3:78 differential

[highbeams]

3:78 differential. My '36 half-ton had its typical 4:11installed at Ford assembly line. FYI, the 3:78 is definitely the one for around-the-commmunity driving. 3:56 for touring, sure. For what it's worth to you; thanks for listening.

* remember to remember your torque tube grease fitting, and use it to prevent unhappiness on the road.

(my torque tube/drive-line standard-size bearing SCREAMED 'help me!' upon my initial drive in the truck.

Apparently perplexed, this is the reason the clear-across-the-country seller sold.

An easy quick-fix for you & a friend, pull the entire torque tube/drive-line rear axle/differential/wheels - pull it back entirely behind the car/truck. pull out the driveline & bearing attached. (hardware store= new bearing.)

What is the purpose for the torque tube assembly-to-the-rear-axle?
Provides better vehicle stability from the transmission rearward, as opposed to an open driveline. (my parent's '50 Ford apparently had an open driveline, as it fell to the street at a stop sign midtown. (another off&on better idea; some years with . . some without.) Thanks for your patience, you sage owners!

[V8COOPMAN]

Originally Posted by highbeams

What is the purpose for the torque tube assembly-to-the-rear-axle?
Provides better vehicle stability from the transmission rearward, as opposed to an open driveline. (my parent's '50 Ford apparently had an open driveline, as it fell to the street at a stop sign midtown. (another off&on better idea; some years with . . some without.) Thanks for your patience, you sage owners!

highbeams .....Just a 'FEW' words that I put together a while back to try to explain a few advantages of Henry's torque tube wonders, and how they really work on these old used cars. Coop
__________________________________________________ ________


SIMPLICITY of the BUGGY Spring Suspension & TORQUE TUBE Theory


Ah YES ...."THE SIMPLICITY OF THE BUGGY SPRING SUSPENSION"! You almost couldn't say it any more simplistically. But there are a lot of "modifiers" in our ranks that still do not understand the totality of that simplicity. There are two basic elements that must be remembered when evaluating just how Henry's "buggy sprung, torque tube system" actually works, and what is required to remain fully, and safely functional.

The first element of the system is that the whole rear end/torque tube assembly articulates about TWO points in two dimensions. The assembly is able to ROLL about the longitudinal axis defined by the point in the center of the rear crossmember where the buggy spring is securely clamped, in addition to the front end of the torque tube assembly joint approximating a point slightly in front of the torque tube bell, essentially in line with the center of the U-joint.

The REAR end of the whole assembly is able to move up and down in a PITCHING motion via buggy spring action and constraint, about the same point at the front end of the torque tube and center of U-joint as discussed above. The 'captured ball' surrounding the U-joint at the front end of torque tube serves to anchor-securely that end of the torque tube, yet allowing full articulation about that point in the center of the U-joint.

The SECOND element that is often overlooked is that the TORQUE TUBE is the member which transmits the driving force that moves the vehicle forward, or rearward in the case of reverse. The torque tube actually pushes the vehicle forward, and pulls the vehicle in reverse. The torque tube is also the member that resists any control over the rear axle housing's propensity to twist upward at the front while transmitting torque to drive the vehicle FORWARD. While driving the vehicle in reverse, the axle housing tries to twist downward in the front. This "torque-induced" movement is normally contained and controlled by the torque tube. Once the torque tube is eliminated, as in an 'open-drive-conversion', those two radius rods (formed from rolled sheet-metal) now have their work cut-out for them trying to control the TORQUE-rolling of the rear axle assembly. You've gotta remember that these two wimpy rods are now what is left to PUSH the vehicle forward, or pull it rearward as in REVERSE. And if you 'GET-on-it' hard, all bets are off! Those radius rods can fold-up like spaghetti. They were originally designed ONLY as a means of reinforcement for keeping the TORQUE TUBE at an angle of 90º to the banjo housing, via simple triangulation.

Many times when modifying an old Ford's torque tube system to subsequently perform "open-drive" duty, some of these elements are overlooked, or even totally mis-understood. If the modified system overlooks any element of the original design, the vehicle will likely drive like crap, especially when traversing odd changes in road height, like driveway entrances, and pot holes. And heavy acceleration can be especially destructive if rear axle torque is not adequately controlled by substantial members specifically designed for that function. The entire rear end suspension must function in it's entire range of movement just as well as a stock torque tube rear end.

One more thing usually seen during these modifications is radius rods being "split", spread-out, and anchored to a frame rail by a bracket of some kind. In a case like this, whenever the rear end (or front axle) is raised or lowered at one end, as if you drove one rear wheel into a deep pot hole, anything that causes the rear end (or front axle) to ROLL in alignment with the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, you are actually TWISTING those radius rods. They are only going to 'TWIST' so many cycles before they break or fracture at a mounting point, or anywehere along their length. This does not occur when the radius rod is mounted to the torque tube. NO COMPONENT gets twisted with the normal movements in a torque tube rear end assembly. If you don't understand ANY of the above, trying to SUCCESSFULLY MODIFY a torque tube system to function properly is likely not going to end well. DD

.

[highbeams]

Originally Posted by V8COOPMAN

highbeams .....Just a 'FEW' words that I put together a while back to try to explain a few advantages of Henry's torque tube wonders, and how they really work on these old used cars. Coop
__________________________________________________ ________


SIMPLICITY of the BUGGY Spring Suspension & TORQUE TUBE Theory


Ah YES ...."THE SIMPLICITY OF THE BUGGY SPRING SUSPENSION"! You almost couldn't say it any more simplistically. But there are a lot of "modifiers" in our ranks that still do not understand the totality of that simplicity. There are two basic elements that must be remembered when evaluating just how Henry's "buggy sprung, torque tube system" actually works, and what is required to remain fully, and safely functional.

The first element of the system is that the whole rear end/torque tube assembly articulates about TWO points in two dimensions. The assembly is able to ROLL about the longitudinal axis defined by the point in the center of the rear crossmember where the buggy spring is securely clamped, in addition to the front end of the torque tube assembly joint approximating a point slightly in front of the torque tube bell, essentially in line with the center of the U-joint.

The REAR end of the whole assembly is able to move up and down in a PITCHING motion via buggy spring action and constraint, about the same point at the front end of the torque tube and center of U-joint as discussed above. The 'captured ball' surrounding the U-joint at the front end of torque tube serves to anchor-securely that end of the torque tube, yet allowing full articulation about that point in the center of the U-joint.

The SECOND element that is often overlooked is that the TORQUE TUBE is the member which transmits the driving force that moves the vehicle forward, or rearward in the case of reverse. The torque tube actually pushes the vehicle forward, and pulls the vehicle in reverse. The torque tube is also the member that resists any control over the rear axle housing's propensity to twist upward at the front while transmitting torque to drive the vehicle FORWARD. While driving the vehicle in reverse, the axle housing tries to twist downward in the front. This "torque-induced" movement is normally contained and controlled by the torque tube. Once the torque tube is eliminated, as in an 'open-drive-conversion', those two radius rods (formed from rolled sheet-metal) now have their work cut-out for them trying to control the TORQUE-rolling of the rear axle assembly. You've gotta remember that these two wimpy rods are now what is left to PUSH the vehicle forward, or pull it rearward as in REVERSE. And if you 'GET-on-it' hard, all bets are off! Those radius rods can fold-up like spaghetti. They were originally designed ONLY as a means of reinforcement for keeping the TORQUE TUBE at an angle of 90º to the banjo housing, via simple triangulation.

Many times when modifying an old Ford's torque tube system to subsequently perform "open-drive" duty, some of these elements are overlooked, or even totally mis-understood. If the modified system overlooks any element of the original design, the vehicle will likely drive like crap, especially when traversing odd changes in road height, like driveway entrances, and pot holes. And heavy acceleration can be especially destructive if rear axle torque is not adequately controlled by substantial members specifically designed for that function. The entire rear end suspension must function in it's entire range of movement just as well as a stock torque tube rear end.

One more thing usually seen during these modifications is radius rods being "split", spread-out, and anchored to a frame rail by a bracket of some kind. In a case like this, whenever the rear end (or front axle) is raised or lowered at one end, as if you drove one rear wheel into a deep pot hole, anything that causes the rear end (or front axle) to ROLL in alignment with the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, you are actually TWISTING those radius rods. They are only going to 'TWIST' so many cycles before they break or fracture at a mounting point, or anywehere along their length. This does not occur when the radius rod is mounted to the torque tube. NO COMPONENT gets twisted with the normal movements in a torque tube rear end assembly. If you don't understand ANY of the above, trying to SUCCESSFULLY MODIFY a torque tube system to function properly is likely not going to end well. DD

.

Thank you so much, Coop.

highbeams -

[glennpm]

Great explanation Coop!

[Ray Balukas]

X2 on this Coop! Great read

[rich b]

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Unless your '36 has been modified with a later rear axle and torque tube; it should have a tubular driveshaft inside the torque tube. No grease fitting as there is not a center bearing.

Has to be a pretty exceptional hardware store if it has Ford bearings; especially a center bearing or even the caged bearing around the front of the driveshaft.

[highbeams]

Originally Posted by rich b

Unless your '36 has been modified with a later rear axle and torque tube; it should have a tubular driveshaft inside the torque tube. No grease fitting as there is not a center bearing.

Has to be a pretty exceptional hardware store if it has Ford bearings; especially a center bearing or even the caged bearing around the front of the driveshaft.

That my experience w/ a neighbour-friend, as described 12yrs ago.

[highbeams]

Originally Posted by rich b

Unless your '36 has been modified with a later rear axle and torque tube; it should have a tubular driveshaft inside the torque tube. No grease fitting as there is not a center bearing.

Has to be a pretty exceptional hardware store if it has Ford bearings; especially a center bearing or even the caged bearing around the front of the driveshaft.

My neighbor-friend and I went to the hdwe store; handed over the dry-as-the-desert worn-bearing; received a duplicate, put it in. = no problems. The truck is still 150 away in the countyw/no complaints. Thank you for your reply.

Say, Rich - I 'fergot' to mention . . . This '36 half-ton was/is a dealer demo directly from Ford to a dealer(s).

The reason I bought this half-ton = in ad pics, I noticed that it had a chrome rear bumper, it had chrome windshield surround.(orig patina'd chrome)

Dual wipers, dual Ford running-board spares w/ Ford mounts, both rear fenders had the Ford 'dished-out' space for each spare to fit into for mounting on the running boards. car instrument gauges.

(I did 'read up' regarding a half-ton having all these options. AND dealer demos were painted yellow w/black fenders @ Ford w/ options prior to shipment. (this paint scheme was used to draw attention to other drivers during demos; thereby, resulting in potential customers visiting the dealership to view and demo-drive the new pickup w/ a dealer salesman.

After the year's demo'g, the dealership was required to repaint the pickup a Ford color and sell as a new-demo Ford truck.
************
So, this '36 I bought was painted the typical Ford pickup green. hmm. So, in a 'low-key' area between the back of the cab and box, I scratched an inch-long scratch. Ford demo yellow under the green!

So, per your comment, this torque tube bearing and grease fitting, apparently had something to do with this pickup's demo status.(?)

* (dealer was required to install passenger wiper w/connecting rod to driver wiper. Ford assembly wanted nothing to do w/passenger wiper installation; so few, if any, to be installed.)