Distributor-long vs short shafts

[Cockshutt Kid]

Good morning. I am in process of rebuilding a distributor for my 31 Tudor. Should I be using the one piece long shaft or the two piece short one ? Any thoughts or advise would be helpfull. Thanks. Jim.

[gweilbaker]

Two piece is more forgiving to tolerance build of all involved components.

[Tom Wesenberg]

Short is original and correct. I don't know why they even offer the long shaft.
I turned a long shaft into a bushing driver.

[Purdy Swoft]

I did the same as Tom and made a bushing driver from an old one piece shaft.

The alignment of the hole in the head where the distributor mounts, in relation with the gear in the center of the camshaft isn't in perfect alignment. The original two piece distributor shaft gives a sort of universal joint effect to remove strain. If the old style one piece shaft is used , the distributor bushings as well as the shaft will wear much quicker. Many times, I believe that the one piece shaft causes the distributor housing to crack.

[hardtimes]

Originally Posted by Tom Wesenberg

Short is original and correct. I don't know why they even offer the long shaft.
I turned a long shaft into a bushing driver.

Hey Tom,
'don't know why'.
I think that the long shaft became available , as head variations became available, i.e.- OHV head; thicker afterhead flathead heads,etc.. I have several long shafts in a pile. They are all different lengths.

To answer original Q, I also believe that Ford knew quite well what others have said here about using two piece, or HE would have made one long shaft , eh

[Cockshutt Kid]

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