im having trouble trying to find rear gears for my original rear end.i'd like to lower them if possible but i cant seem to find any original type gears.i have a taper type pinion with a key way yoke.didnt know if somebody knew if i can get some 373's or close to that,if its not possible.thank you
sorry forgot to give info i have a 1951 ford f-3 long bed pick up its all original trying to keep it that way but its hard,banjo type rear end
They put steep gears in big trucks that had small engines. So you won't find 3.73s to fit it. If you want a smaller truck, you really should get a smaller truck.
Swap the rear. There’s a lot of info on the ford truck enthusiasts site The OE wheels should work. Gm, ford, and Dodge shared the same 8 lug pattern for years. The difference is hub center diameter. Later 16s might not clear the brakes on the f3 https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/761557-48-f3-brake-and-wheel-question.html
A couple photos of the current axle might help you get some suggestions for a possible swap. And shot or two of the truck itself wouldn't hurt either. As you'll soon discover if stick around here, the HAMB loves photos!
If the wheels are OE originals, they are likely widdowmakers. Best to stay away from them. Steel 8 lug wheels to fit the F2-F3 brake drums can be a challenge. Bill
I’d run locking ring wheels and not think twice. The split ones are the widow makers. There are newer steel dually wheels larger than 16. And 19.5s been around since at least the 50s Both single and dual
According to the info from this and prior posts...... You have the Split Housing Spiral Bevel Rear Axle. This was offered on F-2 to F-5 Trucks. I believe your truck is F-3 (1ton) with an “Express” or pick up style long bed. It’s a really neat truck in an unusual configuration. There is probably very little support for this axle. A lot of this late 40s early 50s truck stuff went away in the 1950s. I think you really have two choices.... 1. Keep it original and cruise at 45, maybe 50. 2. Upgrade to a later F250 ^^^ Dana 60. The Dana 60 does have aftermarket support as it was used for years and is a popular 4x4 axle.
I'm with F-1 on this, If you want to highway drive it comfortably Find an 68 lug rear end the right width that fits the truck width wise that has the right gear ratio and swap rear ends. Build a new drive shaft, stick the old rear end and drive shaft in the storage shed in case you or someone else ever wants to put it back "original" and call it good and go have fun. The trouble with most 8 lug rear ends is that they are low geared. I lucked onto a 3.55 for my 71 GMC to get better road gears that a guy decided to not put in his jeep. The first thing I would do though is jack the back of the truck up. pull the wheels off and measure wheel mount surface to wheel mount surface to know the exact width +/- you need. This old as in 12 years old Ford truck enthusiast thread says that 52 F-3 rears are right at 62 inches WMS to WMS but some say that there is a break between 51/52. Stock width tires under the fenders shouldn't be a big issue. As for split rims, that is your call but be damned well aware that the majority of tire shops no longer allow them in the shop and will not work on them. With one pacific north west tire chain you are fired on the spot if you even roll one in the tire shop from what I have been told. When I had the split rims pulled off my 71 and put 16 inch Ultra 50's on it the tire guys never let those wheels touch the cement in the tire bay, they carried them straight to the back of the truck and put them in the bed. The bull **** artists can say what they want but they are obsolete and can kill the person who is airing them up if things aren't right. Walk out back behind a lot of old tire shops and there are bent up tire cages where those wheels have come apart in the cage when being aired up.
We tossed the rear in my sons 61. Only support is seals and bearings. Went with a Dana. Same bolt pattern as original. We did shorten the drive shaft an inch amd used a ******* U-joint. The rear was a bolt in other than cutting the old u-bolts.
Some of those wheels were known to come apart in traffic. It seems I remember a newspaper story from ‘58 or so about a split wheel killing a bystander. There are certain truck wheels that are not the widow makers. If I remember right it was the medium duty wheels that were problematic. Here’s the thing....... How do you know which ones? How do they? Most do not. They all have potential if ***embled wrong. Most shops are not experts on old 70 plus year old wheels. For this reason most will not work on any of them. Can you blame them?
Can't blame them, Back in the early 70's the go to guy for hot rod wheels in Waco Tx got the top of his head taken off by a ring from one with the ring going through the metal roof of the building and landing on top of the building where it may be to this day as his son told the workers in the shop to never touch that ring or bring it down. The trouble now is that the newest ones of those are 50 years old and have been on and off the wheels who knows how many times plus banging curbs, rocks and who knows what.
There were/are safety protocol for these type wheels. Place the wheel in a proper gage before airing. At the very least , place a chain around the tire and rim. I would replace them with a modern ONE PIECE wheel, though , and correctness be damned. Ben
Two Piece Wheel ( locks together in center) Standard for 1949-1950 F-3 to F-5....... Unclear what was standard for 1951...... Semi-Drop Center......uses locking ring Standard for F3 Parcel delivery..... 3 piece....disk wheels......??? Some of this stuff goes from F2 to F8 depending on the wheel type Some wheels F4- and up recommend an incredible 400ftlbs for the wheel.... It’s very confusing since F2s can have the big truck wheels. The manual warns that the “ring” and the two piece can come off while being inflated or in traffic!!!!! These old wheels have been pried on and beat on for decades. I would not want any of that stuff!!!! I like original stuff but this........? Nope. Get rid of the ancient multi piece or ring wheels. If the front axle hub is big 5 lug or something odd..... Replace it with a 8 lug F2 hub. Dump that obsolete rear axle. Replace with a F250 8 lug Dana 60. Run 1 piece 8 lug 16” wheels.
I’d run a lock ring. We did for years. No issues. Nice not having to buy tubes though Got a c60 recently. Has split wheels. Not gonna mess with em. If locking ring wheels pop up I’ll run em.
Les Schwab used to work with the lock ring wheels, not sure if they do anymore. I do recall as a kid my dad and me getting some tires on his ‘46 1.5 ton Chevy, fella had it laying on the ground, ring facing him, my dad said “let’s go stand over here”. I need to source some wheels for my 71-ish Miley, currently 16 inch 6 lug with lock rings. Might be safe for another 50 years, maybe not.
Chucks Trucks LLC has a 4.11:1 gear set available. That is the highest you will find for the 51524 Timken. Unfortunately, you most likely have the 14” rear brakes, so 16” wheels are out of the question. I believe sometime in late 51, Ford went to the 12” drum, 16” wheels fit those. You could use the rear axle from a ‘52, that would have 12” drums, and would bolt in. Of course you would be seeing Chuck about the higher ge****t. If you have a transmission mounted park brake, you have the 12” drums. If it has cable operated park brakes, it has the 14” drums. As has been mentioned, a Dana 60 from a 67-72 F250 is almost a bolt in, unless you want the expense of custom wheels to fit the 14” drums, if that is what you have. 4.11:1 was an option for the Ford 3/4 tons of this era, but very few must have checked that box, as no one on forums I belong to has come forward with one. Studebakers used this axle as well, and those folks are on the hunt for more street friendly gears. Absolutely do not use the widow-makers on it.
Yep. Mid 51 ish they went from 14-12 inch brakes 17, 17.5 and 19.5 steel wheels are out there. Both single and dually 17 inch dually
If money"s not a problem go with a Gear Vendor overdrive unit.Not cheap,but they go inline between the trans,and rear axle.Gives you more gears,and highway cruising speeds.
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