Did a quick search and didn't find what I was looking for... I'd like to install a closed drive lower shaft in a Halibrand 201 that currently has an open drive lower shaft in it. I've been told you can change the lower shaft out without dis***embling the rear. How is this accomplished exactly? Is it a press fit to the bearings? Do they need to be removed from the case too? Thanks!
Is a 201 the V8 case? I don't understand why you would have to change out the lower shaft. The torque tube should bolt to the front on the case, and the correct 6 or 10 spline coupler should adapt the early Ford driveshaft to the QC shaft. There is also a front plate with seal that seals off the shaft. Or am I missing something here?
There should be 2 clips one on either side of the lower shaft. with those off it should be possable to press it out without upsetting the rest of the internals, however its probably in there pretty tight and would be best to get it in a press. At that point you may have to do some dis***embling to get things to be manageable in the press. With some engenuity you may be able to fabricate a portable press that would allow you to do it on the case. getting the pinion in/ out / adjusting the pattern is the real bear. once its set up its not a huge deal to pull the axle bells and even the ring gear with and axle ***embly as they just slide out. If you do have to pull the axle bells just measure the gaskets on either side and replace them with ones of the same thickness in the same spots.
Yeah, it's a culver city V8 case. The torque tube will bolt up to it, but it has the Hot Rod Works open drive kit on it now which has a much shorter 10 spline input shaft. I have the 6 spline version for closed drive, it protrudes out about 3 inches longer in the front than the open drive one. I don't have a seal plate... do I need one with a sealed bearing in the front? Are the clips inside the case on the backside of the bearings? I don't see any on the outside or any notch for them either... It's got sealed type bearings in it and was supposedly set up before I got it. The pinion backlash is right and the carrier bearing preload feels good. I've set up a regular banjo before and am familiar with the drill, just hoping I wouldn't have to go to the trouble of pulling the bells off and the axles out.
The clips should be on the outside side of the bearings (see pic). I have sealed bearings (with a seal on the back and front of the bearings) I don't have the seal plate on mine. The guys at HRW told me it would be fine. The guy from Roddsville (who makes the new housings) said I needed it. guess weel see...
That's what the new shaft I have looks like... I overheard somewhere about heating the case to change bearings or something, what's that all about? This is what's in there now... I stole this pic from the hot rod works site, I hope they don't mind, it's for educational purposes anyhow! It looks like the front bearing must be just ****ed up against the flare there, looks like the rear may actually have a clip slot there... I didn't see one in there, but I'll doublecheck again tonight. Thanks!
Okay, I did some more poking around tonight... These open drive lower shafts are not retained with clips, just the bolted in flange around the pinion that overlaps the rear bearing. Once I removed that, I bopped the shaft with a rubber mallet a few times and the rear bearing and the shaft came out, sort of... it was hanging up on something inside so I ended up pulling it apart anyhow. Turns out that wide flange on the lower shaft won't clear the case casting enough to come out from the rear, only the front. Long story short, I'm gonna need to press it apart. On a good note, the ***embly looks good, the paint is still on the ring and pinion teeth and the pattern looks perfect, the axles appear to be NOS, and the inside of the case looks fantastic! I had a little nightmare scenario that I would pull it apart and it would be a gob of cobbed up weld in there or something even worse. Thanks for the help, Rusty!
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