So I have a Faithful Reader, who knew? Cause for celebration, I'd say. "Aurfalien" has been fighting the HRM kit of the Miller 91. Pics below, some new and some from the build, are meant to help clarify some questions around the front suspension. Comments are based on my experience as a car mechanic (although not on Millers!) Feel free to write again.
Hopefully this explanation is not too simple! I've been accused of pontificating in the past. So here goes: Front suspension on this car is unusual due to being a 1926 vintage front-wheel drive setup; very little looks like a modern FWD car. The drive part starts with the transmission which sits at the front of the engine, under the radiator. Drum brakes are inboard, up against the transmission on either side, then there are driveshafts extending out to the wheel hubs. The two driveshafts were actually modelled in the kit as a single long aluminum tube joining both sides.
The axle consists of a de Dion axle; this is the bent tube that joins the two front wheel hubs and runs in front of the transmission. This has two big brackets per side, each bracket bolted to a quarter elliptic leaf spring (painted in a bronze metallic colour) which run rearwards and are anchored in the chassis. So the tube is free to move up and down on the leaf springs, carrying the hubs with it; the axle can't move back and forth (much) due to the springs acting as trailing arms. Brake and drive torque is taken through the driveshafts growing out of the drum brakes.
The shock absorbers front and rear are friction type units, basically a round stack of clutches. In front, the round part attaches to the frame, with a long arm reaching forward to the de Dion tube. As the tube moves up and down, the stack of clutches is rotated but resists motion due to friction, thus providing some (highly non-linear) damping.
The steering linkage (see photos further down) starts with an arm on the left side of the cockpit, on a shaft coming out of the steering box under the cowl, that drops down and connects to a long rod leading to the left front hub. Another rod (apparently pushed through a hole in the bottom of the transmission, but don't quote me on that) crosses side to side and joins the left hub to the right hub, so that when the left wheel is steered, the right will follow. These rods were probably brass tube or aluminum rod that had to be cut to length.
In back, suspension is a simple beam on elliptic leaf springs.
Wow!!! I just noticed these, thank you soooo much!!! Man this is wonderful!!!
ReplyDeleteDid you not have the instruction sheets? Send me your e-mail (I won't publish it) and I'll get you a better quality scan.
DeleteOh I do. But to call them instructions would be akin to calling a Chihuahua a Dire Wolf.
DeleteThanks to your pics I'm finally making progress! There are 2 identical rod shapes parts in bag 3 which measure 9/32" in length. Each has a u connector on both ends. I honestly don't know what these are or where they connect? I'm certain they are front related but that's about it.
ReplyDeleteGlad it's coming together! I'm embarrassed to say I can't recall bits with two U-shaped ends. Definitely front suspension going by the contents list. By elimination it should be obvious what is left. Good luck!
DeleteNo problem at all, I'll call Harold on those. However would you mind taking some good shots of the underside showing steering and brake detail specific to bag #6 having all those bits?
DeleteThe last two pictures here show the steering linkage on the left side of the cockpit leading to the two steering levers on the hubs. The steering box is invisible inside the cockpit. The brake levers simply grow out of the side of the cockpit.
Delete