Axles and spider gears

Ken/Alabama

Well-known member
Put a Columbia together today and having trouble with the spider gears. When I bolt the ring gear on everything gets tight and locks up,when I loosen the bolts on the ring gear it frees up and I can rotate one axle and the other side will turn in the opposite direction. I have 16 tooth axles and 11 tooth spiders.:confused:
 
i think that it goes together one way, i think that there are a mark on the carrier
some one will chime in that knows more
 
When I loosen the bolts on the ring gear it frees up and I can rotate one axle and the other side will turn in the opposite direction.

How much do you have to loosen it? When it's loose, do the axles rotate smoothly, or not smoothly? I'd think that if you have the wrong spider gear / axle gear combo, it would not be smooth at all. Just my opinion.
 
The columbia carrier does have a mark on it and its lined up. What I really need to know is the 11 tooth spiders correct for the 16 tooth axle, they did come out of a donor rear end as a unit.Im begaining to think the brass thrust washers are too thick.
 
No other shims just the thrust washers for the columbia . I have built several of these but never had this problem. I thought someone may have some information on which spiders go with 16 tooth or 18 tooth axles.
 
My spider gear washers are .025 to .027 thk. used. Could the ring gear bolts be too long and hitting on the back side of the big planetary gear?
 
axle 81A-4235 OAL 32.85"-16 teeth Pass & Com 1939-41
pinion spider 81A-4215 11 teeth 7/8" thick 3/4" ID Pass & Comm. 39-48
allso axle 21A is 33.70"OAL -16 teeth is to be used with the 81A spider
in other words the 11 tooth spider can be used with either axle both with 16 teeth.
 
axle 81A-4235 OAL 32.85"-16 teeth Pass & Com 1939-41
pinion spider 81A-4215 11 teeth 7/8" thick 3/4" ID Pass & Comm. 39-48
allso axle 21A is 33.70"OAL -16 teeth is to be used with the 81A spider
in other words the 11 tooth spider can be used with either axle both with 16 teeth.

Basically,

From late '32 thru '48

16 tooth axles use 11 tooth spyder gears,

18 tooth axles use 12 tooth spyder gears.

Regardless of the length of the axles.

Chris
 
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