Spindle Arm Connecting Rod Bolt Oilers

While digging through various piles of Model T parts looking for examples of oilers I came across three different tie rod bolts (T-216) from the 1914-1917 era. According to the releases for this part it was changed from the slotted pan head style of bolt (without oiler) on Dec. 28, 1909 to a hex headed bolt (without oiler) 7/8" across the flats. The head was increased in height to 7/16" on Jan. 3, 1910 and the hex was changed to 3/4" across the flats on May 25, 1910. As mentioned in the Dearborn Report for 1/7/99, the oiler was not added until July 11, 1911.

The next major change is dated August 27, 1914. On that date the engineers removed the screw in oiler and called for a boss to be used for the oil cup. This design continued up until Feb. 8, 1917 when the bolt was redesigned to use the T-2944 man-hole style press in oiler. The first picture shows two tie rod bolts with bosses for the oile cups. Note that the brass cap on the left hand oiler is fully machined, where as the cap on the right hand oiler is a brass stamping.

The last picture is of a spindle bolt oiler made after Feb. 8, 1917. The oiler is the T-2944 spring oiler. This bolt is NOS and also shows traces of Raven Finish. In this case, the finish appears more like a blue than an oxidized finish.

 

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