Suspension Arm - U Bolts

Jim I do not believe the U Bolts were added so quickly on the production line. The following cars did not have them fitted until recent times and these are early production sedans with serial numbers 810-1169A, 810-1387S and 810-1532A. They were all originally sold in Australia.
The phaeton in Greece owned by Aris Loumidis has serial number 810-2283H. It did not have them fitted when Aris bought the car over 40 years ago.
Now for a real surprise the RHD sedan owned by Thomas O'Brien with serial number 812-1600K that was originally sold in Australia did not have them either.
All of these cars were well away from the US and obviously missed out on what should have been followed up by the dealers.
Owners of cars that do not have the U Bolts fitted and still have the weak original suspension type bolts are in real danger.

Hi Terry, I think the safety hangers were done very early in the production. My old sedan, 1383, had them and I have seen them on earlier cars. With out notes from the factory or the Engineering group, it will be impossible to tell when they actually started installing them. I have seen a lot of Cords that had them missing and people added them. Whether the car had them originally and were removed at some point or they never had them we can't determine..

If anyone needs the safety hangers let me know, I think I have a few sets up in the barn.

CORDially,
Jim

I often note in photos the suspension bolts are installed upside down reducing ground clearance. The adjuster nuts should be at the top.

Hello Adam, no apologies required what the Forums need are contributions and from different angles.
My good friend in Greece Aris Loumidis has an 810 phaeton serial no 2283 H that was also missing the "U Bolts" His Cord was the only one sold into Greece by the agents in Switzerland from memory ( I need to check
that ) I would suggest you make up a priorities list and put the suspension bolts at the top.
Good to hear from you.

Thank you all for the information, all makes complete sense. 1710 certainly did not have them fitted and was a euro export so I can understand why they were never retrofitted. I will add 3/4" bolts to my ever growing to-do list at a minimum.

Sorry to hijack your thread Terry.

Terry I sent you an email about this....
 Pete N Terry... I too feel we need a signon directory so we can address the person we are reading about or getting help from. Sadly the offer has never been given nor do we... The members wanting help have anything to say about the way this site is operated.
 I offer this in an honest request. To those that "run" this web site... BEFORE changes are made in the future please allow us the knowledge that things are going away or what's going to happen ahead of the actual date of changes. For me there is nothing worse than the loss of what I believe to be valuable information like the deletion of all of our saved private messaging information.


Thank you, Gary Parsons


 

Pete I was thinking it was Mr Cord but he died a long time ago. At least EL put me on the right track. I guess I was fortunate there was only one adjustment possible apart from the toe in or out otherwise I would have been in terrible trouble.
I still have no answer as to when the "U Bolts" were adopted by production.

That is 1 thing I don't like about the site; No way to know who is who or get in contact with them.
Pete

EL .............. who ever you are .............. I stand corrected!
Yes, it is the Caster that is adjusted. I wrote the wrong term on the picture over 13 years ago.
I was learning then and still am.
Thanks EL for bringing that to my attention.

Hello Terry,
Looking at your drawing on the suspension bolt.
I did not think that the bolt adjustment would change the camber but instead adjust the caster.

Hi Adam. The "U Bolts" were a Safety Upgrade and should have been fitted by the dealers to early production cars that they had sold.
At some point they were fitted on the assembly line to all new cars. The "Suspension Bolts" which connect the suspension arms to the ends of the traverse spring are actually long studs with nuts fitted at both ends. They were found to be prone to failure at the 1/2" threaded ends. The "U Bolts" were fitted to the suspension arms and wrap under the ends of the traverse spring. Without the "U Bolts" if the suspension bolt broke the there was nothing to stop the suspension from complete collapse on that side. The car could drop with the drive frame hitting the ground. The wheel would be pushed up into the fender destroying it.
The suspension bolts have been upgraded to 3/4" high tensile bolts by ACD Club members.
See the attached picture.

It is surprising that your Cord never had them fitted no doubt creating a very dangerous situation. Two RHD Cords in Australia never had them fitted either.
I'm also wondering where are the other concerned members who's knowledge on the Cord 810 812 is far greater than mine???????????

 

These are safety items of a sort. They hold up the spring if the large suspension bolt breaks as have been found. Its a reason most owners replace the bolts with the larger better quality bolts. My 37 Beverly sedan serial number 1748S built in the week of January 6 thru the 8th 1937. My car was NOT a renumbered 36 car. I recall those numbers stopped at 1550 or near there.


Gary Parsons

I've seen these on cars and wondered if they were factory or not, mine does not have them. How critical / what purpose do they serve?

I have been looking through the Engineering Changes Book to find out when the "U Bolts" were fitted to the suspension arms but can't se anything listed.
Early Cords did not have these however they were added at a later date. They were adopted into the production line at some point.
Can anybody direct me to any printed material on the subject?