Editing Ford Model T (section)

===Suspension and wheels===
{{More citations needed section|date=September 2017}}
[[File:Ford model t suspension.triddle.jpg|thumb|The suspension components of a Ford Model&nbsp;T. The coil-spring device is an aftermarket accessory, the "Hassler shock absorber".]]

Model T suspension employed a transversely mounted semi-elliptical spring for each of the front and rear beam axles, which allowed a great deal of wheel movement to cope with the dirt roads of the time.

The front axle was [[drop forged]] as a single piece of vanadium steel. Ford twisted many axles through eight full rotations (2880 degrees) and sent them to dealers to be put on display to demonstrate its superiority.

The Model T did not have a modern service brake. The right foot pedal applied a band around a drum in the transmission, thus stopping the rear wheels from turning. The previously mentioned parking brake lever operated [[band brake]]s acting on the inside of the rear brake drums, which were an integral part of the rear wheel hubs. Optional brakes that acted on the outside of the brake drums were available from aftermarket suppliers.

Wheels were wooden [[artillery wheel]]s, with steel welded-spoke wheels available in 1926 and 1927.

Tires were [[Tire|pneumatic]] [[Clincher tire|clincher]] type, {{convert|30|in|mm|0|abbr=on}} in diameter, {{convert|3.5|in|mm|abbr=on}} wide in the rear,  {{convert|3|in|mm|abbr=on}} in the front. Clinchers needed much higher pressure than today's tires, typically {{convert|60|psi|abbr=on}}, to prevent them from leaving the rim at speed. Flat tires were a common problem.

Balloon tires became available in 1925. They were {{convert|21|x|4.5|in|mm|abbr=on}} all around. Balloon tires were closer in design to today's tires, with steel wires reinforcing the tire bead, making lower pressure possible – typically {{convert|35|psi|abbr=on}} – giving a softer ride. The steering gear ratio was changed from 4:1 to 5:1 with the introduction of balloon tires.<ref>{{cite book |title=Model T Ford Service |publisher=Ford}}</ref> The old nomenclature for tire size changed from measuring the outer diameter to measuring the rim diameter so {{convert|21|in|abbr=on}} (rim diameter) × {{convert|4.5|in|mm|abbr=on}} (tire width) wheels has about the same outer diameter as {{cvt|30|in|mm}} clincher tires. All tires in this time period used an [[inner tube]] to hold the pressurized air; [[tubeless tire]]s were not generally in use until much later.

[[Wheelbase]] is {{cvt|100|in|cm|0}} and standard track width was {{cvt|56|in|cm|0}} – {{cvt|60|in|cm|0}} track could be obtained on special order, "for Southern roads," identical to [[Track gauge in the United States#5ft|the pre-Civil War track gauge]] for many railroads in the former [[Confederate States of America|Confederacy]]. The standard 56-inch track being very near the {{cvt|4|ft|8+1/2|in|cm|1}} inch [[standard-gauge railway|standard railroad track]] gauge, meant that Model&nbsp;Ts could be and frequently were, fitted with flanged wheels and used as motorized [[Draisine|railway vehicles]] or [[Railroad speeder|"speeders"]]. The availability of a {{cvt|60|in|cm|0}} version meant the same could be done on the few remaining Southern {{cvt|5|ft|cm|0}} railways – these being the only nonstandard lines remaining, except for a few narrow-gauge lines of various sizes.  Although a Model&nbsp;T could be adapted to run on track as narrow as {{cvt|2|ft|cm|0}} gauge (Wiscasset, Waterville and Farmington RR, Maine has one), this was a more complex alteration.