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Old 03-10-2013, 02:14 PM   #1
hardtimes
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Default distributor shafts Q....

I believe that stock ford made TWO piece dist shafts ..no? Well, I have several longer shafts, including a peculiar example that came off a B with cragar head..longer by nearly an inch..than parts house sold one piece shafts. Did Ford make a one piece shaft for production in A/B engines. Finally if the one piece was not stock what, IYO, are advantages/disadvantages of a one piece shaft
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Old 03-10-2013, 02:21 PM   #2
redmodelt
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Default Re: distributor shafts Q....

There are no advantage to the one piece. The two piece acts like a u-joint between the drive gear and distributor and takes care of any misalignment. The one piece forces the shaft to which ever direction the misalignment is wearing the bushing faster.
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Old 03-10-2013, 03:32 PM   #3
Kurt in NJ
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Default Re: distributor shafts Q....

It's an "improvement" ---perhaps slightly if you can replace the shaft, but don't have the tools to replace and fit the bushings ---that long shaft won't feel like it wobbles as much, and you don't have to think about how to align up 2 shafts, just one.
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Old 03-10-2013, 03:49 PM   #4
Tom Wesenberg
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Default Re: distributor shafts Q....

Ford Model A's came with the two piece shaft.
One piece shafts are a cheaper part to make, and some people only look for the cheapest price.
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Old 03-10-2013, 03:55 PM   #5
hardtimes
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Default Re: distributor shafts Q....

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kurt in NJ View Post
It's an "improvement" ---perhaps slightly if you can replace the shaft, but don't have the tools to replace and fit the bushings ---that long shaft won't feel like it wobbles as much, and you don't have to think about how to align up 2 shafts, just one.
Hm, good thots all, just wondering , i. e.- if there is any shake/wobble, it seems that a one piece might amplify that, but an engineer probably would have to examine that today input, as fords' engineers answered this question, back then, with a two piece
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Old 03-10-2013, 04:28 PM   #6
Purdy Swoft
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Default Re: distributor shafts Q....

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I know that J.C. Whitney and Warshawsky offered them. They also offered a finned aluminum head that looked like a Thomas, it required a longer distributor shaft. They didn't offer a longer dist. shaft to use with that head and thats why I never bought one. If I had thought enough about it, I could have made one from an old one piece dist. shaft.. The old repro one piece distributor shafts were a bad idea in my opinion because it didn't have the U joint effect. I've found old distributors with the one piece shaft and most of the housings were cracked all the way around just where they leave the head. I had one break on a 30 town sedan that I had in the early sixties. I first noticed fluctuation in the idle, it would idle for a few seconds with a retarded cackle and them it would smooth out like the spark was advancing. I looked under the hood and the distributor housing and cap were slightly Jiggleing on the head as it sit idleing. I found the distributor housing was cracked. I built up another distributor with a two piece shaft. I have avoided useing the long one piece shafts since.
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Old 03-10-2013, 11:24 PM   #7
hardtimes
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Default Re: distributor shafts Q....

Hey Purdy,
Good information to keep in mind. That's what I wanted to know (potential damage). I'll not use any of the long shafts that I have. But , still am thinking on the OHV head useage, where a loong dist shaft seems unavoidable! I had a Cragar OHV that I had completely bulletproofed to run, and sadly had to sell...as hardtimes came calling! But, I still have a set of valves/springs (double) for such AND that long dist shaft. It does look like 'home made' , but well done. Not much to it as it is only 3/8" stock (?) with offset slots cut into ends. Thanks for sharing your experience/woes with long shaft useage.
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