Another Build Thread - My '32

[J. Robinson]

Before I could attach the panhard bar bracket to the axle housing I needed to make the strap gussets for the truck arm brackets. So, what are strap gussets? Most of us have probably seen videos online of cars doing a launch and spitting the complete rear axle housing, wheels, and drive shaft out from under the vehicle. In fact, this happened to a friend of mine many years ago. Sometimes it is because of lousy welding, but sometimes it's not the welds but the material around them has fatigued from constant flexing. The rubber bushing installation that I have used on this car (and several others over the years) greatly reduces that possibility, but, to make sure, I make steel straps that go around the housing and weld to the truck arm brackets. In order to throw the rear end out from under my car it would literally have to twist the axle tubes completely off!

The straps in this application are made from 1/8 x 2 flat stock. I put a slight bend in the straps to fit into the point where the axle brackets fit to the axle housing on the front side. I start at that point, put tack-welds there, and then using a series of tack-welds, hammer and C-clamp, I form the strap to fit the axle brackets and around the housing. With the gusset straps in place, I can now put the panhard bar bracket on the left end of the axle housing. All of this will be welded completely all the way around the housing when I take the rear end out from under the frame.

I will attach the frame bracket later when I get the Heim ends to make the panhard bar.