More colombia questions

T

trike84

Member
Just got My 2 speed back from Mr. John Stooksbury, seeking guidance on wiring the darn thing up. I have 46-48 elect system . Any info is appreciated.:confused:
 
I've got a parts guide from Mr Connelly, just wondering , should I put the volt drop at the key switch or at the silinoid. The wiring to and from the dash switch and the clutch lockout switch is basic.
 
If you are running 12v, without the exact correct drop, you could fry some stuff easily that not out there for replacement.
 
My system is 12 volts. I don't want to fry the shift silinoid for the rear end. I found a an old Delco ballast restistor, checked it with multi meter, I'll mount it after the clutch switch.
 
While on the subject of the Columbia rear axle. I'd like to take the opertunity to suggest that this might not be the way to go. However if you run across a used one in operating condition for a reasonable price, by all means buy it, install it and hope you don't have any trouble with it. In 06 I spent a month in Paul Garagans roadster and we put over 2000 trouble free miles on it. We did have trouble with the speedometer shift. He mentioned the unit was prone to failure. In 2010 He visited me in Vermont and was having some trouble with his Brakes, so we rebuilt a wheel cylinder and he made it home all right to Colorado. While working on the breaks I asked him how the Columbia was working? He said that it was on it's third rebuild since he installed it and had he known how much trouble he was going to have with it he'd never used it. So I guess putting a dent in the floor pan isn't much of an issue.
 
I guess I'll have to defend the Columbia rear ends. The Columbia under my '36, a '47-48 unit, hooked to the original '36 Ford 3.78 center section has been in operation in my car for over 50k. The only problem I have ever had with it was a spacer washer failed causing the right axle to seize. That was kind of scarey because I was doing over 65 mph when the wheel locked up.
My car has had a Columbia under it since it was new, the car has 140k on the odometer. I replaced the '36 Columbia with the later model because there were things I did not like about the earlier units.
My engine is a well built 59AB engine, when I was younger I would drag race the car on a regular basis, never had any issues with the Columbia. I think the problem with the Columbia's for many people is they don't know how or when to shift them, the same is true of trucks with 2 speed rear ends. A two speed axle should never be shifted on the down hill, nor should they be shifted into low range while the vehicle has been allowed to roll with the clutch depressed.
Down shifts are made by momentarily releasing the gas peddle, while momentarily depressing the clutch. Releasing the throttle increases the vacuum, depressing the clutch takes the pressure off of the gears, thereby allowing the vacuum shift piston to shift the gears in the Columbia..
The late model vacuum/electric shift controls work pretty slick.
 
thank's Bill, by the way I spent 20 year's in Ventura area, oak view and crapinteria. Sure miss it, It is 10 degrees here.
 
trike84..I would caution you on the use of a resistor in the electric supply to the solinoid's.. Several of the aftermarket vendors have solid state voltage reducers that will take the 12 v + down to a constant 6v with no risk of frying something.. I recently bought one for the radio in my '39..
Sorry to hear about your 10 degree weather, it is supposed to be in the mid 70's here in Ventura today. Think I'll get my '39 conv out in the morning, go for a cruise around town, then stop at a local Saturday morning coffee and BS get together at a local auto parts store...
Life is really tough here in So Cal...
 
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