Any and all information gratefully accepted.

Posted by Joe on July 11, 1998 at 21:56:55

In Reply to: Re: Commercial Vehicles Rear Ends
posted by John Icenhower on July 11, 1998 at 01:05:07

: Joe,
: I don't mean to be argumentative but I'm not sure the torque tube is a proper indication of the rear gear ratio.
: According to the Judging Standards, in the undercarriage area 4, it says that there were three different torque tube designs.The first, used thru May '28 had a short 2" dia. straight section behind the u-joint forging followed by a 12" tapered section. The second type had a 14" tapered section directly behind the u-joint forging and was used March '28 thru 1931.The third type, according to the standards, was used from June '31 to the end of production and it was tapered over the full length of the tube.This would tend to indicate that the tapers were related to design changes not necessarily gear ratio.
: John
John
Thank you for filling us all in on the "authorized version" indicated by the Judging Standards.Knowing the Standards as you do I'm sure you also know the Standards, while the best judging guide we have, represent at best a "work in progress."
It is my hope that discussions like these will further fill in the gaps that certainly exist in this document.
As to the tapered tube being a definitive indication of a 4.11 gearset, I tried to leave the door open on that one.There just hasn't been that much on it in the literature.The commercial trucks are also particularly hard to "type" since of course they were frequently made up of outmoded parts left over from the car line.
However, I now know of three instances where a "tapered tube" 1928-29 A (with the seam on the trumpets in the correct orientation for that year) yielded a 4.11 gearset on disassembly.
If you think about it, Henry must have had some way to differentiate completed rear axles in two different gear ratios to those in the assembly lines.It seems reasonable to assume that the torque tube configuration could be that indicator, at least in the 28-29 model year timeframe.
If anyone has any further information either way on the matter, let it be known here.Also, perhaps someone closer to the Ford Archives can pay it particular attention and resolve the issue for us all and for future generations in the judging standards.
Have a good "A" Weekend everyone: here in New England it was perfect for a trip to the hardware store in my pickup.(Gawd I wish it was together!)
Best regards,
Joe

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