How to fix a split top bow socket?

[Craig Correll]

If the socket was for our 1914 T touring, this would be easy - I'd probably look for a donor socket in decent shape. But that's not the situation. The problem socket belongs to our family's 1912 Michigan. Parts of any sort are made of unobtainium. The split in the socket is probably because at some point during the past 100 years, the socket got wet and the wood plug (not the top bow end) got wet and swelled. This swelling split the socket along the lock joint sheet metal seam that joins the socket into its oval tube shape. See photos. My question is: Has anybody done this repair? My thought is to squeeze the empty socket back into shape with some sort of jig and braze the joint together. I understand that reproduction socket sets use epoxy resin as filler instead of a wooden plug. The resin would prevent internal rusting and provide solidity and something to screw into. Are their any other techniques that Forum members have used for this problem? Thanks in advance, Craig in Carlsbad CA

[Rich Eagle]

Brazing and epoxy could make the socket less flexible than original. These top irons absorb a lot of twist and movement in use. If it were my car and it had the patina that those irons have, I would squeeze the socket closed and the wrap it tightly with wire much like we see steering wheels wrapped with string. That would also have the looks of a period fix.
That's just my take on it.
Rich

[R.V.Anderson]

If it were my car, I'd remove any original wood, then clean any loose rust out of the socket. Fill the socket with liquid rust converter, drain it back out immediately, leave the socket open end down after swabbing out the excess chemical with a rag wired to the end of a dowel or metal rod. Allow the chemical reaction to completely take place. Once it has dried/set completely, draw the split socket back together using radiator hose clamps and fill it with pourable epoxy up to the point where the end of the bow sits. Once it has set completely, before removing the hose clamps, drill holes for some #8 or 10 flat head machine screws in three or four places, to within about 1/4" of the opposite side of the socket, dimpling the socket a bit so the screw heads can be countersunk. Tap the holes for the screws, run them in, and finally fill the screw head dimples with a dab of body filler, sand, and paint.

[Craig Correll]

Hello R.V. - Hose clamps are a great idea, instead of a jig. I intend to glass bead blast the inside as best I can. The rust converter is also a very good idea. I guess your advice is to NOT apply any heat that would be necessary for brazing and simply use mechanical repair techniques. Rich - The patina on this car is pretty much gone, but the string wrap idea is something to consider if my attempted fix fails. You can see the car on my restoration website, www.michiganmotorcar.com -- Thanks!

[R.V.Anderson]

I remember taking the sockets on my '14 to an aerospace-quality welder and he got nowhere with the thin metal; hence the mechanical repair. What I ended up doing back then was sending the whole works out to John Boorinakis who installed the original castings on new sheetmetal tubes. Or vice versa. That may be an option for you to consider as well. John could probably duplicate the socket and use your original castings on the new one.

[Allan]

The socket is a prime candidate for a molasses rust removal technique. Make a mix of 1:1 feed molasses and water, tape up the split and fill the socket with the mix. It will attack the rust for complete removal. It should be left for a week or so, before draining, washing out and checking. The process can be repeated if necessary. Once clean, treat for rust prevention as advised.

Hope this helps.
Allan from down under.