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03-02-2013, 08:03 PM | #1 |
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4.44:1 rearend, What's it good for?
I just recently found out this beautiful, 1938 chassis & running gear I built my truck on, based on the frame stamp, it had a v8-60 in it. Original specs say it has a 4.44:1 rear end, I finally got it on the road today, Whoo Hoo! Everything was pretty good except at 35-40 MPH it is screaming for another gear I only have 3! My Dad said I have a stump puller, not a hiway cruzer! Will it hurt the motor running high RPM's? What were these gear ratios good for? This kinda pisses me off, I thought I could at least go 50! One good thing is watching the amp gauge, FULL charge wherever I go!
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03-02-2013, 08:12 PM | #2 |
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Re: 4.44:1 rearend, What's it good for?
Someone with a Columbia will jump at a chance to buy those gears.
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03-02-2013, 08:19 PM | #3 |
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Re: 4.44:1 rearend, What's it good for?
It's good for 1930s era country roads hauling a load. Or second millennial parades hauling cheerleaders and a float. Not only would you otherwise be straining the engine, but the brakes too, IMHO. Stu
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03-02-2013, 08:20 PM | #4 |
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Re: 4.44:1 rearend, What's it good for?
If you drive in parades, you'll appreciate the 4.44 gears. Otherwise, for a good all around gearset, change to a 3.78.
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03-02-2013, 08:33 PM | #5 |
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Re: 4.44:1 rearend, What's it good for?
Okay, so is it hard to change out the gears? Are the 3.78 gears easy to find?
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03-02-2013, 08:47 PM | #6 | |
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Re: 4.44:1 rearend, What's it good for?
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I've recently got a '36 with 4.11 gears(40 rearend). First ride in it, I said the same exact thing! In fact, I actually reached over and grabbed the floor shifter...going for another gear...when I caught myself doing it So , I empathize with you. And , to make things worse..the rear end was rebuilt and runs very quiet/smooth..bummer for us both! |
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03-02-2013, 08:58 PM | #7 |
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Re: 4.44:1 rearend, What's it good for?
Back in the 50's, 4.11 gears were desirable to be able to beat someone from a light for a couple of blocks or so. But, they were never considered to be a cruising gear. If you still have the V8 60 in it, it probably wouldn't have the torque to "pull" 3.78's. If you've replaced it with a "full size" flathead, the 3.78's would be perfect. (And, 3.78's were the "standard" passenger car gearing for ages. They are plentiful.)
As far as changing gears goes, here's a link to a HAMB thread which shows a banjo rear being rebuilt. It's not for the faint of heart. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/s...d.php?t=462776
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03-02-2013, 09:03 PM | #8 |
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Re: 4.44:1 rearend, What's it good for?
That rear end is good for Vintage stock car racing. A couple of yr's ago I tryed hard to get a set of 4:55, I got 3-4 sets of 4:44 and finally got a set of 4:55 for a friend running a 34 coupe and one of my Merc flatheads. Running 1/4 and 3/8 tracks. BUT for the street put in 3:78 or even 3:54 or put an overdrive trans in. Walt
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03-02-2013, 09:09 PM | #9 |
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Re: 4.44:1 rearend, What's it good for?
No I never saw the v8-60, it was long gone, I got the whole truck without motor & tranny. I sold the '38 body & kept the chassis to build my '36, then I got a 1946 59A motor and '39 transmission, that motor wants to go! Rearend holds it back. I saw a few complete & real nice 3.78 banjos, not just the gears, but they were already sold, and cheap too! So I'll just wait and watch, thanks for the replys!
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03-02-2013, 09:11 PM | #10 |
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Re: 4.44:1 rearend, What's it good for?
Hill clime guys run um
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03-03-2013, 12:45 AM | #11 |
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Re: 4.44:1 rearend, What's it good for?
My all original unrestored 37 Tudor 60 hp Standard has the original 4:44 rear gears. Never ran it past 60 mph.
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03-03-2013, 01:41 AM | #12 |
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Re: 4.44:1 rearend, What's it good for?
Since it's got the hotter 59A, would it not be worth focusing on a 3.54/1 set if they can be found? Stu
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Stu McMillan Marmon-Herringtons Last edited by truckdog62563; 03-03-2013 at 02:34 AM. |
03-03-2013, 03:16 AM | #13 |
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Re: 4.44:1 rearend, What's it good for?
All points re the gearing are relevant. But the brakes are not an issue when talking about axle ratio.
Mart. |
03-03-2013, 03:24 AM | #14 |
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Re: 4.44:1 rearend, What's it good for?
Unless increased road speed perhaps challenges the performance limits of the stock equipment, no? For instance, we've migrated from discussion of what was assumed a stock V8 60 with stock axle and mechanical brakes to now a 59A with maybe juice upgrade. Lot we don't know about the truck. Stu
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Stu McMillan Marmon-Herringtons Last edited by truckdog62563; 03-03-2013 at 03:43 AM. |
03-03-2013, 03:41 AM | #15 |
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Re: 4.44:1 rearend, What's it good for?
You'd only be going as fast as all the other cars that had the bigger motor and taller gears - the brakes were not downsized for the V8-60. Changing the axle ratio would not put the performance of the car beyond the design capabilities of the brakes.
Well, that's my take on it anyhow. Mart. |
03-03-2013, 07:08 AM | #16 |
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Re: 4.44:1 rearend, What's it good for?
I have '40 juice brakes, and they are really good. It's got the 59A stock motor, (stock except for fenton headers) single stromberg 97, crab dist, 12v generator. I don't have the knowledge or tools to rebuild & swap gearsets here at home, but I'm sure I could swap out the whole rear end, so I would like to find a '38 -'39 complete rear in good shape. Bummer, I just last week put the bed on!
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03-03-2013, 07:44 AM | #17 |
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Re: 4.44:1 rearend, What's it good for?
Beautiful truck. Great job!
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03-03-2013, 07:45 AM | #18 |
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Re: 4.44:1 rearend, What's it good for?
I put 3:54 in my 34 pickup & have 16 in. radials, seems to work well.
Gary. |
03-03-2013, 08:06 AM | #19 |
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Re: 4.44:1 rearend, What's it good for?
I'd say that truck falley light. With the 59 engine it should handle 3:54 very well. You could cruse 60-65 with out overrworking the engine. I have 3:54 in my 31 Model A with the B engine and it has all the power you want and go over any hill with no problem. Walt
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03-03-2013, 11:12 AM | #20 |
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Re: 4.44:1 rearend, What's it good for?
Flat,
If you lived closer we could hook up. I have a 3:54 rear end and a Columbia with 3:78's on the shelf. Both are '37 - '40 style but would drop right in. The big deal with the 3:54's is finding a decent turtle , 18 tooth, I believe. Charlie ny |
03-03-2013, 11:31 AM | #21 |
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Re: 4.44:1 rearend, What's it good for?
Last year we switched our V8-85hp '36 from 4:11 to 3:78's. Went from straining mightily at 55 to okay at just under 65. That'll do for any roads I want to venture out on.
-VT/Jeff |
03-03-2013, 11:35 AM | #22 |
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Re: 4.44:1 rearend, What's it good for?
If you are interested, Currie Enterprises, has a tech. page that you can use to calculate R.P.M., gear ratio, tire diameter and speed. I found it very useful!
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03-03-2013, 12:34 PM | #23 |
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Re: 4.44:1 rearend, What's it good for?
Are you in the EFV-8 club? If so, I bet you could probably find someone with a rear end to swap. I've dropped out of my chapter here in San Antone, so I don't know when or where the state meeting is. But, it is usually in April. I think that might be a resource to locate the parts you need. I probably have some 3.78's but you would have to get someone to build up the rear for you.
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03-03-2013, 02:19 PM | #24 |
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Re: 4.44:1 rearend, What's it good for?
i heard that all v8 60s came with the 4.44 gear?
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03-03-2013, 07:47 PM | #25 |
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Re: 4.44:1 rearend, What's it good for?
4.44 would be a lousy choice as-is but potentially a very good one with an overdrive.
Possibles are columbia ($$$), '41-48 Lincoln OD trans,($$$) or a mitchell; compute costs and time switching to 3.54's, consider that the OD would give you the benefits of much taller cruse gear WITH the killer low-speed gearing of the 4.44, and it might start looking very attractive. The deep gears plus overdrive would give you a very good gear spread, whereas changing just the R&P can give you good cruising gear but will actually hurt your lower end gearing. This is perhaps a chance to have your cake and eat it too... |
03-03-2013, 10:32 PM | #26 |
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Re: 4.44:1 rearend, What's it good for?
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03-03-2013, 11:18 PM | #27 |
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Re: 4.44:1 rearend, What's it good for?
Bratton's Antique Auto Parts, here in Maryland, sells the 18 tooth turtle and gear. The gear is Nylon but will work fine. Bratton's sales people manning the phones may tell you these turtles and gears are for Model A's but don't let that worry you, they will also work on early V8's.
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03-04-2013, 12:17 AM | #28 |
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Re: 4.44:1 rearend, What's it good for?
Both my Model A,s have Columbia OD,s with 4.11 & 2.94 ratios & work great with B engines with 5.9 head.Will pull most hills with no problem.
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03-04-2013, 12:52 AM | #29 | |
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Re: 4.44:1 rearend, What's it good for?
Quote:
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03-04-2013, 09:01 PM | #30 |
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Re: 4.44:1 rearend, What's it good for?
Have any of you guys considered installing a T5 trans ? Cornhuskers ,Speedway just to name a couple offer the adapters to do the job. The beauty behind this is the fact that its a 5 speed over drive.
I'm giving serious consideration for my "37 with an 85 hp. The people that I've talked to that have done this say that it's the sweetest thing they've ever done to improve the driving experience. Rayzor Rayzor |
03-04-2013, 10:48 PM | #31 |
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Re: 4.44:1 rearend, What's it good for?
I just found one in really good shape today on Craigslist, and real close to home! It has back plates, brakes and cylinders, probably '39 -'40. Got it for $75.00 He had no idea what the ratio is, really good deal whatever it is, so I bought it! When I got home I marked the drive shaft end, and the axle shaft, turned the drive shaft spline 3 1\2 turns + a tiny bit, and the axle shaft made exactly 1 turn. Is that a 3.54:1 gear set? I did it like 4 times to be sure. Whatever it actually is, I'm thrilled I found it!
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03-05-2013, 03:16 AM | #32 |
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Re: 4.44:1 rearend, What's it good for?
Hard to say. Best way to check is to hold one hub still, turn the other hub exactly 2 turns and count the driveshaft revolutions. If it is a 3.54 ratio it may be a Merc axle. Some pics might help identify it, and some measurements could be useful - length of torque tube for instance, type of hub and brake backplate (at the lower pivot point area).
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03-05-2013, 10:35 AM | #33 |
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Re: 4.44:1 rearend, What's it good for?
"Bruce, I had 4.44 gears in my car when I bought it. It's not fun shifting to second gear before you get across an intersection..."
You gotta do the whole package, the way Ford did it on the Lincoln...low rear, closer ratio gears in trans, circa 30% off the top in overdrive! |
03-05-2013, 11:51 AM | #34 |
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Re: 4.44:1 rearend, What's it good for?
I'm learning more every minute, between the HAMB and Ford Barn. Tonight I'll look for the numbers stamped below the torque tube bolts, I hope it is 11_39, but I'll be happy with 9_34 3.78:1. I do know it is '37 - '40 based on these pics.
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03-11-2013, 12:06 AM | #35 |
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Re: 4.44:1 rearend, What's it good for?
just put my rdst pu. back in the garage, it has a 53 merk eng. [stock except hc heads] 26 tooth linc. zy. trans grs. 4.44 rear , columbia od, 7:00x16 rr tires. 3rd gear is good for 15mph to 55+ in low range, great around town, hi range ,about 30mph to ???, works better w/stock cam than race cam, took cam out and put stock back in,now great to drive...
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