Technical 39 Ford trans gear material?

Can anyone tell me what material ‘39 Ford transmission gears and shafts are made of? Also, what Rockwell hardness they were originally hardened too? Thanks

 

Steel?

 

Are you going to make some new ones?

 

Yes, steel but, what steel? I guess I should have been more specific. What grade of steel, A572, 1045, 4140, etc.
No, I'm not going to make new ones. I ran across an article that talks about annealing and then heat treating the gears and shafts to a lower Rockwell hardness. I've seen that article referred to on this site before. I thought I'd give it a try.

 

Interesting thread. Are the gears case hardened? I’ve no knowledge, but recall a friend of my dad who’s business was Cat tractors.

He’d tumble (like in a bullet tumbler) the old gears, then do some hand filing, then another process involving heat.

I had (still don’t) no idea what they were talking about, maybe he was making them “new” again?

 

For what it's worth, .I think most gears were induction hardened.
induction hardening - Search (bing.com)

 

Nothing? Nobody has any information or references toward technical data?

 

Check with Mac Vanpelt.
Maybe one or two at Fordbarn may have information.

 

Evidently Ford was developing a lot of new alloys and processes of production back then, and they must have been successful since so many old Fords are still around. Bruce Lancaster would’ve probably been able to tell you which design do***ent specified the particulars.

 

Sadly, Mr. Lancaster p***ed away a few years ago. He is still greatly missed.
Bruce Lancaster's Memorial Service - The Ford Barn

 

That's what I was afraid of. Bruce was one of the few people that could and would answer technical questions with fact information minus the opinion. That kind of delivery of knowledge is going to be missed.

 

Dad used to tell people they were coming out with rubber ones. LOL

I have drilled into a gear before (it was broken and I wanted to know if it was cast iron like I have been told). Pretty sure that are steel.

 

If you know a P/N you can request Ford Benson Research Center to look up the drawing for you.

A search of the online collection returns drawing for WW2-era GP/GPW transmission and transfer case gears. While not the same gears as would have been used in a p***enger car, I would surmise that Ford used similar material and processing.

https://www.thehenryford.org/collections-and-research/digital-collections/

Ford made the gears from 4027 and 4023 steel forgings with additional heat treatments. See screenshots.

 

Mike, thank you very much. That is the exact type of information I was looking for.

 

I was right.

 

No I was right you were closer to the middle.

 

I have never heard of SAE 4027.
https://www.azom.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=6750

This is a high-moly steel, fairly tough stuff as expected. You can probably find another that will work out. Find a buddy that works in a machine shop, have the hardness checked, I like the Rockwell scale, I see that Ford used the Brinnell scale.