Axle Dope

reggiedog

reggiedog

Well-known member
HI: Does any one know as to what Ford used in the rear axles originally reason why I'm asking cause I found in the Indianapolis Service Letters that Ford used 1-1/2 quarts of rear axle dope in all Model A's but I don't know what the dope is that they put in the axles can anyone answer this question for me as to what it was or is.

I always used the 600 W oil in mine but I still would like to find out for sure as to what it the axle dope really was back in the day.

Thanks Let me know

Reggie
 
Back then I believe it was still steam cylinder oil 600W.

Anything from 140-250 weight will work just fine.
 
So why did they call it dope then ????. That's what I'm trying to find out for sure and are you sure it wasn't 700 W oil instead of the normal 600 W oil as I have heard that they used 700 W also as to where in the car not sure that's what I'm trying to find out now.

Reggie
 
I always thought of dope as model airplane paint or pipe thread sealer or the funny smoking stuff or some information or just a plain stupid person but never gear oil.
 
So if you grow up in the south so what was it between the two and what did Ford use as what they called dope as I have never heard it called that myself and I just put 600 W oil in the rear end nothing else ever all the time that I have owned a Model A but I know there's also 700 W oil is that what they called dope
 
reggiedog,
"dope" is a slang term, much like "stuff". the only spec I have ever seen in the Ford manuals calls for 600w.
don't read too much into it.
 
Appears to be often used vintage local slangs: This "Rear end dope" term is mentioned for differential lube on Google.

My Dad managed a Garage/Gulf Oil Filling Station from 1920 to 1932 & worked on all types of vintage cars in their maintenance shop.

He often mentioned this young lady who noticed oil spots on her garage floor and asked my Dad's assistant to check the differential oil level ..... he did ...... he added a little .......... she next asked how much ..... he told her a "shot" ..... which he thought was about equal to a normal shot of whiskey.

Afterwards, it was difficult for both of them to maintain a straight face because she always drove up and said the same thing every time.

They knew if they corrected her, she would never come back.

She would drive up and say'

"Fill her up ........ and check my rear end out to see if I need a shot!"
 
It's in the March 21,1929 Indianapolis Service Letter.
REAR AXLE DOPE:
We are now putting in 1 1/2 quarts of rear axle dope in all Model A axles
before cars are delivered to dealers. All dealers should check all cars after
they are driven 500 miles to make sure it is level to the top of the drain plug.

I think I would rather have it to the level of the bottom of the fill plug.:D

Bob
 
If you have ever smelled the original Ford Fudge used in transmissions and rear ends you would remember it. I have been told that the smell came from whale oil that was part of the mixture.
 
Bob, You are reading the same thing I have read and that's why I want to know as to what the axle dope is or was????. And I think Cris is right also as I rememeber the stuff stunk bad like dead fish or something what ever it was it stunk.
And if you have the book How to restore your Model A I think or it's as Henry built it book one of them says 700 W oil also in there one of them you will find where it says 700 W oil also.
And I have never heard of that either but I just wanted to know as to what the DOPE was if it was 600 W oil or something else I know it is a slange term for something I just wanted to know as to what that was for sure reason is I have never put anything other then the normal 600 W oil in there and yes I have always gone to the top of the filler plug and NOT the bottom plug as I don't think that's enough oil for the rear end if you just went to the bottom filler plug.
So what does everyone think 600 W oil for what the Indianapolis Service Letters is calling DOPE is really 600 W oil and it should be called that instead of DOPE ??????.
I just haven't heard it called that before and just wanted to know as to what it would really be instead of DOPE now I've heard of pipe DOPE and some soder as DOPE but not oil called DOPE so I just had to find out as to what it really is or was back in the day.
And does anyone know if that stuff really did have fish oil in it as it really did stink like that back in the day and who knows what ever else was in it and I have heard the whiskey being put into the oil to thin it out before it was used because as with any oil over time gets to have sludge in it but I don't have any prof to know if that is true or not either.
But I do know it's or was true that whiskey was used in diesel fuel cause I have used that myself it thins it out and gives you more RPM's then without it but I only used it in the winter when it seamed sludgy just before the brakes would lock up on me on my truck back then I don't know about doing that today or not but I did that back when I drove truck years ago.
I was told that by someone years ago and never tried it till it did that one day and it worked didn't know that before I'd rather drink it myself instead of putting it in the tank I just don't remember as to how much your suppose to put in there now I'd just dump some of it in there now.
If I had to do it today I don't use Diesel anymore so I don't have to think about it anymore.
But are we going with the 600 W oil as being called the ( DOPE ) back in the day????.
I would think that would be a safe and a good guess as to what it really was back then but who knows as to what else was put in it back then probable anything just to get rid of it they didn't have to put up with the D.N.R. or anyone else like we do now.
 
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Bob C said:
It's in the March 21,1929 Indianapolis Service Letter.
REAR AXLE DOPE:
We are now putting in 1 1/2 quarts of rear axle dope in all Model A axles
before cars are delivered to dealers. All dealers should check all cars after
they are driven 500 miles to make sure it is level to the top of the drain plug.

I think I would rather have it to the level of the bottom of the fill plug.:D

Bob
Click to expand...

The Model A Differential holds 1 1/2 PINTS of lube. Any more than that and you'll have it running onto your brakes.
 
Minervas' trans was perfect level, her diff was WAAAY OVERFULL! How??? did someone do that??? I just let it drain down to the bottom of the filler plug.
Bill W.
 
diff capacity:
different info from different sources::

brattons 1.5 pints
snyders 2 qts
les red book 2-1/4 pints
service bulletins 1.5 pints
tams 1.5 qts
macs 1-1/2 to 2 qts
 
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