Mac 3.54 for 34ford installation

retep

retep

Member
I am seriously considering using a Mac 3.54 6 spline ring and pinion gear set. I have read posts from past with comments about modifications.
I am making change to original 1934 rear axle and I assume this should be a straight exchange. I contacted Mac's and they offer no assistance and have no customer feed back to suggest any problems. I come here to this forum for information that you have to offer on this project.

Keith
 
Early Ford V-8 Sales, Inc. has the correct ring and pinion Gears, New 10 Spline, no modifying and will assist you! Earlyford.com ( no interest in company, just own a 34 )
800-417-3347 cost is $495.00
 
Some one will give you more detailed info,
But this is what I did,
machine 34 driveshaft to accept the later spline,weld in later spline,

you may have to machine a small amount off the edge of the ring gear to clear the 34 housing,
machine a small amount off the edge of the pinion gear teeth to clear the 34 pinion bearing bore,
Make a spacer to go under the pinion bearing nuts ,about 1/2 in if I remember,
Take care in setting up the gear mesh.
Lawrie
 
retep,
Only my opinion....at least try Dick Spadaro....518 861 5367. I get my rear
gears from Dick and he is most accomodating....his business is in Altamont N.Y. sort
of near Albany.
Charlie ny
 
Keith, before they started making the 10 spline, you had to have a machine shop make a special coupling, shorten the drive shaft by 1/2" and some other items. The new ones trade out for the old 4:11 like I had. You still need to do minor adjustment with shims for correct gear to gear pressure/clearance. This is required with all new rearends.
 
Stay clear of Mac's, the one in NY, and deal with other EV8 suppliers. There is agear vendor at Hershey every year that likely sells direct, and can offer you authoritative tech help. Also Van Pelt Sales may be a good source. for parts and tech support.
 
I bought my gears from Speedway and they have been great, made in Italy. I didn't realize these other vendors sold them. I believe the brand name was Getz, not sure. I found it was well worth the time and money spent. It made a different car out of my `35. I sometimes wish I would have gone to the next higher gear.
 
Shade, a friend bought a set of the next higher gears (3.25:1, 6 spline) from Speedway and installed them in his FH powered track T roadster. They worked great but he decided to buy one of Spadaro's closed drive QC's about a year later and now has the 3.25's for sale with pinion still mounted in banjo housing for ~ $250.00-300.00. If you or anyone else would be interested I could put you in contact with him.

I have several friends who have bought and installed the Speedway Italian made six spline pinion gear sets at $350.00/set and they are totally happy with their performance. These are not Getz gears as many people think. I also believe that many of the dealers selling new six spline gear sets are actually selling these same Italian made gears at higher $$'s than Speedway sells them for.
 
Let me summarize what I believe to be my best option.

A 3.54 to 1 with 10 spline pinion is a swap out.
A 6 spline pinion requires modifications. (adapter, shortening etc.)

Conclusion: use the 10 spline.
Am I missing anything here?

Keith
 
JM 35 Sedan said:
Shade, a friend bought a set of the next higher gears (3.25:1, 6 spline) from Speedway and installed them in his FH powered track T roadster. They worked great but he decided to buy one of Spadaro's closed drive QC's about a year later and now has the 3.25's for sale with pinion still mounted in banjo housing for ~ $250.00-300.00. If you or anyone else would be interested I could put you in contact with him.

John, that is a good deal and well worth the asking price but will I stay with what I have got. But I do believe my car and engine would handle the 3.25 very well and I live in hilly country. I wish now that I would have tried it. I dread the thoughts of tearing it apart again. I do apppreciate the info.
Click to expand...
 
In addition to purchasing a 10 spline gear set, buy a gasket kit. "BEST" gaskets are generally the brand of choice. There will be several gaskets in the kit. Each a different color, which tells the gasket thickness. Necessary to set the proper backlash.
Take special note to which side of the ring gear the pinon is on. The correct side will drive the car forward, the other side the car will travel backwards. opps
New axel seals. They are located in the small end of the axel housings toward the backing plate. You probably will need to buy a "driver" to install them. Easy to do.
Great hobby; have fun.
 
bluardun said:
In addition to purchasing a 10 spline gear set, buy a gasket kit. "BEST" gaskets are generally the brand of choice. There will be several gaskets in the kit. Each a different color, which tells the gasket thickness. Necessary to set the proper backlash.
Take special note to which side of the ring gear the pinon is on. The correct side will drive the car forward, the other side the car will travel backwards. opps
New axel seals. They are located in the small end of the axel housings toward the backing plate. You probably will need to buy a "driver" to install them. Easy to do.
Great hobby; have fun.
Click to expand...

Is the 34 banjo different than later ones as far as pinion mount?
I am working on a 41 and I see no way you could put the ring gear on the wrong side. Do I need another coffee?
 
OK I had another cup and now I realise you might mean the orientation of the whole banjo.
But that would put the drain hole at the top.
 
I like the idea of the 3.25 R&P set and axle rebuild kit from V8 Auto.

I have resource information from 'Early V8 Ford Service Manual. Publisher Clymer. Can anyone recommend other sources?

I am still open to suggestions.

Keith
 
retep said:
I like the idea of the 3.25 R&P set and axle rebuild kit from V8 Auto.

I have resource information from 'Early V8 Ford Service Manual. Publisher Clymer. Can anyone recommend other sources?

I am still open to suggestions.



Keith
Click to expand...


Is this going in a stock '33-'34 sedan with a stock 221 cu engine? I ask as with them tall wheels and small (relatively) engine, could The car be able to pull them lakester gears? Or is it gonna bog down on inclines, necessitating dropping down a cog to keep the speed.
Some one should have experience with this combo, be good to get a real world opinion.
I think it's to high a ratio for the car I describe. I'd have thought 3.78:1 would be ideal. If it were mine it'd have 4.11:1, I just love the way they pull with these gears. But that's how I like them.
Martin.
 
The 3:34 gears are a good fit. The car puled well on my trip across the US and over the rocky mts. My problem was with the modified drive shaft, the 10 to 6 spline change, cant seem to get someone to make a good drive shaft. So I have ordered the new gear set 3:54 with 10 spline to use stock drive shaft as my old set has been ruined by poor spline alignment. The cruse speed is good at 60 mph and about 2500 rpm with stock tires 5:50/17. This HOBBY is fun if you don't run out of $$ or patients.
 
Kieth, as Martin mentioned above. If you have a Flathead in your sedan, you will find a 3:25 gear will be too tall. Your origonal plan for a 3:54 will be more servicable.
All of this depends on you use the car. Short city drives, or long highway trips ?
Have you checked to see which gear ratio is in the car? Numbers stamped on the support webb on to top/front of the banjo housing will denote the gear set. Example
9 34 (34 divided by 9) is a 3:78. Which by the way is a nice all around gear.
Have fun
 
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