut down to their triangular shape with sprue cutters, the round brass tubing filed to the correct height above and below the axle, and then the "yoke" being milled into the constructed ends. This is the second axle built--the first was irreparably damaged when one yoke got caught in the tightening mechanism of my milling vice, so I made absolutely certain that would NOT happen again.

The spindles were machined from brass bar stock, the spindle portion turned down to 3/32", the square section inboard of the thrust flange milled to square, then drilled for the kingpin, and a hole added for locating the steering arm.

Sounds so easy doesn't it? Well, all told, this axle and the first of the spindles took over 12hrs to make, but I did learn a lot in the process.

Without further ado: 1904 Knox Waterless front axle, WIP:

Art

[Foxer]

Good to see this back. That's a beautiful "chunk" of brass sculpture!

[charlie8575]

This thing continues to amaze me, Art.

I still can't get over seeing the engine up close and personal at Classic Plastic.

I'm glad to see this back, too, and look forward to more.

Charlie Larkin