1942-8 solid rear drive axle?

[Flamed40]

Just disassembling a rear axle from a 42-8 pass car and when removed the torque tube and there is no coupling? The drive axle is solid all the way to the end past the speedo drive gear? What is it? Everything looked right until got to that point? Thought was odd that it had 40 brakes but assumed someone switched them? The torque tube has a reinforcement tube welded aound the tube were struts attach? It goes all around(maybe a splice)? I've done many of these over the years and never saw this? Haven't finished disassembling yet to see ration etc.

 

[Ken/Alabama]

I think Mercury came with the driveshaft and pinion made together.

 

[rotorwrench]

Mercury had these for the first production for 1939 up to 1942.

 

[jimTN]

What is stamped on the lower rib, a lot of those Merc were 3.54 gear ratio?

 

[old Tom]

there is a coupling in there but no splines

 

[Flamed40]

Thanks everyone for the info. It's a 40-1 mercury(5 1/2 bolt circle). Is a 3.54 ratio. Is same width as 40 ford. Does have the shorter 46-8 struts? Were would this coupler with no splines be? I don't see anything?

 

[Mart]

Sounds like a pretty useful axle if you're not afraid of a bit of cutting and welding.

Mart.

 

[rotorwrench]

THere was no coupler on the Mercs of that time frame. Pinion & shaft were one piece. If a person wants to separate the shaft it could be done but it would require a lot of machining to modify it for a coupler using splines. The easiest way would be to machine a coupler for a tight fit on the pinion stub shaft then weld & pin it to hold it together. I don't know if the diameter of stub shaft would have enough meat to cut some splines on there like a 6-spline pinion would have but it might be possible if a guy knows the right machinist.