Hi, I know they sell new "banjo" style bell/axle tubes for the V8 sized quick changes, but does anyone sell them for the bigger 3/4 champ size. I know the original 3/4 ton ford bell/axle tubes will fit, I just can't find any. I want something different than the normal aluminum bell and steel tube set up. Cheers, Stewart.
You need to find two '37 - '52 Ford or Studebaker 1 1/2 ton rear axles. They use a side bell on one side that was the original piece used for champ quickies. The other side is a throw away unfortunately, 'cause it was a true "pumpkin" that held the guts of the deal. Two of those side bells and you are on your way. They don't look quite the same as p***enger car stuff, but more "apropriate" for a hot rod.
The old timers call those a "split in the middle" rear end. If you use two of the housings from those units, you will need to have a bearing spacer on one side to make up for the gap in the center. The housings are 11 bolt and will not fit a later Halibrand center.
I have been slowly ac***ulating the parts to build an old Franklin. The truck side bells are out there. It took me about six months to locate a pair. The actual axle tubes are about 3/8" thick and way to heavy. They need to be pressed out and replaced with 3" x .188 mandrel formed tube or specifically made axle tube available from Moser, Curie, etc. The floating truck hubs are also very heavy and not hot rod friendly. With your new axle tubes you need to use Ford 9" bearing housings along with matching Ford brakes and custom axles. You can use the truck ring and pinion carrier but it is "open" and heavy. It also takes 12 spline axles. I am using a 31 spline Winters tract loc that I found on eBay. Another option is the Gold Track. They come up from time to time. A new one is about $1K. The bearing spacer is simple lathe work.
Huh, I didn't know about the bearing spacer. Mine doesn't have it on the differential, but it's in a basket anyway.
The spacer is pressed into the right side truck bell and the bearing race is pressed into the adapter. This is not an issue with V8 quick changes. Aluminum bells for quick changes come in left and right side versions. If you look closely you can see the difference. Another issue is sealing the truck side bells to the quick change centers. The trucks used paper gaskets that are hard to find. Later quick changes use an "O" ring. You can use the "O" rings with the truck bells but you must cut a relief grove on a lathe.
If you get a chance to look at any pair of aluminum/mag side bells, notice the difference in the inset on the bearing races between the two. I bought an 11 bolt Halibrand Champ rear end, it had Steel truck housings and bent wide 5 tube and snouts. When I took it apart I found that spacer, along with a stock 12 spline open carrier. It lives in a Red Ram powered Track roadster with 18,000 mi!
April 1977 streetrodder is full of info,i'm doing the same thing but using the ford carrier with nine inch axle spiders with nine inch ends on the tubes and nine inch brakes and axles.
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