Tension on fan blade

[mrcvs]

Howard Dennis probably knows the answer to this one.

Previously, I had too much tension on my fan blade assembly, causing leather fan belts to stretch, and the fan blade to ride up against the radiator intake. After much searching, I located a new fan blade, reassembled this mechanism, and installed it in my Maxwell. This time, there is no tension on the fan blade as the 'spring' causes this to ride low. Trying to assemble twisting the spring, a VERY limited distance, yields no appreciable results. There is not enough tension to cause the belt to spin the fan, and the belt is loose.

I have never really understood what purpose a fan serves on a car. It seems like the cooling effect over the radiator must be minimal, but perhaps I am wrong. Nonetheless, at tis point in time, I need more tension on this and don't know how to adjust.

Previously, I was pulling my hair out to get this to have not so much tension. End result, secondary to this, or due to the fact that the fan blade showed metal fatigue, is that I threw a fan blade.

Also, if anyone has smallish Maxwell parts, circa 1917, they want to part with cheaply, please let me know. Things such as fan blades, grease cups, etc. Can always use extra parts.

[hddennis]

Ian, picture 1 shows the large bolt that has to be loosened so you can rotate the circular stamping that holds the tail of the spring and get it to engage a hardened pin that is pressed into the head. Picture 2 shows my car during assembly. Notice it was very easy to make the adjustment because the radiator was out of the way and it was possible to swing the fan from loose on the drivers side to tight on the passenger side. After I got my car together the fan belt was too loose from stretching and I had a shorter one made. That is when the fun started because the fan now hits the radiator so it was impossible to swing the fan from the drivers side over to the passenger side to tighten the tension. Picture 3 shows the jury rigging way I had to resort to in order to get the spring rewound and back into the swing arm. After getting the spring rewound I had to hold it to the arm with the hose clamp. I then found out the spring was now too far away from the drilled hole in the arm so I had to tighten wire around the spring to draw it towards the hole till I could press the spring in the hole and remove the wire and hose clamp.

Hope this helps, it's NOT a fun job!

Howard Dennis

Edited May 10, 2015 by hddennis (see edit history)

[mrcvs]

Thank you !!!!! Howard.  I knew you would know the answer.

 

I did not realize that the spring could be adjusted, as it kept on not having enough tension in the past, and now I did not have enough.  Apparently, there is a 'setting' in the middle, of which I set my new fan blade and armature to.  The leather belts made by John Knox that I have, were slightly too loose now, so I placed a bit more tension on the belt by using a bungee cord, which shall suffice until I need a new belt, in which case I will order a shorter one.  John Knox does a great job:

 

http://leatherdrivebelts.com/

 

I took the Maxwell for a spin earlier today, and all went well.