New to the Forum - Just inherited a 1950 Plymouth from my Brother-in-Law - Is there a place to get "Drop Knuckles"?

[50 Plymouth Suburban]

Hi All -

 

My brother-in-law finally got his dream car a 1950 Plymouth Suburban he referred to as "The Hot Rod".   He purchased an older restoration and spent quite on bringing it up to speed only to have a "little fender bender".  (To see damage: 1950 Plymouth Body Damage )  Before he could get it fixed, he passed away, leaving his prized "Hot Rod" to me.

 

 I have already made some progress on the body work, but will need some advice on the suspension.

 

The first thing I did is take the car to my trusted alignment shop and they assured me it was safe to drive, but did need the king pin and trunnion replaced.  Since the car has been lowered, the stock components, particularly the knuckle, can't be used and both sides will need to be replaced with identical components..  (I will follow up with pictures.)  Is there a place to get "Drop Knuckles"?

 

Thanks, Chuck aka 50 Plymouth Suburban

Edited Friday at 01:43 AM by 50 Plymouth Suburban

[Plymouthy Adams]

at one time these were available but I also recall reading something about the shop has closed their doors.  Look to e-bay or post a wanted ad here on the forum. 

[kencombs]

5 hours ago, Plymouthy Adams said:

at one time these were available but I also recall reading something about the shop has closed their doors.  Look to e-bay or post a wanted ad here on the forum. 

Good ideas, I'd add, join the HAMB, and post an introduction, then a want add.   Lots of old hot rod guys and parts there.

[Sniper]

You're going to have to clarify what you mean in regards to why your knuckles need to be replaced. Because something doesn't sound right to me.

[Ivan_B]

Maybe the shop is unable to fit the kingpins into the old ones? 🙄

[kencombs]

28 minutes ago, Sniper said:

You're going to have to clarify what you mean in regards to why your knuckles need to be replaced. Because something doesn't sound right to me.

Good point. In my first response I assumed (and I know better) that he really needed them.   On second thought It would be really rare too need one, let alone two. 

 

So some clarification is needed.   It may be a shop tooling deficiency in that they are unable to ream bushings?   

[Young Ed]

We do need some clarification on this. To me the bushings go in the spindle and the upright(what the kingpin attaches the spindle to) is what gets dropped on these cars. My uprights were worn on my 48 and I got used ones to replace them.

[Plymouthy Adams]

looking at my set here at the house the spindles are what is altered in the set up....odds are you will need kingpins and bushing at the same time to do the job right and likely a good idea to renew the a-arm bushings....in other words work the unit right.   

[50 Plymouth Suburban]

Thanks All!

 

Yes, I'll clarify with the shop, but I know some parts are bent and if I replace a knuckle I need to replace the other.  The also said I need to replace the king pins, trunnions and one of the control arms.   Here's some pictures.

 

I'm used to working with newer old cars (late 50's thru 70's) and your knowledge is a great help!

 

Thanks for your help.  

 

 

 

[Sniper]

30 minutes ago, 50 Plymouth Suburban said:

if I replace a knuckle I need to replace the other. 

 

Not so, they aren't matched pairs, so to speak.

[Noonan]

I recently built lowered uprights for my 1940 plymouth car.  You will need to purchase a second set of uprights n.o.s (preferably straight).    You will need a king pin as a locator to align the assembly for welding and a competent welder who can handle structural welding with preheat and multiple weld passes.   You could also look into adding support gussets to the upright itself in one form or another to reduce the possibility of a nice straight upright bending out of place in the future.     The used uprights I've seen come off these cars have been bent.   

When searching for the uprights they are called "knuckle supports".

Those uprights (knuckle supports) look like the FatMan Fab uprights.    Factory replacement knuckle/spindle should work. 

You can certainly straighten a bent upright,  you can take both left and right off the car so there is reference from the bent part to the straight part.    Take them to a fab shop that has a large hydraulic press, get them straightened and add some supporting gussets at the same time.  Just make sure any metal that is added to an upright has clearance as the wheels are turned.

 

Edited Friday at 02:13 AM by Noonan
Pic

[andyd]

Fatman Fabrications used to make dropped Spindles but AFAIK the business has closed......the stock spindles are to suit both sides however once the lower outer bush is installed then they become "handed" .........the stub axles are also "handed" however the 4 king pin bushes in each new king pin set are installed 2 per stub axle and don't care whether each go top or bottom in the stub axle........as far as lowering the front end is concerned an old trick was to cut 1 coil from the front coil springs........this is not the best way to lower but if going to do this do not use oxy to cut the coil spring....pull the front end apart & at least use a cut off wheel which doesn't heat the spring unduely...........another way to lower the front end is to remove the lower A arms then remove and remount the lower coil spring "pocket" on the low side of the A Arms effectively allowing the A Arm to move higher & therefore "lower" the car height...........and a third way is to install a heavier engine, ie, a V8 of some sort..........lol.............BTW what is the "trunnion" that you refer to?.......welcom aboard from Oztralia...andyd      

[50 Plymouth Suburban]

15 hours ago, andyd said:

Fatman Fabrications used to make dropped Spindles but AFAIK the business has closed......the stock spindles are to suit both sides however once the lower outer bush is installed then they become "handed" .........the stub axles are also "handed" however the 4 king pin bushes in each new king pin set are installed 2 per stub axle and don't care whether each go top or bottom in the stub axle........as far as lowering the front end is concerned an old trick was to cut 1 coil from the front coil springs........this is not the best way to lower but if going to do this do not use oxy to cut the coil spring....pull the front end apart & at least use a cut off wheel which doesn't heat the spring unduely...........another way to lower the front end is to remove the lower A arms then remove and remount the lower coil spring "pocket" on the low side of the A Arms effectively allowing the A Arm to move higher & therefore "lower" the car height...........and a third way is to install a heavier engine, ie, a V8 of some sort..........lol.............BTW what is the "trunnion" that you refer to?.......welcom aboard from Oztralia...andyd      

Yeah, I had to ask what a Trunnion was too.  Best explanation I got was "it is the part of an older car's suspension that performs the function of the ball joints on the upper on lower A arms in a more modern suspension".  It is referred to as a "outer pivot" in the suspension diagrams I've seen.  Of course, someone in the forum probably has a better answer.

[Plymouthy Adams]

trunions are usually threaded onto the top and bottom of the upright and are situated in a manner that they actually rotate the upright by incline plane when the upper/lower arms are stationary held in place by a locating pin.  At least this is how it is my cars that have the true trunions affixed in place.  

Edited Friday at 04:29 PM by Plymouthy Adams